“It is an honor and privilege to be included in the list of Billboard's Top Music Business Schools with so many other incredible institutions, and we owe a great deal of that to the city of Memphis,” says Dr. John Bass, associate professor of music and director of the Mike Curb Institute for Music at Rhodes College. Bass, who has degrees in Jazz Studies (Masters) and Historical Musicology (Ph.D.), has been at Rhodes for 18 years and is in his twelfth year serving as the director of the Mike Curb Institute for Music.
“Memphis music is a window into the communities and people that make this place special. There is a rich history and tradition, but most people only scratch the surface, and I know this was the case for me,” says Bass. “Names like B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Elvis, Johnny Cash, Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MGs, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Al Green immediately come to mind, and even if we stopped there, it would be amazing. But the story of Memphis music is deeper and more complex.
“Billboard mentioned this connection in their comments about our program, and it is something we are intentional about at Rhodes. The vast majority of our students come from somewhere other than Memphis, and one of our roles at the college is to make the introduction with the hope that new generations of people will come to see themselves as Memphians.”
Founded in 2006 through a generous gift from the Mike Curb Family Foundation, the Curb Institute aims to foster awareness and understanding of the distinct musical traditions of the South. The Curb Institute is built upon the strong liberal arts foundation of Rhodes and the model of experiential learning. The Institute also imparts education on music’s effect on its culture, history, and economy. “Our mission is to engage our students with what Mr. Curb calls the ‘Tennessee Music Miracle,’ and his investment in higher education and the next generations of music professionals should be applauded,” says Bass.
“The historically rich and artistically vibrant city of Memphis is woven into the experience of all students at Rhodes College’s Mike Curb Institute for Music,” said Billboard staff about Rhodes College in a press release. “Deeply rooted in Rhodes’ broader liberal arts focus, the institute aims to produce graduates who not only know how to work in the industry but also how to think broadly about the world.”
“Nearly every genre of music has some kind of root in Memphis,” says Jackson Hendrix, a junior at Rhodes. Hendrix is double majoring in computer science and media studies with a concentration in media production. Hendrix is a member of the Curb Institute, serving as the project manager for the Audubon Sessions, an online series where students produce and film house concerts with local and national artists. Billboard also mentions these Audubon Sessions in their writeup about Rhodes.
“The Audubon Sessions is my primary focus within the Institute,” adds Hendrix. “Elvis Presley bought his first house in Memphis in 1956 with the money he made from ‘Heartbreak Hotel.’ He lived there for about 13 months until the following March when he moved into Graceland. Mike Curb purchased and donated this home to Rhodes in 2006, effectively launching the Curb Institute. Starting in 2013, the Curb fellows at the time began the Audubon Sessions, which hosted local artists for micro-concerts in the living room of the house.
“What I think is quite impressive is the fact that Rhodes does not have a ‘music business’ school or even a department for it. Rhodes has a music department and a business department, but the ‘music business’ department is just the Curb Institute,” Hendrix says.
Dr. Bass offers a course called Music and Community in Memphis during the fall semester. At the end of this two-credit course, students have the option to stay involved with the Curb Institute by becoming a fellow for the upcoming spring semester. Bass believes that jazz was his entry point to the larger world of Memphis music and encourages his students to take the music they love — rock, hip-hop, blues, gospel, punk, classical music, etc. — and use it as a guide to connect with the larger narrative of the city.
In 2014, Blues Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award-winner Bobby Rush was named the inaugural Curb Visiting Scholar. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 2021. Rush partnered with the Curb Institute on a recording of an original blues version of “America the Beautiful” at Royal Studios.
Through the Curb Institute, Rhodes students obtain the experience needed to transition from college to graduate school or the professional world. “Students make records and videos, create zines and podcasts, produce events, and manage social media platforms, but these great products are the result of collaborative vs. individual effort,” says Bass. Curb fellows are encouraged to work together and are excellent team players, processing feedback and building connections with professionals like producers, engineers, recording artists, songwriters, and attorneys. The Curb Institute strives to create a community of students with diverse majors, perspectives, and interests by giving them opportunities to work on creating tangible projects together and in conjunction with other wonderful community partners.
“Billboard didn’t release a list last year, so receiving the award in 2020 and 2022 means we have achieved this recognition consecutively, giving us confidence that we deserve a spot on this list,” says Hendrix. “It makes sense that there would be a school in Memphis that accurately highlights what it means to be a musician.”
“This year's recognition is a reflection on how the program has not only stayed afloat over the past two years, but how it has grown,” adds Bass. “The program is larger now and is a part of the lives of more students than it has ever been, and I'm thrilled to be able to congratulate and celebrate with them.”
For more info on Rhodes College, visit rhodes.edu.