Tag: Memphis Tennessee

MotorCoach Blog 68

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I Am a Motorcoach, Discovering the USA by Tread Windshield and Mirror…

. . . bringing you my bold red perspective on the city of the blues, Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis is still King and BB King is still cookin’. From Beale Street to Graceland, Memphis and its music are inseparable . . .

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

The birthplace of rock ‘n roll and home of the blues, only a few places in the world enjoy peer status with Memphis as origin of diverse musical genres with international influence – not to mention the international celebrities associated with them.

Beginning its international influence in the early 1950s with humble local offerings, Sun Records was the brain-child of Sam C. Phillips. In a city deep with Civil Rights legacy, Sun provided career starts for blacks and whites alike. Elvis and BB King top the list of its famous alumni, a list too long to include in this space.

In the 1960s Stax Records introduced to the world stars like Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes, who galvanized a broad fan base around the “Memphis Sound,” a mix of blues, R&B, and soul.

The only musical reference in this selfie is the restraint I showed over the temptation to blow my horn to see if I could get this twin-engine catfish to shake his tail (it wasn’t easy). Located on 2nd Street, the Flying Fish serves a variety of water creatures prepared with cajun attitude. But the house specialty is catfish, farm raised in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Alabama (apparently there are no catfish farms in Tennessee).

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

CHURCH NEWS: Acknowledged as the South’s first African-American millionaire, Robert Church, Sr. Founded the first African-American owned Bank and purchased real estate on a little-known thoroughfare called Beale Street. The street would become one of the most famous in the country and the hot-spot of the Memphis music culture. It was on Beale Street that W C Handy – “Father of the Blues” – performed and wrote his signature pieces, “Memphis Blues” and “Beale Street Blues.”

BB NEWS: Beale Street is where BB King got started in the Memphis music scene and where BB King’s Blues Club serves up destination BBQ. Is it the music or the food that draws people from far and wide to BB’s restaurant and club at the corner of Beale Street and 2nd Street? Both!

NOSTALGIA NEWS: Elvis Presley’s home until his death in 1977, Graceland today welcomes over a half-million visitors a year. From automobiles to records to haircuts to stage outfits, the King’s former home is just part of a Graceland experience that let’s visitors into the career and life of Elvis.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Beale Street: gravelly vocals, blazing guitars, smokin’ good grub, cool neon, and unique architectural statements galore, the street lives up to its international fame.

Quote Of The Day samples

“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.” – Elvis Presley

“The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you.” – BB King

(Video run time: 1 minute 29 seconds)

Musical accompaniment:
Beer Belly Blues by John Deley

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MotorCoach Blog 67

Posted on    by

I Am a Motorcoach, Discovering the USA by Tread Windshield and Mirror…

. . . with something I haven’t brought you in a while: Logo-rubbing. For those of you who are new to motorcoachblog.com, (and those who are not but are memory impaired), Logo-rubbing is the motor-coach equivalent of your “rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.”
Keeping in mind that I am a big red branding entity on wheels, my
notable connections out in the world are with the industrial and
iconic. The Mid-American signature red attire is my branding feature
folks have come to expect and appreciate. But I try and get some part
of my equally recognizable logo in these logo-rubbing selfies.

Selfies

(which by definition means I’m in them . . . though you might have to look for me)

Downtown St. Louis Airport (actually on the Illinois side of the Mississippi), on the tarmac to pick up passengers offloading from this learjet belonging to Joe Gibbs Racing – of NASCAR fame.

Bartlesville, Oklahoma, posing inside-out with this vintage Phillips 66 tank on wheels, an old-timer obviously not made to service anything the likes of a 21st Century motor-coach.

YO! Check me out, cruisin’ Chattanooga, Tennessee. And what do I find but American Idol’s traveling fame-mobile, in town for auditions. I’m pretty sure I’ve finally been discovered!

CBS is one of the most recognized and valuable brands in the US; and in a society gaga on sports, its sports logo is a premium platform of its own. You might recall our proud position as preferred travel provider for St. Louis University. Well, here I am outside the Chaifetz Arena, having delivered the Richmond (Virginia) men’s basketball team to play our beloved Billikens.

Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee: BB King, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Ike Turner, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison . . . need I say more?

Also in Memphis: Bass Pro Shops. Along with association with Bass Pro, supreme brand of the “Outdoors,” I enjoy my connection here with a classic form of historical recognition.

Here Is The News!

MEETING THE NEWS on the roadways of America, first-hand, real time, real world news—going out and discovering the news . . .

PYRAMID NEWS: connecting by more than name with its namesake city in Egypt, the pyramid on the banks of the Mississippi River in The American Memphis is the tenth-tallest pyramid in the world. It was originally built as an arena for entertainment and formerly known as the Great American Pyramid.

JOE GIBBS NEWS: As owner of Joe Gibbs Racing, Gibbs is a four-time Daytona 500 champion, a five-time NASCAR Cup series champion, and a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Before transitioning to NASCAR, Gibbs was an equally accomplished NFL coach. In twelve seasons with the Washington Redskins he led his team to three Super Bowl championships and was the only coach in NFL history to accomplish the feat with three different quarterbacks. Also a member of the NFL Hall of Fame, he is the only person to be inducted into the halls of fame for both of these iconic organizations.

MUST SEE...

(Unlike selfies, these are not about me, but about travel discoveries I think you’d like to know about.)

Now home to a Bass Pro Shops “megastore,” the pyramid in Memphis, Tennessee houses restaurants, a bowling alley, a variety of shopping opportunities (aside from the main one: Bass Pro), and has an observation deck you will want to step out onto when visiting. Johnny Morris (CEO and Founder of Bass Pro Shops) only knows how to do things one way: all-in! So, this one is an all-day worthy destination.

Quote Of The Day samples

“People who enjoy what they are doing invariably do it well.” – Joe Gibbs

“We hope to become a must-see destination for 60 million people who enjoy the outdoors.” – Johnny Morris

(Video run time: 1 minute 44 seconds)

Musical accompaniment:
Country Blues by Silent Partner https://youtu.be/GXHtQsgwRrU

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