Mid-South Music

Mid-South Music


Eddie Bond is a well-known Memphis rockabilly having toured with many big names and releasing multiple albums with Mercury Records. However, it is more likely you know him for rejecting a then 18-year-old Elvis Presley after he had tried out for Eddie’s Band. This would not impact their relationship in the future since after this Eddie would join Elvis on tour. Eddie would later be inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame for his contributions to the movement before passing away in 2013.

Often referred to as the King of Soul, Sam Cooke was born in the same town Gus Cannon loved so much. Clarksdale, Mississippi would not be his home for long however as his family would move to Chicago. He was involved with music from an early age singing Gospel first for his family’s church then later with other groups where he would get his first experience recording music for the public. In 1951 he would cross over into Pop music and make history by creating 29 Top-40 charting singles in his short eight-year career.

Memphis is a hub for various kinds of art, but most of all is music. This article will be covering a few different musicians who have spent their time in or around Memphis in the past.

Gus Cannon, famous for writing the song ‘Walk Right In’, spent a majority of his life in Clarksdale, Mississippi. He first moved to Clarksdale when he was 12 years old and would learn to play the trombone, fiddle, guitar, and piano. His first banjo was crafted using a bread pan and a recycled guitar neck.

Fans of Beale Street will immediately recognize the infamous Memphis Minnie. Although originating from Tunica County, Mississippi, Minnie would move to Memphis when she was 8. After living in Memphis for a year she would receive a guitar as a Christmas present and begin playing. At the age of 10 she was playing the banjo and one year later at 11 she was mastering the guitar. Eventually her family would move to Brunswick, Tennessee followed by Walls, Tennessee. This however would not keep Minnie from returning to Memphis as she would run away from her family home at the age of 13. That is where her journey on Beale Street began, but she would quickly make a name for herself and rise to the top of the list of great artists who have performed on Beale Street. Minnie went on to record nearly 200 songs in her career and is known as a staple Blues artist as well as one of Beale Street’s best.

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