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Bruno Mars’ band member Kameron Whalum keeps things ‘Funky’ as he mentors Memphis musicians – The Commercial Appeal

July 26, 2019

, Memphis Commercial Appeal Published 6:30 p.m. CT July 26, 2019

The Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Soulsville

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Aug. 18, 2009: David Porter, next to a photo of himself and Isaac Hayes at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

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May 2, 2013: Justin Hicks, 17, sings "Precious Lord" with fellow students from the Stax Music Academy for guests including Doris Fredrick, (seated, from left) Stax Records co-founder Jim Stewart, Curtis Johnson and Deanie Parker during a ceremony at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music marking the 10th anniversary of the museum's opening.

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The Stax Museum's Hall of Records displays all but a few of the approximately 300 albums and 800 singles that were recorded at Stax Records, including gold albums and records, from its earliest days as Satellite Records until the company closed in 1975.

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January 11, 2013: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music celebrated its 10th anniversary with much fanfare. Music legend Kirk Whalum jams with Stax students, Stephani Brownlee, 17 at right.

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January 11, 2013: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music celebrated its 10th anniversary with much fanfare. Along with music legends on hand, the Peabody Ducks made an entrance at the end of the press conference, under the guidance of Duckmaster Anthony Petrina. Congressman Steve Cohen is at right.

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May 2, 2013: Stax Records co-founder Jim Stewart cuts a ceremonial ribbon with help from students of the Stax Music Academy marking the 10th anniversary of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

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May 28, 2014: Lucy Webb (from left) dances with her husband, Chris Webb, and friend Vicky Taylor while the visitors from England tour the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

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June 22, 2017: A visitor views Isaac Hayes' custom Cadillac Eldorado at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

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June 22, 2017: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Soulsville

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July 25, 2018: STAX founder Jim Stewart, left, stands with Jeff Kollath, executive director of the STAX Museum of American Soul Music, while showing off Stewart's fiddle during a ceremony where Stewart donated his fiddle to the STAX Museum of American Soul Music.

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August 14, 2018: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music put up a message for Aretha Franklin on its marquee along East McLemore Avenue. Franklin died earlier in the morning in Detroit.

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June 6, 2006: Stax musician Wayne Jackson talks with Jasmine Ingram, 13, as he leads a tour of students through the Stax Museum.

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May 19, 2011: Former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps (left) shows off his moves while performing with members of the Stax Music Academy during a reception for the Libscomb and Pitts Breakfast Club at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.

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April 16, 2011: Laquita Mosby (right) and Tamika Bobo sing along to gospel songs performed by the New Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Choir during the "Stax to the Max Soulsville Street Festival." The event, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Stax Music Academy, featured live music, comedy and performing arts as well as free tours of the Stax Museum.

Buy Photo

Aug. 19, 2011: Veteran Stax Records session musician Lester Snell looks at a new addition to the Stax Museum. The Academy Award statue, which found a new home, was earned by Isaac Hayes for Best Original Song, for the movie Shaft. He was the first African-American to win an Academy Award for music. Snell was in his band at the time.

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Dec. 10, 2007: Davey Weeks, with 1910 Frameworks, adjusts the hanging wire on a frame while hanging the final images of "Otis Redding: From Macon to Memphis" at the Stax Museum.

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June 15, 2009: The neon sign outside the Stax Museum reflects in raindrops after a recent storm.

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Aug. 12, 2008: Visitors to The Stax Museum of American Soul Music file past the marquee paying tribute to Isaac Hayes, the legendary composer and soul singer.

Buy Photo

Samuel L. Jackson, Sharon Leal and Bernie Mac in front of the Stax Museum, from the movie "Soul Men"
Nov. 24, 2002: Tour operators from the UK were given a special tour of the new STAX facility to help promote tourism to Memphis and the STAX Museum.

Buy Photo

Marquee on the exterior of new Stax Museum on McLemore.

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A promotional item designed by Stax Records songwriter Bettye Crutcher, who wrote, among other hits, “Who’s Making Love” for Johnnie Taylor. The mitt is so popular among Stax Museum visitors that replicas are available in the museum gift shop.

Buy Photo

One of the rarest and most prized items in the Stax Museum is this King Super 20 saxophone that belonged to original Bar-Kays member Phalon Jones. It was retrieved from Lake Monona shortly after the plane carrying Otis Redding and Jones’ fellow band mates crashed on Dec. 10, 1967, killing everyone aboard except trumpet player Ben Cauley.

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Kids and adults of all ages dance on the Stax Museum's “Express Yourself Dance Floor,” a round wooden stage wrapped with a screen that shows nonstop, vintage footage from the popular television show “Soul Train.”

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Ardent Studios founder and owner John Fry donated this console to the Stax Museum in 2008.

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Replay

  • The Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Soulsville1 of 26
  • Aug. 18, 2009: David Porter, next to a photo of himself and Isaac Hayes at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.2 of 26
  • May 2, 2013: Justin Hicks, 17, sings "Precious Lord" with fellow students from the Stax Music Academy for guests including Doris Fredrick, (seated, from left) Stax Records co-founder Jim Stewart, Curtis Johnson and Deanie Parker during a ceremony at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music marking the 10th anniversary of the museum's opening.3 of 26
  • The Stax Museum's Hall of Records displays all but a few of the approximately 300 albums and 800 singles that were recorded at Stax Records, including gold albums and records, from its earliest days as Satellite Records until the company closed in 1975.4 of 26
  • January 11, 2013: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music celebrated its 10th anniversary with much fanfare. Music legend Kirk Whalum jams with Stax students, Stephani Brownlee, 17 at right.5 of 26
  • January 11, 2013: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music celebrated its 10th anniversary with much fanfare. Along with music legends on hand, the Peabody Ducks made an entrance at the end of the press conference, under the guidance of Duckmaster Anthony Petrina. Congressman Steve Cohen is at right.6 of 26
  • May 2, 2013: Stax Records co-founder Jim Stewart cuts a ceremonial ribbon with help from students of the Stax Music Academy marking the 10th anniversary of the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.7 of 26
  • May 28, 2014: Lucy Webb (from left) dances with her husband, Chris Webb, and friend Vicky Taylor while the visitors from England tour the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.8 of 26
  • June 22, 2017: A visitor views Isaac Hayes' custom Cadillac Eldorado at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.9 of 26
  • June 22, 2017: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Soulsville10 of 26
  • July 25, 2018: STAX founder Jim Stewart, left, stands with Jeff Kollath, executive director of the STAX Museum of American Soul Music, while showing off Stewart's fiddle during a ceremony where Stewart donated his fiddle to the STAX Museum of American Soul Music.11 of 26
  • August 14, 2018: The Stax Museum of American Soul Music put up a message for Aretha Franklin on its marquee along East McLemore Avenue. Franklin died earlier in the morning in Detroit.12 of 26
  • June 6, 2006: Stax musician Wayne Jackson talks with Jasmine Ingram, 13, as he leads a tour of students through the Stax Museum.13 of 26
  • May 19, 2011: Former Notre Dame coach Digger Phelps (left) shows off his moves while performing with members of the Stax Music Academy during a reception for the Libscomb and Pitts Breakfast Club at the Stax Museum of American Soul Music.14 of 26
  • April 16, 2011: Laquita Mosby (right) and Tamika Bobo sing along to gospel songs performed by the New Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Choir during the "Stax to the Max Soulsville Street Festival." The event, commemorating the 10th anniversary of the Stax Music Academy, featured live music, comedy and performing arts as well as free tours of the Stax Museum.15 of 26
  • Aug. 19, 2011: Veteran Stax Records session musician Lester Snell looks at a new addition to the Stax Museum. The Academy Award statue, which found a new home, was earned by Isaac Hayes for Best Original Song, for the movie Shaft. He was the first African-American to win an Academy Award for music. Snell was in his band at the time.16 of 26
  • Dec. 10, 2007: Davey Weeks, with 1910 Frameworks, adjusts the hanging wire on a frame while hanging the final images of "Otis Redding: From Macon to Memphis" at the Stax Museum.17 of 26
  • June 15, 2009: The neon sign outside the Stax Museum reflects in raindrops after a recent storm.18 of 26
  • Aug. 12, 2008: Visitors to The Stax Museum of American Soul Music file past the marquee paying tribute to Isaac Hayes, the legendary composer and soul singer.19 of 26
  • Samuel L. Jackson, Sharon Leal and Bernie Mac in front of the Stax Museum, from the movie "Soul Men"20 of 26
  • Nov. 24, 2002: Tour operators from the UK were given a special tour of the new STAX facility to help promote tourism to Memphis and the STAX Museum.21 of 26
  • Marquee on the exterior of new Stax Museum on McLemore.22 of 26
  • A promotional item designed by Stax Records songwriter Bettye Crutcher, who wrote, among other hits, “Who’s Making Love” for Johnnie Taylor. The mitt is so popular among Stax Museum visitors that replicas are available in the museum gift shop.23 of 26
  • One of the rarest and most prized items in the Stax Museum is this King Super 20 saxophone that belonged to original Bar-Kays member Phalon Jones. It was retrieved from Lake Monona shortly after the plane carrying Otis Redding and Jones’ fellow band mates crashed on Dec. 10, 1967, killing everyone aboard except trumpet player Ben Cauley.24 of 26
  • Kids and adults of all ages dance on the Stax Museum's “Express Yourself Dance Floor,” a round wooden stage wrapped with a screen that shows nonstop, vintage footage from the popular television show “Soul Train.”25 of 26
  • Ardent Studios founder and owner John Fry donated this console to the Stax Museum in 2008.26 of 26

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Kameron Whalum has spent time on stage with Bruno Mars and in the studio with Beyoncé. But this summer, the musician was back in his native Memphis to inspire artists at Stax Music Academy. 

Whalum, a Stax Music Academy alum, collaborated with his alma mater as an artist-in-residence to mentor aspiring Memphis musicians. 

On July 12, 19 and 26, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music hosted Funky Fridays: A New Generation of Soul — Kickin’ It With Kameron Whalum, which featured dance lessons, music production workshops and a jam session to end the summer series.

“I haven’t been able to spend a whole lot of time (in Memphis) the past couple of years because the (Bruno Mars) tour was two years long,” said Whalum, 30, a backup singer and trombone player for Bruno Mars. “Since I’ve been back, I’ve kind of dived head first into doing all kinds of stuff, like over at the academy, the museum and church. It’s fun —  I’m loving it.”

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For the final Funky Friday, Whalum — joined by Nick Black, a rising Memphis musician, and Lawrence “Boo” Mitchell, owner of Royal Studios in Memphis — answered questions about music evolution and performed classic songs with local residents.

The trio discussed hardships within their music careers, iconic musicians, funky instruments, Isaac Hayes’ car and more. A major topic of the day was the lasting effect Memphis has on the talent industry. 

“I realized how much Memphis music affected (the Neo Soul movement),” Black said. “This music has been copied and emulated by people all over the world for like 50 years.”

Sometimes artists will call Mitchell and ask for a soulful twist on their songs.

“They just gravitate towards that Memphis sound,” he said. “They want that.”

For the last hour of Funky Friday, Whalum, Black and Mitchell performed Memphis hits like Al Green’s “Love and Happiness” and “Let’s Stay Together” and Rufus Thomas’ “Breakdown” with Stax Academy students and alumni.

Music lovers crowded in Studio A of the Stax Museum, dancing, harmonizing and clapping along. 

The drums shook the room, Black’s guitar notes rang throughout the museum, and Whalum’s trombone tones bounced off the walls. 

The audience jumped around the room to the performers’ last song, “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars. The song, which Whalum played on, was partly written and recorded at Royal Studios.

Whalum said he leaves in September for the next Bruno Mars show, but he doesn’t plan to permanently depart Memphis anytime soon. 

“I love the familiarity of Memphis,” Whalum said. “I grew up here, I know people, they know me, I know the area, and everybody feels like family. I want to stay in the area where I established my roots.”

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