Review: 'Memphis Boys' book/CD

"Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios" is a long-overdue history of an underrated studio that spawned some of the greatest pop, rock and soul music from 1964-72. 

The Memphis music factory operated in the shadow of Sun, Stax and Hi studios, but for a short period was the place to record. Stars parading through the studio during that period included Aretha Franklin, Dusty Springfield, The Box Tops, Neil Diamond, James Carr, Wilson Pickett, Solomon Burke and most famously, Elvis Presley. It was at American that Elvis covered "Suspicious Minds," written by Mark James, an American staff writer and sometime solo artist. 

 The story is a good one: Producer Chips Moman gets unceremoniously bounced from Stax and sets up shop in a non-descript building in a tough part of Memphis, surrounds himself with crack musicians and songwriters, and slowly builds a reputation for getting the best out of performers known and unknown. 

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'Le Blues de Memphis'

This wonderful 1969 French documentary captures some of the long-lost magic at Stax and FAME studios, home of some of the greatest music ever recorded. 

The video captures Southern soul at its best, with Brook Benton letting it all out while recording at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Ala. The action then shifts to Graceland and Stax Studios in Memphis, where Isaac Hayes is captured rehearsing horn parts at Stax Studios and Booker T & The MG's perform the classic instrumental "Time is Tight" (which I first heard covered by The Clash).

Cool, magical stuff. 

Soul legend Cropper back with a vengeance

Southern soul legend Steve Cropper has been living off his reputation for more than 40 years since Stax Records petered out and Memphis lost its mojo.

But Cropper is back from nowhere with a surprising tribute to a band called The 5 Royales. "Dedicated: A Salute to The 5 Royales" is a star-studded album, featuring performances  from B.B. King, Lucinda Williams and Betty LaVette.

But it's Cropper who is on fire, reaching deep in salute to the little-known R&B/gospel group he says inspired him to jump into  a career that led him to become one of the 20th century's most successful songwriters (stuff like "In The Midnight Hour" and "Sittin' On The Dock of The Bay" to name just two).

NPR affiliate WBUR has a nice interview with Cropper that offers a glimpse at an understated musician who, thankfully, is sharing some of his inspiration all these many decades later.