Happy Guardians of the Galaxy weekend to all who celebrate! Marvel’s answer to Star Wars works best when the crew, led by Chris Pratt as Star Lord, simply ignores whatever is brewing in the rest of the MCU. This is director James Gunn’s swan song at Marvel, as he was just given the big chair of the rival DC universe, and Dave Bautista’s done with Dax after this one, as well. Karen Gillian, who has long been the best actor in the MCU, finally gets a spotlight worthy of her talents. This is gonna be a hot ticket, so reserve your seats now.
Running into the Guardians buzz saw is the British rom-com What’s Love Got To Do With It? Shazad Latif directs Lily James and Emma Thompson in this acclaimed film, which takes on arranged marriage and the limits of cultural assimilation.
The other attempt at counter-programming against the Guardians juggernaut this weekend is Love Again. You’ve seen this premise before with Sleepless in Seattle, and classic cinephiles will recognize the outlines of the Ernst Lubitsch/Jimmy Stewart masterpiece The Shop Around The Corner. Only this time instead of accidental lonely hearts pen pals or email advice columnists, it’s text messages. We get a reboot of The Shop Around The Corner every time a new communication method become popular.
Director Kelly Reichardt’s latest is a comedy based in the always weird world of art. Showing Up stars Michelle Williams (a frequent Reichardt collaborator) as a mixed media artist preparing for a big show while her world falls apart around her.
On Wednesday night, Indie Memphis is throwing a pay-what-you-can MicroCinema night at Crosstown Theater called “Shifting Lines: New Queer Animation.” The six-film program will include Niki Ang’s terminally charming short “Were You Gay In High School?”
Facing a spate of legal battles with Tennessee cities and the federal government, the Attorney General’s Office enters this year with a new “strategic litigation unit” and heftier budget.
As part of a $56.2 billion budget for fiscal 2023-24, the Legislature approved 10 more positions at a cost of $2.25 million for Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti.
That gives the office a $52.95 million payroll for 363 positions with an average salary of $146,600. Including operating costs, the office’s budget will hit nearly $6.75 million on July 1, up almost 9 percent from this year’s total. The total includes $5.1 million from a market adjustment recommended by the Ernst & Young study conducted for executive department pay.
That figure also contains $5,078,500 for a grab bag of legal expenses such as filing fees, expert witness expenses and contracts, in addition to outside counsel on a wide variety of cases ranging from opioid litigation to TennCare investigations. The office spent $5 million on those items this fiscal year, matching the amount the state spent this year and $6 million in fiscal 2021-22.
The 10-attorney special unit was discussed in-depth during budget hearings, Chief of Staff Brandon Smith says, and will focus on “proactive litigation defending the separation of powers and the constitutional rights of Tennesseans, the defense of state laws presenting significant federalism issues, and pursue transparency and accountability for certain corporate activities that undermine the democratic process and harm consumers.”
Not a full year into the job, Skrmetti doesn’t necessarily have a different philosophy than his predecessor, Herbert Slatery, but appears to be taking a slightly more active role against what he considers federal incursions.
For instance, the Attorney General’s Office joined a national effort to stop President Joe Biden’s Administration from putting new regulations on ovens, stoves, dishwashers and refrigerators. Skrmetti also joined 23 states in requesting a court injunction on an Environmental Protection Agency rule to expand federal authority over bodies of water nationwide.
In yet another case, Skrmetti filed a brief with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit arguing against the Biden Administration’s attempt to make the abortion drug mifepristone available through the mail.
“Abortion is a matter of state law and Tennesseans, acting through their elected representatives, have chosen to prohibit elective abortions and to strictly regulate the use of abortion-inducing drugs such as mifepristone,” Skrmetti says.
The Attorney General’s Office also must deal with a challenge of the state’s new law prohibiting gender affirming care for minors, in addition to an injunction placed on the Legislature’s move to reduce the size of the Metro Nashville Council.
The Legislature’s critics, mainly House and Senate Democrats, are fond of saying the Republican-controlled chambers pass lawsuits, not legislation. Based on the Attorney General’s Office budget, they have a pretty solid argument.
Fresh off a three-year legal battle over the state’s Education Savings Accounts program, which provides public dollars to send low-income students to private schools, the state finds itself in another tussle with Metro Nashville over the new law to cut the Metro Council to 20 from 40. A state court judge put a temporary hold on that measure, forcing Skrmetti to issue a statement saying the state won’t appeal the decision but will allow the size of the council to take effect with the 2027 election.
Skrmetti contends the court left the 20-member cap on metropolitan councils intact when the majority concluded Metro’s plaintiffs are “not likely to succeed on their claim that it violates … the Tennessee Constitution.”
Metro Law Director Wally Dietz points out the trial court ruled unanimously that applying the council cut to this year’s election violates the Home Rule Amendment to the state Constitution. But while the court ruled 2-1 that Metro hasn’t proven its case on keeping the council at 40, the decision isn’t final.
Still expecting to prevail, Metro will make arguments against the cap that weren’t part of the initial injunction hearing. The court is expected to hold a hearing later this year.
Meanwhile, Metro Nashville’s legal office is concerned about other bills targeting the local government and is considering other possible lawsuits, according to Dietz. Those include measures to give top state officials control over appointments to the airport and sports authorities and dismantling a community oversight board that handles complaints against the police department.
Costs start to rise
Since Republican Gov. Bill Lee took office in 2019, the Attorney General’s Office has grown nearly every year.
The fiscal 2019-20 budget had 341 positions for former Attorney General Herbert Slatery with a $36.18 million payroll and $1.56 million spent on outside counsel, compared to $6 million a year ago.
In the final year of Democratic Gov. Phil Bredesen’s administration, the Attorney General’s Office had 341 positions with a total cost of $30.24 million, including $1.16 million in special litigation costs.
Early in Republican Gov. Bill Haslam’s tenure, the AG’s Office cut personnel to 320 with a payroll of $24.7 million and special litigation of only $1.83 million in fiscal 2012-13.
Since then, the number of attorneys working for the state has crept up, reflecting an increase in the amount of legal work.
Democratic lawmakers argue that much of the litigation is self-inflicted.
“It’s just the continued bad legislation that’s coming out of the General Assembly. I guess they need more attorneys to be able to defend the multiple lawsuits the General Assembly forces them into,” says state Rep. Bo Mitchell. “Whether it’s preventing children from getting health care to taking over the city of Nashville, it’s never-ending.”
Mitchell, a Nashville Democrat, says many of the attorney general’s tasks come at the direction of the Legislature.
“It keeps coming back to the same place,” he says.
In fact, the attorney general does take direction from the governor and legislative leaders.
It’s just the continued bad legislation that’s coming out of the General Assembly. I guess they need more attorneys to be able to defend the multiple lawsuits the General Assembly forces them into.
– Rep. Bo Mitchell, D-Nashville
Skrmetti, however, made the call on his own to reach an agreement with a California firearms organization to lower Tennessee’s gun-carry age to 18 from 21 under the permit-less carry law. He then consulted the state’s top leaders.
Rep. Charlie Baum, a member of the House finance committee, points out the Attorney General’s Office has a heavy workload, going after opioid distributors much as it once fought the tobacco industry, in addition to dealing with federal and local issues.
Skrmetti’s office recently announced Tennessee received a $163.9 million payment from major tobacco companies from a 1998 settlement that resolved the state’s lawsuit for violations of consumer protection laws and deceptive marketing practices. All told, the state has gotten $3.8 billion through the settlement.
The state also joins multiple lawsuits against the federal government where states are suing the federal government for items considered forms of “overreach” through its legislation and policies, Baum notes.
“These tend to be the red states that are the ones more apt to sue the federal government,” he says.
Baum also believes the state is running into higher legal costs, in part, because of “activist” judges, and he points toward the years-long litigation over private school vouchers as proof.
In that case, the Davidson County trial court and Tennessee Court of Appeals ruled the state violated the Home Rule Amendment by starting the voucher program in Metro Nashville and Shelby County school districts without getting local approval. The Tennessee Supreme Court, however, ruled in favor of the state using a technicality to enable the voucher program to take effect.
Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com. Follow Tennessee Lookout on Facebook and Twitter.
Paul Stephens and Jules Jordan are the founding partners of the new Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Founding partners Paul Stephens, 31, and Jules Jordan, 29, will open Belle Meade Social on Tuesday, May 9th.
It’s almost like their restaurant had to open at 518 Perkins Extended.
Jordan’s dad, Trey Jordan, opened his first restaurant, Holiday Deli & Ham, at that location 30 years ago when he was 29 years old. Trey now owns Pimento’s Burgers, Bar & Grill, in addition to the Holiday Deli & Ham restaurants. His father, Don “Papa” Jordan, 93, also was in the restaurant business. He owned the Wendy’s Franchise in Central Texas from 1972 to 1973.
Jules and Stephens met 17 years ago in a devotional group lead by her dad. Stephens “became part of the family and never left,” she says.
Stephens and Jules originally thought about opening a sports bar in the space. But it was “so elevated” they decided to turn it into a fine dining restaurant, Jules says.
But they also wanted the elegant restaurant to be approachable. “Country club casual” is how Stephens describes the place.
It will serve as a great place for a “date night” or a “guy’s night,” Jules adds.
Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Customers “could make it whatever they wanted it to be,” she says. “And know their hospitality is going to be on point.”
“We ‘care’ is what it comes down to,” Stephens adds.
“That is the bottom line,” Jules says.
Jules is on the operations side of the restaurant and Stephens is is administration.
The name Belle Meade comes from the nearby residential neighborhood. “Paul grew up in that neighborhood,” Jules says. “I lived down the street.”
They want the restaurant to be a “neighborhood spot” for people to enjoy, she says. As the menu states, “Welcome to the neighborhood.”
As for decor, she and Stephens gave the space a makeover, but they didn’t really have to change much, Jules says. “We put our flair on the bones that were already here.”
And those were “great bones,” Stephens adds.
The restaurant had formerly held the Jim’s Place and Strano by Chef Josh restaurants. Most of the original decor dates to when Jim’s Place was housed there, Jules says. “We re-did the bar top. Put new tile under the bar.”
They also recovered all the seats in the restaurant with brown leather.
The “Tuckahoe Room” is one room they completely created. They wanted a “speakeasy vibe” in the room, which includes comfortable chairs and a contemporary chandelier, Jules says. It’s a place where people can have a drink while waiting for their table.
The Tuckahoe Room at Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)
The room also can be used when people use the upcoming private dining space, which will seat 20 to 30 people, that adjoins the lounge, Stephens says.
They also have plans for the spacious patio that runs along the south side of the restaurant.
Eric Ingraham is Belle Meade Social’s executive chef. George Newton is sous chef.
Eric Ingraham and George Newton at Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)
The restaurant will serve classic American cuisine at lunch and dinner.
Reagan Wood and Steve Gill with fare from Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Appetizers include “Honey Whipped Feta Dip” with feta cheese, honey, mixed olives, and warm pita bread; and a “Spicy Tuna Stack” with Ahi tuna, cucumber, tomato, avocado, pineapple, spicy vinaigrette, and house wontons.
Entrees include a 14-ounce New York strip, roasted chicken, lamb lollipops, Kung Pao salmon, and blackened grouper.
Pizzas are available. The pizza menu offers “Pesto Chicken,” “BBQ Chicken,” and “Fig & Pig” with fig spread, grated parmesan, mozzarella, prosciutto, arugula, and balsamic glaze.
Jules’s dad, by the way, raves about the “Belle Meade Burger,” which includes ground beef, tomato bacon jam, caramelized onions, and gruyere cheese with lettuce and tomato on a brioche bun.
Customers will see a lot of smiles at Belle Meade Social. That includes friendly servers Reagan Wood and Steve Gill, food and beverage/bar manager Daniel Faulk, and hostess manager Maddy Marshall.
That’s a reflection of the owners.
“We both love people,” Jules says.
Daniel Faulk at Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)Maddy Marshall at Belle Meade Social (Credit: Michael Donahue)
One of the region’s biggest financial institutions won’t have a new name after all. On Thursday, First Horizon Corporation and TD Bank Group announced they had mutually agreed to terminate their merger agreement.
“While today’s announcement is unfortunate and unexpected, First Horizon will continue on its growth path operating from a position of strength and stability,” said First Horizon chairman, president, and CEO Bryan Jordan in a statement. “Our strong capital position, disciplined credit quality, expense control measures, and well-diversified and stable funding mix have enabled our business to navigate challenging banking industry dynamics and remain focused on executing our client-centric growth plan. We continue to develop and expand deep client relationships across all of our markets, which include some of the fastest-growing U.S. markets, while maintaining a strong, asset-sensitive balance sheet well-positioned for the current rate environment.”
First Horizon had announced in February 2022 that it would be acquired by Toronto-Dominion Bank and its subsidiaries in an all-cash transaction valued at $13.4 billion. However, the acquisition had been delayed twice — to an ultimate May 27th deadline — due to pending regulatory approvals. With the deadline approaching, the companies were not confident about hitting that date, and TD could not provide a new projected timeline in which regulatory approvals might be obtained. Because of that uncertainty, the two companies decided to call off the merger. It would have made TD the sixth-largest bank in the United States, measured by assets.
“This decision provides our colleagues and shareholders with clarity,” said TD Bank Group president and CEO Bharat Masrani. “Though disappointed with the outcome, we move forward with a strong, growing franchise in the United States, servicing more than 10 million customers across our footprint. I want to thank First Horizon for their partnership over the last several months and wish them enormous success for the future. Above all, I want to thank our colleagues at TD Bank, America’s most convenient bank, for their tremendous efforts and steadfast dedication to the bank, the millions we serve and the communities in which we live and work.”
The termination agreement means that TD will make a $200 million cash payment to First Horizon (on top of a “$25 million fee reimbursement due to First Horizon pursuant to the merger agreement”).
First Horizon’s share price had dropped about 40 percent over the last few months, far below the $25 per share that TD had offered when the merger was announced. The stock closed at $15.05 on Wednesday and fell almost another 40 percent, currently sitting at $9.24.
With so many Stax-related anniversaries happening lately — including the 20th of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, officially this May 2nd, and the 60th of the song “Green Onions,” recently celebrated by Booker T. Jones in New York — it’s easy to forget that 50 years ago this February, the main Stax news everyone was talking about was Wattstax, the then-newly released film documenting the previous summer’s festival of the same name.
That moment can be relived visually by anyone lucky enough to dwell in cities with an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema (not including Memphis, alas), with whom Sony has recently partnered in special screenings of the film. But for those who can’t see it, never fear: Stax Records and Craft Recordings have got you covered.
This year the twin labels have released and/or re-released several versions of the live albums that Stax dropped soon after the festival went down on August 20, 1972. The various packages, some documenting the day more completely than ever before, include Soul’d Out: The Complete Wattstax Collection (12-CD & digital), Wattstax: The Complete Concert (6-CD & 10-LP), The Best of Wattstax (1-CD & digital), and 2-LP reissues of the original soundtrack releases Wattstax: The Living Word Volumes 1 & 2.
It’s a worthy tribute to a concert considered historic for bringing the likes of Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, Rufus Thomas, Johnnie Taylor, Carla Thomas, The Bar-Kays, Kim Weston, Albert King, Eddie Floyd and many more under one billing. It was also a watershed moment in forging a national Black identity, with up to 112,000 (mostly Black) attendees that day. That was about twice the crowd that The Beatles had at Shea Stadium six years earlier, a third of the attendance at the Altamont Speedway Free Festival, and a fourth of Woodstock’s.
So while there was a palpable sense of activism to Wattstax, it was fundamentally celebratory. Al Bell, the festival’s creator and President of Stax Records at the time, called it the “most jubilant celebration of African American music, culture, and values in American history.” And indeed, there’s a mellow yet elated air apparent in the many hours recorded that day at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. That’s in the context of the Watts neighborhood of L.A. enduring crushing poverty, systemic racism, and, in 1965, riots. Bell reflects in the liner notes that “the residents of Watts had lost all hope.” By bringing the best of Southern soul to the neighborhood through Wattstax, at only a dollar a ticket, Bell and Stax aimed to restore hope through Black music (and oratory) that affirmed Black culture and community at every turn.
And oh what music they brought. Among the new Stax/Craft releases, the best way to experience Wattstax as it felt at the time is listening to Soul’d Out: The Complete Wattstax Collection. For lovers of ’70s soul or Stax, it’s hard to imagine a more compelling box set, even if a 12-CD collection can be rather daunting, to mark the transition from classic ’60s soul to the more complex sounds of the ’70s.
The sheer size of the collection helps it capture the luxuriousness of that sprawling day. Now, for the first time, across half of the collection’s discs (also available, without bonus material, as Wattstax: The Complete Concert), is nearly every moment of audio from the show, as recorded by the film crew and later mixed by Terry Manning back in Memphis.
Right out of the gate, we reap the benefits of the set’s completism, as the opening strains of Salvation Symphony by Dale O. Warren, conductor of The Wattstax ’72 Orchestra kick in. Previously available only in an abridged form on the 2003 three-CD release Wattstax, hearing the full 19-minute composition is a revelation. Starting with a martial, neo-classical approach, it reaches a climactic chord (not unlike the final strains of Also Sprach Zarathustra) which abruptly sinks away to make room for an extended soul organ passage, in turn giving way to an extended funk/fusion workout. After that is played out, a new classical movement is taken up. It’s a significant work in its use of multiple genres to mark a new historical moment celebrating the richness and diversity of Black life, very intentionally mastering Western traditions even as it revels in African-derived traditions too. Indeed, the fusion segment relies on an undeniably funky groove that the band falls back on time and again between artists throughout the day. It never gets old.
And there are a lot of artists. Sequenced in the style of a revue, many perform only one song, at least in the early hours of the festival. One standout, also previously unreleased, is an intriguing re-imagining of “The Star Spangled Banner” by Kim Weston and band. While her version of the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” was released in 1973, this take on the more conventional U.S. anthem is just as compelling in terms of artistic ambition.
After these tracks and some introductory comments, the rest of Disc 1 is centered on The Staple Singers, then at the top of their game. Having such bill-toppers kick off the festival is a generous gesture, and quite in keeping with the framing of Wattstax as a kind of gift to the audience. Disc 2 then presents a series of lesser-known Stax artists, dubbed “The Golden 13,” who sing their own hits, then team up to lead the crowd in several choruses of “Old Time Religion,” sounding more New Orleans than Memphis. There’s also a surreal moment when Al Bell receives special honors at an event that he himself planned.
True to the festival’s aesthetic, emcee William Bell reads out an official recognition of Al Bell from the Los Angeles City Council, “now therefore let it be resolved,” etc., to which William Bell adds, “translated it means: Al, you’re outta sight.”
Even more telling is the announcer who appeals to a burgeoning Black nationalism as a way to control the crowd, as he tries repeatedly to clear the stage area of hangers-on. “Folks,” he says, “we have a logistics problem that is really — well anyhow, it’s hard … Now look brothers and sisters, we have to cooperate to make a nation, and a nation doesn’t mean ‘Me, privileged.’ If you’re not working, please have the courtesy to leave the area … Now please, God don’t like ugly!”
It captures the politicized spirit of the event well, and it doesn’t hurt that it’s followed up by one of the most incendiary tracks ever released by Stax, “Lying on the Truth,” by the Rance Allen Group.
More extended sets follow on the remaining CD’s, including those by David Porter, The Bar-Kays, Carla Thomas, Albert King, Rufus Thomas, and, at the climax, Isaac Hayes. Due to technical difficulties experienced by the film crew, Hayes and company play “Theme from Shaft” twice, back to back. (The first version has never been released until now).
Overall, the performances are carried off with precision, passion, and grit, made all the more powerful if one listens across a single afternoon, immersing oneself in festival time. The buildup to Hayes’ set is inexorable, and he and his band are in top form, with the added draw of hearing Hayes take several saxophone solos.
Beyond the festival itself, the Soul’d Out set offering six more discs documenting the Stax-related music featured that September and October in L.A.’s Summit Club. Some of these made their way into the film and the Living Word LPs at the time, but the more complete collection features many never-heard tracks. What’s more, having been recorded in a nightclub, the recordings have the urgency of an interior space filled with people. That quality especially benefits a previously unheard set by Sons of Slum, a hard-hitting Chicago group that unleashes a positively frenetic cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect.”
And there’s comedy, too, with not only the Richard Pryor routines originally featured in the Living Word LPs, but also a comedy set by Rufus Thomas. With these touches, not to mention the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s oration at Wattstax itself, this collection captures a good deal more than music. And the new packaging perfectly matches this time capsule from 1972, including a deluxe LP-sized book of liner notes by Al Bell, A. Scott Galloway, and Rob Bowman.
In sum, it’s an extravagant record of an extraordinary time, and, given the ongoing civil rights battles still being fought today, a history and a spirit worth treasuring in our collective memories.
Dillon Brooks dunks the ball against the Milwaukee Bucks. (Credit: NBAE/Getty Images)
The Memphis Grizzlies and Dillon Brooks are parting ways after six seasons. It was reported by Shams Charania via Twitter and the Athletic, and the phrasing used was brutal – that Brooks would not be brought back “under any circumstances.”
But don’t be so quick to retcon the Dillon Brooks era.
Suddenly the criticism of Brooks, which had been coming from all angles for his antics during the first round of the playoffs against the Los Angeles Lakers, has been turned on to the franchise itself for throwing Brooks under the bus.
Winning cures everything, and when Brooks was helping the Grizzlies win, his antics off and on the court could be tolerated. Now he’s not, and they aren’t. This isn’t rocket science.
The internet did provide some humor to the situation, and it’s fun to get those jokes off, but when it comes down to it, Dillon Brooks made the Grizzlies a better team for much longer than he didn’t.
The writing has been on the wall for a while, and anyone who claims to be surprised by this outcome is either lying or living under a rock. And blaming the culture in Memphis and claiming Brooks is being made a scapegoat diminishes the actual basketball reasons the team is correctly moving on from him. He had become a liability on the offensive end, and Coach Jenkins either couldn’t or wouldn’t rein him in.
For all the noise surrounding the Grizzlies and Dillon Brooks, it would be helpful to remember that this team would not be where they are today without his efforts.
All-time franchise ranks for Dillon Brooks on the #Grizzlies–
12th in games played 9th in points 3rd in 3pm 10th in steals 15th in assists 8th in playoff points 3rd in playoff 3pm 8th in playoff assists 10th in playoff steals 10th in total wins pic.twitter.com/jplh1AGJQo
— Fastbreak Breakfast (@fastbreakbreak) May 2, 2023
It’s okay to think his outsized trash-talking and at times reckless style of play would have been a detriment to the team going forward and appreciate the hard work and effort he’s shown this franchise for the past six seasons. We can and should do both.
When Dillon was drafted in 2017, the team was wildly different from the Grizzlies of the present day. During the 2017-18 season, the Grizzlies had a total of 24 players who played minutes for them, including such memorable players as Andrew Harrison, Jarell Martin, Ivan Rabb, and (who could forget?) Chandler Parsons. The Grizzlies went through a sudden head-coaching change and finished 14th in the western conference with a 22-60 record. Marc Gasol was still the leader of the team, and Mike Conley was the theoretical co-captain, although he was recovering from injury most of the season. The team Brooks was drafted by is unrecognizable now.
I still remember one of Brooks’ first games in a Memphis Grizzlies uniform. It was a preseason game against the New Orleans Pelicans, and he shot 5 for 5 from beyond the arc, during a period the team was notoriously lacking in outside shooting. In his rookie season, he played 2,350 minutes across all 82 regular season games, and the most total minutes of his career to date.
You will be hard-pressed to find a player who gives 110% effort in every game, but Brooks does. He always wants the toughest defensive assignments, and he prides himself in holding opponents to low-scoring numbers when they face him. He is a genuine asset on the defensive end … most of the time.
But that Dillon Brooks is also the same player who never met a shot he didn’t like, who led the league two years in a row in fouls accumulated, who regularly shoots ill-advised three-point shots only a few seconds into the shot clock. And sometimes, that was exactly what the Grizzlies needed, but that time has passed. As we all must grow and change and adapt, so too does this team.
The Grizzlies have outgrown Dillon Brooks, and that’s okay.
In the wake of local gun incidents that have prompted potential emergency action from the Memphis city council, a Vanderbilt University survey demonstrates a favorable attitude statewide for new firearms legislation.
The semiannual Vanderbilt Poll, released on Wednesday, finds “significant bipartisan support” for government action on gun control. The poll also indicates support for “basic protections for abortion” and for provision of health care options for the LGBTQ community.
Though Governor Bill Lee has said he intends to call a special session of the General Assembly to consider new gun laws, the legislature adjourned its 2023 session last week without considering such legislation. Meanwhile, the Memphis city council may test the resolve of the Assembly’s Republican supermajority against new laws by passing its own gun ordinances.
The council’s action, signaled by Councilman Jeff Warren, is in response to the shooting of two people on Beale Street over the weekend, followed by a disturbed young gunman’s firing a round on Tuesday into the studio space of Fox-13 television.
The council will apparently consider action for a red-flag law, for banning assault weapons locally, and to require gun-carry permits. If it does so, it will challenge state government’s increasing emphasis on curtailing local options.
However the state might respond officially, its citizens would find such action agreeable, according to the Vanderbilt Poll.
The survey, conducted April 19-23 among 1,003 registered Tennessee voters, shows that 82 percent of those polled support Gov. Lee’s recent executive order on gun background checks, and that three-quarters of them desire “red flag” laws to that end.
Support for the governor’s executive order, issued in response to the recent Covenant School shootings in Nashville, which killed six people, was 81 percent among self-described non-MAGA Republicans, 91 percent among Democrats, and 78 percent among independents.
The survey indicates that gun control ranked as the third-most important issue on the minds of Tennesseans, just two percentage points behind education and three points behind the economy.
On abortion, 82 percent of those surveyed supported the right of abortion in cases of rape, incest, or threats to the life of the mother.
Further, says a summary of poll results, “At a rate of 3 to 1, Tennesseans oppose the idea that a person should be charged with a crime if they help a Tennessee citizen get an abortion in another state. Opposition to this idea is again bipartisan, with 93 percent of Democrats, 82 percent of Independents, 62 percent of non-MAGA Republicans and 53 percent of MAGA Republicans.”
And, though the survey indicates sentiment to control sexually suggestive entertainments in public, apparently including drag shows, “most voters oppose legislation that would restrict transgender individuals’ access to health care.” Such restrictions were opposed by 66 percent of those surveyed.
“It’s hopeful that while 58 percent of respondents view Tennesseans as divided, there is a fairly strong agreement on basic next steps in our most politically divisive issues,” said John Geer, co-director of the Vanderbilt Poll and Ginny and Conner Searcy Dean of the College of Arts and Science and professor of political science at Vanderbilt University. “At the same time, 74 percent of registered voters say they’d prefer their elected leaders compromise across the aisle rather than strictly pursue their own values and priorities.”
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Before forming the band called The Beatles, John Lennon, George Harrison, and Paul McCartney performed under various other names: the Quarrymen, Japage 3, and Johnny and the Moondogs. I suspect you are currently at your own equivalent of the Johnny and the Moondogs phase. You’re building momentum. You’re gathering the tools and resources you need. But you have not yet found the exact title, descriptor, or definition for your enterprise. I suggest you be extra alert for its arrival in the coming weeks.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): I’ve selected a passage to serve as one of your prime themes during the rest of 2023. It comes from poet Jane Shore. She writes, “Now I feel I am learning how to grow into the space I was always meant to occupy, into a self I can know.” Dear Taurus, you will have the opportunity to grow evermore assured and self-possessed as you embody Shore’s description in the coming months. Congratulations in advance on the progress you will make to more fully activate your soul’s code.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): Georges Rouault (1871-1958) was a Gemini painter who bequeathed the world over 3,000 works of art. There might have been even more. But years before he died, he burned 315 of his unfinished paintings. He felt they were imperfect, and he would never have time or be motivated to finish them. I think the coming weeks would be a good time for you to enjoy a comparable purge, Gemini. Are there things in your world that don’t mean much to you anymore and are simply taking up space? Consider the possibility of freeing yourself from their stale energy.
CANCER (June 21-July 22): Britain occupied India for almost 200 years. It was a ruthless and undemocratic exploitation that steadily drained India’s wealth and resources. Mahatma Gandhi wasn’t the only leader who fought British oppression, but he was among the most effective. In 1930, he led a 24-day, 240-mile march to protest the empire’s tyrannical salt tax. This action was instrumental in energizing the Indian independence movement that ultimately culminated in India’s freedom. I vote to make Gandhi one of your inspirational role models in the coming months. Are you ready to launch a liberation project? Stage a constructive rebellion? Marshal the collaborative energies of your people in a holy cause?
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As crucial as it is to take responsibility, it is also essential to recognize where our responsibilities end and what should be left for others to do. For example, we usually shouldn’t do work for other people that they can just as easily do for themselves. We shouldn’t sacrifice doing the work that only we can do and get sidetracked doing work that many people can do. To be effective and to find fulfillment in life, it’s vital for us to discover what truly needs to be within our care and what should be outside of our care. I see the coming weeks as a favorable time for you to clarify the boundary between these two.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Virgo-born Marie Laveau (1801–1881) was a powerful Voodoo priestess, herbalist, activist, and midwife in New Orleans. According to legend, she could walk on water, summon clairvoyant visions, safely suck the poison out of a snake’s jowls, and cast spells to help her clients achieve their heart’s desires. There is also a wealth of more tangible evidence that she was a community activist who healed the sick, volunteered as an advocate for prisoners, provided free teachings, and did rituals for needy people who couldn’t pay her. I hereby assign her to be your inspirational role model for the coming weeks. I suspect you will have extra power to help people in both mysterious and practical ways.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): What are the best methods to exorcize our personal demons, ghosts, and goblins? Or at least subdue them and neutralize their ill effects? We all have such phantoms at work in our psyches, corroding our confidence and undermining our intentions. One approach I don’t recommend is to get mad at yourself for having these interlopers. Never do that. The demons’ strategy, you see, is to manipulate you into being mean and cruel to yourself. To drive them away, I suggest you shower yourself with love and kindness. That seriously reduces their ability to trick you and hurt you — and may even put them into a deep sleep. Now is an excellent time to try this approach.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As she matured, Scorpio poet Sylvia Plath wrote, “I am learning how to compromise the wild dream ideals and the necessary realities without such screaming pain.” I believe you’re ready to go even further than Plath was able to, dear Scorpio. In the coming weeks, you could not merely “compromise” the wild dream ideals and the necessary realities. You could synergize them and get them to collaborate in satisfying ways. Bonus: I bet you will accomplish this feat without screaming pain. In fact, you may generate surprising pleasures that delight you with their revelations.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Some primates use herbal and clay medicines to self-medicate. Great apes, chimpanzees, bonobos, and gorillas ingest a variety of ingredients that fight against parasitic infection and help relieve various gastrointestinal disturbances. (More info: tinyurl.com/PrimatesSelfMedicate.) Our ancestors learned the same healing arts, though far more extensively. And many Indigenous people today still practice this kind of self-care. With these thoughts in mind, Sagittarius, I urge you to spend quality time in the coming weeks deepening your understanding of how to heal and nurture yourself. The kinds of “medicines” you might draw on could be herbs and may also be music, stories, colors, scents, books, relationships, and adventures.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The mythic traditions of all cultures are replete with tales of clashes and combats. If we draw on these tales to deduce what activity humans enjoy more than any other, we might conclude that it’s fighting with each other. But I hope you will avoid this normal habit as much as possible during the next three weeks, Capricorn. I am encouraging you to actively repress all inclinations to tangle. Just for now, I believe you will cast a wildly benevolent magic spell on your mental and physical health if you avoid arguments and skirmishes. Here’s a helpful tip: In each situation you’re involved in, focus on sustaining a vision of the most graceful, positive outcome.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Is there a person who could serve as your Über Mother for a while? This would be a wise and tender maternal ally who gives you the extra nurturing you need, along with steady doses of warm, crisp advice on how to weave your way through your labyrinthine decisions. Your temporary Über Mother could be any gender, really. They would love and accept you for exactly who you are, even as they stoke your confidence to pursue your sweet dreams about the future. Supportive and inspirational. Reassuring and invigorating. Championing you and consecrating you.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Congratulations on acquiring the Big New Riddle! I trust it will inspire you to grow wiser and kinder and wilder over the coming months. I’ve compiled some clues to help you unravel and ultimately solve this challenging and fascinating mystery. 1. Refrain from calling on any strength that’s stingy or pinched. Ally yourself solely with generous power. 2. Avoid putting your faith in trivial and irrelevant “benefits.” Hold out for the most soulful assistance. 3. The answer to key questions may often be, “Make new connections and enhance existing connections.”
Last year, it struck many as odd that the great Memphis in May tradition of celebrating the best music of our time by the banks of the Mississippi had suddenly been uprooted. Everyone presumably understood the reasoning, with Tom Lee Park still being reconstructed at the time, yet having the festival relocated in its 45th year induced a kind of transplant shock in some. Now, this May 5th through 7th, none of that applies, as the Beale Street Music Festival once again roots down by the river. In fact, having begun in 1977 at the corner of Beale and Third, it’s closer to its roots than ever. Let 2023 be known as the year the festival returned to Beale Street.
That’s because, while the main festival stages will be spread across Tom Lee Park as in the past, what was formerly known as the “Blues Tent” will now be the Memphis Tourism “Blues Stage on Beale.” Best of all, this area of the festival is free. As Kevin Kane, president & CEO of Memphis Tourism, noted in a statement, “The blues will be exactly where they were born during Memphis in May, at Handy Park on Beale Street. This extends the entertainment footprint of the Beale Street Music Festival beyond Tom Lee Park, making great use of a public venue and stage, free and open to all.”
For any music lovers who’ve struggled to hear some wistful Delta bottleneck guitar over the pounding kick drum of a headliner on the main stage, this is a positive boon. And not only will the blues get the proper respect of plenteous peace and quiet, the festival’s programmers have invested in the Blues Stage lineup in a big way. Headliners Los Lobos, Keb’ Mo’, and the North Mississippi Allstars will be complemented by the likes of Cedric Burnside, Blind Mississippi Morris, the Ghost Town Blues Band, Mr. Sipp, the Reba Russell Band, and more.
Beyond Beale, this year’s festival is rooting down in another, subtler sense. It’s not in the usual sense of tipping its hat to local artists, though with everyone from hometown hip-hop queen GloRilla to The Bar-Kays, Jason D. Williams, Dirty Streets, Tyke T, Sleep Theory, The Sensational Barnes Brothers, and Mille Manny appearing, that cohort is well-represented. It’s more in the unseen threads of Memphis influence that run through the work of three of the festival’s headliners in particular: Earth, Wind & Fire; The Roots; and Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. Though it’s hard to say how that influence will manifest during their respective sets, the invisible strings tying these artists to Memphis are powerful and profound. As you watch, listen, and dance to the music, be on the lookout for those connections to reveal themselves.
☮
Earth, Wind & Fire
The threads binding Earth, Wind & Fire to Memphis are the most obvious of the bunch, for this is where group founder Maurice White grew up. In his memoir, Time is Tight: My Life, Note by Note, Booker T. Jones takes us back to that time: “I was a sixth-grader practicing in the band room one day when Maurice, an eighth-grader, walked in and said, ‘Hello, I’m Maurice White.’ We discovered we lived not far away from one another and started hanging out at his small LeMoyne Gardens apartment or in the den at my house, usually listening to music.”
Both were destined to become legendary musicians, and they wasted no time in getting started. “Maurice was the first person of my age group I’d met who was really committed to making music and had the skill to become a virtuoso,” Jones writes. “We ended up playing live or practicing together nearly every day for what seemed like years. He was usually on drums, and I was on piano or some other instrument. As a result, we became like soul brothers, neither of us having a natural brother our own age.” The day White left for Chicago was burned into Jones’ memory. “It was 1961, an early introduction to emptiness.”
Of course, Jones’ loss was the world’s gain, as White began to thrive in the Chicago music scene, working for the Ramsey Lewis Trio and playing on sessions for Chess Records. Eventually, he enlisted his half-brother Verdine White on bass for his new 10-piece band. As he later wrote in his autobiography, “Earth, Wind & Fire would have never become Earth, Wind & Fire without Verdine. A huge part of what built EWF was our live shows. Verdine, the ultimate Leo, had the energy to sustain us.”
The band, of course, had enough mega-hits in the ’70s to release The Best of Earth, Wind & Fire, Vol. 1 in 1978, while the compilation’s new single, “September,” became one of their biggest hits ever, propelling the album into quintuple-platinum sales. Moreover, the staying power of the band’s golden-era tracks has been undeniable; in 2018, “September” was added to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry as a “culturally, historically, or aesthetically important” work.
While White seemingly never identified with Memphis much after leaving (excepting the band’s one release on Stax), those years of hits made their impact right here in the Bluff City. That’s especially clear in the recent work of a self-confessed superfan and Memphis native, historian Trenton Bailey. His book Do You Remember? Celebrating Fifty Years of Earth, Wind & Fire (Univ. Press of Mississippi), just published this year, is a formidable compendium of the band’s every move. Reading it helps shed light on how the band can carry on despite White’s death in 2016.
As it turns out, the group has been touring without him for 30 years, for tragic reasons. Even as early as the late 1980s, White was dealing with the sporadic effects of Parkinson’s disease. By 1993, shortly after a galvanizing performance on The Arsenio Hall Show, he announced that he was retiring from touring. Before long, his longtime partner and co-singer in the band, Philip Bailey, along with brother Verdine, secured the rights to tour under the band name without White. As the disease inexorably took its toll on White’s health, the band carried on White’s legacy. To this day, Verdine still holds down the bass and Bailey still fronts the band, making for live sets that continue to stun.
♥
The Roots
Though it may not be obvious now that The Roots seemingly appear everywhere as the house band for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, their ties to Memphis run deep, mainly thanks to the same man who was Maurice White’s childhood friend: Booker T. Jones. As Roots co-producer, keyboardist, and arranger Ray Angry puts it, “I did some shows with Booker T. and The Roots. He’s awesome!” And clearly it made an impression on the former head of the M.G.’s as well.
As Jones writes in his memoir, “Jimmy Fallon’s a great music supporter and a great guy. I just had to have his drummer is all.” That would be Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, of course, who, like Angry, has distinguished himself independent of The Roots, but continues to thrive on playing with the band. Not only was he a co-producer with Jones on The Road from Memphis, Jones’ Grammy-winning album from 2011, he supplied all the beats while his then-bandmates Owen Biddle and Kirk Douglas laid down the bass and guitar, respectively. “Questlove’s steady drumming is inimitable and unmistakable,” writes Jones, and the proof is in the pudding of that masterpiece of an album.
The Roots’ Black Thought and Questlove (Photo: Courtesy of BSMF)
That steady drumming jumped out from The Roots’ major label debut, Do You Want More?!!!??!, in 1995, and still forms the backbone of the group today, while Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, continues to make the rhymes flow. From the start, they brought a jazz sensibility to hip-hop, first and foremost because they were a group of real players, making the music in real time, rather than relying on samples. Even as they embraced sampling more deeply, as in 2004’s The Tipping Point, that commitment to live playing has been a through line in the band’s long history.
Even as long ago as 2008, joining the group was a dream come true for Ray Angry. They were already legends. “One of the first sessions I did, with Joss Stone, was a gig I got through The Roots’ manager,” Angry recalls. “I was a classical pianist playing jazz, with so many different musical styles under my belt, and during this time The Roots were playing with people like Sting and George Clinton. Eventually I started co-producing songs, starting with the album How I Got Over. So on every Roots record from that point on, I was a producer, arranging strings and writing interludes. And one interlude I wrote, ‘A Peace of Light,’ Kendrick Lamar ended up sampling. So working with The Roots is pretty cool!”
Angry, best known for his 2021 single “Toyland” and with a solo piano album coming out in June, embodies the same eclecticism as The Roots generally, and he often augments his group work with individual Roots cameos. “I did just do a trio record with myself, Questlove, and David Murray. I’m really excited about that. I also work on film stuff with Questlove, and one year he and I did the music for the Oscars.” Meanwhile, he’s a secret weapon of sorts for the band’s residency on national network television. “When I first worked with them on The Tonight Show, they would have me write a bunch of cues; they call them sandwiches, because they’re short bits of music for commercial breaks.”
And speaking of sandwiches, Angry treasures his encounter with one Memphis barbecue expert in particular. “I worked on a record with Joss Stone that included Memphis legend Steve Cropper. He was telling me about his barbecue restaurant. People are really serious about their barbecue in Memphis!”
And The Roots are really serious about Memphis. Is it too much to hope for a reprise of their scintillating cover of Booker T. & the M.G.’s “Melting Pot”? Show up Saturday and find out.
🤘
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
While bluegrass star Alison Krauss is typically associated with Nashville, it’s her erstwhile collaborator, Robert Plant, who really embodies the invisible strings of Memphis. Naturally, with his supergroup Led Zeppelin having emerged from the British blues revival of the ’60s, he’s steeped in the music and lore of the Bluff City and Mississippi. That’s apparent in a story told on the band’s official online forum by former Atlantic Records promotional man Phillip Rauls about when Led Zeppelin’s tour came to Memphis in November of 1969.
“The lobby of the Holiday Inn was clearing as a parade of newscasters and camera crews packed up their equipment,” Rauls writes, “after the presentation ceremony awarding Led Zeppelin The Key to The City of Memphis. Standing at the elevator and waiting for a lift was Jimmy Page and Robert Plant when I casually approached the twosome.” And what did the celebrity rockers want most out of a visit to the Bluff City? “A few seconds passed when [Page] turned back to me and timidly asked, ‘Do you know anything about Sun Recording Studio?’”
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (Photo: David McClister
The group’s ties to the city were even more pronounced a year later, when Page settled on Ardent Studios as the place to complete overdubs and mixes for the album Led Zeppelin III. But Plant’s connection to the city went beyond musical obsessions or work. It was personal, as was revealed last year when Priscilla Presley was inducted into the Memphis Music Hall of Fame. Who should appear to present the award to her but Plant himself, who called her “a lifelong friend.”
He used the opportunity to wax enthusiastic about the music of our region. “I’m British, and we have a fascination with the music of this specific city and its environs and farther down in the Mississippi Delta. … Here in Memphis, excitement and unparalleled expression rose above the constraints and the infamy of the times. Here in Memphis, the sounds of Clarksdale, Jackson, Tunica, and the Delta collided with unholy abandon, with the hillbilly two-step. Here in Memphis, where trailblazing Blacks and whites worked under cover of night at Sam Phillips to forge the beat that created a new world of music.”
As he wrapped up his introduction, Plant emphasized his personal connection to the place. “Like so many people from all walks of life, tonight I feel like a part of one big extended family. We’re bound together by the energy of the beat from long ago that was driven with stunning conviction and abandon by the man that you, Priscilla, knew so well.” And, for just a moment, as he looked out at the Memphis audience warmly that night, you could see those invisible strings plain as day.
Memphis Tourism Blues Stage on Beale Azmyl & the Truly Asia 4:30 Blind Mississippi Morris 6:00 Ana Popovic 7:35 Keb’ Mo’ 9:15 Ghost Town Blues Band 11:00
Saturday, May 6, 2023 Gates at 1 p.m.
Zyn Stage Myron Elkins 2:25 Jason D. Williams 3:55 Gov’t Mule 5:30 Mike. 7:10 Halestorm 8:40 Hardy 10:20
Bud Light Stage Tyke T 2:00 Phony PPL 3:20 Big Boogie 4:50 Cameo 6:00 Finesse2Tymes 7:30 GloRilla 8:45 The Roots 10:00
Volkswagen Stage Sleep Theory 2:45 Mac Saturn 4:15 Living Colour 5:50 White Reaper 7:30 The Struts 9:10 Greta Van Fleet 10:45
Memphis Tourism Blues Stage on Beale Mark Muleman Massey 1:30 Will Tucker Band 3:00 Azmyl & the Truly Asia 4:35 Mr. Sipp 6:15 Cedric Burnside 8:00 Bernard Allison 9:45 North Mississippi Allstars 11:30
Sunday, May 7, 2023 Gates at 1 p.m.
Zyn Stage Beach Weather 2:20 Moon Taxi 3:55 Andy Grammer 5:30 Young the Giant 7:00 AJR 8:40
Bud Light Stage Mille Manny 2:15 Eric Benet 3:45 Yola 5:15 Dru Hill 6:45 Jazmine Sullivan 8:25
Volkswagen Stage Dirty Streets 2:15 Shovels & Rope 3:45 Lucinda Williams 5:20 Gary Clark Jr. 7:00 Robert Plant & Alison Krauss 8:40
Memphis Tourism Blues Stage on Beale Ollie Moore 1:30 Reba Russell Band 3:00 Selwyn Birchwood 4:35 Colin James 6:15 Los Lobos 8:00 Rod Bland Members Only Band 10:00
When planning for retirement, people often focus on how much money they need to save, when they’ll retire, and how to spend their free time. An often-overlooked retirement planning consideration is where to retire — and the decision can have a significant impact on your finances.
Here are some factors to consider when deciding where to retire:
• Income tax implications — Let’s go ahead and start with the elephant in the room. Sadly, even after you finish working, you’ll still owe taxes. Taxes can have a significant impact on your retirement, and different states have different tax rates for retirement income. Some states have more favorable tax policies than others, which can allow retirees to keep more of their retirement income. In addition, some states don’t tax Social Security benefits or other types of retirement income, which can help you further maximize your retirement savings.
• Retirement income Social Security benefits — While most states don’t tax Social Security benefits, there are a few states that impose some form of taxes on them. Regardless of where in the U.S. you live, up to 85 percent of your Social Security income may be subject to federal income tax. Retirement plan distributions — Many people hold most of their retirement savings in tax-deferred accounts, such as IRAs and 401(k)s. While these vehicles provide a great way to save in a tax-deferred manner, retirement distributions from these types of accounts are subject to ordinary income tax at the federal level. However, some states don’t tax retirement plan distributions, which can help you maximize your funds available for retirement.
• Pension income — Some states differentiate between public and private pensions and may tax only public pensions. Other states tax both, while some states tax neither. Again, the amount of state tax you pay on this retirement income source can have a big impact on your lifestyle.
• Estate taxes — In 2023, the federal government allows individuals to pass on up to $12,920,000 without any federal estate tax ($25,840,000 for married couples filing jointly). However, depending on where you live, you may need to pay state estate taxes. It’s important to understand the estate tax requirements of your current state as you’re planning your legacy, especially since some states’ estate tax limits may be lower than you would expect.
• Capital gains — Long-term capital gains are taxed by the federal government at more favorable rates than ordinary income. However, this is often not the case for states that charge state income tax. Many states don’t differentiate between earned income and capital gains, which means depending on the state in which you live, you may have significant tax liabilities on investment income.
• Cost of living — Cost of living can differ widely between various cities and states, making it essential to choose a retirement location you can afford. Some cities have a much lower cost of living than others, which allows you to do more with your retirement savings. By choosing a location with a lower cost of living, you may be able to afford a larger home, travel more often, or pursue hobbies and interests that may be out of reach if you were paying more for daily living expenses.
• Healthcare costs — When choosing where to retire, it’s important to find a location that offers access to high-quality healthcare facilities. Having convenient access to healthcare can help keep your costs down.
• Housing costs — Housing costs can vary widely between different cities and states, which is why it’s important to choose a retirement location that aligns with your housing budget. It’s also important to consider what property taxes you’ll be responsible for paying, as these too can vary widely.
While we’re not advocating for a mass migration to a retiree-friendly state such as Florida, it’s important to understand how where you live can impact your retirement finances. This knowledge allows you to choose a location that fits within your retirement budget and allows you to live the lifestyle you want.
Gene Gard, CFA, CFP, CFT-I, is a Wealth Manager with Creative Planning, formerly Telarray. Creative Planning is one of the nation’s largest Registered Investment Advisory firms providing comprehensive wealth management services to ensure all elements of a client’s financial life are working together, including investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management. For more information or to request a free, no-obligation consultation, visit CreativePlanning.com.
