The Story behind Blue Tattoo: Memphis Blues, plugged in.

Memphis, a city steeped in musical history, is often celebrated as the birthplace of blues music. Among its many vibrant stories is the tale of Blue Tattoo. This unique musical ensemble unites long time Memphian ambitious new arrivals to form a powerhouse musical entity that channels the blues, Memphis-style. Think of Delta grind envisioned through a Stax groove. 

The Origins of Blue Tattoo

Blue Tattoo came to be when Tom Stafford, founding member of the Memphis Blues Society, returned to Memphis from Louisiana in the summer of 2025 and sought out the company of fellow musicians at the weekly Memphis Blues Society open mic. Meeting long-time harmonica sideman Gary Wagoner and drummer Curt Fields from an earlier music venture led to the nexus of the band, and critical mass was attained with the addition of new Memphian Jim Welsh on bass, lately arrived from Richmond, Virginia. Playing together improvisationally at the open mic led to the generation of the band concept, all taking place during 2025. 

A Unique Concept

The concept of Blue Tattoo was born out of a desire to intermingle classic blues songs widely known and appreciated by local audiences with a robust original composition process. This strategy led us to the recording studio in late 2025, engaging storied Memphis engineer Kevin Houston to track our debut album at Ward Archer's studio in the Cooper-Young district of Memphis. Mastered by Rasbury Recoding in Charlottesville, Virgina, the resulting work, The Cooper Young Sessions, arrived in late Spring of 2026 and serves as our demonstration concept. 

The Influence of Memphis Blues

Memphis blues is characterized by its soulful melodies and heartfelt lyrics and by the confluence of the rough Delta sound with the smooth Stax R&B vibe. It has influenced countless musicians and artists around the world. With Blue Tattoo, the influence of this genre is evident in the artwork and the atmosphere of our album and performances. Find samples of our music on our YouTube channel: @BlueTattooMemphis.