Memphis Article Archives
Gimme Some Sugar, Darlin': The Quintessential Southern Cookbook
If you love to cook or just love to collect cookbooks, start making space on your bookshelf now because there's a new cookbook in town. This delightful compendium of all things culinary, Gimme Some Sugar, Darlin' by Mississippian Laurance Daltroff Triplette, is true piece read more...
Luther Dickinson: A Thousand Footprints in the Sand
By James Calemine Luther read more...
Tennessee Williams: 27 Wagons Full of Cotton
Tennessee Williams: 27 Wagons Full of Cotton By James Calemine Born in Columbus, Mississippi, on March 26, 1911, Thomas (Tennessee) Williams wrote plays, short stories, novels and poetry. Some of his characters rank as the most memorable in read more...
Levon Helm: Across The Great Divide
Levon Helm: Across The Great Divide To me, Levon Helm's voice captured the authentic roots of America's south. Born in Turkey Scratch, Arkansas, Helm grew up on Sonny Boy Williamson, traveled with
Swampland's Top 25 Albums of 2011
As March fades and the first quarter of 2012 comes to a close, Swampland has used this moment to look back on 2011 putting together our list of last year's best music releases from the South. Although we've named 25 records on our Top 25 Albums of 2011, each one serves as read more...
Jimmy Hall: Still Smiling, With Plenty of Horsepower
Jimmy Hall Still Smiling, With Plenty of Horsepower By Jerry Grillo Jimmy Hall might write a book some day, and the whole thing will be about that one song, the one that got read more...
Essence of Light: The Adam Smith Interview
Essence of Light The Adam Smith Interview By James Calemine Born in Macon, Georgia, in 1975, Adam Smith's photography transcends his age. Smith attended college read more...
Meeting the Icons: Flo Kennedy and Rosa Parks
by Patsy Glenn So many of the high points in my life are framed and on the walls in my computer room. One of those is the program from the 1985 State Conference of the Alabama National Organization for Women. We met in October that year at the Econo Lodge on Battleship read more...
Rock and Roll Mommy
Rock and Roll Mommy by Shannon McNally I didn’t recognize the first signs of being pregnant. I mistook them for extreme road weariness. I was in the studio in Lafayette making a record with Mac Rebennack, (also known as
Luther Dickinson Interview: It's A Family Affair
Luther Dickinson Interview It's A Family Affair by James Calemine The Dickinson Family ranks as one of the most read more...
The Mary Lindsay Dickinson Interview
The Mary Lindsay Dickinson Interview "Bless your soul Bless your soul When your time has come Youre just dead, not read more...
Six Degrees of Swampland: The Dickinson Family
Jim Dickinson--The High Priest of Memphis Mojo--shines like a beacon of light in the music world. Dickinson’s indelible read more...
SEC, Big 12, & ACC Bowl Primer: Pre-January 1 Edition
SEC 12/27 – Kentucky vs. Clemson - Music City Bowl (8:30pm EST – read more...
Weekly Fever Review #5: The ACC Still Not Progressing Quickly Enough
As we head into October, we've learned quite a few things about this current college football season. SEC - This conference remains on top, not only for our Footprint, but also nationally. There are still 3 SEC teams in the top 5, and there are two teams read more...
Weekly Fever Review #4: NYC Bowl Hypocrisy, Etc.
It's going to be a briefer than normal weekly fever. We will take a look at some key games coming up and how they affect our teams and conferences as a whole, but first let's start with a subject that really has us a bit miffed.
Weekly Fever Review #3: The South "Officially" Becomes the Home of College Football
We would be remiss if we didn't start our Weekly Fever with some big news - the College Football Hall of Fame will relocate from South Bend, Indiana (home of Notre Dame) to Atlanta by read more...
Weekly Fever Review: College Football's Week Two - Big 12/ACC Struggles, etc
Now that week two of the college football season is behind us, we've learned a little more about our teams and what the season might have in store.
Weekly Fever Review: Reflections on College Football's Week One
We thought we'd provide a few thoughts after the first week of the college football season just before tonight's Clemson - Georgia Tech game. In the months that pass between each football season, certain things are put under the microscope by the media and the fans. Here read more...
Cody Dickinson Makes A Move
The Cody Dickinson Interview Cody Dickinson’s latest band, The Hill Country Revue, prepare to hit the road behind their new CD
Dixie Lullaby
An excerpt from DIXIE LULLABY: A Story of Music, Race, and New Beginnings in a New South By Mark Kemp University of Georgia Press
Let's Have a Party: Wanda Jackson Still Rocking at 71
by Penne J. Laubenthal When I was young, I did not even know Wanda Jackson by name but there was no mistaking that distinctive voice. She could rock the rafters with
Calipari, SEC Hoops, and the Coming NBA "Bubble"
Watch out - Rick Pitino and Louisville! John Calipari gave Kentucky what it wanted - a coach that makes them instantly competitive in their state, their conference, and the nation at large. There is little doubt that it has been hard for Kentucky to watch their read more...
The Top 40 Moments From The Allman Brothers Band's 2009 Beacon Run
The 2009 Beacon Run was one for the books. Never have The Allman Brothers welcomed so many diverse guests onto their stage during a single run. And the results were read more...
The Allman Brothers Band: An Essential Link Through America's Music Generations
by James Calemine “You don’t need no gypsy to tell you why/You can’t let one precious day slip by…” --Gregg read more...
Recruiting Never Ends in the South
When it comes to college football, just ‘Google’ the phrase “recruiting is the lifeblood” and you’ll see a ton of results. The fact that quality recruiting is the number one key for long-term success in the big-time world of college football has never read more...
Power Rankings: College Football Tradition By State
by Patrick Snow With the football season fast approaching, we thought it was time to take a State-by-State look at the schools and traditions that make up the religion that is college football in our Swampland footprint. Gold read more...
Conversations with Alabama Filmmaker Max Shores
by Penne J. Laubenthal Max Shores, a native of Winfield, Alabama, is a thirty-year veteran of documentary production. His documentaries tell compelling stories about life in the southeastern
What It Is--Is Swamp Music--Is What It Is
What It Is—Swamp Music—Is What It Is
Steve Cropper: The Master Song Craftsman and Rhythm King
The Steve Cropper Interview
A Southern Strategy For The NBA
Now that we welcome another NBA team to our Footprint (three cheers for OKC), it's time for the NBA to start making some other changes that will help this league's popularity continue to grow in our read more...
Charlie Musselwhite: The Master of Smokestack Lightning
Charlie Musselwhite Interview The Master of Smokestack Lightning By James Calemine "I'm ready as anybody could be..."
Bob Dylan's Renaldo & Clara: Asleep In The Tomb
Bob Dylan’s Lost Classic Renaldo & Clara: Asleep In the Tomb By James Calemine "I've been read more...
The Majestic and Graceful Music of Amy LaVere
The Majestic and Graceful Music of Amy LaVere The Amy LaVere Interview By James Calemine
Eddie Hinton Does Porretta--Again!
by Penne J. Laubenthal Eighteen years ago in April of 1991 an Italian named Graziano Uliani, founder of the
The Top Ten Guitarists of the Southern Rock Era
The Greatest Guitar Slingers of The Southern Rock Era by Michael Buffalo Smith
Southern Sporting "Events"
by Patrick Snow As I attended a Kentucky Derby function this past Saturday, it was never more evident that Southerners must throw a pretty good party. We are probably more known
Gritz Legends of Southern Rock
A handful of bands from the Southern Rock Era have earned the title of "Legend." These are the bands that defined the genre and set the bar for all other bands in their wake. These are the few, the originals, the Legends of Southern read more...
The BCS: A Friend to the SEC (and the Rest of the Footprint)
We at Tribal Fever find it odd that it would be the SEC who would call for a playoff system. We wonder how the SEC can be so blind to the fact that the BCS has been great for that conference. For those that love the idea of a playoff, we will list the reasons why most read more...
Snowman's 2008 Draft Wrap Up
The annual NFL Draft is now over, and the critics will have a field day with opinions on who did well and who faltered with their choices. I thought I would take a look at the Draft from the collegiate view and see who from our region will have the biggest impact on their new read more...
Record Stores of the Swampland Footprint
ALABAMA CD Cellar Anniston AL Oz Music Tuscaloosa AL ARKANSAS
Jim Dickinson's Best Memphis Barbecue & Favorite Meals On The Road
When I interviewed the High Priest of Memphis Mojo—Jim Dickinson—I asked him if he’d be interested in submitting his inimitable insight on barbecue, music and movies. Mr. read more...
Dixie Fried with The High Priest of Memphis Mojo Jim Dickinson
JIM DICKINSON INTERVIEW DIXIE FRIED WITH THE HIGH PRIEST OF MEMPHIS MOJO By James Calemine "Some people say worried blues read more...
Luther Dickinson Interview: The Secret Code of Memphis Guitars
Luther Dickinson Interview The Secret Code of Memphis Guitars By James Calemine January 2008 "I'm gonna leave Memphis and spread the read more...
SEC: Conference King Once Again
By Patrick Snow It’s an argument that will never end-whose Conference is better? Fans will debate this topic vociferously every season, and the answer always tends to lie close to your address. I’m not sure that the Bowl games are the best way to evaluate read more...
Coaching Carousel
By Patrick Snow The end of the college football season always brings with it unfulfilled goals which translates into coaching changes. There has been quite a bit of movement in our region. Some of the firings were inevitable while others showed us just how unrealistic read more...
College Football: More Balanced Than Ever
By Patrick Snow As a kid growing up in the South, the question of whether you liked college or professional football better just would not have been asked. The NFL was always watched and enjoyed, but it never compared to the passion and excitement of Saturdays read more...
NFL Label Book: Overrated
By Patrick Snow Just like many a bad segment of talk radio, another ‘label’ book was recently released into America to get football fans arguing with each other. We have Philly-based ESPN field reporter Sal Paolantonio to thank for this latest read more...
The Great Southern Sportswriters Series
Writing and storytelling have always been deeply ingrained in Southern culture. The people that combined that art with the Swampland Footprint's passion for sports make the whole experience more special and unique. Swampland Sports is proud to offer this series of read more...
Ron Higgins, (Memphis) Commerical Appeal
A Modest Proposal: Southern College Conference Realignment
Now that Swampland Sports has launched Tribal Fever (TF), our dispatch dedicated to college sports in the South, we figured it was time to do weigh in on the current state of college football conferences. The college football conference landscape in the read more...
W.C. Handy Music Festival, Florence, Alabama, July 22-29
“If Beale Street could talk Married men would have to take up their beds and walk…” Beale Street Blues W. C. Handy wrote those words when he was read more...
John Hammond
by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2007 After three decades, John Hammond proves he's still a vital performer in American music. One of the very few white blues musicians performing at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid-'60s, he found read more...
Cowboy Jack Clement
COWBOY JACK CLEMENT CASH, PRIDE, SUN and POLKA by Michael Buffalo Smith May, 2006 Cowboy Jack Clement is a true Nashville legend if ever there was one. From his days working at Sun Studios, to writing hit songs for read more...
Luther Dickinson 2006
Luther Dickinson Of The North Mississippi Allstars By Derek Halsey May 2006 The self-described ‘world boogie’ sounds of the North Mississippi Allstars have been flowing out of this trio for ten read more...
Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars)
LUTHER DICKINSON TALKS ABOUT HIS DAD'S MUSICAL LEGACY, ELECTRIC BLUE WATERMELON AND TOURING WITH JOHN HIATT By James Calemine October 2005 Luther Dickinson called me from Texas while the North Mississippi Allstars bus rolled read more...
John D. Wyker's Cat Tales - Dan Penn
A DAN PENN CAT TALE by JD Wyker April, 2005 Conway Twitty's version of "Is A Bluebird Blue" was real important to Dan Penn...or should I say Wallace Pennington..It was the first real money he made as a read more...
Tony Joe White
TONY JOE WHITE: THE SWAMP FOX by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2004 Tony Joe White is an American treasure. In 1969, Tony Joe came bursting out of the read more...
Tom Dowd
From The Manhattan Project to the Allman Brothers Band An Interview with Tom Dowd by Michael Buffalo Smith Fall 2002 Okay. We know that he has produced some of the greatest records in the read more...
Tom Dowd Memorial
TOM DOWD The Legendary Producer Dies on October 27, 2002 By Derek Halsey Last May I was invited to be backstage at the Grand Ole Opry as the guest of the excellent country and western singer, Joni Harms, whom I had interviewed read more...
Travis Wammack
"SCRATCHY" WAS JUST THE BEGINNING Travis Wammack is Still Rocking May, 2001 by Michael B. Smith We can think of no better introduction to our exclusive interview than the following article from ROLLING read more...
Stanley Booth: Can I Get A Witness
Can I Get A Witness The True Adventures of Stanley Booth By James Calemine Winter 2000 Jack Kerouac was a writer. That is, he wrote. Many people who call themselves writers and have their names on books aren’t read more...
Bobby Whitlock
Layla, and Many Other Songs of Love Bobby Whitlock Talks About Derek & The Dominos, Duane Allman, Gram Parsons, Eric Clapton and more... by Mitch Lopate Winter 2000 I see you released a new album on the read more...
Delaney Bramlett
DELANEY, CLAPTON, ALLMAN AND FRIENDS A Conversation with Delaney Bramlett by Mitch Lopate Fall 2000 Be sure to read our read more...
Bonnie Bramlett
Don't You Remember You Told Me You Loved Me Baby? A Conversation with Bonnie Bramlett by Jill McLane Smith Summer 2000 From her work with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, to her friendships with a who's-who of '60's and read more...
Koko Taylor
Praise the Bridge that Carried You Across An Audience with The Queen of the Blues by Michael Buffalo Smith 2000 I understand that Koko is a nickname. How did you come to be called Koko?