Donna Greene Art Collections

Beale Street Note Walk

Beale Street is the most famous street in Memphis, and it's the soul of Old Memphis. From the moment you set foot on the cobblestones, you know there's something special here. The street was created in 1841 but it peaked in the 1920's. Since that time, no other Memphis landmark has held such mystique. Since 1986 over 80 brass notes honoring musicians, DJs, songwriters, promoters, and other music supporters have been embedded in the sidewalks along Beale Street. From Elvis to Will Shade & the Memphis Jug Band, from Isaac Hayes to the Rev. Herbert Brewster, the array of honorees include the well known and lesser known who constitute the rich musical history of Memphis and the Mid-South. They are honored as "...a tangible embodiment of the many talented people who put Memphis music and Beale Street on the world map". Among those who have been honored: Alberta Hunter, Elvis Presley, Ma Rainey, B. B. King, Justin Timberlake, Ruby Wilson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Furry Lewis, Memphis Minnie, and of course W. C. Handy.