In music, personal familiarity is often the source of inspiration. But that\u2019s not universally true. Outsiders on occasion have insights that others miss.<\/p>\n
Though not the norm, that\u2019s actually not too terribly uncommon. Robbie Robertson \u2013 who wrote much of the Band\u2019s work that forms a tableau of America, including \u201cThe Weight\u201d, \u201cUp on Cripple Creek\u201d, and \u201cThe Night they Drove Old Dixie Down\u201d \u2013 was Canadian. John Kay of Steppenwolf was born in a part of Germany now ruled by the Soviet Union, and raised in Canada; Steppenwolf’s music is about as American as you can get.<\/p>\n
So it should come as no big surprise that an outsider on occasion can \u201cget it\u201d \u2013 and write music that perfectly reflects a time and place that they didn\u2019t themselves experience growing up. It\u2019s not that common, but it can happen.<\/p>\n
Yeah, this is another kinda off-topic musical \u201cwalkabout\u201d. Consider yourself warned. (smile) <\/p>\n
. . .<\/strong> <\/p>\n Having grown up in the South, I think I can say that it\u2019s pretty hard to be more of an outsider there than to be a Jewish guy who grew up in a large Northeastern city. And it\u2019s also hard to be more uniquely Southern, musically, than Delta Blues \u2013 of which Memphis is the heartland.<\/p>\n Rock and roll traces its roots to the confluence of Delta Blues and country. And if anyplace is rock and roll\u2019s birthplace, that would be Memphis – specifically, the Memphis Recording Service, AKA “Sun Studios”, at 706 Union Avenue.<\/p>\n Yet it was a Jewish guy from Cleveland \u2013 Marc Kohn – who managed IMO to perhaps best capture the spirit and history of the place. Go figure.<\/p>\n The result was also something IMO truly special. <\/p>\n