Marc Cohn was stuck. It was 1985, and his career was basically flatlining in New York City. He was doing session work, backing up other artists, and feeling like the songs he wanted to write just weren't coming. Then he read an interview with James Taylor. Taylor mentioned that whenever he hit a wall, he’d go somewhere he’d never been, hoping the change of scenery would kickstart his brain.
Cohn didn’t just go to a new city. He went to a different world. He flew to Memphis, Tennessee, and that trip eventually birthed the marc cohn walking in memphis song, a track that didn't just save his career—it defined it.
The Memphis Pilgrimage
Honestly, the song is a literal travelogue. Cohn wasn't trying to be metaphorical; he was just reporting what he saw. He landed, rented a car, and started hitting the landmarks. He saw the statue of W.C. Handy, the "Father of the Blues," in the park on Beale Street. He did the whole Graceland thing too, though he later admitted he felt a bit weird about the Elvis references because he didn't want it to seem like a tribute act.
But the real magic happened when he left the city limits.
Following a tip from a friend, Cohn drove about 35 miles south across the Mississippi border to Robinsonville. He was looking for a place called the Hollywood Cafe. It was a "catfish and fried-pickle eatery" (they actually claim to have invented the fried pickle there). That’s where he met Muriel.
Who Was the Real Muriel?
Muriel Davis Wilkins was a retired schoolteacher from Arkansas who played piano at the Hollywood Cafe on Friday nights to make some extra cash. She was in her 60s, soulful, and had no idea who this Jewish kid from Cleveland was.
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They talked during her break. Cohn told her about his life—how his mother had died when he was only two, and his father ten years later. He was a guy carrying a lot of ghosts. Muriel listened, then invited him up to play.
"She was saying the lyrics in my ear as I was singing," Cohn later recalled.
They played gospel standards. They played "Amazing Grace." And then came the line that everyone remembers. She asked him, "Tell me, are you a Christian, child?" and Cohn, feeling the absolute weight of the moment and the music, replied, "Ma'am, I am tonight!"
He didn't actually convert. He’s Jewish and has always been open about that. But in that room, under those lights, the music made him feel something spiritual that transcended his own upbringing. It was a "come to Jesus" moment without the actual Jesus part—just pure, raw connection.
The Reverend Al Green and the Full Gospel Tabernacle
The song also mentions "Reverend Green." That’s not a character; that’s the legendary Al Green. By the mid-80s, the soul singer had famously left secular music behind to lead the Full Gospel Tabernacle Church in Memphis.
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Cohn actually went there. He sat in the pews and watched Al Green preach and sing. It wasn't a performance for tourists; it was a high-energy, sweat-soaked service. Between the Hollywood Cafe and the Reverend's church, Cohn was basically being "baptized" in the blues and gospel traditions of the Delta.
When he got back to New York, the song didn't just pop out. It took time. He tried it on guitar first, but it felt wrong. It wasn't until he sat down at the piano—the same instrument Muriel played—that the "Walking in Memphis" melody finally locked in.
Why the Song Almost Didn't Happen
Believe it or not, the marc cohn walking in memphis song sat on a shelf for years. Cohn was discovered by Carly Simon in the mid-80s, but he didn't get a record deal immediately. When he finally signed with Atlantic Records, his first recording sessions were a disaster. He ended up producing the song himself with Ben Wisch because the "pro" versions sounded too polished.
The track finally dropped in 1991. It hit number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won him a Grammy for Best New Artist in 1992, famously beating out Boyz II Men and Seal.
Myths vs. Reality
People get a lot of things wrong about this track. No, it wasn't written as an Elvis tribute. In fact, Cohn once said he regretted how much Elvis dominated the narrative of the song. To him, the heart of the story is Muriel.
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Sadly, Muriel never got to see the song become a global hit. She died in 1990, just five months before the single was released. Cohn did get to visit her one last time before she passed, playing her a demo of the track. When he asked what she thought, she reportedly liked the part where she was mentioned.
Technical Details of the Memphis Vibe
The song captures a specific geography that you can still visit:
- Beale Street: Still the heart of the blues scene, though much more commercialized now.
- Union Avenue: The road that leads you toward Graceland.
- The Jungle Room: A famous wood-paneled, green-carpeted room inside Elvis’s mansion.
- The Hollywood Cafe: It’s still there in Tunica (Robinsonville), Mississippi. They still serve the catfish and those famous fried pickles.
How to Experience the Song Today
If you're a fan of the track, don't just listen to it on Spotify. Go find the live versions where Cohn talks about the "spiritual awakening" of the trip. He often describes himself as a "Jewish gospel-music-lover," and that tension—the outsider finding a home in someone else's sacred music—is what gives the song its legs.
What you should do next:
- Visit the Hollywood Cafe: If you’re ever near Memphis, drive the 35 miles south to Tunica. Sit where Muriel sat. It’s a pilgrimage for songwriters.
- Listen to Al Green's "The Belle Album": If you want to understand the "Reverend Green" vibe Cohn was chasing, this is the record that bridges his soul and gospel worlds.
- Watch the 1992 Grammy Performance: It’s a masterclass in how a simple piano arrangement can command a room.
The marc cohn walking in memphis song isn't just about a city; it’s about that weird, beautiful moment when you realize that sometimes you have to get lost in a new place to finally find your own voice.