Detroit’s Mac Saturn combines two of the Motor City’s most famous sounds–gritty rock ‘n’ roll and toe-tapping soul– into a unified whole steeped in ’70s mystique. Best known for their explosive live shows, the six-piece band has become a major force in the current rock-revival and seem destined for more widespread stardom. Their new single […]
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Sensational Barnes Brothers
From international superstars like Al Green to local legends like Elizabeth King, Memphians have been ingeniously fusing soul music and gospel together for decades. Today, brothers Chris and Courtney Barnes are carrying on that legacy by paying homage to the past while still charting new territory. Before forming the Sensational Barnes Brothers, both siblings were […]
Dirty Streets
Although two of Dirty Streets members originally hail from Louisiana and Texas, there is something quintessentially Memphis about the band’s music, which combines the raw and rowdy energy of Sun Records with the soulfulness of Stax. “Boogie” is a word that gets thrown around a lot when discussing the group, who has been delivering their […]
Cameo
Even in an era renown for its outlandish outfits, crazy on-stage antics, and deeply funky grooves, Cameo stood out from their contemporaries by turning up the theatrics to an 11. Led by codpiece-wearing eccentric Larry Blackmon, Cameo emerged in the late 1970s as the obvious successors to legendary funk groups like Parliament and the Ohio […]
Gov’t Mule
For nearly 30 years, Gov’t Mule has reigned as one of the nation’s premiere jam bands, delivering powerful blues rock with impeccable improvisational skills. Founding members Warren Haynes and the late Allen Woody were already well-known quantities when they formed the group in 1995, having spent years in the Allman Brothers Band. Much like the […]
Ziggy Marley
While being born into reggae royalty certainly hasn’t been a hindrance to Ziggy Marley’s career, nobody would have blamed him if he had buckled under the immense pressure that comes with being the eldest son of Bob and Rita Marley. Thankfully, the polar opposite has proven true, as Marley has deftly filled the void left […]
Young the Giant
California’s Young the Giant is a reflection of their famously diverse home state, featuring four members who are either immigrants or children of immigrants. This melange of international influences helps to give their summery indie rock a distinctive sound that is simultaneously wide-ranging yet accessible. The band released their self-titled debut in 2010 and their […]
Yola
From Dusty Springfield to Amy Winehouse, there is a long and proud tradition of British singers reinterpreting American soul music to wondrous results. The latest artist in this lineage is Yola (née Yolanda Quartey), a Bristol-based singer/songwriter whose vintage sound would have been right at home at Memphis’ legendary Stax Records. Yola began her career […]
White Reaper
Whether punk rockers White Reaper named their second album The World’s Best American Band in jest or not, the Louisville natives are certainly making their case as one of the most exciting young bands on the scene today. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, the band expertly balances their uproarious garage punk sound with slickly polished hooks. […]
Tyke T
Tyrone Stroble, better known as Tyke T, has differentiated himself within Memphis’ crowded hip-hop scene by expertly combining classic Southern rap with elements of New Jack Swing. In 2013 he released his debut EP “The Overlooked” through his own imprint Driven By Music. The momentum continued with his sophomore effort, The Prelude, which debuted in […]
