Beale Street Caravan

Leo “Bud” Welch passed away December 19, 2017 at the age of 85. Born in 1932 in Sabougla, Mississippi, Welch spent his entire life in the area where he was raised. We are rebroadcasting this episode, originally aired in 2016, in tribute to our friend, Bud.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we feature veteran songwriter, Spree Wilson, live from the Overton Park Shell. Also on the show, we sit down with Spree for an interview, and learn more about the Nashville born artist's Memphis roots, and his connection to music industry luminaries such as Dallas Austin. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we return to the blues with Memphis' native son, Chris Pitts and The Memphis Prime, live from Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, MS.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have Those Pretty Wrongs featuring Jody Stephens of legendary band, Big Star, and Luther Russell, formerly of The Freewheelers. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we feature blues from the Mississippi Delta and around the globe. Willie Farmer, Ryan Lee Crosby, and others take us on a musical journey, live from The Green Room at Crosstown Arts, in Memphis, TN. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we feature Stax guitar heroes Harold Beane, Bobby Manuel, and Skip Pitts, in a special presentation of the Masters of the Soul Guitar, live from Studio A inside the Stax Museum of American Soul Music. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

From the Caravan vault: We’re excited to feature the world’s oldest teenager, Rufus Thomas. Rufus is synonymous with Memphis and Beale Street, having began his career at 10 years old tap as a tap dancer on Beale. His prodigiousness was passed to his offspring, Carla, Marvell, and Vanese, who, with their father and on their own, crafted influential music careers.This week’s show captures Carla performing at BB Kings’ Blues Club on Beale Street back in 2001. A young Pat Mitchell is there and she sits down with Carla and her father for an interview that you absolutely must hear.

Beale Street Caravan is on the soulful road to glory this week with the Queen of Sacred Soul, Elizabeth King, celebrating the release of her third album, Soul Provider, live from the Green Room inside of Crosstown Arts. The queen is backed by the Sacred Soul Band, which features Memphis music stalwarts Will Sexton, Matt Ross-Spang, Mark Edgar Stuart, and Will McCarley. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN.

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.      

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we're back in the Green Room inside of Crosstown Arts for a collaboration between beloved singer, songwriter, and producer, Mark Edgar Stuart, and contemporary chamber music group, Blueshift Ensemble. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have gospel duo, The Sensational Barnes Brothers, as they celebrate the release of their debut record, “Nobody’s Fault But My Own”. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have a star-studded lineup, joined together for an important cause: to defend the integrity of Memphis’ drinking water. Grammy nominated artists Shemekia Copeland and Jim Lauderdale, along with Nashville singer-songwriter Will Kimbrough, iconic singer-songwriter and folk musician, Livingston Taylor, as well as Reba Russell, Joe Restivo and John Nemeth, and others, all got together for one night to sing, play, and raise money to make sure that our water remains a fresh, suitable source of life in our community.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we bring back Dirty Streets as they celebrate the release of their latest project, "Who's Gonna Love You", live from Growlers in Memphis, TN. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have a double feature as we pay tribute to recently passed Delta bluesman, CeDell Davis. In the second half of the program we’ll hear from master of the Hill Country blues, R.L. Boyce, who just recently received his first Grammy nomination.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have local rock siren Amy LaVere celebrating her latest release, “Painting Blue.” 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we groove with soul/jazz/funk sensation, Hope Clayburn. From sharing the stage with icons like The Temptations to leading her own ensemble, Clayburn's music moves hearts worldwide. Tune in to catch Hope Clayburn's Soul Scrimmage live at the Green Room in Crosstown Arts as they celebrate the release of their album, Y’all So Loud. Guy Davis, returns to deliver another segment on the musical heroes enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame.

Blues, Soul, and Rock and Roll continue to evolve and inspire. While BSC tends to favor the veterans and living legends, this week we have two acts, Edward David Anderson and CATL that have dynamic, innovative and fresh approaches, yet deep love and reverence for the traditions of yesterday. BSC contributor William Lee Ellis returns to continue his series, Religion and the Blues.

This week on Beale Street Caravan, we take a look back at the 2022 Memphis Music Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Highlighted performances include Booker T. Jones, and a tribute to Mavis Staples by some of the phenomenal women in Memphis music. We also sit down with acclaimed musician and leader of the night's house band, Kurt Clayton, for an interview. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.      

Robert Finley got his big break at last year’s King Biscuit Blues Festival when he talked the sound engineer into letting him get on stage in between acts and play a song. He wowed the crowd, captured the attention of Music Makers Relief and went home with a record deal in his pocket. He joins us this week in a performance captured during Bridging The Blues celebrating the release of his debut record, Age Don’t Mean A Thing, on Big Legal Mess Records. BSC contributor William Lee Ellis returns to continue his series, Religion and the Blues.

This week on Beale Street Caravan we have R&B all-stars Streeter and the Tribe. The band is led by Memphis-bred drummer, Charles Streeter, who spent the last decade playing onstage behind globally-beloved acts before moving back home to Memphis and forming the supergroup. 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 innovators enshrined in the Blues Hall of Fame, here in Memphis, TN, brought to you by the Blues Foundation.