Movies: Rufus Thomas

In Memphis, Tennessee, over the course of a single night, the Arcade Hotel, run by an eccentric night clerk and a clueless bellboy, is visited by a young Japanese couple traveling in search of the roots of rock; an Italian woman in mourning who stumb...

The story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, and even earned h...

"Philip Priestley's acclaimed film charts the history of Stax Records, the influential soul and blues record company founded in the 1960s by Jim Stewart and Estelle Axton. Featuring music by an impressive roster of stars, including Otis Redding, Isaa...

Conflict arises in the small town of Holly Springs when an old woman's death causes a variety of reactions among family and friends....

Earl Pilcher Jr. runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died i...

A look into the birth of the soul music scene on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Chronicles the rise of soul music, the creation of many iconic songs, and the effect that the genre would have on generations to come. Featuring interviews with B.B....

A documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the living conditions in the current-day Watts neighborhood....

A film featuring the veteran soul music artists and music of Stax Records. It tells the story of soul, a musical genre that was to have a major influence on other styles of music for decades. Ten legends of soul talk about the beginnings and still sh...

It’s the Summer of 1969. The temperature hovers around 105 degrees on a humid weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s only been a year since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But on this particular weekend, everyone in town, all races, cree...

Blues legends B.B. King and Rufus Thomas, plus Evelyn Young, Gatemouth Moore, Fred Ford, Honeymoon Garner, Booker T. Laury, and others play jam sessions & tell stories about Memphis' Beale Street. Filmed in Memphis in the late 80's, the award-winnin...