MUSIC IN THE AIR AT MEMPHIS

When people think of Memphis, Tenn., they think of B.B. King and the blues. But this city of more than 600,000 people is also known for Elvis Presley and the birth of rock 'n' roll.

The blend of these music genres and others will come together in this year's Beale Street Music Festival that begins its three-day run tomorrow.

The festival kicks off the 24th annual Memphis in May International Festival that features a variety of events throughout the month.

Memphis in May began with the vision of Lyman Aldrich, a business consultant, and a group of volunteers in 1976 to generate city pride and to encourage tourism and international commerce.

Aldrich, president of the Memphis in May, recalled in a recent interview that Memphis and the nation were in a recession in the mid-1970s.

In his 30s at the time, he said his idea of a festival was to highlight what made Memphis famous, its music.

In 1976, he said, the Beale Street area was closed and in disrepair. Except for a general store, most of the area was behind chain-link fences.

Because of the city's blues heritage and Beale Street's role in the development of the blues, Aldrich, then in the real-estate investment business, chose the setting for the first music festival at Third and Beale streets.

Blues legend B.B. King, a renowned club player at the time, was the first featured performer. King has since established a club on Beale Street.

The festival has grown from that corner on Beale Street to 138,000 people last year attending the music festival at Tom Lee Park where Beale Street meets the Mississippi River. The park's capacity is 150,000 people.

From B.B. King being the first festival's headliner, there will be 65 performers headlining this year's festival. They will perform on five stages in the park.

And the artists will be a splattering of the top acts representing classic rock, alternative rock, contemporary music, soul, R&B, gospel and, of course, the blues.

What started on a $50,000 budget has developed into a $5.5 million festival with events and activities throughout the month.

The music festival over the years has expanded from its blues base to include a smorgasbord of musical tastes this year, with the classic rock sounds of The Allman Brothers and George Thorogood and the alternative rock flavorings of Creed and Widespread Panic.

Contemporary hitmakers Bryan Adams and the Foo Fighters will appear, as will the legendary soul and R&B stylings of Isaac Hayes, John Lee Hooker and Percy Sledge.

The diversity of this year's lineup include Little Richard, Average White Band, the Ike Turner Review and Los Lobos.

Recent Grammy nominees Susan Tedeschi and Randy Newman will also perform.

On Sunday in the Gospel Tent, gospel favorites the Blind Boys of Alabama, the Tennessee Mass Choir and The Associates will perform.

One of the groups performing all three days at the Beale Street Music Festival is Euphoria, a rock band from India.

During the music festival, there also will be a marketplace of products from India, called the India Market.

Aldrich said the festival has partially met his goals for it.

He would like to see it sold out, and then add another day to the festival.

He envisions people from other countries taking weeklong or two-week tours through America's Mid-South in which they would visit Memphis for the music festival, St. Louis for a baseball game and Nashville for its country music.

While the Beale Street Musical Festival draws people to Memphis, it is only the start of the monthlong Memphis in May celebration. There are festivals each weekend this month.

Next week is International Week with a variety of activities scheduled to highlight the culture, history, and people of India.

During the International Week, there will be a seminar on exporting products to India, the world's second most populous nation.

There will be a daylong seminar at the Wang Center for International Business at the University of Memphis May 11 on the information technology industry of India.

Aldrich said India makes more than 50 percent of the world's software, and dignitaries and technology leaders from both the United States and India will attend the seminars.

The India Showcase will be on display at the Cook Convention Center, and there will be galas, art exhibitions and visits from dignitaries from India during the festival.

The showcase looks at the potential of India as a partner in commerce.

Along with these, there will be musical entertainment and dance groups from India.

EVENTS PLANNED IN MEMPHIS DURIN THIS MONTH:

Beale Street Music Festival: May 5-7

International Week: May 8-14

World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest: May 18-20

Great Southern Food Festival featuring the Sunset Symphony: May 27-28

For more information, call (901) 525-4611 or visit www.memphisinmay.org