I ordered an unsweet tea, and as usual the iced tea here in Memphis is really good, and a 3 piece dark plate. Kathleen had the forethought to order us some fried green tomatoes and fried pickle spears which came out quick and started my fried food frenzy. They were hot and fresh and had this perfect chewy crusty goodness on the outside. When my plate arrived it was actually too hot to eat right away. The smell was amazing and the slaw and baked beans held my attention for a few minutes while my chicken cooled enough to dig in. Perfect brown, crispy, spicy crust and hot, juicy, steaming inside. Amazing. So right and so good. Enough spice to heat you up just a bit, but not too much. Exactly the way fried chicken is supposed to be.

Then we were off to the Buccaneer Lounge where we had a couple of beers and got to hang with a Chef Fitz and a few of his famous Cookin Hookers band that I got to see play in that very room last year. Good fellows all and many a groan and grunt of appreciation when we told them we just had lunch at Gus’s.

We then arrived at The Otherlands to set up and wait for Walt and Brian Langlinais to arrive from Nashville. I had some time before the show and with the three piece dark and the beers making my eyes droop and my brain fuzzy, and since I was at a coffee bar, I ordered myself a lovely double espresso. I learned long ago while playing the 12:30 AM to 4:30 AM slot on Bleeker Street in NYC that a well placed espresso can make all the difference. I found a quiet place to sit, and while Kathleen Haskard’s voice drifted through the air, I sipped my coffee and got my head together for another night of music madness in Memphis.

We had a full house at The Otherlands and for me it was like coming home having Walt and Brian onstage with Jimmy and I. We ran the night like an “in the round” and each took our turns playing songs with everyone joining in to play and sing. I had a great time singing with some of my favorite musicians in the whole world. It was family and it was cool. The crowd was attentive, and as always in Memphis, sending lots of love back to us all night long. And they sent us beer too! Shiner Bock no less! Drinking Texas beer and playing music with my Texas compadres. A good night indeed.

Ok, I’ve already had BBQ again today and it’s time to rest up before we infiltrate the Folk Alliance Conference tonight.

Onward……

I was really excited to spend some time in Memphis with Jimmy. Get some of the real stuff. So after a stop at Jimmy’s house, which was wild because he’s like a real person and not just a traveling gypsy sleeping outside and playing shows with no shoes on, we headed out into town. WW suggested a stop at Sun Studios. Yes! A must see. But first, BBQ.

JD took us to Central BBQ. We might have hit the Rendezvous, but it was Sunday and they’re closed, and Central BBQ was no slouch. Love the signage in the front window. Now here’s where I usually take a picture of my food, but I was so hungry and my plate of slow roasted pork with slaw and green beens went so fast that I couldn’t get the camera out in time. You’ll just have to picture it for yourself. Nothing fancy here. A paper lined plastic basket full of pulled and chopped pork that was cooked seemingly forever and topped with a vinegar based spicy ass BBQ sauce. A cup of cole slaw and another of green beans side by side. Fantastic!

Ok, now I’m really full and can’t get enough iced tea in   me as we make our way through the fairly oppressive heat and swampiness to Sun Studios. We took the tour and were treated to a fun time by our tour guide Cora. It was just cool to stand in that space. The cutting room itself hasn’t been changed in 60 years. To think that I was standing in the room where Howlin Wolf and Muddy Waters both began their careers. Not to mention Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee and oh yeah….. Elvis. Too freaking cool! After t-shirts and chachkies were purchased we headed to our next stop.

Off to see a band that Jimmy knows and sings with sometimes, The Hookers. I can’t remember the name of the bar right now, but it was, well…. a bar. Dark and cool on a sweltering afternoon. The one thing that really stood out, besides the musicianship of the band which was terrific, was the guy cooking on stage. Yes, “Chef” was cooking up some venison quesadillas for the crown right there in front of the bass rig! Only in Memphis. I was too full to sample the fine cuisine. Maybe next time. The Hookers were solid and Jimmy sat in on a mind blowing version of “Helter Skelter” and off we went to our show.

Murphy’s Bar. I can’t say I walked in to the place and thought, “Wow what a great place to play a show”. It’s a bar, plain and simple. A dive really, but I like dive bars in general and I liked the feel of this one. Jimmy’s old band, The River Bluff Clan, played many a Sunday here and he assured us that people would show and a good time had. He was right. G had flown home for his first Father’s Day so we did a WW, JD, BS song swap with Ray on the drums and Eric Lewis on Steel. Jimmy brought Eric in and WOW, great player. He really made the night. So indeed a good time was had. From WW’s first song to our closing rave up rendition of JD’s “Sanctuary”, the crowd was hoopin, hollering, clapping and happy. I don’t know how they did it since I was having trouble just breathing the heavy air, as was WW, but I guess they’re used to it. It was a blast. As I sat behind the wheel of the van and headed us towards Little rock and then home, I felt like I finally got some real Memphis on me and I’m ready for more.