The group that makes up the Beale Street Caravan, a syndicated radio show taped in Memphis, is an unusual group that combines humor, interviews and most importantly blues music to produce one of Memphis’ few blues oriented programs.
With weekly broadcasts on almost 300 radio affiliates, both nationally and internationally, the group relies on its wide array of listeners to keep blues music on the air and to show that Memphis is still considered “Home of the Blues.”
The show, which tapes at B.B. King’s on Beale Street Thursday nights, is celebrating their sixth season on the air. Although the Beale Street Caravan tapes its shows locally, Pat Mitchell, co-host of the show, said their program appeals to many areas outside the Memphis city limits.
“We get fan mail from every place you can think of,” Mitchell said. “We’ve gotten mail from places such as Russia, Japan and even get mail from inmates.”
With such success spanning across the globe, the Beale Street Caravan is currently the most widely distributed blues radio program in the world. The show began in 1996 after a similar New York-based syndicated blues program, the Blues Stage, was canceled.
Unable to successfully obtain the Blues Stage program, the Blues Foundation, stationed in downtown Memphis, decided to use the idea of a blues oriented show to start their own program. By October of 1996, the Beale Street Caravan was on the air and hasn’t stopped rolling since.
According to Daren Dortin, producer and co-host of the show, the group decided to record their live shows at B.B. King’s Blues Club simply because of its popularity.
“We chose B.B. King’s because everyone recognized it,” Dortin said. “The place is good to do a show because everyone in Memphis knows the location.”
A typical program is anchored by live performances at B.B. King’s. Every week featured musicians are interviewed by Mitchell and Dortin from the club’s main stage. During summer months, the Caravan usually travels to various blues festivals across the country to record a season’s worth of performances.
Although blues music plays a huge role in her life now, as a child, Mitchell said she did not appreciate it until much later.
“When I was younger, I used to think that blues was my grandmother’s music,” Mitchell said. “Now, I don’t think you can be a music fan and not listen to the blues.”
Aside from the music played during the show’s live recordings, Mitchell said her favorite aspect of the show is conversing with the performers.
“Interviewing guests is fun because I really get to see their true personality,” Mitchell said. “During interviews, I get to see who they really are and what makes them tick.”
Dortin also added that although the show primarily focuses on the blues, it is not restricted to only one type of music. The program often features different genres such as rhythm and blues and folk music.
Although the show is better known for the music, both Dortin and Mitchell agree that the interaction between the two on-air gives the program a more natural feel. In turn, it makes the show more enjoyable for fans to listen to.
“When we are on the air, it seems like we are just having a conversation, just the two of us talking” Dortin said. “We are good friends outside of the office and I think the audience can hear it.”
Memphians can catch a ride on the Beale Street Caravan in two ways: attend a live show or tune in on local radio. The show tapes every Thursday night at B.B. King’s Blues Club. The program is also broadcasted four times a week on three Memphis radio stations. The show can be heard Saturdays at 9 p.m. on WKNO-FM 91.1, Tuesdays at noon, Thursdays at 9 a.m. on WEVL-FM 89.9 and Wednesdays at 6 p.m. on WUMR-FM 91.7.
