Tag: Priscilla Presley

Categories
Cover Feature News

Beale Street Bound

“All roads led to Memphis”: the Rock ‘n’ Soul museum today (Photo: Alex Greene)

“Would you like to take a look inside?” asks Josh Harper of the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, as I stare at the white and pink letters on a black door, spelling out some of the most revered words in the annals of rock-and-roll fashion: Lansky Bros., Memphis, Since 1946. That’s an offer no inquisitive journalist can refuse, and when Harper turns the key, it’s as if he’s opened a portal into the past. The brick walls of the clothier’s longtime location at 126 Beale Street, now vacated in favor of the newer Lansky at the Peabody boutique, exude an aura of living, breathing history, dating back to the structure’s incarnation as Burke’s Carriages in the early days of Beale.

“The building used to be two buildings that were bricked together,” says John Doyle, executive director of both the Memphis Music Hall of Fame (MMHOF) and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. “On the second floor, they shoed horses. There was a ramp on the outside of the building where they walked the horses up there. A saloon was on the first floor. And the original hardwood floors are still there; the original beams are still there.”

Doyle has every reason to savor the history of the location, beyond the fact that the MMHOF museum was sandwiched between Lansky’s and the Hard Rock Cafe there for nearly a decade. Helming a museum makes one partial to the legacy of any building, especially when it’s destined to be the home of the very exhibitions you manage. And that’s precisely what’s in store for the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. 


Artists’ renderings of the future J.W. and Kathy Gibson Center for Music  
Photos: (top) Courtesy Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum; (bottom) Courtesy Mike Curb Family Foundation

A Movable Feast

The move was made public one year ago at a press conference outside the building that featured Doyle, businessman J.W. Gibson, and host Priscilla Presley, where it was announced that Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Inc., the nonprofit that operates both the museum and MMHOF, had purchased 126 Beale from Lansky’s for $5 million with funding from Gibson, Mike Curb, and other benefactors. The highlight of the event was the unveiling of a sign marking the address as the new “J.W. and Kathy Gibson Center for Music” that will include MMHOF, Rock ‘n’ Soul, and the Mike & Linda Curb Music Center.

As reported at the time by Bob Mehr in the Commercial Appeal, Gibson, who is chairman of the museum’s foundation board, said, “It’s Memphis music that I’m committed to, and that I think is sorely missing tremendous opportunities year after year. Since I’ve been on the board, I’ve been preaching the notion that we need to take advantage of the talent that Memphis has and the history we have. Memphis music is substantial to the music industry internationally. However, locally, what are we doing to uplift that industry, to support that industry? We saw an opportunity here.”

Naturally, migrating the museum into the space will take some time, but the institution has long had patience on its side. Now in its 25th year, Rock ‘n’ Soul occupies a unique niche in the local museum ecosystem. For one thing, it was launched by the Smithsonian Institution, the first of that venerable organization’s exhibitions to be located outside the Washington, D.C., area. Moreover, Rock ‘n’ Soul was uniquely peripatetic even before it opened, with its origins rooted in a traveling exhibition. 

As Doyle explains, “When the Smithsonian was celebrating their 150th anniversary as a museum system, they decided to get some of their stuff out in the world and did an exhibit that toured the country. It included the ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz, Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat, and other things, but the centerpiece of it was an exhibit about the origins of America’s music. It featured the quote that ‘In the quest to identify the roots of rock-and-roll, all roads led to Memphis.’ And they actually tapped some Memphians to do some of the research. David Less, here in Memphis, who has been head of the Blues Foundation and is a record producer and author, conducted over 60 oral history interviews with Memphis musicians who were still alive at the time.”

That ultimately led to siting the brick-and-mortar Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum in the Gibson Guitar Factory, a block south of Beale Street, in 2000. But though Gibson was not destined to keep that facility in operation in perpetuity, the museum had already migrated by the time it closed. As it turned out, Gibson wasn’t the only business interested in having a music museum in its corridors. The Grizzlies were coming.

Doyle explains that the NBA team “wanted a music museum to be part of the FedExForum campus because they were theming the basketball arena with a Memphis music thing. Anyone who’s come to a Grizzlies game recognizes that Memphis music is pretty prevalent through there. It was wise on the Grizzlies’ part to really embrace that aspect of the city’s culture. So they wanted a music museum to be part of the campus, and the Rock ‘n’ Soul board and staff preceding me raised, I think, $1.3 million to convert what was going to be a three story building into a four story building, so that Rock ‘n’ Soul would encompass the first floor.”

And that’s where it has stood since 2004, when the FedExForum opened. “We can never say enough about the Memphis Grizzlies. To have a nonprofit museum developed by the Smithsonian Institution, that pays no lease, is pretty unheard of. We’re the envy of most of the nonprofits in the city, and that’s out of the graciousness of the Grizzlies.” Indeed, the museum has thrived there for 20-odd years, and only last month, USA Today included Rock ‘n’ Soul among the top 10 music museums in the country as part of their 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards series. That puts it in the company of the Johnny Cash Museum, the Patsy Cline Museum, and the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville; the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland; the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix; the Museum at Bethel Woods in Bethel, NY; the Motown Museum in Detroit; the Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol, Virginia; and the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. 

A Weird Coincidence

Thriving as it is in its current location, one might well ask why Rock ‘n’ Soul would move at all. And at one time, several of the museum’s board members were asking the same question. But at least one of them was inclined to think big.

“We had a strategic planning session a few years ago,” Doyle says, “and we were talking about things like improvements to the museum exhibits, expanded programming, and starting an endowment for the longevity of the organization. And then one board member threw up their hand and said, ‘What if we dreamed about having our own building, and both museums being under one roof?’ And another board member said, ‘Are you crazy? We pay no lease at FedExForum, thanks to the Memphis Grizzlies. Over at the Memphis Music Hall of Fame, we pay no lease, thanks to the Hard Rock Cafe [the anchor tenant in Lansky’s building, serving as MMHOF’s landlord]. We would be stupid to do something like that!’”

But even as they spoke, events were coalescing to nudge them out of their comfort zone. As Doyle explains, “It wasn’t two months later that Hal Lansky came into the lobby of Rock ‘n’ Soul and said, ‘I need to talk to you about something. The Hard Rock Cafe is leaving Memphis.’ This was in June of 2023. And I said, ‘When are they leaving?’ He said, ‘Thirty days from now.’ And I said, ‘Are y’all going to get another tenant in there who can serve as landlord for the Memphis Music Hall of Fame?’ And he said, ‘No, probably not. We’re probably going to put the building up for sale.’

“So I went to our board and said, ‘Remember that idea that some of us said was the stupidest idea anyone had ever come up with at a strategic planning session? It looks like it’s coming true.’ And so, with a very visionary board of directors, our soon-to-be board chairman J.W. Gibson donated a million dollars towards the purchase of the building. Then we wrote a grant, and the Assisi Foundation of Memphis graciously donated a million dollars. And then Mike Curb with Curb Records, who owns Elvis’ home on Audubon and funded the [Mike Curb Institute for Music] at Rhodes College, stepped up with $2.5 million, and in eight months, we purchased the building.”

That was just the beginning, of course. Expanding and creating new spaces for public engagement will incur costs far beyond the purchase of the building itself. “We then started a capital campaign to raise another $15 million to renovate the building, to do upgrades to both museums’ exhibits, to make them bigger and better, to have a performance space, so that we can assist musicians, to have a studio, so that we can assist students, and grow the gift shop. And now we have that underway. It’s kind of a surreal moment.”

Furthermore, both Rock ‘n’ Soul and MMHOF will live together in a space that’s undeniably, inherently historical. As Doyle points out, that’s something that other Memphis music tourist destinations have that Rock ‘n’ Soul has never possessed. “There’s only one place where you can have Sun Studio. The Stax Museum [of American Soul Music], even though the building was demolished, they rebuilt a replica on the same site. And then obviously, you can’t move Graceland. The fact that we tell the complete Memphis music story separates us somewhat from our other partners in the field of music here, around Memphis.” Yet that has also meant that Rock ‘n’ Soul has lacked any obvious, charmed location. But that’s about to change. 


John Doyle and Priscilla Presley (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum)

Keith Richards at 2015 MMHOF Induction Ceremony (Photo: Courtesy Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum)

Sacred Ground

Although Rock ‘n’ Soul won’t move for another year or two, the upcoming location is already spurring on a new groundswell of support for the museum. As it turns out, there’s nothing like having a Beale Street address. “Priscilla Presley is very engaged about what we’re doing,” says Doyle. “She’s obviously engaged because Elvis was tied to that building. But she also considers Memphis home, despite the fact that she lives in Los Angeles — as she’s said, she lived at Graceland longer than she lived anywhere in her life, being a military brat. And so she’s gone with me twice to the State Capitol to talk to legislators and the governor about how important this is, not just for the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, but for Memphis music and for the future of Beale Street, the safety of Beale Street: to have daytime and family-friendly programming, to enhance what the clubs and restaurants are doing. We’re looking forward to working with the Beale Street merchants, to be a good partner there, even though we’re on the other side of Second Street from the Beale Street Historic District.”

Mike Curb, for his part, also sees the move as potentially creating a critical mass around Beale Street. “We’re kind of hoping to do on Beale Street what we did in Nashville’s Music Row, where we bought quite a few buildings. … We’re going to do something really special.”

A whole new world of possibilities is opening up, in part because of a significant increase in square footage, but also because of what the Hard Rock Cafe left in its wake. “Fortunately, when Hard Rock Cafe left town,” says Doyle, “they left every plate, every fork and spoon, the most incredible kitchen equipment you’ve ever seen, and a stage with full sound equipment, full lights. Everything was left for us. I guess it was a housewarming gift. And we have great space in the building, double the space that we currently have for our two museums’ exhibits, so we could make room for a performance space, a larger gift shop, a recording studio to help students with podcasts, and host Beale Street Caravan, that sort of thing. We can have summer camps for kids, music performances, private facility rentals, anything that you want in that space, and still keep the museums running. This building is going to afford that.” 

Naturally, putting the museums at the head of the entertainment district will make them both more visible, and, together under one roof, able to attract more visitors. Most of all, they will be both on and of Beale, the old carriage shop’s brick walls, where a saloon’s rowdy crowd once fought, courted, and raised toasts, exuding the street’s spirit. Within those walls, Rock ‘n’ Soul and MMHOF will embody the very history they celebrate. As Doyle puts it, “Those are the things that make us sacred. We are moving into sacred ground.” 

Categories
Art Art Feature We Recommend We Recommend

Remembering Children of the Holocaust

Sculpture by Israeli artist Rick Wienecke (Credit: Heather Strickland Photography)

Susan Powell and Melissa Wheeler were taken aback when they discovered many of their students at Horn Lake (Mississippi) Middle School didn’t know what the Holocaust was.

Instead of just telling them it was when 6 million Jews were killed during World War II, the teachers wanted to involve the students in a project.

“They felt like if they had a project to go along with what they were taught and learned, they would really understand,” says Diane McNeil, president of the Unknown Child Foundation. “And, oh my, did they.”

The children collected 1.5 million pennies. Each penny represents one child killed in the Holocaust.

To showcase the children’s efforts and to raise money for a memorial that will include the pennies, “A Night to Shine” will be held December 16th at the Landers Center. Priscilla Presley will be the special guest.

“When I was asked to serve as honoree of a gala to celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Unknown Child Foundation, I learned the mission of the foundation is to educate the world on the importance of keeping children safe by memorializing the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust,” Presley says. “The Unknown Child Foundation will be the only memorial outside of Israel dedicated to these children. I have no doubt visitors will travel to the Mid-South from far and wide to pay their respects to these children. 

“I have lost my daughter, Lisa Marie, and I have lost my grandson, Ben. I have a heart for all children.”

Priscilla Presley (Credit: Christopher Ameruoso)

McNeil got involved when Powell contacted her about helping them come up with a project for the students. She knew McNeil had been involved with Jewish/Christian relations. When asked, McNeil didn’t hesitate.

“I’d always wanted to know what 1.5 million looked like. And so I said, ’Why don’t we get the students to collect 1.5 million pennies? One for each child that died in the Holocaust. Then we’ll know what 1.5 million looks like.’”

Both teachers loved the idea. “So, the kids started collecting. We thought we would have it done by the end of that school year.”

Instead, she says, “It took three-and-a-half years.”

The pennies “weigh over four tons.”

During one point, they realized they might have a problem, McNeil says. “We’re sitting here with 1.5 million pennies. There’s something wrong with this picture. Why are we going to let people from the Holocaust be represented by the American penny? That makes no sense at all.’”

They then discovered a fascinating fact. “The guy who designed the penny came here as a 19-year-old from Lithuania. And he’s Jewish. Victor David Brenner.”

Also, she adds, “The penny is the most circulated piece of art in the world.”

But there was another question. “What are we going to do with all these pennies?”

“I had no idea. But someone had brought me these pictures of a sculpture of a child in the ovens of Auschwitz.”

She contacted Israeli artist, Rick Wienecke. “I called him and said, ‘We want to melt these pennies and make something out of them.’ He said, ‘No, you don’t. The power in the project is them collecting 1.5 million pennies.’”

He told them not to melt the pennies. He said, ‘I will make this sculpture for you.’ I said, ‘We have no money.’ And he said, ‘I believe in you.’

“He made the sculpture for us. It’s a life-sized sculpture in bronze. And it’s of a child in the oven of Auschwitz. The child is on the grate about to be burned.”

Some of the pennies are beneath the grate.

In addition to the life-sized statue, Wienecke told them he’d make 10 limited editions — some smaller sculptures or maquettes of the statue. He said he’d sign them, number them “and then break the mold. No more.”

As a result of the penny collection/sculpture project, McNeil, the two teachers, and some volunteers formed the Unknown Child Foundation.

The Desoto County Museum in Hernando, Mississippi gave the space for them to do an exhibit on the penny collection. The exhibit, “The Unknown Child Holocaust Exhibit,” which is still on view, includes a more than six-foot tall wall of pennies. These aren’t the pennies from the Horn Lake students, McNeil says. The pennies in the exhibit are less than two percent of 1.5 million.

Also included is a recording of Rabbi Levi Klein from Chabad Lubavitch of Tennessee and a student from the Hebrew Academy reciting names of children who died in the Holocaust.

The goal is for the exhibit to travel, McNeil says. “We can go through the state and tell about this and raise funds for a permanent memorial.”

The timing for the gala was perfect. “Christmas and Hanukkah coincide this year. And this happened to be our 15th year.”

Dabney Coors, a Memphis friend of Presley’s, contacted her about attending the gala.

Presley agreed. And, in addition to appearing in person, Presley will be featured in a video with about 10 of the children who collected pennies. The children will be saying, “It’s so much more than a penny.”

For more information, go to unknownchild.org

Categories
Film Features Film/TV

Music Video Monday: “Simple Song of Freedom” by Memphis Freedom Band

Carla Thomas

It’s been a tough few years for the cause of peace. The Russian invasion of Ukraine just hit its two-year anniversary, with no end in sight. After the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, Israel responded with the most deadly military operation of the 21st century, which has devolved into a quagmire of violence and famine in Gaza, where two million people face hunger in a bombed-out landscape that used to be their home.

These high-profile conflicts have drawn attention from Sudan, where a civil war has displaced eight million people, and millions more are entering into famine while both sides try to starve the other one out. Meanwhile, in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti is slipping into warlordism as Port Au Prince gangs conduct running battles with what’s left of the government. It’s enough to drive you to despair if you’re paying attention.

The antidote to despair is music. Italian (by way of Memphis) musician Mario Monterosso organized the Memphis Freedom Band to put out a message of peace. Last December, he invited a who’s who of Memphis musicians to record with producer Scott Bomar at Sam Phillips Recording, including Kallen Esperian, Rev. Charles Hodges, Dr. Gary Beard, Dr. Keith Norman of First Baptist Church Broad, The Bar-Kays’ Larry Dodson, Priscilla Presley, and a rare appearance by the queen of Memphis soul Carla Thomas. Filmmaker Billie Worley was on hand with a camera to capture the historic moment in the studio, as the big band sang “Simple Song of Freedom,” a 1969 hit by Bobbi Darin.

“Since the middle of the 20th century, Memphis music has been the strongest musical bridge across the world,” says Monterosso. “And now we come together in solidarity as one voice to create a bridge of hope and freedom for the people and children of Ukraine and all those countries hit by wars.”

If you would like to see your music video featured on Music Video Monday, email cmccoy@memphisflyer.com.

Categories
We Saw You

WE SAW YOU: Guests Visit Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum’s New Home

Priscilla Presley was the special guest at a private reception, which was held March 28th, at the new home of the Rock ’n’ Soul Museum.

The museum and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame purchased the Hard Rock Cafe at 126 Beale Street for $5 million. The building will be branded as the “J. W. and Kathy Gibson Center of Memphis Music,” thanks to the Gibson contribution.

Kathy and J. W. Gibson at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum reception (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Asked what she felt the importance of Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul  Museum moving to Beale Street, Priscilla Presley says, “It’s everything. It’s music. It’s Memphis. It’s entertainers. Artists.  All coming together. It’s beautiful. Memphis is the place to be. Memphis, Tennessee.”

John Doyle, Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum executive director, greeted guests. Among those attending were Memphis music greats David Porter, Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, and Jerry Phillips as well as Congressman Steve Cohen, Geri and Hal Lansky, Leighanne and Jack Soden, and Pat Kerr Tigrett. 

Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell and Congressman Steve Cohen at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum reception (Credit: Michael Donahue)
David Porter was at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum reception (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Jerry Phillips and Pat Kerr Tigrett at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum reception (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Jack and Leighanne Soden at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum reception (Credit: Michael Donahue)

According to a news release from the museum, “Following renovations, the ‘Center of Memphis Music’ will eventually house the Memphis Rock ‘n’Soul Museum, whose original exhibit was researched and developed by the world-famous Smithsonian Institution….The J.W. & Kathy Gibson Center of Memphis Music will also house the Memphis Music Hall of Fame Museum, already located at 126 Beale, as well as other planned music exhibitions to compliment the complete Memphis music story.”

Also, the release states, “Three major donors of $1 million or more include J.W. & Kathy Gibson, the Assisi Foundation of Greater Memphis, and Mike & Linda Curb. Mike Curb is a former Lt. Governor of California and owner of Curb Records, the country’s largest independent record label.…In appreciation of Mike & Linda Curb’s generous commitment of $2.5 million, the former Hard Rock space will be renovated into the ‘Mike & Linda Curb Music Center,’ a performance space which will offer a great facility on Beale Street for musician workshops, free rehearsal space for musicians, guest speakers, music education and summer camps for students, documentary screenings, and even more music on Beale Street…

“As a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul, Inc. will also be able to raise funding for increased daytime and family-friendly events on Beale Street.”

The release names other major supporters, including the Lansky family, of the purchase and preservation. “In the mid-1950s, the Lansky Family, under the leadership of patriarch Bernard Lansky, operated Lansky Bros. Clothiers in the building, and sold clothes to young emerging musicians like Elvis Presley, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Isaac Hayes, Jerry Lee Lewis and many others.”

Hal and Geri Lansky at Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum reception (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Other major supporters are Melissa and Kevin McEniry, Memphis Tourism, and the late Pat Halloran.

 “The Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul organization has already launched Phase 2 of its capital campaign, which will fund the renovation of the building and the relocation of the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum to the new address. The goal of the Phase 2 capital campaign is $10 million. Anticipated increased attendance, an expanded gift shop, activation of the ‘Mike & Linda Curb Music Center,’ and paid parking on the property will help increase earned revenue for the building’s maintenance and utilities, as well as expanded staff to grow programming and promote Memphis music, studios and musicians.”

WE SAW YOU
Categories
Music

Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum Moving to Former Hard Rock Cafe on Beale Street

Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum is moving to the old Hard Rock Cafe building on Beale Street (Credit: Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum)

The Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum and the Memphis Music Hall of Fame have purchased the former Hard Rock Cafe at 126 Beale Street for $5 million. It will be the new home of the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum. And much more.

J. W. and Kathy Gibson, Mike and Linda Curb, and the Assisi Foundation of Memphis are the largest donors who stepped forward to make the purchase a reality, says Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum director John Doyle.

“We found out about this opportunity eight months ago when Hard Rock Cafe vacated,” Doyle says. “That’s when we knew the possibility was happening. Memphis Music Hall of Fame was in that building. We stepped forward. That $5 million was raised in eight months and we were able to purchase the building.”

The building, which was home to the original Lansky Bros. clothing store, is known as “The Historic Lansky Building,” Doyle says. “Someone could have bought it and torn it down. It was where Elvis used to shop for his clothes. Isaac Hayes shopped there. B. B. King shopped there. Jerry Lee Lewis shopped there. And Johnny Cash bought his first black coat there from Bernard Lansky on the second floor where the Memphis Music Hall of Fame exhibit is.”

Priscilla Presley, a strong supporter of the Memphis Rock ’n’ Soul Museum as well as the Memphis Music Hall of Fame and Beale Street, will host a press conference and then christen the building at 2 p.m. March 28th.

That’s when Doyle says they will tell the full story “about the impact that we look forward to making for students and musicians, and working with Beale Street.”

Categories
We Recommend We Saw You

WE SAW YOU: “The Angel of Memphis Arts”

Dorothy Orgill Kirsch, center, with Mario Monterosso and Dabney Coors at a "Simple Song of Freedom" event in 2023 (Credit: Michael Donahue)

It was time to honor Dorothy Orgill Kirsch.

You’ve probably seen her for years at cultural events around Memphis.

Earlier this month, Kirsch was the guest of honor at an ARTSmemphis tribute at the group’s headquarters. “It was attended by a representative of every single organization invited,” says longtime family friend Dabney Coors.  “She has supported all of them.”

The celebration was to recognize “65 years of Dorothy Orgill Kirsch’s support for all of our arts organizations,” And, Coors says, “We are going to celebrate her ongoing gifts to the city.”

According to the City of Memphis proclamation, organizations Kirsch has supported include Memphis Symphony Orchestra, Opera Memphis, Playhouse on the Square, and Theatre Memphis, as well as ARTSmemphis.

Other groups she underwrote include Memphis Zoo, Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, Rhodes College, TheatreWorks, Hattiloo Theatre, Ballet Memphis, and New Ballet Ensemble. “Every theater, every ballet group, you name it, she has underwritten it,” Coors says.

Debbie Litch of Theatre Memphis, Whitney Jo of Playhouse on the Square, Dorothy Orgill Kirsch, and Dabney Coors at the Kirsch tribute at ARTSmemphis headquarters (Credit: ARTSmemphis)

Kirsch also supported Mario Monterosso’s “Simple Song of Freedom” humanitarian project for the war in Ukraine. She underwrote 30 musicians and 30 singers for the project.

Monterosso envisioned using Memphis performers in a video similar to “We Are the World” based on the song by Bobby Darin. The video, which he wanted to use to send a message of peace and freedom, includes a wide range of performers, including Carla Thomas, Kallen Esperian, Amy LaVere, Larry Dodson, Gary Beard, the Stax Music Academy choirs, and the First Baptist Church gospel choir with Rev. Keith Norman. It ended with Priscilla Presley quoting Mother Teresa.

In her speech at the tribute, Coors, who referred to Kirsch as “the angel of Memphis arts” says, “Dorothy was tapping her hands and feet when she listened to ‘Simple Song of Freedom’ and she said, ‘Yes. I want to support this effort.’”

Monterosso premiered his video December 20th at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.

Carla Thomas with Mario Monterosso at the “Simple Song of Freedom” premiere at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Kirsch “loves Memphis beyond everything else,” Monterosso says. “In my opinion, every time she sponsors a project, it’s like she’s sponsoring Memphis.”

She “likes to see Memphis behind every single project,” he says, adding,  “Everything she does represents Memphis around the world. And this is incredible.”

People like Kirsch “are very rare,” Monterosso adds. “People who do things just because of their love of art, their love of the city where they great up and live their entire life, is so incredible.”

We Saw You
Categories
News News Blog News Feature Uncategorized

Lisa Marie Presley Dies at 54

Credit: Elvis Presley's Graceland/Facebook

Lisa Marie Presley, the only child of legendary singer Elvis Presley, died Thursday in a Los Angeles hospital at the age of 54. Press reports state that the cause of death was a cardiac arrest.

Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley, issued the following statement: “It is with a heavy heart that I must share the devastating news that my beautiful daughter Lisa Marie has left us. She was the most passionate, strong and loving woman I have ever known.”

Presley was the mother of four children and was formerly married to Michael Jackson and Nicolas Cage. She had been in Memphis as recently as January 8th, to help commemorate her late father’s 88th birthday at Graceland.

Credit: Elvis Presley’s Graceland/Facebook

“Priscilla Presley and the Presley family are shocked and devastated by the tragic death of their beloved Lisa Marie,” Elvis Presley’s Graceland posted on Facebook. “They are profoundly grateful for the support, love and prayers of everyone, and ask for privacy during this very difficult time.”

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland issued the following email: “I am saddened to learn of the untimely death of Lisa Marie Presley. She will always be beloved in Memphis, and my thoughts and prayers are with Priscilla and the Presley family during this difficult time. I share my condolences with everyone who knew and loved Lisa Marie.”

The Flyer will update this story as more details emerge.

Lisa Marie Presley, Priscilla Presley, Austin Butler, and Baz Luhrmann at the Memphis premiere of “Elvis” June 11th, 2022  at the Guest House at Graceland. (Michael Donahue)

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Memphis) released the following statement:

“I am terribly saddened. She was much too young. She was just here in Memphis on Sunday for her father’s birthday and talked about how energizing it was to be among his fans.

“She looks so much like her father. I was pleased to see her Tuesday night on the Golden Globes  where she saw her father’s bio-pic recognized.

“I remember 1977 when Elvis died and how I was affected. When he died, it was personal because we’d grown up with him. This is a sad day for Elvis fans, including myself. I extend my deepest condolences to Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla, and to her children.”

Categories
Music Music Features

The Vibe of Old Memphis

Photo: Matthew Vlachos

One of the greatest ironies of Elvis Week in Memphis is that the joint most likely to conjure up the vibe of The King’s reign here is a place Elvis Presley almost never visited. But don’t think less of the place for it: That was just because it was a bar. “Priscilla [Presley] said Elvis and the Memphis Mafia never went there because Elvis didn’t like anybody drinking. He didn’t really go in there after the ’50s,” says the bar’s co-owner, singer/songwriter/guitarist Dale Watson.

Of course, that’s a dead giveaway that we’re talking about Hernando’s Hide-a-Way, just a mile or so up Elvis Presley Boulevard from Graceland. Since its soft reopening in late 2019, Watson has helped captain the club that was a legendary hangout for nearly every other Memphis musician except Elvis, and in so doing, has helped keep the spirit of Elvis alive there. That’s partly because, as Watson freely admits, “I’m such an Elvis fanatic.”

That will be most apparent on August 16th, the precise anniversary of The King’s death, when Watson takes to the Hernando’s stage to perform numbers from his 2014 album, Dalevis, as well as from a much earlier self-released EP of the same name. But don’t expect the singer to become a “tribute act”: Watson is an artist in his own right, and his Dalevis repertoire mainly consists of originals. “My Dalevis set consists of songs I’ve written that were inspired by Elvis. And then I mix in Elvis songs as well.” Indeed, the songwriter confesses, Elvis is never far away from his music. “On the new record that I just cut in Nashville, I recorded ‘Nothingville’. Remember that song? Most people don’t because it was done in passing on the ’68 special. It’s just a snippet in a medley, and it’s only on that NBC ‘Comeback Special’ album [the 1968 RCA LP, Elvis].”

No doubt that number will find its way into Watson’s set on the 16th, as well as other Presley tracks. Indeed, all of The King’s output falls neatly into what Watson calls the “Ameripolitan” sound. “The good thing about Ameripolitan is, it not only covers rockabilly and Elvis’ early stuff, but also the honky tonk stuff he did in the later years, like his country hits. There’s even some covers Elvis did that he made his own, that we play, too. Like ‘Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues.’ His version is my favorite recording of that song.”

For Watson, that mix of genres is true to the spirit of this city. “Memphis in general fits that whole thing,” he says. “Memphis has it all. And of course during Elvis week, we’re going to be promoting Ameripolitan coming up in February.” That’s when Hernando’s will host the Ameripolitan Music Awards festival, devoted to “music with a prominent roots influence.”

In keeping with that aesthetic, Hernando’s other star on the 16th will be none other than Jason D. Williams. If Williams conjures strong echoes of Jerry Lee Lewis, he too is an artist in his own right. The way Watson sees it, the unique identity that he and Williams embody is the point. “John Lennon said that ‘One’s inability to imitate their influences, that’s where originality lies,’” quips Watson. “Even with these Elvis tribute acts, when they’re trying to imitate Elvis, they have their own originality in their inability to completely imitate him.”

Even those latter artists will have their moment at Hernando’s, when the club hosts “Images of the King,” a well-curated show of Elvis tribute acts, from Saturday, August 11th, until Monday, August 15th. But what cinches Hernando’s claim to the Presley vibe is Priscilla Presley’s fondness for the place, ever since she dropped by the club in 2020. “It was on his birthday,” Watson recalls. “She’s been there several times since. And she’s gonna try to come in there that Tuesday [August 16th]. Of course I’m sure with that Elvis movie, things have been kicked up a notch, a little bit like they used to be. She’s got to play it by ear. But she likes the place a lot and she told us that it gives her the vibe of old Memphis.”

Categories
We Saw You

We Saw You: Priscilla Presley Honored by Theatre Memphis

OK. I had to have a photograph with Priscilla Presley at the Theatre Memphis tribute to her. (Credit: Jonathan Finder)

Wearing a striking Fouad Sarkis black-and-white gown, Priscilla Presley took the stage to thank her fans at “Honoring Priscilla Presley: The Artist, The Woman,” which was held July 22nd at Theatre Memphis.

“This has been a very overwhelming evening for me,” Presley told the audience. “It’s very difficult to take compliments.”

And, she joked, “I didn’t know I did so much, to be honest with you.”

Presley told the audience she learned about Memphis at age 14 from Elvis when he was in Germany during his Army days. “We had long talks about Graceland, about Memphis, about his childhood, about how much he loved Memphis.”

And, she says, “When I came here I was absolutely amazed at the friendships that I made. But not only that, the Southern hospitality just absolutely blew me away. Everyone was so kind, so wonderful as far as bringing me in, accepting me. It was something I will never ever forget. And won’t forget. I do believe Memphis is my home.”

Dabney Coors was co-chair of the event with Elizabeth Coors, as well as the organizer of the event.

The evening began with a reception in the lobby with food from chef Erling Jensen and live Memphis music, and ended with a party featuring more of the same, in addition to a chance for guests to meet Presley.

In between the parties was a tribute, where the 275 or so audience members learned about the staggering amount Presley has done and been involved in. Kym Clark and Kontji Anthony were the emcees. Special guests included T. G. Sheppard and his wife, Kelly Lang, and, by video, Jerry Schilling.

T.G. Sheppard, Priscilla Presley, and Kelly Lang at Priscilla Presley tribute (Credit: Michael Donahue)

For one, Presley was responsible for Graceland being saved and being opened to the public, instead of being sold.

She portrayed “Jenna Wade” on TV’s Dallas. She was in movies, including the Naked Gun trilogy. She came out with her own perfume and line of bed linens. She came up with the idea of coupling a lightning bolt image with the words “TCB” during an airplane flight with Elvis in a storm.

All of this and much more was referred to during the evening. According to the program, Presley also is an ambassador with the Dream Foundation, which helps fulfill dreams of terminally-ill adults. And, the program states, “She has also worked closely with the Humane Society of the United States and has spent time in DC to lobby Congress to pass the ‘Prevent All Soring Tactics’ (PAST Act) bill that will strengthen enforcement of the 1970 Horse Protection Act.”

“Congressman Steve Cohen announced from the stage that he entered a declaration in to the Congressional Record that Priscilla Presley is now an honorary Memphian,” Dabney says. “The Mayor (Jim Strickland) came with a key to the city and a proclamation, and the Tennessee governor (Bill Lee) had a proclamation for Priscilla. Kevin Kane was the presenter.”

Congressman Steve Cohen at Priscilla Presley tribute (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Mayor Jim Strickland, Jack Soden, Kevin Kane, Hayden Kane, Leighanne Hart Soden, and Melyne Strickland at the Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis. (Credit: Michael Donahue)

All the presentations were in honor of “this 40th anniversary of her opening Graceland. It could not have been a better celebration for her.”

Debbie Litch, Theatre Memphis executive producer, announced “The Theatre Memphis – Priscilla Presley Scholarship,” which, according to the program, will “make an artistic dream come true.”

Erling Jensen and Debbie Litch at the Theatre Memphis tribute to Priscilla Presley (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Memphis artists who performed during the evening included guitarist-songwriter-producer Mario Monterosso, singer/pianist Brennan Villines, who wore a pink tuxedo and slippers with the “TCB” lightning bolt on the toes, and Kallen Esperian, who sang “God Bless America.”

Kallen Esperian and William R. Eubanks at the Priscilla Presley tribute (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Brennan Villines at the Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)

“One of the most popular drinks of the evening was the one created for the party named the ‘Priscilla,'” Dabney says.

“The drink was a French 75 made with vodka instead of gin.”
It also included lemon juice, simple syrup, and champagne.

Lansky Brothers was corporate sponsor of the event. And, as a side note, Monterosso’s tuxedo came from Lansky’s.

Dabney says she received more than 100 texts, telephone calls, and emails from people about the tribute. People are “so thrilled for her and for the city of Memphis to acknowledge her continuing great works on behalf of our city,” Dabney says.

It was also good timing that the celebrated movie directed by Baz Luhrmann, Elvis, recently released and premiered at The Guest House at Graceland. “We were able to celebrate her a month after she welcomed the cast and crew and Warner Brothers into Graceland. She had a dinner party inside the mansion for them.”

Lurhmann also gave remarks via video at the event.

Dabney met Presley 25 years ago at a red carpet event in Los Angeles. “We just see each other all the time. And we just have a ball.

“This has been in my heart to honor Priscilla in our city for years and years. And her family knows it, my dear friends know it.”

Priscilla stayed in town several days after the event. Elizabeth Coors and her husband, Giles, held a private dinner party for Priscilla the night after the tribute. 

Giles and Elizabeth Coors at the Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)

Dr. Jonathan Finder, who attended the tribute with his wife, Jana, talked with Presley a few days after the event at Sam Phillips Recording Studio. “What struck me about chatting with Priscilla was how she came across as incredibly kind and down to Earth,” Finder says. “And at the same time so very sharp and insightful. A remarkable person who has led a remarkable life.”

Dabney Coors and Dr. Jonathan and Jana Finder at Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Lucy Woodson and Pat Kerr Tigrett at the Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Veronica Batterson, former Shelby County Mayor Mark Luttrell, Rev. Keith Norman, and Brett Batterson at the Priscilla Presley Theatre Memphis tribute (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Cristy Beasley Cass and Cary Brown at Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Doug Browne and J. W. Whitten at Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Jerry Phillips, Scott Bomar, and Laura O’Mell at Priscilla Presley tribute. (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Shirley Brown, Don and Elizabeth Scott, Gary Beard, Randall Hartzog, Dr. Mel Litch at Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Josh and Lindsey Hammond at the Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Leslie Fowler at the Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
Kerri Mahoney and Scott Bomar at Priscilla Presley tribute at Theatre Memphis (Credit: Michael Donahue)
We Saw You
Categories
Cover Feature News

Late-Night Eats

Photo: Puhhha | Dreamstime.com

You never know who you’ll run into late at night if you stop by a restaurant or bar that serves food after 10 p.m. In Memphis, it could be a drunk bounty hunter at now-closed CK’s, an election conspiracy theorist throwing back Bud Lights, or hopefully, a local celebrity.

Rocky Kasaftes remembers when Priscilla Presley stopped by Alex’s Tavern with a group of people around 11 p.m. Kasaftes, who owns the iconic bar/restaurant at 1445 Jackson Avenue, made his famous Greek Burgers, hot wings, and ribs for everybody. But he fixed something special for Presley.

“I don’t eat meat,” says Presley, who was in Memphis recently. “So instead I asked him to make me a grilled cheese sandwich. I still eat grilled cheese sandwiches when I need to.”

The sandwich was “great,” she adds. And Alex’s Tavern was “very quaint. And nice. Not too large. I enjoyed it very much.”

The Memphis Flyer recently set out on a quest to check out some late-night dining spots that continue to serve food after most places have shut down their kitchens. And while there used to be plenty of easy fixes for the late-night munchies, Covid saw some restaurants decide to forego their nocturnal offerings. But fret not: For the night owls among us, there are still those who work tirelessly to make sure that, yes, after stumbling out of the bar or getting off work late, they’re still here to keep us fed. As we ventured out into the night, our odyssey took us to three different pillars, old and new, of late-night dining that are sure to do the trick when Taco Bell just won’t cut it.

The authors’ first late-night stop took them to Pantá where they sipped on a Toussaint Daiquiri and split a Catalan Hot Dog. Oh, and they had coffee. Can’t forget the French press coffee. (Photo: KD Holliday)

Pantá

For our first stop, we trekked to a bumping new Midtown Catalan hot spot. Chef/owner Kelly English specifically wanted a late-night menu at his latest endeavor, Pantá, at 2146 Monroe Avenue.

“Pantá is a real view of Catalan eating and the way they approach dining in that region of Spain,” English says. “In Barcelona, a lot of restaurants don’t even open until 7 or 8. We open at 6. They stay open at least until midnight. This is a natural part of what we have set out to provide. The kitchen has been open until 11 on Thursdays and midnight on Friday and Saturday since we opened.”

The response has been great, English says. “We’ve recently changed the program for late night a bit to give our guests what we have heard them asking for — a little more approachable late-night food served with some of the exact same ingredients we use earlier in the evening.”

Diners who come in after 10 p.m. order from a special late-night menu, not from the earlier menu.

“We originally served our entire dinner menu through the end of service. We started this new menu a couple of weeks ago. It is also available during normal hours during Sunday supper.”

Pantá’s late-night menu has six items that harness the restaurant’s Catalan inspiration. They’re all a bit cheaper than the regular menu (think the $8-$12 range). There are some enticing-looking options like the Brava Burger — a patty of spiced beef with grilled onions, mozzarella, olive pickles, and brava sauce — or Pantá’s take on a Philly — made with pork secreto, slow-cooked onions and peppers, and a healthy helping of “melty white cheesiness.” We opted for the Catalan Hot Dog to start, a grilled “glizzy” placed on a bun, but there’s no sauerkraut-and-mustard combo here. Instead, the dog is topped with escalivada (a traditional Catalan vegetable mix) and a smooth garlic aioli. We cut it in half for an easy shareable and also ordered French press coffee to prepare for the journey ahead.

But perhaps the best late-night snack is the Loaded Brava Fries. It’s almost like a fries-based version of loaded nachos but with a Catalan twist. Let’s just say it certainly made a good impression. The tender, slow-roasted duck is delicious and very easy to scarf down with a handful of fries. And there’s a bit of a kick to it from a spicy harissa pepper sauce. It’s an approachable, but elevated, snack that has all the right ingredients to keep that buzz from spilling over. All the while, front-of-house manager and overall vibe-setter Aaron Ivory is ready to whip up one of his specialties.

“Personally, I like that we have a spot for people in my industry to come after work,” English says. “Or people in the world of theater. Both patrons and professionals. A place that can grow with what we think is a new chapter of Midtown that is coming about. I love the new avenue of freedom that our manager, Aaron Ivory, can show behind the bar and our chef, Patrick Kee, can express in the food.”

A group of young people came in Pantá around 11 p.m. and sat at a table in the dining room. They wanted to eat after leaving Tiger and Peacock, says Ken LeGassey. This was their first time at Pantá.

They wanted to eat as well as “continue to drink and socialize,” LeGassey says. Speaking for themselves and other young people out on the town, he says, “After they’ve been drinking, they’re looking for a place with the right food that’s unique, high-quality.” LeGassey and his friends found it at Pantá. “This is the new Taco Bell.”

Like Priscilla Presley, our authors made their way to Alex’s Tavern, where they caught up with owner Rocky Kasaftes about his famous Greek Burger. (Photo: Samuel x. Cicci)

Alex’s Tavern

Our next stop took us to Alex’s Tavern, which has been serving food late at night for decades.

Rocky’s dad, Alex Kasaftes, who opened the bar in 1953, used to serve ham sandwiches.

“Remember the big hams? You could put a ham in a rack and slice off the bone? He did that.”

After his dad died in 1978, Rocky took over the bar. He began serving hamburgers, but he also concentrated on people who arrived late. “It was really for restaurant people that got off work at 11 or whatever. That’s kind of how it started. For a while it was mostly restaurant people or people who worked at the hospital or police to get a burger.”

His mother, Eugenia Kasaftes, would “make the patties at home, slice cheese and tomato, and I’d come pick it up.” Alex’s Tavern served food until 3 a.m. in those days. Now, it’s until midnight during the week and maybe 1 or 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.

Rocky now makes the hamburgers, which are 80/20 ground chuck. “My mom was big on just a good ol’ burger with salt and pepper, but we added Cavender’s to it.” Cavender’s All Purpose Greek Seasoning is on just about everything Rocky serves. He even sprinkles it on the potato chips. “Cavender’s, that’s the key to everything, which makes us different, I guess.”

His Greek Burgers have “the good crust on the outside.” And, he says, “You never press it on the grill. Never do that. The cheese has to be melted. You never want cold cheese on a piece of meat.”

Alex Tavern’s Greek Burger was featured on Burger Land with host George Motz on the Travel Channel and in Motz’s book, Hamburger America.

Rocky began doing hot wings in the late ’80s. “They’re not breaded at all. We just fry them.”

He dips the wings in a vat of Texas Pete Hot Sauce and butter for those who want hotter wings. He dips the others in a vat of Wicker’s marinade and Worcestershire sauce for people who prefer a milder snack. “I put them on the plate and sprinkle the Greek seasoning on top.”

He also uses Cavender’s on his ribs, which he began doing during football season about 20 years ago. He adds apple juice to the ribs while he cooks them. He then adds Wicker’s marinade and Worcestershire sauce. “While I cook them, I spray them with apple juice. Then when they’re almost done, we wrap them in tinfoil and I’ll put more apple juice on them. They’ll steam in that juice on the flattop.”

Gumbo came next. “It’s just really shrimp, sauce, and chicken. I’ll add other stuff, of course.”

He also does barbecued shrimp with lemon butter and garlic and cold shrimp with his own sauce “with lots of horseradish. Enough to where it brings a tear to your eye.” Usually during the winter Rocky makes his mother’s Mama K’s homemade vegetable beef soup.

Sometimes he makes toasted ravioli and fried cheese and pork tenderloin for special occasions, including events he caters. “Usually, I’m the one cooking. I like it that way.”

But Rocky doesn’t stop there. “I’ll do stuff for folks when they request it. A filet with a baked potato and salad, filet and shrimp. I’ve made my mom’s spaghetti recipe. Everything is from scratch. I made Alfredo with shrimp or chicken. They just have to let me know ahead of time. And they do.”

They’ll say, “Hey, I want something different.” And Rocky responds, “Okay, I got it.”

Just like when he came up with a grilled cheese sandwich for Presley. “I think I put two or three different kinds of cheese on it just for her.”

“Tell Rocky I’m coming back on Elvis Week in August,” Presley says. “I’m going to be here for about five or six days. It’s a wonderful, wonderful restaurant, and I know I’m going to get great food. Especially great grilled cheese sandwiches.”

An unusual menu item, the Tofu Nachos are RP Tracks’ secret weapon. (Photo: Justin Fox Burks)

RP Tracks

The final stretch of our journey took us to RP Tracks at 3547 Walker Avenue, home of an eclectic guest list, thirsty University of Memphis students, and those oh-so-delectable barbecue tofu nachos. It’s a tried-and-true template, one that’s been working for Tracks and its customers for almost four decades now. Mary Laws has been running the place alongside her husband, Bernard, since 2015, after buying Tracks from original owners Rick Johns and Peter Moon.

And Laws has her own history there. “I’m a U of M grad, and I’d started working at RP Tracks in 2004,” she says. “And I met Bernard there. I was a server, he was a dishwasher, so it was kind of like a fairy-tale story that Rick and Peter approached us to buy the place.”

And since taking over seven years ago, Laws has continued to make sure that Tracks is a place that anyone can come to for some relaxation and recreation. And maybe even to meet some new people. “We’ve got a large crowd Monday through Friday that comes to watch Jeopardy!,” she says. “And late at night hanging out at the bar or in the restaurant, it’s so easy to strike up a conversation with someone who is virtually a stranger to you.”

Laws says Tracks has grown the food side of the business since trimming down the menu so that the cooks could get things out more efficiently. “We only have eight or so feet of cooking space, so they were bending themselves into pretzels to accommodate the larger menu.” But one steadfast presence at Tracks has been the popular barbecue tofu nachos. It’s the perfect snack, and certainly a perfect choice for late-night diners. It’s a heaping bowl, with thin chips covered with all the regular fixings: jalapeños, tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese, and sour cream. But Tracks’ secret weapon added to the mix is the layer of black bean chili (carnivores can order meat chili instead) that accentuates the crispy tofu blocks. And there are plenty of other nacho customization options to find the right flavor.

“Those nachos are wonderful and delicious, and always have been,” says Laws. “But I also enjoy our barbecue chicken Gouda quesadilla, and I like to put hot sauce on there for some heat. And the RP Burger with cheddar cheese is my other go-to.”

And at RP Tracks, there’s almost always something for everyone. The menu is “all over the place, in a good way,” says Laws, boasting everything from quesadillas to nachos to burgers to sandwiches to salads. But the ace up Tracks’ sleeve is the wealth of vegetarian bar food options they have for late arrivals. There are the nachos, of course, but the sandwiches and quesadillas both have a separate “animal-friendly” section featuring more tofu and fresh vegetables. Even hot wings can be swapped out for tofu slices. “It’s really important we have that. In addition to being the place where I cut my teeth on drinking, it’s where I also grew to really appreciate vegetarian food.”

For now, Tracks’ kitchen is open until 12:30 a.m., with the bar closing half an hour later. While Tracks would stay open until 3 a.m. pre-Covid, Laws says they didn’t see much business during that last hour and likely won’t bring that back. However, they will be expanding their hours again soon, pushing the kitchen to 1:30 a.m., with closing at 2 a.m. “We’ve been getting everyone acclimated again to our new schedules,” says Laws. “And I think in mid-August, we’ll be ready to keep our kitchen open until 1:30.”

Laws’ push to return to later hours comes from her trouble finding places to eat late on her drive home. “I would leave Tracks at midnight and be driving around, and things just weren’t open. And I think that’s one of the ways Covid really shaped things. I realized, ‘My god, there’s not much late-night dining anymore! We’ve gotta stay open until 1:30 so that people have a place to go, a place to eat.’ And I think that’s something a lot of Memphians want.”