Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and its county seat. Situated along the Mississippi River, it had a population of 633,104 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Tenne ...
has a long history of distinctive contributions to the culture of the
American South
The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is census regions United States Census Bureau. It is between the Atlantic Ocean and the ...
and beyond. Although it is an important part of the culture of
Tennessee
Tennessee (, ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders Kentucky to the north, Virginia to the northeast, North Carolina t ...
, the history, arts, and cuisine of Memphis are more closely associated with the culture of the
Deep South
The Deep South or the Lower South is a cultural and geographic subregion of the Southern United States. The term is used to describe the states which were most economically dependent on Plantation complexes in the Southern United States, plant ...
(particularly the
Mississippi Delta
The Mississippi Delta, also known as the Yazoo–Mississippi Delta, or simply the Delta, is the distinctive northwest section of the U.S. state of Mississippi (and portions of Arkansas and Louisiana) that lies between the Mississippi and Yazo ...
) than the rest of the state. For example, the city's influence on
20th-century music
The following Wikipedia articles deal with 20th-century music.
Western art music Main articles
*20th-century classical music
*Contemporary classical music, covering the period
Sub-topics
* Aleatoric music
*Electronic music
*Experimental music
*E ...
has had worldwide impact. Memphians have had an important role in founding or establishing several important American music genres, including
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
,
gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
,
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
, and "sharecropper"
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
.
As of the American Community Survey of 2011,
there were 652,050 people, 245,836 households, and 141,199 families residing in the city. In 2012, the
Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) was the
41st largest in the United States, with a population of 1,341,690.
Memphis in May
Memphis in May International Festival is a month-long festival held in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival, which is saluting South Korea in 2025, honors a specific foreign country every year and features many events. The ''Beale Street Music Fest ...
is an annual, month-long festival that promotes many aspects of Memphis' cultural heritage. Each year a different nation is partnered as a theme of the festival. Once the featured nation is announced, there is an open call for poster design, and the selected official festival poster becomes a treasured collectible, prestigious for the collector and the artist/creator. In 2011, 250,000 people attended the festival.
Memphis has long been home to persons of many different faiths. An 1870 map of Memphis shows religious buildings of the
Baptist
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
,
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
,
Episcopal,
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
,
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
,
Congregational
Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...
, and
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
denominations and a
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
congregation.
Memphis is frequently noted as an affordable place to live.
Forbes
''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine founded by B. C. Forbes in 1917. It has been owned by the Hong Kong–based investment group Integrated Whale Media Investments since 2014. Its chairman and editor-in-chief is Steve Forbes. The co ...
magazine ranked Memphis as having the 4th "Highest Income when Adjusted for Cost of Living."
In February 2013,
Business Insider
''Business Insider'' (stylized in all caps: BUSINESS INSIDER; known from 2021 to 2023 as INSIDER) is a New York City–based multinational financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Inside ...
ranked Memphis 5th on their list of "The 10 Cheapest Cities in the US."
Demographics
Source:
As of the census of 2011, there were 652,078 people and 245,836 households in the city. The population density was 1,881.3 people per sq mi (726.4/km) spread over 294,145 housing units. The average household size was 2.59 and the home ownership rate was 49.3%. Of Memphians, 78.91% have lived at the same house for at least one year.
The racial makeup of the city was 62.4% African American, 29.6% White, 2.0% Asian, 0.2% Native American, 4.0% from other races, and 1.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.3% of the population.
Foreign born persons composed 6.6% of the population. Ethnically, Memphis' population consists of a variety of immigrant groups. In addition to a sizable Hispanic (mainly Mexican-American) population, major ethnic backgrounds include Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, and Persian. Historically, many residents identify themselves with African, English, Irish, Italian and German ancestry. Memphis is also home to a large Jewish community of 9,000, most of whom are Ashkenazi Jews with Central and Eastern European ancestry.
Twenty-five percent of Memphis' population is under the age of 18, 10.4% are 65 years of age or older. Children under the age of 5 are 7.6% of the city's population. Women made up 52.4% of the population. The median income for a household in 2011 was $34,960 and the mean household income was $51,105 in the City of Memphis. Of the population 27.2% and 22.6% of families were below the poverty line in 2011.
Metropolitan area
The
Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), the
41st largest in the United States, has a 2012 population of 1,341,690, and includes the Tennessee counties of
Shelby,
Tipton
Tipton is an industrial town in the metropolitan borough of Sandwell, in the county of the West Midlands (county), West Midlands, England. It had a population of 38,777 at the 2011 UK Census. It is located northwest of Birmingham and southeas ...
, and
Fayette, as well as the
Mississippi
Mississippi ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Alabama to the east, the Gulf of Mexico to the south, Louisiana to the s ...
counties of
DeSoto,
Marshall
Marshall may refer to:
Places
Australia
*Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria
** Marshall railway station
Canada
* Marshall, Saskatchewan
* The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia
Liberia
* Marshall, Liberia
Marshall Is ...
,
Tate
Tate is an institution that houses, in a network of four art galleries, the United Kingdom's national collection of British art, and international modern and contemporary art. It is not a government institution, but its main sponsor is the UK ...
, and
Tunica, and the
Arkansas
Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...
county of
Crittenden. In 2013,
Benton County, Mississippi
Benton County is a county located in the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,646. Its county seat is Ashland. It is locally believed that residents convinced the post-Civil War Reconstruction government that ...
was added to the MSA Definition.
Crime
Launched in late 2006, Operation: Safe Community is an historic and ambitious crime reduction initiative. Since the launch, Memphis and Shelby County has seen a 25.4% reduction in major violent crime and a 32.6% reduction in major property crime.
In 2005, the Memphis Police Department initiated Operation Blue C.R.U.S.H. (Crime Reduction Using Statistical History), which targets crime hotspots and repeat offenders.
Operation Blue C.R.U.S.H. has resulted in 30% reduction in serious crime overall; a 15% decrease in violent crime and a 400% increase in the percentage of cases solved by the Felony Assault Unit.
In 2011, Memphis was ranked as the 4th Most Dangerous City by Forbes Magazine based on the FBI's Uniform Crime Reports.
The FBI strongly cautions against such rankings.
Sports and recreation
In 2011, Memphis ranked 44th overall out of the largest 50 cities for overall fitness and health by the American Fitness Index.
Memphis was ranked 40th out of 50 for personal health indicators and 39th for community health indicators.
In 2011, ''Sporting News'' named Memphis the 35th "Best Sports City" out of 271 cities. Memphis is home to the
University of Memphis Tigers, the
Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies (referred to locally as the Grizz) are an American professional basketball team based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Grizzlies compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southwest Division of the ...
NBA team, and
the Memphis Redbirds, a Triple-A minor league baseball team. The Memphis Grizzlies were ranked 5th among 122 sports teams in ESPN's 2012 Ultimate Standings, a ranking of all sports teams.
The Grizzlies ranked 1st in the category "Bang for the Buck".
The City of Memphis hosts several national sporting events annually. Events include the PGA Tour
St. Jude ClassicUS National Indoor Tennis Championships th
St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend the
Memphis in May Triathlon, the AutoZone
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in late December or early January since 1959. For its first five years, it was played at Philadelphia Municipal Stadium in Philadelphia before being held at Atlantic Cit ...
and the
Southern Heritage Classic
The Southern Heritage Classic presented by FedEx is an annual historically black college football game between the Golden Lions of University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) and the Braves of Alcorn State University. UAPB replaced Jackson ...
. Sporting facilities include the
FedEx Forum,
Autozone Park
AutoZone Park is a Minor League Baseball stadium located in downtown Memphis, Tennessee, and is home to the Memphis Redbirds of the International League, the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of Major League Baseball's (MLB) St. Louis Card ...
, ,
Mike Rose Soccer Complex, and over 30 golf courses including
TPC Southwind, home to the St. Jude Classic.
Memphis is home to
Shelby Farms Park, a 4,500 acre
park that receives about 500,000 annual visitors.
The park is the 2nd largest urban county park in the United States according to the Trust for Public Land.
In October 2010, the
Shelby Farms Greenline opened, providing bike access from midtown to Shelby Farms
Greater Memphis Greenline, Inc.has proposed further expansion of the Greenline, providing access to
Overton Park
:''Overton Park may also refer to the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe''
Overton Park is a large, public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphi ...
,
Uptown Memphis and the development of a multi-use
Harahan Bridge Boardwalk, connecting
downtown Memphis
Downtown Memphis is the central business district of Memphis, Tennessee, and is located along the Mississippi River between Interstate 40 to the north, Interstate 55 to the south, and Interstate 240 (Tennessee), Interstate 240 to the east, where ...
to
West Memphis, Arkansas
West Memphis is the largest city in Crittenden County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 24,520 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, ranking it as the state's 20th largest city. It is part of the Memphis metropolitan area, an ...
.
In 2012,
''Bicycling'' magazine named Memphis "America's Most Improved Bike City", citing 35 miles of new bike lanes.
65 miles of bike lanes were expected to be completed by summer 2012.
Zoos and museums
The
Memphis Zoo is one of only four U.S. zoos to house giant pandas. The zoo has over 3,500 animals representing 500 species.
In 2008, the Memphis Zoo was ranked "#1 Zoo in the U.S." by
TripAdvisor
Tripadvisor is an American company that operates online travel agency, travel agencies, comparison shopping websites, and mobile apps with user-generated content.
Its namesake brand, Tripadvisor.com, operates in 40 countries and 20 languages, and ...
.com based on visitor opinions.
Memphis is home to several nationally recognized museums.
The National Civil Rights Museum- Housed at the Lorraine Motel, the site of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s assassination, provides a full overview of the Civil Rights Movement and details the events that transpired on and prior to April 4, 1968.
*
Stax Museum
The Stax Museum of American Soul Music is a museum located in Memphis, Tennessee, at 926 East McLemore Avenue, the original location of Stax Records. Stax launched and supported the careers of artists such as Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, the The Sta ...
- The world's only Soul museum
The Dixon Garden and Gallery*
The Brooks Museum of Art - Tennessee's oldest and largest museum of fine and decorative art
*
The National Ornamental Metal Museum - the only museum in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to fine metalwork
The Chucalissa Archaeological MuseumThe Art Museum of the University of Memphis
*
The Memphis Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium
*
Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum - The first and only exhibition developed by the Smithsonian Institution in partnership with another museum
Cultural events and fairs
Carnival Memphis
Carnival Memphis Carnival Memphis (formerly known as the Memphis Cotton Carnival) is a series of parties and festivals staged annually since 1931 in Memphis, Tennessee, by the centralized Carnival Memphis Association and its member krewes (similar to that of Mardi ...
is an annual series of parties and festivities held in early summer to salute various aspects of Memphis and its industries. Begun in 1931 as the Memphis Cotton Carnival, it is organized by the Carnival Memphis Association and its member krewes, private societies similar to those of the
New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
Mardi Gras
Mardi Gras (, ; also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival (also known as Shrovetide or Fastelavn); it thus falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. is French for "Fat Tuesday", referring to it being ...
. A secretly selected King and Queen of Carnival reign over the festivities.
Memphis in May
Memphis in May
Memphis in May International Festival is a month-long festival held in Memphis, Tennessee. The festival, which is saluting South Korea in 2025, honors a specific foreign country every year and features many events. The ''Beale Street Music Fest ...
promotes Memphis' musical and culinary heritage. The month-long celebration is the largest annual series of public events put on in Memphis. Each year it features a different country, highlighting aspects of the honored nation's history and culture.
Each spring since its founding in 1977, Memphis in May has had a significant economic and educational impact to the city. The celebration includes a diverse mix of events, beginning during the first weekend of the month at
Tom Lee Park
Tom Lee Park is a city park located to the immediate west of downtown Memphis, Tennessee, overlooking the Mississippi River. Encompassing about parallel to the Mississippi River for about , it offers panoramic views of the Mississippi River and ...
on the Mississippi River, the site of the
Beale Street Music Festival.
During International Week, the city focuses on its honored country, part of a larger program in coordination with area schools to broaden cultural awareness among students, as well as a good deal of business linkage. Other signature events of Memphis in May include the
World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest (the largest pork
barbecue
Barbecue or barbeque (often shortened to BBQ worldwide; barbie or barby in Australia and New Zealand) is a term used with significant regional and national variations to describe various cooking methods that employ live fire and smoke to coo ...
cooking contest in the world) and the closing event of the month—a performance of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra on the river called the Sunset Symphony, also featuring a performance by musicians from the honored country.
Memphis in May sprang from the Cotton Carnival festivities, which began holding big musical events at the Fairgrounds. In the early 1980s the idea of Memphis in May got started. Germany and Japan were the first two nations to be honored. Events were scattered around the city. A barbecue contest was held in tents in downtown parking lots. The contest proved very popular and has grown substantially, with a dedicated volunteer corps, corporate sponsorship, school involvement, and general citizen attendance. Contestants travel from afar to compete in the barbecue contest and to enjoy the Beale Street Music Fest—originally held in vacant lots on that storied street.
Cooper-Young Festival
An arts festival, the
Cooper-Young Festival, is held annually in September in the
Cooper-Young district of
Midtown Memphis
Midtown is a collection of neighborhoods in Memphis, Tennessee, to the east of Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, Downtown.
Midtown is home to many cultural attractions, institutions of higher education, and noteworthy pieces of architecture. The ...
. Cooper-Young was named one of America’s “10 Great Neighborhoods” by the American Planning Association in 2012.
The event draws artists from all over North America, and includes art sales, contests, and displays.
Since the late 1980s the Cooper-Young Festival has grown into one of Memphis' most anticipated events, with over 50,000 guests in recent years enjoying a mix of art, music and crafts presented by over 300 artisans from around the country. The festival celebrates the arts, people, culture and Memphis heritage. In addition to art, the festival includes sales of clothing, jewelry, live music, and gay novelty items.
Music and the arts
Music
After the Yellow Fever epidemics of the 1870s, Memphis' population was very low, and it slowly started being replenished by country people from the Mid-South. Farmers and freed slaves alike brought their musical roots here, and the commercial hurly-burly created a polishing of this talent and heritage, best exemplified by bandleader and composer
W. C. Handy
William Christopher Handy (November 16, 1873 – March 28, 1958) was an American composer and musician who referred to himself as the Father of the Blues. He was one of the most influential songwriters in the United States. One of many musician ...
.
Memphis is the home of founders and establishers of various American music genres, including
Blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
,
Gospel
Gospel originally meant the Christianity, Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the second century Anno domino, AD the term (, from which the English word originated as a calque) came to be used also for the books in which the message w ...
,
Hip-Hop
Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
,
Rock n' Roll, and "rockabilly"
country music
Country (also called country and western) is a popular music, music genre originating in the southern regions of the United States, both the American South and American southwest, the Southwest. First produced in the 1920s, country music is p ...
(in contrast to the "rhinestone" country sound of Nashville).
Johnny Cash
John R. Cash (born J. R. Cash; February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American singer-songwriter. Most of his music contains themes of sorrow, moral tribulation, and redemption, especially songs from the later stages of his career. ...
,
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...
, and
B. B. King all got their starts in Memphis in the 1950s. They are respectively dubbed the "King" of Country, Rock n' Roll, and Blues.
Other famous musicians who either grew up or got their starts in the Memphis area include the
Box Tops with
Alex Chilton
William Alexander Chilton (December 28, 1950March 17, 2010) was an American musician, best known as the lead singer of the rock bands the Box Tops and Big Star. Chilton's early commercial success in the 1960s as a teen vocalist for the Box Tops ...
, the
Gentrys, the
Grifters,
Nights Like These,
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Honored as the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Soul", she was twice named by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine as the Roll ...
,
Carl Perkins
Carl Lee Perkins (April 9, 1932 – January 19, 1998)#nytimesobit, Pareles. was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rockabilly great and pioneer of rock and roll, he began his recording career at the Sun Studio, in Memphis, Tennes ...
,
John Lee Hooker
John Lee Hooker (August 22, 1912 or 1917 – June 21, 2001) was an American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. The son of a sharecropper, he rose to prominence performing an electric guitar-style adaptation of Delta blues that he develo ...
,
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and dancer. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Prince of Pop", ''Billboard (magazine), Billboard'' honored him as the b ...
,
Howlin' Wolf
Chester Arthur Burnett (June 10, 1910January 10, 1976), better known by his stage name Howlin' Wolf, was an American blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player. He was at the forefront of transforming acoustic Delta blues into electric Chica ...
,
Jerry Lee Lewis
Jerry Lee Lewis (September 29, 1935October 28, 2022) was an American pianist, singer, and songwriter. Nicknamed "The Killer", he was described as "rock 'n' roll's first great wild man". A pioneer of rock and roll and rockabilly music, Lewis m ...
,
Bobby "Blue" Bland
Robert Calvin Bland (born Robert Calvin Brooks; January 27, 1930 – June 23, 2013), known professionally as Bobby "Blue" Bland, was an American blues singer. Bland developed a sound that mixed gospel with the blues and R&B. He was describ ...
,
Charlie Rich
Charles Allan Rich (December 14, 1932July 25, 1995) was an American country singer. His eclectic style of music also blended influences from rockabilly, jazz, blues, soul, and gospel.
In the later part of his life, Rich acquired the nickname t ...
,
Lucero (band),
Al Green
Albert Leornes Greene (born April 13, 1946), known professionally as Al Green, is an American singer, songwriter, pastor and record producer. He is best known for recording a series of soul hit singles in the early 1970s, including " Tired of ...
,
Muddy Waters
McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1913April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues singer-songwriter and musician who was an important figure in the post-World War II blues scene, and is often cited as the "father of moder ...
,
Big Star
Big Star was an American rock band formed in Memphis, Tennessee in 1971 by Alex Chilton (vocals, guitar), Chris Bell (vocals, guitar), Jody Stephens (drums), and Andy Hummel (bass). They have been described as the "quintessential American ...
,
Tina Turner
Tina Turner (born Anna Mae Bullock; November 26, 1939 – May 24, 2023) was a singer, songwriter, actress, and author. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", her vocal prowess, raspy voice, and electrifyin ...
,
Roy Orbison
Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were ...
,
Willie Mae Ford Smith,
Sam Cooke
Samuel Cooke (; January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964) was an American singer and songwriter. Considered one of the most influential soul music, soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred to as the "King of Soul" for his distin ...
,
Booker T. and the MGs,
Otis Redding
Otis Ray Redding Jr. (September 9, 1941 – December 10, 1967) was an American singer and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the greatest singers in the history of American popular music and a seminal artist in soul music and rhythm and blues. ...
,
Arthur Lee,
The Blackwood Brothers
The Blackwood Brothers are an American southern gospel quartet. Pioneers of the Christian music industry, they are 8-time Grammy Award winners in addition to winning 7 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards. They are also members of the Memp ...
,
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes Jr. (August 20, 1942 – August 10, 2008) was an American singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He was one of the creative forces behind the Southern soul music label Stax Records in the 1960s, serving as an in-house songwr ...
,
Rufus Thomas
Rufus C. Thomas, Jr. (March 26, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was an American rhythm-and-blues, funk, soul and blues singer, songwriter, dancer, DJ and comic entertainer from Memphis, Tennessee. He recorded for several labels, including Chess Re ...
,
Carla Thomas
Carla Venita Thomas (born December 21, 1942) is an American singer, who is often referred to as the Queen of Memphis Soul. She is best known for her 1960s recordings for Atlantic and Stax including the hits " Gee Whiz (Look at His Eyes)" (1960) ...
,
The Staple Singers
The Staple Singers were an American Gospel music, gospel, soul music, soul, and Rhythm and blues, R&B singing group. Pops Staples, Roebuck "Pops" Staples (December 28, 1914 – December 19, 2000), the patriarch of the family, formed the group w ...
,
Sam and Dave
Sam & Dave were an American soul and R&B duo who performed together from 1961 until 1981. The tenor (higher) voice was Sam Moore (1935–2025) and the baritone/tenor (lower) voice was Dave Prater (1937–1988).
Nicknamed "Double Dynamite", " ...
,
Three 6 Mafia
Three 6 Mafia is an American hip-hop group from Memphis, Tennessee, formed in 1991. Emerging as a horror-themed underground hip-hop group, they went on to enjoy mainstream success. The group's 1995 debut album ''Mystic Stylez'' became an influen ...
,
8 Ball & MJG
8Ball & MJG is an American hip hop duo from Orange Mound, Memphis, Tennessee. They met at Ridgeway Middle School in 1984. In 1993, the duo released their debut album '' Comin' Out Hard''. They went on to release '' On the Outside Looking In'' ...
,
Tommy Wright III,
Yo Gotti
Mario Sentell Giden Mims (born May 19, 1981), known professionally as Yo Gotti, is an American rapper, singer, and record executive. Rooted in Memphis rap, he released five independent albums—''Youngsta's on a Come Up'' (1996), ''From da Dope ...
,
NLE Choppa,
Young Dolph
Adolph Robert Thornton Jr. (July 27, 1985 – November 17, 2021), better known by his stage name Young Dolph, was an American rapper and record executive. He first garnered mainstream attention for his guest appearance on O.T. Genasis' 2015 sin ...
,
Key Glock
Markeyvius LaShun Cathey (born August 3, 1997), known professionally as Key Glock, is an American rapper, songwriter, and record producer. The cousin of late Memphis rapper Young Dolph, Cathey signed with his record label, Paper Route Empire, t ...
,
Moneybagg Yo
DeMario DeWayne White Jr. (born September 22, 1991), known professionally as Moneybagg Yo, is an American rapper known for his melodic trap and Southern hip hop music style.
White signed with fellow Memphis rapper Yo Gotti's record label, ...
,
Elise Neal
Elise Demetria Neal (born March 14, 1966) is an American actress known for her work in television and film. She rose to prominence in 1997 with roles in ''Rosewood'', '' Money Talks'', and ''Scream 2''. She later starred as Yvonne Hughley in th ...
,
Shawn Lane
Shawn Lane (March 21, 1963 – September 26, 2003) was an American musician who released two studio albums and collaborated with a variety of musicians including Ringo Starr, Kris Kristofferson, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Reg ...
,
Terry Manning
Terry Don Manning (December 29, 1947 – March 25, 2025) was an American recording engineer, record producer, musician and photographer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, he worked with Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Bryan Adams, ZZ Top, the ...
,
The Sylvers
The Sylvers were an American R&B family vocal group from Watts, Los Angeles, California. They were active during the 1970s, recording the singles "Fool's Paradise", " Boogie Fever", and " Hot Line". Prior to becoming the Sylvers, the four eldes ...
, Aquanet,
Steve Cropper
Steven Lee Cropper (born October 21, 1941), sometimes known as "The Colonel", is an American guitarist, songwriter and record producer. He was the guitarist of the Stax Records house band, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, which backed artists such as ...
,
Oblivians,
Jay Reatard
James Lee Lindsey Jr. (May 1, 1980 – January 13, 2010), known professionally as Jay Reatard, was an American musician from Memphis, Tennessee. He was signed to Matador Records. He released recordings as a solo artist and as a member of the Rea ...
,
Anita Ward
Anita Ward (born December 20, 1956) (sources differ) is an American singer and musician from Memphis, Tennessee. Beginning her professional music career in the late 1970s, Ward is best known for her 1979 million-selling chart-topper R&B/Disco hi ...
, and
Andrew Vanwyngarden
Andrew Wells VanWyngarden (born February 1, 1983) is an American musician. He is the lead vocalist, guitar player and songwriter for the band MGMT, praised for (according to ''Interview Magazine'') "an uncanny knack for producing pop music that s ...
.
Memphis is also a haven for classical music, and has produced such opera singers as
Ruth Welting and
Kallen Esperian. The city has its own opera company,
Opera Memphis, which performs in the
Orpheum Theatre in
Downtown Memphis
Downtown Memphis is the central business district of Memphis, Tennessee, and is located along the Mississippi River between Interstate 40 to the north, Interstate 55 to the south, and Interstate 240 (Tennessee), Interstate 240 to the east, where ...
. The
New York Metropolitan Opera first visited around 1910 and played to packed houses until recently when they quit doing 3-day stands. The
Rudi E. Scheidt School of Music
Rudi may refer to:
__NOTOC__ People and fictional characters
* Rudi (name), a given name, nickname and surname; includes a list of people and fictional characters with the name
*
*
Places
*Rudi (Tanzanian ward)
*Rudi, Iran (disambiguation)
*Rud ...
at the University of Memphis plays a critical role in music and performance in the city. The Memphis City School district was named one of the "Best Communities for Music Education" by the
NAMM Foundation in 2013 for the sixth time.
The Highland Strip is an area located near the University of Memphis and is known as a haven for the college crowd. Venues such as
Newby's showcase local musicians as well as national touring acts on a weekly basis. But
Beale Street
Beale Street is a street in Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, which runs from the Mississippi River to East Street, a distance of approximately . It is a significant location in the city's history, as well as in the history of blues music. Today, ...
in Downtown is the mecca for live performance. Well known musical groups vie for work in this popular venue, crowded by tourists and locals alike. In 2009, Memphis was named as the Society of American Travel Writers 6th Best North American City “For Live Music.”
Dance
Ballet flourishes in Memphis as well.
Ballet Memphis, now in its 27th season, strives to interpret the South's cultural legacy through dance, featuring both classical and
modern dance
Modern dance is a broad genre of western concert dance, concert or theatrical dance which includes dance styles such as ballet, folk, ethnic, religious, and social dancing; and primarily arose out of Europe and the United States in the late 19th ...
choreography. New Ballet Ensemble and School (NBE) combines a professional company composed of the school's instructors with talented students, presenting classical movement fused with other styles (flamenco, jookin', modern, African, etc.) in new interpretations of old stories (e.g. Nut ReMix, a modern and re-imagined Nutcracker). NBE received the 2014 National Arts and Humanities Youth Program Award (President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities) for "a program that brings together students from diverse racial, socio-economic and religious backgrounds to build self-confidence, leadership and academic success—and heal a community divided by race—through dance."
Literature and theater
Well-known writers from Memphis include
Civil War
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
historian and novelist
Shelby Foote
Shelby Dade Foote Jr. (November 17, 1916 – June 27, 2005) was an American writer, historian and journalist. Although he primarily viewed himself as a novelist, he is now best known for his authorship of ''The Civil War: A Narrative'', a three- ...
, made famous by his contributions to
The Civil War series on
Public Television
Public broadcasting (or public service broadcasting) is radio, television, and other electronic media outlets whose primary mission is public service with a commitment to avoiding political and commercial influence. Public broadcasters receive f ...
, and playwright
Tennessee Williams
Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the three ...
, who wrote his first play on Snowden Street and saw it performed on Glenview Street. Dr. Zandria F. Robinson's book ''This Ain’t Chicago: Race, Class, and Regional Identity in the Post-Soul South'' (
University of North Carolina Press
The University of North Carolina Press (or UNC Press), founded in 1922, is a not-for-profit university press associated with the University of North Carolina. It was the first university press founded in the southern United States. It is a mem ...
, April 2014), uses literature, pop culture, and interviews to examine how black southerners in Memphis think about race, class, gender, and regional identity. Novelist
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham Jr. (; born February 8, 1955) is an American novelist, lawyer, and former politician, known for his best-selling legal thrillers. According to the Academy of Achievement, American Academy of Achievement, Grisham has written 37 ...
grew up in nearby
DeSoto County, Mississippi
DeSoto County is a county - located on the northwestern border of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census, the population was 185,314, making it the third-most populous county in Mississippi. Its county seat is Hernando. DeSoto C ...
and many of his books, such as ''
The Firm
The FIRM is a brand of exercise videos and equipment currently owned by Gaiam. First released in 1986, the video series is best known for popularizing a hybrid of aerobic exercise and weight training.
History
In 1979, Anna Benson founded th ...
'', ''
The Client'' and ''
The Rainmaker'', are set in Memphis.
Many works of fiction and literature use Memphis as their setting, giving a diverse portrait of the city, its history, and its citizens. These include ''
The Reivers
''The Reivers: A Reminiscence'', published in 1962, is the last novel by the American author William Faulkner. It was published a month before his death. The bestselling novel was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1963. Faulkner previou ...
'' by
William Faulkner
William Cuthbert Faulkner (; September 25, 1897 – July 6, 1962) was an American writer. He is best known for William Faulkner bibliography, his novels and short stories set in the fictional Yoknapatawpha County, Mississippi, a stand-in fo ...
(1962), ''September, September'' by
Shelby Foote
Shelby Dade Foote Jr. (November 17, 1916 – June 27, 2005) was an American writer, historian and journalist. Although he primarily viewed himself as a novelist, he is now best known for his authorship of ''The Civil War: A Narrative'', a three- ...
(1977), ''The Old Forest and Other Stories'' by
Peter Taylor (1985), the
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prizes () are 23 annual awards given by Columbia University in New York City for achievements in the United States in "journalism, arts and letters". They were established in 1917 by the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made his fo ...
-winning ''
A Summons to Memphis'' by Peter Taylor (1986), ''
The Firm
The FIRM is a brand of exercise videos and equipment currently owned by Gaiam. First released in 1986, the video series is best known for popularizing a hybrid of aerobic exercise and weight training.
History
In 1979, Anna Benson founded th ...
'' by
John Grisham
John Ray Grisham Jr. (; born February 8, 1955) is an American novelist, lawyer, and former politician, known for his best-selling legal thrillers. According to the Academy of Achievement, American Academy of Achievement, Grisham has written 37 ...
(1991), ''Memphis Afternoons: a Memoir'' by James Conaway (1993), ''
Cassina Gambrel Was Missing'' by
William Watkins (1999), ''The Guardian'' by Beecher Smith (1999), and ''The Architect'' by
James Williamson (2007).
Theater flourishes at
Playhouse on the Square and
Theatre Memphis. The Midtown-based
Voices of the South is a non-profit, ensemble based theater company whose mission is to create, produce, and perform theatre from diverse Southern perspectives. Working out of Theatreworks (a black-box, alternative theatre owned by Playhouse on the Square), among other companies, is
Our Own Voice Theatre Troupe, a non-profit group working to empower people marginalized by mental illness, and striving to engage the community in dialogue about mental health. Overton Square is currently being redeveloped into a theatre and entertainment district. The area will be anchored by three live-performance theaters, including the existing
Playhouse on the Square, the
Circuit Playhouse, and the soon to be buil
Hatiloo Theatre Also i
Overton SquareStudio on the Squareshows both independent films and major studio films.
Fine arts
Memphis has also had a significant impact in the world of photography.
William Eggleston
William Eggleston, (born July 27, 1939) is an American photographer. He is widely credited with increasing recognition of color photography as a legitimate artistic medium. Eggleston's books include ''William Eggleston's Guide'' (1976) and ''The ...
, the pioneer of color photography as a serious artistic medium and considered one of the greatest photographers of all time, still lives and works in Memphis. A number of younger photographers, including Jeanne Umbreit and Huger Foote, are Memphians. Some other notable Memphis photographers were fashion/celebrity photographer Jack Robinson and civil rights–era documenter Ernest C. Withers.
In the last two decades, the art scene in Memphis has exploded. Art galleries were first established at Overton Square but have moved farther east. The independent art scene has had some success on South Main, on the trolley line in
downtown Memphis
Downtown Memphis is the central business district of Memphis, Tennessee, and is located along the Mississippi River between Interstate 40 to the north, Interstate 55 to the south, and Interstate 240 (Tennessee), Interstate 240 to the east, where ...
. Several art galleries have moved into the neighborhood, stimulating a real estate boom that expanded into new residential construction. One interesting conversion was the
Power House, a former power plant near
Central Station
Central stations or central railway stations emerged in the second half of the nineteenth century as railway stations that had initially been built on the edge of city centres were enveloped by urban expansion and became an integral part of the ...
that was transformed into contemporary art space by
Delta Axis, a Memphis contemporary arts organization. The Power House closed in August 2009, citing economic concerns.
The
Cooper-Young neighborhood in
Midtown Memphis
Midtown is a collection of neighborhoods in Memphis, Tennessee, to the east of Downtown Memphis, Tennessee, Downtown.
Midtown is home to many cultural attractions, institutions of higher education, and noteworthy pieces of architecture. The ...
has also been home to several art galleries. The Edge is an art studio neighborhood, located at the edge of downtown near Madison Avenue, Marshall, and Union Avenue. The Edge is home to Memphis' Black Repertory Theater, world-famous
Sun Studios
Sun Studio is a recording studio opened by rock-and-roll pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records la ...
, and Delta Axis, among others. The old commercial strip on
Broad Avenue in the Binghampton area is home to a cluster of artists and craftsmen.
Quality commercial art galleries in the east Memphis area include the David Lusk Gallery, Perry Nicole Gallery, L Ross Gallery and Lisa Kurts Gallery. All are on or near Poplar Ave., the main east–west thoroughfare. The
Memphis College of Art
Memphis College of Art (MCA) was a private art college in Memphis, Tennessee. It was in Overton Park, adjacent to the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. It offered Bachelor of Fine Arts, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts in Art Education and M ...
and the
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art
Memphis Brooks Museum of Art is an art museum in Memphis, Tennessee. The Brooks Museum, which was founded in 1916, is the oldest and largest art museum in the state of Tennessee. The museum is a privately funded nonprofit institution located in ...
are neighbors inside
Overton Park
:''Overton Park may also refer to the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe''
Overton Park is a large, public park in Midtown Memphis, Tennessee. The park grounds contain the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Memphi ...
, along with
The Shell, a 1930s outdoor performing arts venue recently renovated and reopened in September 2008.
More informally, art intersects with entrepreneurship in many traditionally African American neighborhoods through hand-painted signs. Artists like James "Brick" Brigance, an Orange Mound native, paints lettering, logos and images on the brick facades of many neighborhood buildings.
Film
Memphis has an active and growing film industry. Movies filmed at least partially in Memphis include
The Firm
The FIRM is a brand of exercise videos and equipment currently owned by Gaiam. First released in 1986, the video series is best known for popularizing a hybrid of aerobic exercise and weight training.
History
In 1979, Anna Benson founded th ...
,
The Client,
Walk the Line
''Walk the Line'' is a 2005 American biographical drama film directed by James Mangold. The screenplay, written by Mangold and Gill Dennis, is based on two autobiographies by the American singer-songwriter Johnny Cash: '' Man in Black: His Own ...
,
Hustle & Flow
''Hustle & Flow'' is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Craig Brewer. The film stars Terrence Howard as a Memphis hustler and pimp who dreams of becoming a rapper. The ensemble cast includes Anthony Anderson, Taryn Manning, Ta ...
,
In the Valley of Elah, and
Undefeated.
Indie Memphis provides year-round programming, with screenings of local and independent films. Indie Memphis also hosts an annual film festival, which has been ranked by ''MovieMake Magazine'' as one of the world’s “25 Coolest Film Festivals” for 2009. In 2013, the festival was listed as one of the "Top 50 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee" by ''MovieMaker'' magazine.
In 2011 more than 8,000 people attended the film festival.
''MovieMaker Magazine'' ranked Memphis among the “Top 10 U.S. Cities for Moviemakers to Live” from 2006 - 2009 owing its ranking to strong state and local incentives, low production cost, a “crack film office,” and the rich culture Memphis offers.
Cuisine
Memphis-style barbecue is one of the four predominant regional styles of
barbecue in the United States
Barbecue is a tradition often considered a quintessential part of Culture of the United States, American culture, especially the Southern United States.
First introduced to the lands which would become the United States by the Taíno to Christ ...
, and has become well-known due to the
World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest held each May, which has been listed in the ''
Guinness Book of World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, listi ...
'' as the largest pork barbecue contest in the world.
In 2012, ''U.S. News & World Report'' named Memphis the No. 1 Barbecue City in America.
In addition to barbecue, Memphis has become a top city for pizza, burgers and fine dining. Memphis was ranked the 17th Top City for Pizza by Travel + Leisure magazine.
Dyer's burgers was listed as one of the "Best Burgers in the U.S." by ''Food and Wine'' magazine,
and Memphis was ranked 14th best city for burgers by ''Travel + Leisure'' magazine.
Memphis is also home to the famous Soul Burger at Ernestine and Hazels
Several renowned chefs operate restaurants in Memphis. Andrew Ticer and Michael Hudman, the chefs and owners of Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen and Hog & Hominy, were included in ''Food and Wine'' magazines 2013 Best New Chefs list.
Kelly English, chef and owner of Restaurant Iris, was a semifinalist for "Best Chef: Southeast" in the James Beard Award competition, and listed as one of the 'Best New Chefs" by ''Food and Wine'' magazine.
Religion
Since its founding, Memphis has been home to persons of many different faiths. An 1870 map of Memphis shows religious buildings of the
Baptist
Baptists are a Christian denomination, denomination within Protestant Christianity distinguished by baptizing only professing Christian believers (believer's baptism) and doing so by complete Immersion baptism, immersion. Baptist churches ge ...
,
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
,
Episcopal,
Methodist
Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a Protestant Christianity, Christian Christian tradition, tradition whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's brother ...
,
Presbyterian
Presbyterianism is a historically Reformed Protestant tradition named for its form of church government by representative assemblies of elders, known as "presbyters". Though other Reformed churches are structurally similar, the word ''Pr ...
,
Congregational
Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...
, and
Christian
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...
denominations and a
Jewish
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
congregation. Today, places of worship exist for
Christians
A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the world. The words '' Christ'' and ''C ...
,
Jews
Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
,
Muslims
Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
,
Buddhists
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or 5th century BCE. It is the world's fourth ...
, and
Hindus
Hindus (; ; also known as Sanātanīs) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism, also known by its endonym Sanātana Dharma. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pp. 35–37 Historically, the term has also be ...
.
Baron Hirsch Synagogue, which was founded in Memphis in the late 19th century, has the largest congregation of
Orthodox Jews
Orthodox Judaism is a collective term for the traditionalist branches of contemporary Judaism. Theologically, it is chiefly defined by regarding the Torah, both Written and Oral, as literally revealed by God on Mount Sinai and faithfully tr ...
in the United States.
Bellevue Baptist Church is a
Southern Baptist
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestantism in the United States, Pr ...
megachurch
A megachurch is a church with a very large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities. Most megachurches are Evangelical, although the term denotes a type of organization, not a denomination. A megachurch draws 2 ...
in Memphis that was founded in the early 20th century. Its current membership is approximately 27,000. For many years, it was led by
Adrian Rogers
Adrian Pierce Rogers (September 12, 1931 – November 15, 2005) was an American Baptist pastor and conservative author. He served three terms as president of the Southern Baptist Convention (1979–1980 and 1986–1988).
Early life and educatio ...
, a former three term president of the
Southern Baptist Convention
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), alternatively the Great Commission Baptists (GCB), is a Christian denomination based in the United States. It is the world's largest Baptist organization, the largest Protestant, and the second-largest Chr ...
.
The international headquarters of the
Church of God in Christ
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is an international Christian perfection#Holiness Pentecostalism, Holiness–Pentecostal Christian denomination, and a large Pentecostal denomination in the United States. Although an international and multi ...
, one of the fastest growing sects of Christianity and the largest
Pentecostal
Pentecostalism or classical Pentecostalism is a movement within the broader Evangelical wing of Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes direct personal experience of God in Christianity, God through Baptism with the Holy Spirit#Cl ...
denomination in the United States, is also in Memphis. The headquarters,
Mason Temple
Mason Temple, located in Memphis, Tennessee, is a Christian international sanctuary and central headquarters of the Church of God in Christ, the largest African American Pentecostal group in the world. The building was named for Bishop Charles ...
(named after the denomination's founder,
Charles Harrison Mason), is where
Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister, civil and political rights, civil rights activist and political philosopher who was a leader of the civil rights move ...
gave his famous ''
'' speech the day before he was killed.
The
denominational headquarters of the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church
The Cumberland Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian denomination spawned by the Second Great Awakening. Matthew H. Gore, The History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Kentucky to 1988, (Memphis, Tennessee: Joint Heritage Committee, 2000 ...
are located in Memphis. Memphis is also home to the main Cumberland Presbyterian seminary, the
Memphis Theological Seminary
Memphis Theological Seminary is an ecumenical seminary of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Memphis, Tennessee. Although it is affiliated with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, it accepts and trains ministerial candidates from other denomi ...
. The Cumberland Presbyterian church maintains a library and archival facility at the headquarters.
The
Roman Catholic Diocese of Memphis has its seat at the
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Memphis, founded as a parish in 1921.
The
Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee
The Episcopal Diocese of West Tennessee is the diocese of the Episcopal Church that geographically coincides with the political region known as the Grand Division of West Tennessee. The geographic range of the Diocese of West Tennessee was orig ...
has its cathedral,
St. Mary's in Memphis.
The
Chronicle of Philanthropy
''The Chronicle of Philanthropy'' is a magazine and digital platform that covers the nonprofit world of philanthropy. Based in Washington, D.C., it is aimed at charity leaders, foundation executives, fund raisers, and other people involved in ph ...
ranked the Memphis metro area 2nd for charitable giving based on the percentage of discretionary income given to charity.
Media
The Memphis regional market is the forty-ninth largest designated market area (DMA) in the nation, with 662,830 homes (0.581% of the total U.S.).
Several media outlets in print, broadcast and internet cover varying segments of the market.
Newspapers
* ''
The Commercial Appeal
''The Commercial Appeal'' (also known as the ''Memphis Commercial Appeal'') is a daily newspaper of Memphis, Tennessee, and its surrounding metropolitan area. It is owned by the Gannett Company; its former owner, the E. W. Scripps Company, also ...
'' — daily (Sunday-Saturday); general news. The Commercial Appeal is Memphis' largest and most widely circulated newspaper.
* ''
The Daily News'' — daily (Monday-Friday); legal records and general news.
* ''
Memphis Business Journal'' — weekly; business and economic news.
* ''The
Memphis Flyer'' — weekly; politics, arts and entertainment, lifestyles.
* ''The
Shelby Sun-Times'' — weekly; East Memphis and eastern Shelby County community news with
Cordova and
Germantown editions.
* ''The
Tri-State Defender
The ''Tri-State Defender'' is a weekly newspaper, weekly African-American newspaper serving Memphis, Tennessee, and the nearby areas of Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. It bills itself as "The Mid-South's Best Alternative Newspaper". The ''D ...
'' — weekly; African-American community news.
* ''
La Prensa Latina
LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the United States of America.
La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music
* La (musical note), or A, the sixth note
*"L.A.", a song by Elliott Smi ...
'' — weekly; Hispanic community news, Spanish-English bilingual.
Magazines
* ''
Memphis Downtowner'' - monthly; community interests; focus on the downtown area.
* ''
Main Street Journal'' - monthly; news, entertainment and politics.
* ''
Memphis Magazine
The ''Memphis Flyer'' is a free weekly alternative newspaper serving the greater Memphis, Tennessee, area. The ''Flyer'' covers Memphis news, politics, music, entertainment, sports, food, and spirits.
The ''Flyer'' was founded February 14, 1989 ...
'' - monthly; general community interest, arts and entertainment, lifestyles.
* ''
Memphis Parent'' - monthly; family issues and interests.
* ''
RSVP Magazine'' — monthly; society and philanthropy events.
* ''
Memphis Sport'' - bimonthly; local sports and recreation.
* ''
Number
A number is a mathematical object used to count, measure, and label. The most basic examples are the natural numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and so forth. Numbers can be represented in language with number words. More universally, individual numbers can ...
'' - a visual arts quarterly
Television
A wide variety of local television stations also serves the market area. The major network television affiliates are
WMC 5 (
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
),
WREG 3 (
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS (an abbreviation of its original name, Columbia Broadcasting System), is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainme ...
),
WATN 24 (
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media Broadcasting
* Aliw Broadcasting Corporation, Philippine broadcast company
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial American ...
),
WHBQ 13 (
FOX
Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush").
Twelve species ...
),
WLMT
WLMT (channel 30) is a television station in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, affiliated with The CW and MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside ABC affiliate WATN-TV (channel 24). The two stations share studios at the Shelby Oaks C ...
30 (
CW), and
WPXX 50 (
Ion
An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge. The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by convent ...
). The area is also served by two
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
stations:
WKNO 10 and
WLJT 11.
Radio
Diverse formats can be found on the radio dial throughout the Memphis area. Two of the several stations of note include
WLFP WLFP may refer to:
* WLFP (FM), a radio station (99.7 FM) licensed to serve Memphis, Tennessee, United States
* WMLE, a radio station (94.1 FM) licensed to serve Germantown, Tennessee, which held the call sign WLFP from 2014 to 2023
* WZUM (AM)< ...
(99.7 FM, "99.7 The Wolf"), a country station — formerly WMC-FM (''FM 100''), which was a leading
Hot AC
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the 1980s to the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, ...
station for more than 30 years — and the historic
WDIA
WDIA (1070 AM) is a radio station based in Memphis, Tennessee. Active since 1947, it soon became the first radio station in the United States that was programmed entirely for African Americans. It featured black radio personalities; its success ...
(1070 AM), the first African-American-operated radio station in the US.
WHER the first "All-Girl" radio station was founded in Memphis by record producer
Sam Phillips
Samuel Cornelius Phillips (January 5, 1923 – July 30, 2003) was an American disc jockey, songwriter and record producer. He was the founder of Sun Records and Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee, where he produced recordings by Elvis Presley, R ...
in 1955.
WHER: 1000 Beautiful Watts
/ref> WHBQ-AM and WMPS-AM broadcasting personalities Rick Dees
Rigdon Osmond Dees III (born March 14, 1950), best known as Rick Dees, is an American entertainer, radio personality, comedian, actor, and voice artist, best known for his internationally syndicated radio show '' The Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 Coun ...
, Wink Martindale
Winston Conrad "Wink" Martindale (December 4, 1933 – April 15, 2025) was an American disc jockey, radio personality, game show host and television producer. Regarded as a pop culture icon, he was known for his outgoing and jovial demeanor and ...
, and Scott Shannon are now nationally known. WEVL (89.9 FM) is a volunteer-run-and-supported station where the many DJs are expert collectors in their musical provinces.
References
{{Memphis, Tennessee