-- continued from p. 2, Meandering in Montgomery--
Get your Mojo Working on the Big Muddy
Take a road trip down the Mississippi River, the “Big Muddy,” to see the real roots of American music: rock and roll, the blues and jazz, plus some Cajun tunes to spice things up. By staying on smaller roads near the river (only using the Interstate to go a bit west into Louisiana) you'll be up close and personal with some Americana that will leave your head spinning and toes tapping.
Of course, this is just the Southern section of the Mississippi; you'd have to begin your trip above Grand Rapids, Minnesota if you wanted to take in the entire Great River Road that runs alongside “America’s Nile.” Still, you’ll see plenty of one of our nation’s designated Scenic Byways (www.mississippiriverinfo.com )
Start in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a lot of fun for families, and is packed with interesting places that focus on American music. There is a free Sun Studio shuttle plus a trolley system that can get you to just about all the key places in town.
To learn about the start of rock and roll, take the well-guided tour at tiny Sun Studio, where Elvis first recorded and many other early rockers got their start. Get a photo of yourself next to Elvis’ microphone!
Speaking of Elvis, a tour of his mansion at Graceland is a must. Unless your kids are really big fans, the basic tour will provide plenty of gold records, studded jumpsuits and shag-carpeted rooms. If they don’t have a clue about all the hoopla, rent a video before your trip, such as “Elvis ‘56” or a concert video like “Elvis: That’s the Way It Is.”
There’s more to Memphis than the roots of rock – take a look at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music for background on the great sounds made famous by Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding and Isaac Hayes. (The museum includes Hayes’ 1972 Superfly Cadillac.)
If that isn’t enough, there’s also the Smithsonian’s American music exhibit at the Memphis Rock’n’Soul Museum or for kids over 12 there are docent-led tours of the Gibson Guitar Factory.
Check the Memphis paper The Commercial Appeal or the weekly Memphis Flyer to see if there's a free local concert at WC Handy Park downtown or on Mud Island at the Amphitheater.
For those famous BBQ dinners, your family will have to decide whether they prefer “wet ribs” with sauce from places like B.B. King’s Blues Club (www.bbkingsclub.com) and the Blues City Cafe, or “dry” style rubbed with spices and served up at the famous Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous restaurant. (www.hogsfly.com)
For some great live music, most of the clubs on Beale Street are pretty family-friendly (much more so than New Orleans’ Bourbon Street.) They will usually allow even very young children in to listen for a bit (at least until about 9:00 p.m.) If nothing else, just walking up and down for a few blocks will give you quite a sampling from whatever jams are spilling out the doors.
Collapse in your hotel room to digest all of that rhythm and ribs – try the perfectly located Hampton Inn at Peabody Place (www.hamptoninn.com.) Their staff is friendly and outgoing towards kids and the breakfast is great.
If you’re in town on a Sunday, older kids and teenagers should check out the singing Reverend Al Green’s church, The Full Gospel Tabernacle, at 11:00 for a soulful musical experience. Dress nicely, have an offering and be prepared for a 2 ½ hour service.
If you have time, it would be well worth your while to also visit the National Civil Rights Museum housed in the spookily familiar-looking Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated. The façade of the motel is exactly as it was in 1968, down to the motel sign and a couple of 1960s Cadillacs parked under the room where King was shot.
If you have little ones who aren’t quite up for the highlights of American musical history, there are still things for them to do. Kids get a kick out of the famous ducks at the venerable Peabody Hotel: every day at 11 a.m. they waddle through the ornate lobby to swim in the fountain, and heading back up the red carpet in the evening to ride the elevator to their penthouse. The hotel is packed for the event, but the staff makes a special effort to get children up front for the best view.
Other options include the Mud Island River Park with its 5 block model of the Mississippi and the comprehensive Mississippi River Museum which gives the history of the lower river valley including a mock steamboat and a “you are there” Civil War gunboat fight. For an air-conditioned reprieve, kids like the Peabody Place mall. Even little ones can enjoy mini-golf by blacklight, with neon balls, at the Putting Edge inside the mall.
*photo (c) Sheila Scarborough
