A Tribute To the Late Bob Kelley, Mid-South Concerts And The Memphis Rock Scene

There's a new Facebook group out there and I think it's great! I thank Scott Schaeffer for creating it. Scott and I have never met before in person but we share a lot of common ground and interests.

We have known each other for about 10 years now on FB. Mainly, we have the Mid-South Coliseum in common. Years ago, he started the “Save The Mid-South Coliseum” FB page and I started the “Fans of the Mid-South Coliseum” FB page. I think the biggest thing that we all have in common in this new group is that we loved the Memphis rock music scene from the 70’s and 80’s and its history. We were all part of this one big mammoth rock scene that spread its wings throughout five states thanks to Memphis radio stations such Rock 103, our flagship rock station at the time. We were entertained by some of the biggest rock bands in the world during those years ushered in by them late Bob Kelley and Mid-South Concerts.


Memphis had a reputation among rock musicians and bands that we were loud and raucous. And it was true! We were also known for the home of Elvis and the Blues. I think every rock band or musician who made a stop in Memphis was intrigued by that. However, I didn’t know Mr. Kelley personally or even knew that he existed, but I do remember my first Mid-South Concerts rock show experience. I saw the Doobie Brothers at the Mid-South Coliseum (MSC) in the summer of 1977 with Henry Gross opening for them.

I attended many concerts at the MSC, the Memphis auditorium, the Mid-South fairgrounds and even some Memphis music halls or bars during a five year span (1977-1982) of my life from age 15-20 years-old (18 years-old was the drinking age back then) mainly during my teenage formative years. My last concert at the MSC was Rush in fall of 1982 during freshman year at Ole Miss.

For many of us, between going to school, working odd jobs around the house to earn money (For me: doing electrical work for my brother, hauling hay for local farmers and working at Sonic in Hernando Miss.) or allowances from our parents, we somehow managed to purchase a Mid-South Concert ticket to head out to a rock show with our friends. There was nothing like the thrill of the anticipation of a Mid-South Concert rock show coming up. We marked our calendars and we could not wait! We had no iPhones, smart TV’s or internet like we have these days. Then after the show was over with, we proudly wore our concert t-shirts to school like a badge of honor the next day and our ears rang for the next three days! Lol.

For most of us those who attended high school or even college, we became cultured in campus life and activities and etc. And for those of us who were lucky enough to be a part of the Memphis rock scene back in those days and who attended Mid-South Concerts, we were cultured in ways that many people on earth will never get to experience. And we will never forgot it for the rest of our lives either whether still have our old ticket stubs, old concerts t-shirts or by watching Youtube video footage of old concerts clips, looking at pics from concerts or reading old newspaper clips about the shows. They were some of the best times of our young lives. It was all good friends, good vibes and lots of partying.


Mainly, we have our best memories. And our best memories live on in our minds, hearts and souls and this what this page is about. Thank you, the late Bob Kelley and Mid-South Concerts and to the Memphis rock scene that still lives on forever which still exists that takes many shapes and forms these days. And mainly, thank you, Scott, my good FB friend!