A vibrant tribute to the rich and unique culture of Memphis, Beale Street is the most visited tourist attractionin Tennessee. But just like the soulful blues ballads that callBeale home, the history of this downtown district echoes with hardship and heartache. From the transcendent sounds of W.C. Handy to the rubble of crumbling buildings and a miraculous rebirth, Beale Street has undergone many incarnations. In this remarkable firsthand account, author John Elkington takes readers on an incredible journey of revitalization that few believed possible when he embarked upon the task in the early 1980s. Step inside the drama ofpolitics, the exhausting planning stages, collapsing landmarks and the hunt for the great B.B. King, and witness a living testament to the power of devotion and theenchantment of revival.

John A. Elkington is the president and CEO of PerformaEntertainment Real Estate, Inc., one of the top companies in the urban redevelopment field. He has served on the board of the National Civil Rights Museum, the National Slavery Museum and the Center City Commission. He also served as the chairman of the Memphis and Shelby County Land Use Control Board. His many awards and accolades include the Blue Note Award from the National Blues Foundation for support of the blues music community and the A.W. WillisPreservation Award from the Memphis Heritage Foundation. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University and University of Memphis Law School.