The Gallina Exchange Building

Gallina Exchange Building

The Pride Of Beale Street 

When you stroll down Beale Street you can't help but notice a building that is being held up by six steel girders.  As you look closer you then notice it also has no walls and roof.  Then upon closer inspection you notice a sign stating "Beware Irish Diving Goats".  You then ask yourself "What is this place?"

To find the answer you have to travel back over 120 years ago to 1891 when this building was built.  Beale Street had a completely different feel and was still lined with mansions at one end.  A time even before W.C. Handy and the blues were on Beale Street.  

In 1891 Memphis had many things to celebrate but the biggest was that they were now a city again. In 1878 Memphis lost two-thirds of it's population as people fled from the yellow fever epidemic. When this happened Memphis lost it's city charter and became a taxing district of the State of Tennessee.  

Memphis was also the home to a thirty-one year old judge and magistrate for Shelby County by the name of Charles Gallina.  Not much is known of Judge Gallina except that he loved horse racing.  The judge must of loved horse racing because he owned up to seventeen racehorses at one time.  He was also a regular at Montgomery Race Track and North Memphis Driving Track.  These were the hottest places in town to bet on horse races.  

 Montgomery Race Track

By 1891 Judge Gallina must of been making a lot of money from horse racing because he decided to hire local architect B.C Alsup to build The Gallina Exchange Building.  This was not going to be any ordinary building.  He wanted the best establishment on Beale Street.  

Gallina Exchange Building With Walls And A Roof

By the time it was completed it was a three-story 24/7 saloon complete with a gambling hall with walnut paneling.  This judge had style.  Not only is he involved in race horsing, he now has his hand in a gambling hall.  This guy just keeps getting more interesting.  It also sounds like he was a family man because he decided to move his entire family into the third floor.  I think child services would of had a field day with this guy.  

On the second floor the judge would hold court.  I'm not sure that would be the place I'd want to go if I knew I had to go to court.  At least if you lost your case you could go downstairs and partake in the libations.  

The Gallina Exchange Building was also a hotel with 20 rooms each complete with a marble fireplace.  This is why it was the Pride Of Beale Street.  It was also very popular with the Grand Opera House crowd and many of the traveling actors would stay here.  

The judge would enjoy about 13 years living in this grand palace that he built.  Then in 1914 he passed away.  Over the years it would become the home to a pharmacy, clothing store and dentist's office.  

In 1980 a fire swept through the building and gutted the interior.  Those six steel girders were then placed to hold up the building.  Then a windstorm caused the collapse of the rear and side walls and now you are left with what you see today.  

Silky O'Sullivan

Sometime in the 1990's Silky O' Sullivan's moved to this location and made the open area their patio.  If you have ever been to Silky's you always know it's going to be a fun time.  I mean where else can you buy a gallon of booze for only $18.  

On that spacious patio you will also find a Walk Of Fame including hand prints and signatures of such greats as Bob Hope, Ella Fitzgerald, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Donny Osmond, Danny Thomas and other stars.  

Irish Diving Goats

The one thing you can't miss on that patio is the Irish Diving Goats.  Their names are Angelina and Xena.  Their actually South African Boer goats.  Don't ask me why or how I know this.  

They also make this patio their home.  I'm sure they get a kick at watching the antics of the people of Beale Street.  They also used to drink beer but that was stopped by PETA after they saw it on The Tonight Show.

A hundred years after Judge Gallina left the building it's still one of the craziest places on Beale.  It might not have marble fireplaces, gambling or people living in it but they have goats.  I'm sure Judge Gallina would approve of all this craziness.

Don Hosea

Don Hosea

Blue Eyed Soul From Memphis, TN

When you think of Memphis and Rock 'N' Roll four names come to mind right away.  Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Johnny Cash.  When you think of Memphis recording studios three names that come to mind very quickly are Sun, Stax and Hi.  

Today we are going off the unbeaten path away from the major labels, studios and artists and looking at guy you probably never heard of in your life but should of.  His name is Don Hosea.  Plus he just looks cool holding a guitar.  

Don made his way from Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1956 bound for Memphis.  Cape Girardeau at the time had a population of 25,000 and was also the home to a five year old Rush Limbaugh.  There is no evidence whether Don Hosea ever babysat Rush Limbaugh but I'll go ahead and just say he did. It makes for a more interesting story.  

Cape Girardeau is 2 hours south of St. Louis and 3 hours north of Memphis.  Don had to choose whether to go to north and become a Cardinals fan or head south for some of the tastiest barbeque known to man.  He liked the sound of Elvis and the music of Memphis so he made that 3 hour drive to Memphis with just a guitar and some clothes in his car. 

Cotton Club

West Memphis, AR

His first stop was at The Cotton Club which was the most happening club around Memphis and located just across the Mississippi Bridge in Arkansas.  Just look at the picture.  It's apparent that you must bow down to the guitar player in the band or pay the wrath.  The crowd seems to love it.  I also think the guy on the floor wasn't able to get up till many hours later.  

Snearly Ranch Boys

It's obvious they were trying to match their shirts with the drapes

While at The Cotton Club he met Stan Kesler, who was the leader of The Snearly Ranch Boys, and they were the house band at the time.  Stan would be the person to meet if you wanted to make it in the Memphis music scene.  Stan had a lot of connections.  Stan soon offered him a job to become a Snearly Ranch Boy and before he knew it, he was hanging out at Sun with Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana.  When he became a Snearly Ranch Boy I just hope his shirt matched the drapes.

First Record 

It would take him couple of years of being a Snearly Ranch Boy before he would get the chance to record his first record.  In February 1958 he got that chance.  Don released on the Crystal Label a song called Everlasting Love.  Guess who wrote it?  That's right, the leader of The Snearly Ranch Boys, Stan Kessler.  If you are going to make a record you better make sure it is a song written by the guy who gave you your start in Memphis.  

A little history about the Crystal label.  It was owned by Drew Canale who was a pretty big deal in Memphis.  He also owned the National Tobacco Company and Canale Amusement.  You make this guy mad there goes your cigarettes and amusement.  Who do you think he chose to run his record label?  Good ol' Stan.  

The record never did much but was a great start for Don Hosea.  He had been in Memphis for two years and had a record to show for it.  He decided to move away from Crystal records and go to the head man in Memphis, Sam Phillips.

Sam Phillips

In May of 1958 Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records, would eventually give him a shot with an old folk tune called John Henry and a couple of songs that Don wrote himself.  Sam probably should since earlier that month his number one star, Jerry Lee Lewis, was in a lot of trouble for marrying his 13 year old cousin.  Hey what's wrong with that?  

Playing bass for Don on that recording session was his old boss Stan Kesler.  Stan at the time took up residence at Sun and you could find him their at all hours.  Playing guitar on that session was Roland Janes.  He's about to become important to Don very soon.  In the end though Sam decided against releasing the songs.

He would leave Sun and wouldn't record again until August 1960 when the number one song on the Billboard Charts was Tossin' And Turnin' by Bobby Lewis.  He needed something fun just like that if he wanted to make it.  

What did he choose to record?  An old Folk song called John Henry.  The same song from two years ago that Sam Phillips decided to pass on.  John Henry was a steel driving man how could he go wrong with that?

Rita Records was a label formed by Jerry Lee Lewis' guitar player, Roland Janes, and Billy Lee Riley.  See I told you Roland would become important very soon.  All the sides for Rita were recorded at Hi Studio, in Memphis, which would eventually become Royal Studios.  They were famous for recording some guy called Al Green.

  

John Henry by Don Hosea

Click Link To Hear The Song

Give this song a listen and tell me Don didn't make folk fun in 1960.  Even though I love this song the record didn't do much.  Don would eventually go on the road singing for The Bill Black Combo.

In August of 1961 Don got a call from Sam and he wanted to put a record out with him.  Sam loved the song John Henry on the Rita label and decided Don deserved another chance. They just had to decide what to record.  

Sam sent Don over to Echo Studio where he would eventually record his next hit.  Just so you know Echo was located very close to Sun and Sam had part ownership in it but that was kept under wraps.  The song would be recorded here but released on Sun.    

You Don't Love Me

Willie Cobbs was a blues singer from Smale, Arkansas.  A year earlier he had recorded his break through hit for Billy Lee Riley's and Stan Kesler's label, Mojo, titled You Don't Love Me.  There is that Stan guy again.  

The song would become a hit and eventually be released on Vee-Jay Records.  Vee-Jay Records would go on to huge success with Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons in 1962.  Willie's song would eventually be covered by such groups as The Allman Brothers, The Grateful Dead and even Sonny & Cher.  I know what you're thinking but actually the Sonny & Cher's version has a great groove to it.  

Why am I mentioning all this?  Because this would be the song that Don would record for Sun.  He loved rhythm and blues and wanted to give it a shot.  Before anybody else recorded a cover of this tune, Don was first.  I also think his version blows Sonny & Cher's away.

This would be the only record he would release on Sun with a tune called Since I Met You on the B side.  He also changed the title to from You Don't Love Me to Uh Nuh Unh.  Which to me is a cooler name for a song.

Don Hosea Uh Nuh Unh

Click Link To Hear The Song

The record again would do nothing and Don would eventually make his way to Nashville in 1967 leaving Memphis behind.  He would eventually become a songwriter in Nashville with some of his songs being recorded by George Jones, Faron Young and Charlie Pride. 

Don Hosea was once quoted as saying "The Memphis days were the best of all.  We weren't out for money, we were out to entertain.  Now it's all business.  It was fun then.  We'd get in an old limo, have the best time in the world."

This sounds like a guy I would love to hang out with.  I'm not sure where Don is today.  I don't even know if he is still alive.   

I do know the next time I'm on my way to St. Louis and pass through Cape Girardeau, I'm going to think about Don Hosea and the many nights he spent baby sitting Rush Limbaugh.  

Blues City Cafe

Blues City Cafe

One of the things I love to do in Memphis is look at old buildings and try and find out what used to be there.  There are so many interesting buildings as you walk along the streets of Memphis and each one has a story.

The one street that everyone wants to visit is Beale Street.  This is a street with a history of it's own.  It has so many stories that I could fill a page easily with.  Today I just want to focus on one building and that is Blues City Cafe.

As you make the corner from Second Street you are greeted on Beale Street by one of the doorman of Blues City Cafe as they ask you "Do you want the best meal on Beale"?  Of all the establishments that I have ate at on Beale Street, I have never gone wrong with a meal here yet.

Tony's Saloon

You go back a hundred years ago and that corner looked very different.  It was the home to Tony's Saloon.  I don't know who Tony is but it looks like he ran a pretty swanky joint on that corner.  It also looks like he never paid his light bill either.  But who cares everyone knows your name at Tony's Saloon.  This family even decided to bring their baby to Tony's which tells me it either had a great family buffet or that baby loved Tony's Big Beer.  

Blues City Cafe actually occupies three different addresses from 138 Beale to 140 Beale.  As you walk into Blues City Cafe you can make your way down to the Cadillac Room.  The room got it's name from the giant Pink Cadillac that is strapped to the wall.  You got to see this thing.  There is nothing like eating ribs and knowing there is a half ton car above your head.

Hotel Clark 

October 1939

As you make your way down to the next building that is when you make your way to the Blues City Band Box which advertises as having Live Music 7 Days A Week.  This building has a very lively past.  When this building was built in 1916 Woodrow Wilson was President and United States had not yet entered World War I.  

The building was built by Louis Lerner and named The Lerner Building.  Mr. Lerner was a native Memphian and engaged in the loan business at 138 Beale.  It sounds like Mr. Lerner had a couple guys out back which if you didn't pay him back you might not be able to walk home.  

Let's get to the good part of the story and introduce Rosie Butts.  Yes that was her real name and I love it.  In the 1920's Rosie ran a rooming house on the second floor above what is now known as The Blues City Band Box and General Store.   She ran a great establishment on Beale and made sure not to name her son Harry.

She decided to get out of the rooming house game in 1930 and Hartman Clark turned the place into a small hotel with about a dozen rooms.  Some you could even rent by the hour.  By 1935 he named his place Hotel Clark and advertised that his rooms were "for colored only" though such a clarification was hardly needed.  

Count Basie

Hotel Clark was a popular stopover over for Jazz musicians, including Count Basie.  They would rehearse in the rooms and also have after hours jam sessions upstairs.  How cool would it be having  Count Basie playing in the room beside you.  At this time the ground floor was home to pawnshops and stores offering clothing, liquor and jewelry. Everything a musician needs and under one roof.  

Hotel Jackson

In the 1960's Hotel Clark said goodbye to Beale Street and was renamed Hotel Jackson.  By the 1970's and 1980's Beale Street laid dormant with many buildings meeting the wrecking ball.  Though one building didn't and that was The Lerner Building.  

The next time you enter Blues City Cafe and smell those great tasting ribs think back to Tony, Louis Lerner and Count Basie hanging out upstairs rehearsing One O'Clock Jump.

Welcome

Stunning Cunning

The Life Of A Tour Guide, Beale Street Entertainer And All Around Cool Guy

Hello my name is Brandon Cunning and I am your guide to Memphis.  I love this city and everything about it.  This is the birthplace of Rock 'N' Roll.  All it took was one crazy guy by the name of Sam Phillips, some recording equipment and one small room to create an institution.  People from all over the South, United States and even the world travel to Memphis to hear and see where this music was started.

Although I am originally from Pittsburgh, PA I now call Memphis my home.  I spent years as a radio Disc Jockey but always played music.  After making my move to Memphis I took a job as the afternoon drive radio host on an Oldies station in Memphis.  It was a dream come true by playing the music I loved on the air.  I had the highest ratings on the station and spent almost a year there.  Finally the dreaded news came that the station was sold and everybody had to get out.

After the station was sold I made my way to Elvis radio on Sirius XM where I spent about a month on the air.  How cool was it to go to Graceland everyday and play Elvis music.  I was asked to be their weekend guy but actually gave that job up to move over to WHBQ.  If anybody recognizes those call letters it's because that's the station that Dewey Phillips was on when he first spun that famous Elvis song "That's All Right, Mama."

After spending about 3 years at WHBQ I knew it was time to move on and focus more on music.  I started to put together my first band in Memphis.  They called me Stunning Cunning and I said let's just use that.

I have had the band for 5 years in Memphis and couldn't be more happy.  The first couple of years we played every Honky Tonk smoke filled bar between here and Jackson,TN.  I finally got my break a few years back when I was asked to play Blues City Cafe on Beale Street.  I also started to work for one of the best tour company's in Memphis called Backbeat Tours.

It been a great 3 years and looking forward to many more.  I have met some of the best people from all over the world.  I am also looking forward to meeting you too.

I have two bands that I work with and love playing in both.  My first one I personally put together of Rockabilly music lovers called The Stunning Cunning Band.

The second has played Beale Street for years and when their lead singer left I was asked to become their lead singer.  The name of that band is The Memphis 3.