Music That Changed the World

Memphis · Tupelo · Clarksdale

Music That Changed the World

We have seen and done so much in the past few days it is almost impossible to convey. I will confine this post to musical experiences—and even this will need to be in digest form.

August 21, 2026 · Words and photographs by Michael Berglund

Sun Studio

Toured this famous spot in Memphis. Stood in the studio on the very spot where Elvis recorded “That’s All Right.” And the world was never the same. I don’t think that’s an overstatement.

If that’s not enough, this is where Howlin’ Wolf made his recordings. Those records crossed the pond to England, where they caught the fancy of some young boys—Mick and Keith… Jimmy and Robert… Eric—and they covered the songs and kinda started a thing. 🙂

Mick and Keith named their new band after Muddy Waters’ “Rollin’ Stone.” And Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Ike Turner… this is the birthplace of every piece of music made since.

Sun Records display of Elvis Presley's That's All Right — The record that cracked the world open.

Michael and Paula pointing to the marked spot where Elvis stood — The X marks the spot. Really.

Michael singing dramatically into the microphone at Sun Studio

Paula singing into the microphone at Sun Studio

Then Tupelo

We went to Elvis’ birthplace. The tiny two-room house is still there. Well preserved. Amazing.

Paula sitting on the porch of Elvis Presley's birthplace — A very small beginning.

Bronze statues showing Elvis as a boy and performer — Becoming Elvis.

Axel beside the Elvis at 13 statue — Axel meets Elvis at 13.

A restroom television showing Elvis — Elvis is everywhere in Tupelo. Everywhere.

Another musical earthquake

We are camped in Clarksdale about a mile from where Muddy Waters was first recorded, and changed the blues and everything after. We stood on the spot where his cabin was. Then saw the cabin reconstructed in the Delta Blues Museum.

Stovall Plantation

Standing where Muddy was first recorded

Alan Lomax recorded Muddy Waters here in 1941 for the Library of Congress. The remains of the cabin are now preserved at the Delta Blues Museum.

Mississippi Blues Trail →

The Riverside

We toured the Riverside Hotel in Clarksdale, one of the only places where Black people could stay in Mississippi before the civil rights era. Here Ike Turner rehearsed “Rocket 88”… then they drove to Memphis and recorded what is often called the first rock-and-roll song ever. Then drove back and slept here again.

So many famous musicians stayed in this place. It is currently being renovated and preserved. A landmark.

A Riverside Hotel family descendant showing Paula historic photographs — Inside the Riverside Hotel, with a descendant of the family that made it a refuge and a landmark.

And then there was the living music

That doesn’t touch the bars and music we went into on Beale Street, the juke joints in Clarksdale, or the harmonica shop where we had an impromptu blues concert and a beer.

Michael and Paula at the Crossroads — The Crossroads.

A band at Ground Zero Blues Club — Ground Zero.

Inside Deak Harp's shop — Deak Harp’s glorious little universe.

Michael and Paula listening to live blues at Red's — Red’s. Late enough to howl.

This whole place—where Black history meets music history, meets American history—and the world was changed forever. Seismic.

That’s the incredibly condensed version. Seriously, it’s dumb how much I have left out and how inadequate this post is. More to come on food, history, culture. We are overwhelmed by this area.