Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul in 2007

Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul in 2007

Year-Long Campaign Spotlights Soul Legends Including Isaac Hayes, David Porter, Steve Cropper and Al Bell

NEW YORK, Jan. 22 /PRNewswire/ -- The Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.memphistravel.com) marks a soulful milestone in 2007 and is inviting America to the party. The city, a breeding ground for some of the greatest sounds in popular music, today launched a national campaign celebrating 50 years of soul music and spotlighting the city's extraordinary musical roots.

"Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul" underscores the city's role as both a contemporary and historical center of American music. The anniversary coincides with the founding of legendary music label Stax Records and Royal Studio, home to Hi Records. Both Stax Records and Royal Studios were instrumental in shaping the Memphis soul sound and the careers of such legendary figures as Booker T. & the MGs, Al Bell, Al Green, Isaac Hayes, Mable John, Ann Peebles, Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, the Staple Singers, Rufus and Carla Thomas, and many, many more.

"I am thrilled to be celebrating this important milestone," said Isaac Hayes. "I was part of Memphis soul from almost the beginning, and as the story continues I am proud to help honor Memphis' many remarkable achievements and those yet to come."

"Memphis Celebrates 50 Years of Soul" will spotlight a broad-range of music-related landmarks in Memphis including the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Sun Studios, Graceland, Ardent Studios, the Rock 'n' Soul Museum and the Gibson Guitar Factory.

"A musical and cultural movement started in Memphis 50 years ago and changed the world," said Kevin Kane, President of the Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau. "We look forward to welcoming fans of soul, rhythm and blues and rock to experience the city that gave birth to popular music."

Memphis is known worldwide as the birthplace of popular music - with close to 20 percent of the earliest inductees in the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame having come from within a 100-mile radius of Memphis. Two attractions that capture this incredible legacy are the Rock 'n' Soul Museum and Stax Museum of American Soul Music. Attached to the FedEx Forum, the Rock 'n' Soul Museum tells the complete story of Memphis music, from the rural fields of the 1930's, to the Stax era of the 1970's. Located at the original site of Stax Records, The Stax Museum of American Soul Music pays tribute to all of the artists who recorded there with a rare and amazing collection of more than 2,000 interactive exhibits, films, artifacts, items of memorabilia, and galleries designed to keep Stax alive forever.

"Memphis has stood at the crossroads of popular music, merging influences from blues to rock and soul," said legendary songwriter, producer and guitarist Steve Cropper. "No student of contemporary music can ignore the influence and importance of this city and its unique sound."

In honor of the anniversary year, the Concord Music Group will issue deluxe reissues from the Stax Records vault and reactivate the label.

"The global popularity of the Memphis sound is tremendous," said John Burk, Executive Vice President of A&R, Concord Music Group. "It truly is exciting to be involved with a label like Stax on this half-century mark. These classic recordings will endure and the label will once again be home to some of the greatest names in popular music."

For more information on the year and upcoming events, please visit www.memphissoul50.com.

About Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau

The Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau, the official marketing and tourism organization for Memphis and Shelby County, is a private, not-for- profit membership organization dedicated to building the local economy and the community's positive image through tourism and convention development, major events and destination marketing.

Source: The Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau

CONTACT: Bennett Kleinberg, +1-212-576-2700, x234,
bkleinberg@goodmanmedia.com, or Sabrina Tanenbaum, +1-212-576-2700, x236,
stanenbaum@goodmanmedia.com, both of Goodman Media International; or Regena
Bearden, +1-901-543-5300, regena@mcvb.org, or Jackie Reed, +1-901-543-5300,
jreed@mcvb.org, or Peter Short, +1-901-543-5300, pshort@mcvb.org, all of
Memphis Convention & Visitors Bureau

Web site: http://www.memphistravel.com/
http://www.memphissoul50.com/

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