Eating Memphis BBQ and Holding Elvis' Mic

Before I left Santa Barbara, Aron Ives told me to go to Memphis. I said, "really?" He said, "Yeah man, you get the best BBQ you've ever had and my brother has a record store". I added it to the trip plan. At Aron's suggestion we found the Cozy Corner restaurant. Let me tell you, it's the real deal. Now, I like a burger and fries but this is slow cooked, smokey - tangy delight.



They were out of ribs after the lunch hour but they had two orders of pork "rib tips" sandwiches.
So we ordered and dug in. Words can't do this justice. It's messy. You eat with your fingers
and you get covered in sauce. And you just don't care.



They opened the BBQ so we could see the ribs cooking in the smokey confines of the grill.



Great grand daughter is two years old and already charming the customers! And Grandma Val Robinson works there too!



Desiree Robinson and her grandson stand in front of the BBQ. She started the business with her husband. She and her daughter Val, grand daughter and grandson were all there working when we arrived. Grandson Bobby Robinson was on the BBQ when we came in. He asked - is that your yellow truck? I said yes. He said, "Wow". I had parked the truck next to his 1962 Chevy Bel Air. Turned out we are both classic car guys! Wonderful people and delicious home cooked food - a real local delicacy. Be sure to link to the Cozy Corner website and see Desiree talk about her story. And y'all come to Memphis. The food is great and the people are friendly.



The Big Yellow Truck at Sun Recording Studio. Yes friends - Sun is still a recording studio. But they record at night and tour people like yours truly through the studio during the day. I loved it. I can't even tell you everything I loved about it. But I stood in the same studio where Elvis and Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins and BBQ King and Howlin' Wolf And U2 recorded hit records. Some of the most famous sound in America's Music History. And without totally geeking out - the ROOM - sounds like those old records...



Gear piled in the corner from last night's session.



Yes, you can take him anywhere and he'll find a microphone. This is a mic Elvis recorded vocals on. It's not one like it...it's an original mic Elvis used. OK now I'm totally geeking out.

After Sun we went across to Goner Records. What can I say, I'm an old DJ and I love classic vinyl. We got there too late to meet Aron's brother, but we selected a few sweet sides to play
on the turn table. Some jazz and some very weird country. Plus an original copy of The Guess Who, "Shakin' all Over".

That's all from Memphis - we'll be heading east again tomorrow. It's raining in Memphis (sounds like a song title). I'll send you another dispatch from the road.