Vinyl LP

The compilation illustrates the eclectic scope of Bluff City music, from Furry Lewis and Junior Kimbrough to Alex Chilton, Jim Dickinson and the Panther Burns. Memphis is about individualism, about distinct characters making “it” different. The best music out of Memphis — be it deep blues, early rocking Elvis, Stax soul, indie 1990s Grifters, or today’s Julien Baker or North Mississippi Allstars — forged its own sound. The Memphis aesthetic is to not sound like hits, but to sound different. Sometimes “different” hits. This soundtrack is a great companion to Memphis Rent Party, the latest book by Robert Gordon, out on March 6.

Tracklist:
SIDE A
1. Jerry McGill – Desperados Waiting for a Train
2. Luther Dickinson and Sharde Thomas – Chevrolet
3. Junior Kimbrough – All Night Long
4. Furry Lewis – Why Don't You Come Home Blues
5. Calvin Newborn – Frame for the Blues

SIDE B
1. Alex Chilton with the Randy Band – Johnny Too Bad
2. Jerry Lee Lewis – Harbor Lights
3. The Fieldstones – Little Bluebird
4. The Panther Burns – Drop Your Mask
5. Mose Vinson – Same Thing on My Mind
6. Charlie Feathers – Defrost Your Heart
7. Jim Dickinson – I’d Love to be a Hippie

Hardback Book

“Blues, being the wellspring of all American music for over a century, is always worth studying. Robert does it right.” - Keith Richards

“An emotional map of musical Memphis. If you don’t know these characters, let Robert Gordon introduce you.” - Elvis Costello

“In this excellent collection of essays, Gordon (It Came from Memphis), a veteran music journalist on the Memphis scene, masterfully writes about the outlaws, rebels, and tragic figures who provided the spark for the city’s entertainment industry. … Gordon’s book is a grand, funky musical tour of Memphis.” - Publishers Weekly Publishers Weekly

Read the full Publishers Weekly review here

Read the Kirkus Review here