Some of you may recall from my first official editor’s letter a couple years ago, or from our “meet the team” ads with staff headshots and bios, that I name-dropped the place where I spotted a Memphis Flyer for the first time. A Desoto County (Mississippi) resident, I was still a student, with a passion for writing and sights set on a journalism degree. My other passion was music — not playing it (too impatient), but listening and dissecting. (My original goal was to write for Rolling Stone magazine — two birds and all.) The only things I really knew of Memphis then were Libertyland (Mid-South Fair nights were the best) and the numerous thrift shops along parts of Airways and Getwell (the only routes I’d take to cross the state line because the interstate was especially scary for a young Shara).
Back then, in the early 2000s, there was a little music shop — Disc-O-Tech — in Southaven, a few blocks away from my job at a local dry cleaners. Many days, before or after my shift, I’d stop in to browse new releases or dig for used copies of albums I hadn’t yet acquired. My tastes were all over the place those days, often influenced by friends, MTV, or the radio. And I loved to explore songs with the windows down and car speakers at full blast. So that little shop was a regular destination in my weekly routine. Over a few years, I filled many CD booklets with classic and obscure tunes, thanks almost solely to that store.
It helped that the proprietor Tom “Tomcatt” Stephens was cool as a cucumber and always greeted me with a smile. We’d come to know each other, as regulars and shop owners do. During those visits, Tomcatt would tell me about new inventory, ask about my current musical interests and if I had recommendations for albums to order. The fact that a Flyer rack sat at the entrance was then a mere bonus to my music trips. But soon it became habit for me to stop by even if I didn’t have enough money left from my measly paycheck to buy anything. Each Wednesday, like clockwork, I’d pop in to grab the new issue, excited to read my horoscope and the music coverage, to browse the many events happening in “the big city.” And, of course, to chat with Tom for a few. He knew a lot about music, and I was eager to know more. He’d ask me about school, and I’d keep him apprised. We became Facebook friends, and even though I paid fewer and fewer visits to Disc-O-Tech as college took over and I eventually moved to Memphis, we kept in touch. Tom was so proud of me when I announced I’d landed an internship with the Flyer. And later, when I wrote for Memphis Magazine. And especially when I became Flyer editor. The last time I went by, we talked and talked, catching up on life stuff. I left with some ’90s movie soundtracks and an armload of used DVDs. My sister had gone with me. He posted on my Facebook page a day or two later how nice it was to see me and meet Shelly. Nearly 20 years after we first crossed paths, just as genuine and pleasant as ever.
I’m sharing this now because Tomcatt passed away in late July. My heart sank as it would with the loss of a close friend — because Tom, his presence, and that store were a huge part of my life. All the music I found through him shaped the person I am today. As did the copies of the Flyer I picked up there. Thankfully, as they say, the show will go on at Disc-O-Tech, with new owners and a new name. Be sure to visit them at 1650 Mississippi Valley Blvd. in Southaven after the November 1st reopening to help carry on Tom’s legacy and love of music. Rock on, Tomcatt!
“Tom ‘Tomcatt’ Stephens loved entering sweepstakes contests, scavenging estate sales, streaming ‘eagle cams,’ driving his Miata on winding roads, enjoying his favorite Silver Queen corn with “maters,” and watching an odd variety of television shows, but music of all genres was his true passion and legacy to our community. A Celebration of Everlasting Life to honor Tomcatt’s memory will be held on Sunday, October 27th, from 2 to 6 p.m. at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. A brief service at 2:15 p.m. will kick off the commemorative festivities.”
Shara Clark
shara@memphisflyer.com
