Got to Sun Studio this morning in time for the first tour of the day at 10AM. That was quickly filled and it looked like a bus had just pulled in as we finished so glad we were there bright and early. 10AM may not seem like bright and early but our schedule seems to have shifted into late night at the clubs mode and we are not exactly getting up with the sun on this trip! Studio tour was guided and really good.
Heard quite a few stories about Sun Studios history and artists that were new to me, but one of the best was about a prison group, The Prisonaires, that was allowed to go out and play at clubs twice a week and allowed to record at Sun Studio with an armed guard pointing a gun at their backs. Happy ending is that they were eventually all pardoned
Next up was Stax Studio
Stax was a self guided tour with many exhibits about Stax history and the various artists that recorded with them. I liked this wall of 45s
After a quick lunch it was off to the Gibson Factory tour. Wow! Impressive building and very high quality hour long tour give by one of the guitar builders. We saw the entire process for making a Gibson guitar. A fair amount of machinery but much is still painstakingly done by hand. Loved the piano in the lobby. No photography allowed in factory
Oh yes, museums are cool and also air conditioned which was a blessing again today! Another night on Beale Street but we’d better pack it in early as we head home tomorrow!