The holiday season is upon us, and we’re making our list and checking it twice. If you haven’t yet found the perfect gifts for everyone on yours, now’s the time. This week, we're presenting a variety of options (15 total) for the men, women, and children (and furry friends!) in your life. The best part: These items are all produced locally. From food and music to books and accessories, this truly “homegrown” gift guide showcases some of Memphis’ makers and is sure to please even the most fickle giftees.
Stax '68: A Memphis Story
from Stax. Stax Records’ roots run deep, and kings and queens of soul recorded hundreds of classics within its walls. This five-disc box set, Stax ’68: A Memphis Story, features a selection of those tracks — more than 120 — from the likes of Isaac Hayes, The Staple Singers, William Bell, Booker T. & The M.G.’s, and Johnnie Taylor. Including a 56-page book with liner notes by Andria Lisle, Robert Gordon, and Steve Greenberg, in addition to never-before-seen photos, this set is a must-have for Memphis music lovers. $69.98.
Available at the Stax Museum, Shangri-La, Memphis Music on Beale, The National Civil Rights Museum, and staxrecords.limitedrun.com.
Memphis Rent Party
by Robert Gordon. Home of the Blues, the Birthplace of Rock-and-Roll, a soul music capital — Memphis has been essential to the birth, growth, and legacy of American music. Celebrated author and Memphis-native Robert Gordon presents this story, a journey with the city’s musical people and places, described by Elvis Costello as “an emotional map of musical Memphis. If you don’t know these characters, let Robert Gordon introduce you.” Hardcover list price, $28; Kindle, $9.99.
Available at select retailers, via the publisher at bloomsbury.com, and amazon.com.
A History of Violence
by Harlan T. Bobo. While not a native Mempian, “Harlan T. Bobo feels like pure Memphis to a lot of music fans,” according to Memphis Flyer music editor Alex Greene. Bobo’s newest LP on Goner Records evokes a side of the artist we haven’t yet seen — with harrowing love songs, hate songs, and hard-won life songs. CD: $12; digital download: $9.
Available at select local music retailers, harlantbobo.bandcamp.com, and goner-records.com.
