Memphis is one of the most important music cities on earth. It's the home of the blues on Beale Street, the birthplace of rock and roll at Sun Studio and the heart of Southern soul at Stax. For players, Memphis still delivers: blues jams nearly every night of the week, a Sunday jam at one of the Delta's last juke joints, a monthly jazz session at a converted Sears warehouse and stages where local musicians can play right on Beale. This guide covers Memphis's history, its music scene and venues, and where to find open mics and open jams.
A Brief History of Memphis
The high bluffs above the Mississippi River were home to the Chickasaw Nation, and the Chickasaw Bluffs were a strategic site long contested by the French, Spanish and Americans. In 1819, John Overton, James Winchester and future president Andrew Jackson founded Memphis, naming it after the ancient Egyptian capital on the Nile.
Memphis grew into the largest inland cotton market in the world, built on enslaved labor before the Civil War and on sharecropping after it. Yellow fever epidemics in the 1870s devastated the city; the 1878 outbreak killed thousands and caused Memphis to briefly lose its city charter. Beale Street became the commercial and cultural center of Black life in the Mid-South.
In 1968, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. came to Memphis to support striking sanitation workers and was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel, now the National Civil Rights Museum. Today Memphis is a hub for logistics (FedEx is headquartered here), health care and tourism, and its music heritage draws visitors from around the world.
The Memphis Music Scene
In 1912, bandleader W.C. Handy published "The Memphis Blues," and his work on Beale Street earned him the title "Father of the Blues." Jug bands, Delta bluesmen and future legends like B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf and Bobby "Blue" Bland all passed through Memphis. At Sun Studio, Sam Phillips recorded Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins, and many consider "Rocket 88," cut there in 1951, the first rock and roll record.
In the 1960s, Stax Records gave the world Otis Redding, Booker T. & the M.G.'s, Sam & Dave and Isaac Hayes, while Hi Records produced Al Green's classic soul. Memphis later became a pioneering force in Southern hip-hop through groups like Three 6 Mafia.
Today the Blues Foundation runs the Blues Hall of Fame and the annual International Blues Challenge, which brings hundreds of bands from around the world to Beale Street each January. The Beale Street Music Festival kicks off Memphis in May, the free Levitt Shell hosts dozens of concerts a year, and the Stax Music Academy trains the next generation.
Popular Live Music Venues in Memphis
- FedExForum – The downtown arena for major tours.
- The Orpheum Theatre – A grand 1928 theater on Beale Street for Broadway and concerts.
- Levitt Shell (Overton Park) – A historic outdoor bandshell, site of Elvis's first paid concert in 1954, with free concerts.
- Minglewood Hall and Hi-Tone – Popular rooms for touring and local rock, indie and hip-hop.
- Beale Street clubs – B.B. King's Blues Club, Rum Boogie Café and others offer live blues nightly.
- Lafayette's Music Room (Overton Square) – A two-level club with live music every night and a Monday blues jam.
- Crosstown Arts / The Green Room (Crosstown Concourse, 1350 Concourse Ave.) – An arts center in a converted Sears building, with a monthly jazz jam.
- Hernando's Hide-A-Way (3210 Old Hernando Rd.) – A legendary honky-tonk near Graceland, reopened by country singer Dale Watson in 2019.
- Wild Bill's – A beloved North Memphis juke joint known for late weekend nights and a Sunday blues jam.
Open Mics and Open Jams in Memphis
Memphis's jam scene is built on the blues, with a jam most nights of the week, while the city's jazz and open mic scenes center on arts spaces and coffee shops. Below are the standout events, followed by a schedule.
Before you go: Open mics and jams change hosts, nights and venues often. Always check the venue's or host's website or social media before heading out with your gear.
Blues Jams
- Monday Blues Jam at Lafayette's Music Room (Overton Square) – A weekly Monday jam in Midtown's busiest entertainment district.
- Wednesday Blues Jam at Neil's Music Room – Hosted by Elmo and The Shades.
- Thursday Blues Jam at Rockhouse – Thursdays at 7:30 p.m., hosted by Brad Webb.
- Sunday Blues Jam at Wild Bill's – Sunday afternoons, roughly 4:00 p.m. until early evening, no cover. A chance to play in a true Delta juke joint. Confirm the current schedule and location.
- Thursday Blues Jam at Red's Coldwater BBQ (Coldwater, Mississippi) – About 40 minutes south, with the House Blend Band.
Jazz
- Green Room Jazz Jam Session at Crosstown Arts (1350 Concourse Ave.) – Monthly, usually on a Tuesday. Doors at 7:00 p.m., music at 7:30 p.m. Each month a different host leads the session, recently the Alex Upton Quartet, Morrell Pruitte Jr., Halimah Muhammad, Kenny Reed and University of Memphis combos. Young players and veterans share the stage. $7 for listeners; free for participating musicians.
Open Mics and Open Stages
- Open mics at Crosstown Arts – The Green Room hosts periodic curated open mics for singers, songwriters, rappers and poets, with five-minute slots and featured guests.
- Belltower Coffee Open Mic (525 S. Highland St.) – Third Tuesdays, 4:00–6:00 p.m. Free, all ages, sign up on site. Confirm the current schedule.
- Thee Wednesday Open Mic at Brinson's (341 Madison Ave.) – Wednesdays, 7:00–10:00 p.m., hosted by Mak of Memphis. Music, poetry and comedy. Confirm before going.
- A. Schwab's Weekend Juke Joint for Local Artists (163 Beale St.) – A free open stage that lets local musicians perform on Beale Street during special summer weekends. Watch Downtown Memphis's calendar for dates.
- International Blues Challenge open mics – During the IBC each January, Beale Street venues host open mics and jams where visiting musicians from around the world sit in.
Memphis Open Jam & Open Mic Schedule at a Glance
| Day | Event | Venue | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | Blues Jam (4 p.m., confirm) | Wild Bill's | Blues |
| Monday | Blues Jam | Lafayette's Music Room | Blues |
| Tuesday (monthly) | Jazz Jam Session (7:30 p.m.) | Crosstown Arts Green Room | Jazz |
| Tuesday (3rd) | Open Mic (4 p.m.) | Belltower Coffee | All Styles |
| Wednesday | Blues Jam | Neil's Music Room | Blues |
| Wednesday (confirm) | Thee Wednesday Open Mic (7 p.m.) | Brinson's | Music / Poetry / Comedy |
| Thursday | Blues Jam (7:30 p.m.) | Rockhouse | Blues |
| Thursday | Blues Jam (6 p.m.) | Red's Coldwater BBQ, Coldwater, MS | Blues |
| January | IBC open mics and jams | Beale Street | Blues |
Tips for Playing Memphis Open Mics and Jams
- Know your blues forms. Shuffles, slow blues and soul grooves in common keys are the backbone of Memphis jams.
- Respect the house band. Many jams are run by veteran musicians; listen, follow the bandleader's cues and keep solos tight.
- Visit the history. Sun Studio, Stax Museum and the Blues Hall of Fame are essential stops for any musician.
- Mind the heat. Memphis summers are hot and humid; never leave instruments in a parked car.
Helpful Local Resources
- Memphis Flyer (memphisflyer.com) – Weekly music listings and coverage.
- Tennessee Blues Society (tennesseebluessociety.com) – A list of Memphis-area blues jams.
- Crosstown Arts (crosstownarts.org) – Jazz jams, open mics and concerts.
- Choose901 (choose901.com) and Downtown Memphis (downtownmemphis.com) – Event calendars.
