This is America. Гришенкова Е.Г. - 82 стр.

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Memphis, B.B. King still performs with his guitar Lucille at his Beale Street Blues
Club.
Blues was not the only music born in Memphis. Many experts say that rock
and roll music began in the city. Sam Phillips was a white record producer there in
the 1950s. He produced records by local black musicians at his recording company,
Sun Studio. He also produced early recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins,
Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. One day, an eighteen-year-old truck driver came to
his studio to record a song to give to his mother. The young man was Elvis Presley.
Sam Phillips produced Presley’s first real record in 1954. It was called
“That’s All Right.” Many experts consider it to be the first recorded rock and roll
song.
Today, people from across the United States and around the world visit
Memphis. Tourism has become a major industry. The most popular place to visit in
Memphis is Graceland, the home of Elvis Presley.
Presley lived there for twenty years until his death on August 16, 1977. He is
buried on the grounds of Graceland, along with his parents. As many as seven
hundred thousand people visit Graceland every year.
There are other interesting places to visit in Memphis. The Smithsonian
Institution opened the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum two years ago. The museum
explores the music and culture of the city. It shows how blues, country, and soul
music came together in Memphis. It is the Smithsonian’s first permanent exhibition
outside Washington, D.C. and New York City.
There is a large and beautiful hotel in Memphis, called the Peabody. It was
built in 1869. Many famous people have stayed at the Peabody. But it is best known
for some birds that live in a special place on top of the hotel – the Peabody Marching
Ducks. Every morning, the four ducks ride in an elevator down to the first floor. They
march across the main room of the hotel to a small pool of water where they spend
the day. Every afternoon, they leave their pool and march back across the room. They
ride the elevator back up to their home. Two times a day, hundreds of people watch
the Peabody Marching Ducks.
Many people are visiting Memphis to take part in special events held each year
at this time. This celebration is called “Memphis in May International Festival.” Each
year, Memphis honors a different country during International Week, which is being
held this week. The city is honoring Argentina this year with a celebration of its
customs and culture. There will be tango dancing, Argentine food and artwork.
“The Memphis in May International Festival” also celebrates the traditions of
the city. Music, of course, is one tradition. Another is food. Traditional Memphis
food includes barbecued pork that is cooked outdoors over a fire. Other traditional
foods are fried chicken, catfish, fried green tomatoes and pecan pie. Visitors can

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