Tag: Sun Studio

“Graceland or Sun?” my friend asked. I had to ponder that one for a moment. “Sun,” I finally replied. We drove a few blocks and reached one of the most hallowed addresses of my life: 706 Union Avenue, Sun Studio. I could almost see a youthful Elvis Presley nervously hanging around outside, trying to get the courage to go in and record a ballad to give to his mother.

Memphis, the unofficial capital city of the Mississippi Delta, is widely renowned for two things: blues and barbecue. The two Memphis institutions are tightly connected—each a result of the Great Migration of the early 20th century.

This Mississippi River city offers more than Elvis and top-notch ribs. You’ll also find a wealth of civil rights history, hip bars, and one of the country’s largest urban parks.