It Came From Memphis

Good news from Memphis – Robert tells me that the Barbican are very keen to get his book back into print in time to coincide with the festival in April. It’s been shamefully OOP for a few years now here (not in the USA though). It’s great to think that due to a chance encounter, one of my favourite books will be becoming available again. It’s pretty amazing to be working on a day-to-day basis with Robert, although as we have been at this for nearly two years now with little obvious sign of success until very recently, it’s kind of academic really... There really seems to be a groundswell now though, I just bought Testifyin’, the new CD by the Country Got Soul revue – recorded due to the success of the Country Got Soul compilation CDs – a bunch of great and unrecognised singers, players and songwriters, two of whom at least, Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham, play a great part in the Memphis story due to their work with Alex Chilton and Jim Dickinson. The others include Tony Joe White, Donnie Fritts (he wrote ‘Breakfast in Bed’ among other great tunes) and Bonnie Bramlett (from Delaney and Bonnie). They’ll be touring here to support the CD in the new year and will most likely play a part in the Barbican shows, it seems, and probably be touring as well – judging from the CD that will be an unmissable show...