Events

Panel discussion and listening session with original band members Princess Hearn, Jerome Derrickson, C. Niambi Steele, and Zach Schoenfeld In 1973, Enterprise Records, a subsidiary released a landmark LP that would, over time, help change the face of Black music. The 24-Carat Black, a group of more than a dozen young musicians from Cincinnati, and their […]

FREE outdoor showing of the classic 1973 concert film featuring Rufus and Carla Thomas, Isaac Hayes, the Staple Singers, the Bar-Kays, and many more Stax artists. Bring lawn chairs to enjoy the show; food trucks will be on hand. DJ Bizzle Bluebland will play Memphis classics and deep cuts before the film starts. Limited parking […]

Lecture and discussion with author Emily Lordi and Edwin Mims, Professor of English, Vanderbilt University Free Admission In The Meaning of Soul, Emily J. Lordi proposes a new understanding of this famously elusive concept. In the 1960s, Lordi argues, soul came to signify a cultural belief in black resilience, which was enacted through musical practices—inventive cover […]

Les Paul Thru the Lens explores the life of pioneering musician and innovator Les Paul. Through a series of 24 photographs, visitors will see a chronicle of Paul’s life, career, and achievements: his early performances as Red Hot Red, his marriage to and work with Mary Ford, his explorations in the recording studio and with the […]

Conversation and book signing with Eddie Floyd and Jared Boyd, Memphis author and DJ Arriving at Stax Records in the mid-1960s, Eddie Floyd soon established himself as one of the label’s soul superstars performing hits like “Knock on Wood,” “Raise Your Hand,” and “Big Bird,” and becoming an exceptional songwriter and collaborator. Floyd stayed with […]

Conversation, listening session, and book signing with authors Bob Beatty and Timothy Hoover One of the greatest collaborations of the late 1960s was between King Curtis Ousley, the R&B saxophone master, and Duane Allman, the slide guitar prodigy whose musical vision transcended genre. Their paths crossed when both were highly sought-after sessions musicians for Atlantic […]