Beale Street Caravan

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have Mike Doughty of hip-hop/indie fusion band, Soul Coughing. In 1994 they released their debut record "Ruby Vroom," which was a critical success, long before it was typical to hear hip-hop blended so tightly with angsty rock and jazz. Listen to Doughty performing “Ruby Vroom” live from Bar DKDC in Cooper-Young, Memphis, TN.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have longtime Ecko Records artist and southern soul dynamo, Sheba Potts-Wright in a performance at the historic Club Paradise. Raised on the touring circuit by her father, Beale Street harp legend Dr. Robert “Feelgood” Potts, Sheba has a sound that blends some of the best elements of the blues.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature rock ‘n’ rollers, Low Cut Connie. Led by front man Adam Weiner, the band has released two studio efforts since their last appearance on the program: Dirty Pictures Part 1 and Dirty Pictures Part 2. Last year, NPR dubbed them, “The Essence of Rock and Roll”. Listen to them live from the Levitt Shell here in Memphis, TN.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature activist, theologian, film maker, and musician, Rev. Sekou and the Freedom Fighters, supported by the Tennessee Mass Choir, in an electrifying performance marking the release of his new, live album titled, “When We Fight We Win - Live In Memphis” recorded right here in Memphis at the Levitt Shell.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature Gospel stars, The McCrary Sisters. Their father, Sam McCrary, was a minister and founder of Gospel legends, The Fairfield Four. We’ll hear them in a performance captured at the Levitt Shell in Midtown Memphis and, later in the program, we sit down and catch up with The Sisters. Grammy nominated blues man, Guy Davis, will be with us to deliver an install...

This week we have a great special feature that represents the past, present, and future of the most musical city on Earth. The 2019 Memphis Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony featured performances from legendary Rock and Roll icon Jerry Lee Lewis, Stax recording icon Eddie Floyd, 60’s pop stars The Box Tops, tributes to gospel star O’landa Draper and Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin. Listen to th...

Castro Coleman, aka Mr. Sipp, was born in McComb, MS and has been playing the guitar since the age of 6. A Malaco recording artist, he was awarded The Blues Foundation 2016 Best New Artist for his album, The Mississippi Blues Child. This week we feature a live performance from the Mighty Mississippi Music Festival captured during Bridging the Blues. (original air date 12.07.16) BSC contributor Wil...

It’s ladies only this week on Beale Street Caravan as we feature two up and coming female artists from Memphis, both with new records to celebrate. First we’ll hear from Americana artist, McKenna Bray, marking the release of her debut studio effort, Once in A Blue Moon. Then we’ll hear from Jana Jana, celebrating the release of her first solo record titled, Anderson Coral.

Join us as we celebrate Memphis/New Orleans restaurateur (and BSC community partner) Karen Carrier's 15th year bringing great music and food to Midtown. We have the best of both worlds as New Orleans and Memphis collide in today's show featuring The Wild Magnolia Mardi Gras Indians and Jack Oblivian. BSC contributor Robert Gordon returns to continue his series on the History of Hi Records.    

This week’s episode celebrates quite an amazing collaboration of musical talent and genius. We are talking about five time Grammy award winner Robert Cray, backed by the legendary Hi Rhythm Section and renowned drummer and producer Steve Jordan. BSC was there to capture an epic performance for the release of their latest album, Robert Cray and Hi Rhythm, plus an interview with Robert and Steve fro...

This week we've got the delta blues - gypsy jazz - big band swing of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, featuring frontman Jimbo Mathus, to get us in the holiday spirit as they perform their 1998 album, Christmas Caravan, from start to finish.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature the Memphis Ukulele Band as they help us kick of the Christmas holiday season. We’ll hear a performance captured at Lafayette's Music Room, and later in the program we get to sit down and catch up with the band. Grammy nominated blues man, Guy Davis, will be with us to deliver an installment of the Blues Hall of Fame, an exploration of the lives of the...

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature two up and coming artists. First we’ll hear from The Suitcase Junket. Then we’ll hear from Memphis artist, Don Lifted, who is on the program to mark the release of his new studio effort, Contour. Grammy nominated blues man, Guy Davis, will be with us to deliver an installment of the Blues Hall of Fame, an exploration of the lives of the pioneers and inn...

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature Scott Sharrard as he marks the release of his new studio effort, Saving Grace. Produced in Memphis, TN and in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Saving Grace has Scott backed by legendary studio musicians from each city, including Memphis’ own Hi Rhythm section. We’ll hear Scott along with Rev. Charles Hodges in a performance captured at Railgarten, smack dab in t...

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature Memphis artist Barbara Blue, the Queen of Beale Street. Barbara has a brand new record out titled, Fish in Dirty H20, which features an a-list of musical talent. We’ll hear her in a performance captured at Silky O’Sullivan’s, right on the corner of Beale Street and BB King Blvd. Later in the program we talk with Barbara about the album, and about workin...

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature Memphis instrumental act, Impala, in a performance captured at the best little dive bar in the world, Bar DKDC, located in the heart of midtown Memphis. Listen as they celebrate the release of a new studio effort, In The Late Hours and, later in the program, we get to sit down and hear from bandleader and Memphis studio veteran, Scott Bomar. Grammy nomi...

This week on the program we feature the deep, soulful grooves of Yemen Blues. In 2010, singer & composer Ravid Kahalani founded the rare combination of world class musicians that is called Yemen Blues. The result of this amazing group is a powerful energy that mixes Yemenite, West African, Latin & Jazz influences and what Ravid likes to call "New Culture Music". Their latest studio effort is calle...

This week on the program we feature the First Lady of Soul, Candi Staton in a live performance captured at AmericanaFest, and, later in the program, we get to sit down and catch up with her for an in depth interview. Candi received her first record deal as a teenager and spent the formative years of her life touring the gospel circuit in the 1950’s alongside such luminaries as The Soul Stirrers, M...

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature troubadour Harlan T. Bobo in a performance captured at the Levitt Shell in Overton Park. With his gift for writing heart-wrenching songs bathed in ever-evolving aural landscapes and textures, Harlan has quickly cemented his place as a Memphis musical treasure. Harlan T. Bobo joins us this week to celebrate the release of a new album titled “A History of...

This week we have the highly anticipated Brian Owens & The Deacons of Soul in a live performance captured at the Levitt Shell. Brian Owens comes to us from his hometown of St Louis, our Mississippi River cousin to the north. Much like our rivertown neighbor to the south, New Orleans, it’s a city long associated with the sounds of the African American created genres of blues, jazz, gospel, and soul...

We have a lot in store for you this week on BSC! First we have The BoKeys performing in Studio A of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. We sit down and talk with Floyd Newman, founding member of The Memphis Horns. Then we head to the Beale Street Music Fest and catch a set from BSC perennial, Reba Russell.

It's real-deal Memphis Blues... the kind of sophisticated blues and jazz sounds you would have heard floating from the windows of The Palace on Beale Street in the 40's and 50's. Keeping the flame burning bright is Memphis’ own Love Light Orchestra. L​ove Light Orchestra features Blues Music Award-winner John Nemeth on vocals, Joe Restivo on guitar, Tim Goodwin on bass, Earl Lowe on drums, Gerald...

This week on the Caravan we have Members Only: A Tribute to Bobby Blue Bland. Produced by Memphis musician Rodd Bland, son of the late blues icon, the tribute is held at B. B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street during Blues Music Awards weekend. Special guests include Sugaray Rayford, Mike Ledbetter, Ashton Riker, Andy Duncanson, John Nemeth, and Tom Wurth. BSC contributor Jim Spake also returns to...

This week on the program we have Mellotron Variations. An instrumental project built around one of the most unique instruments ever conceived.   We’ll also hear from rock and roll veteran, and sideman to the stars, Hunt Sales.   BSC contributor Jim Spake is back with us to continue his series, "Crazy About a Saxophone"  on the legendary sidemen that played rock’s original lead instrument.

This week on the program we celebrate the biggest night in blues, The 2018 Blues Music Awards.  Performances on the episode include winners of the emerging artist category, Southern Avenue, and Memphis music heroes, The North MS Allstars featuring Sharde Thomas.