Beale Street: Resurrecting the Home of the Blues

A vibrant tribute to the rich and unique culture of Memphis, Beale Street is the most visited tourist attraction in Tennessee. But just like the soulful blues ballads that call Beale home, the history of this downtown district echoes with hardship and heartache. From the transcendent sounds of W.C. Handy to the rubble of crumbling buildings and a miraculous rebirth, Beale Street has undergone many incarnations.

In this remarkable firsthand account, author John Elkington takes readers on an incredible journey of revitalization that few believed possible when he embarked upon the task in the early 1980s. Step inside the drama of politics, the exhausting planning stages, collapsing landmarks and the hunt for the great B.B. King, and witness a living testament to the power of devotion and the enchantment of revival.