Kara Grainger: That’s How I Got to Memphis Review
As a young, up-and-coming artist in the Sydney, Australia music scene, Kara Grainger based her early sound on soul and blues. She probably couldn’t have fathomed recording her fifth solo album at the legendary Royal Studios in Memphis. Soul legends Al Green and Ann Peebles, as well as icons Rod Stewart, Bobby Bland, and Keith Richards, have all graced its halls. For this project, she would be joined by renowned Memphis producer Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, whose grandfather founded Royal Studios. Mitchell boasts an impressive résumé that includes Green, Richards, Peebles, Buddy Guy, John Mayer, The Neville Brothers, Robert Plant, U2, Melissa Etheridge, North Mississippi Allstars, and many more. In 2016, he won a Grammy Award for Record of the Year. Mitchell brought in the famous house band from the ’60s and ’70s, the Hi Rhythm Section. The Hi Rhythm Section has provided the backing grooves for countless hit songs and appeared on nearly 20 gold and platinum albums.
Grainger, now a Nashville native, had to be pinching herself. As she put it, “Al Green and Ann Peebles are amongst my absolute favorite artists of all time. It was an extremely easy decision to work with Boo after meeting him by chance in Nashville two years ago. When he told me that the Hi Rhythm Section were also willing to do the record, I was even more excited. Recording with these musicians, who were responsible for so much of the music that I’ve grown up with and absolutely love, was such an honor and an incredible experience.” Grainger herself is an accomplished artist with three decades in the business.
Given the incredible legacy going into this album, there couldn’t be a better title than That’s How I Got to Memphis. Grainger’s previous albums have had a southern groove with blues and Americana influences, and are all fine listens. This one has a different feel to it. It oozes classic soul and R&B, layered perfectly with Kara’s sultry voice and considerable guitar skills, which have earned her a few Bonnie Raitt comparisons.
The album opens with Texas Blues, a tone-setting track featuring Kara Grainger’s powerful vocals accompanied by soulful, horn-laden arrangements. This song serves as a heartfelt posthumous tribute to her inspirational Texas blues icons Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Smokin’ Joe Kubek. The title track, Tom T. Hall’s That’s How I Got to Memphis, is transformed into Kara’s soulful analogy of her musical journey to Royal Studios, complete with gospel-infused backing vocals and robust organ tones. Light Your Fire is a standout track sure to be a hit with classic rock-leaning fans, thanks to its haunting, inspirational message to “set your soul on fire,” reinforced by smoldering Grainger slide work. On the softer side, the album offers Wake Up With You, a smoky lullaby with a soulful groove, and Lessons, where you’ll hear exactly why Kara draws those Bonnie Raitt comparisons.
Doodle Loop (The World Is a Little Bit Under the Weather), a cover from The Meters, is a fun nod to the NOLA funk that inspired her early on. In Love Played a Game, Grainger pays tribute to Ann Peebles, who co-wrote and recorded the song nearly 30 years ago. Kara channels a bit of Bessie Smith on Mama Said, delivering a playful “runaway train on a wrong-way track” scolding. Grainger delivers a nice, fuzzy slide lead on Same Old River, a song that reflects on shifting circumstances but enduring struggles: “Same old river, different water.”
This album feels like the culmination of influences that have been building throughout Grainger’s musical journey. Her 2008 debut Grand and Green River spent 38 weeks in the Americana Top 30. Her 2018 collaboration with Anders Osborne on Living with Your Ghost peaked at #3 on the Billboard Blues Album Chart. Yet That’s How I Got to Memphis may be her strongest effort yet—a refined evolution that proves she’s more than just an exceptional slide guitarist. She’s a complete artist who understands the deep soul of American roots music.
For fans who like their blues smooth but powerful, refined but not overproduced, this is essential listening. It’s an album that honors tradition while sounding fresh and contemporary, a seamless blend of Grainger’s artistic DNA and classic Memphis soul, done to perfection.
The Review: 9/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Texas Blues
– That’s How I Got To Memphis
– Light Your Fire
– Mama Said
– Doodle Loop (The World Is A Little Bit Under The Weather)
– Same Old River
The Big Hit
– Texas Blues
