July 19th, 2018

In the morning, the creepy archery range looks way less Resident Evil when we get out of the van, and I see that we’re kind of sideways parked in the forest and off of the dirt road. Whoops. This tends to happen when we come in late, but so far we have only had run-ins with friendly people. The bugs are chirping, rather than the birds, but nonetheless there is a cheerful hum in the air and the sun is shining. After the mandatory shift around of all the extra stuff that never seems to have a set place to stay, we are off to Memphis. It’s way closer than anticipated, basically just across a bridge, so we’re there in no time at all. We have to find an open-air lot to park in since the van is way too tall for a garage, but luckily I’ve gotten better at scouting them out via parking apps that show pictures of what the lots look like which saves us the embarrassment of having to back out of a spot we can’t fit in.

This lot is small and sketchy looking, but it’s also very close to our first stop- the Peabody Hotel. We pay at the attendant stand, slather ourselves in sunscreen outside the van and walk the short few blocks to the hotel. The outside isn’t much to look at, but when we duck inside the gilded doors we are greeted with a pretty magnificent view. The lobby reminds me of the late Tower of Terror ride (RIP). It’s all old-school elegance with dark carved wood furnishings, marble pillars, burgundy accents, and multiple chandeliers framing the elegant room. In the middle of the lobby is a marble fountain that sprouts a floral arrangement out of its highest tier and is fringed by a small seating area. There’s a roped-off portion there that is reserved for hotel guests to get front row seats to the fountain, as well as to keep a path to the elevator clear. We’re about fifteen minutes early but it’s certainly not early enough to get us to the front of the ropes, so we stand behind a row or two of adults and children and watch the red carpet that stretches from the fountain to the elevator doors. By the time a man dressed as a bellhop gets our attention we are crammed in like sardines with a crowd of people all eager to see the same fowl performance. It’s the famous Peabody duck parade, which happens at 11 am and 5 pm in the lobby everyday– and has since the 1930’s. There’s a brief opening speech in which the Duckmaster (yes, that is officially his title) introduces the history of the Duck March. The show is quick, but it sure does deliver, with the web-footed celebrities bursting out the elevator doors and strutting down the red carpet in front of their cheering audience. The ducks jump into the fountain like the seasoned pros they are and then the crowd is allowed to close in for some photos.

Once the show is over, we head back out to the hot Memphis streets in search of breakfast food. We walk to Court Square, which is a small park tucked between grimy sidewalks. There you can catch carriage rides, check out food trucks (if there), and watch the birds, squirrels, and people bustle around. It’s a pretty little slice of green in a grey cityscape, but alas, we are not there for the views and moved on quickly. Nearby is Blue Plate Cafe, which is chock full of blue checkered tablecloths and delicious, carby breakfast food. It’s a little cheaper than other breakfast options, and the “diner” feel is familiar and comforting. After breakfast we were back on the streets and headed to Sun Studio. While I’d done a little research on the place, Brian knew a lot more about founder Sam Phillips and the studio that recorded such greats as Elvis, BB King, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and more.

Sun Studio is a modest brick building on a corner that is easily identifiable by a large tan guitar suspended over the sidewalk below as well as a neon sign in the window proclaiming itself. Quirky little roosters that represent Sun Studio’s logo greet incoming guests from the window (my favorite touch), and a glance inside reveals dozens of records all over the walls. Once through the blocky white facade that frames the door you’ll find yourself in a fairly small lobby with checker-board flooring, through which you can practically feel the echoes of years of use and wear. Tickets can be purchased at the front desk, and the tour commences through the back of the building and up a very narrow set of stairs. Our group is small, and I’d imagine most are due to space limitations, but the lower head count allows for more time being able to check everything out. And there is a lot to see here.

Our tour guide has enough enthusiasm for a stadium and he looks the part in a band tee and bandana, and his passion for rock n’ roll is infectious. While I wouldn’t consider myself well versed in music history nor particularly inclined towards it, it doesn’t matter here. Everything about the place is so cool and well preserved that it’s hard not to be swept up in the feeling that history was made here, whether you’re a fan of the genre or not. That first room features music, well-preserved discs and recording machinery, instruments, costumes, stories, and the DJ booth of Dewey Phillips of WHBQ station. He’s credited with being the first to air Elvis’ “That’s All Right”-and, in fact, played it numerous times in a row on his radio show to the apparent delight of listeners that would quickly shoot Elvis to stardom. His booth sits behind a thick glass wall but looks as though it could be brought back to action any moment- a soda bottle sits near the mic and papers are tossed across the desk haphazardly as though they’ve been rifled through. A broken record on the floor suggests Dewey himself may be about to come bustling back with a broom or a helper to clean it.

After we’ve had some time milling around the first room our tour guide leads us back downstairs and into the recording booth itself. It’s a small space as unassuming as the building’s exterior and filled with musical instruments that our guide assures us are still in use. There’s a sense of reverence to be there, and everyone hums with quiet excitement as we all pile in. Brian was very excited to see that they had Sam Phillip’s original vocal mic, the very same one that Elvis and Johnny Cash had used. We’re allowed to pose with it and even though it’s metal and unlikely to be super fragile, I hold it like it’s a delicate flower stem and smile awkwardly for the tourist taking our photo while Brian just grabs it and goes for his sickest singing impression. This could almost be a metaphor for how differently we dealt with many aspects of this trip (looking at you bear country)!

Happy to have had our moment with the mic, we wander off to check out the rest of the space while our guide tells us stories. He plays a clip of the “Million Dollar Quartet” which is the nickname given to a jam session with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, and Jerry Lee Lewis (who was at the time a pianist) that was recorded in this very room. Lots of these little moments are what have contributed to Sun Studio having such a vibrant and permanent spot in rock n roll history, and they are all displayed in small and large ways throughout the tour. If you’re wondering whether Sun Studio is “worth it”, as somebody who is not a huge music nerd I’d still say to go for it! One of the best parts for me was watching all these big biker looking guys at the beginning clearly overwhelmed with glee and enthusiasm, slapping each other’s arms and pointing out old records and instruments. It’s a window into a different time and place, and I enjoyed the chance to glimpse through it.

Once we stepped back into the hot Memphis sun, we were able to catch a shuttle directly in front of the building that would take us on to our next stop- Graceland.