We’ve camped in rural areas before, but this is the first time we’ve been hauntingly serenaded by wolves. They howled melodically throughout our nights at the state park in Burns. Come early morning, the sound of a mammoth-sized leaf-blowing tractor forced me to sit upright in bed from a deep sleep as it started to make its rounds. I’ve never seen the likes of it. Welcome, fall.

I was like a kid on Christmas morning on the day we headed to Memphis—we were gonna visit Sun Studio! I aptly geared up by fixing a fried peanut butter and banana sandwich for breakfast. It woulda made the King proud. Then we made tracks on the Music Highway and into the birthplace of rock and roll. If you’re not familiar with Sun, it’s the recording studio started by Sam Phillips in the early 1950s that’s recorded many music pioneers. The tour of the place was surreal, not because it was sizeable or lavish (it’s neither of these), but because of the absolute magic that’s been created in this little recording studio. Nothing has changed in the room since the 50s; it’s got the same tile floor, the same acoustic tile walls and ceiling, and the same light fixtures. On that tile floor is an “X” marked in tape where the artist stands to record. On that X, B.B. King, Carl Perkins, Elvis, Charlie Rich, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Swan, Roy Orbison, Howlin’ Wolf, Conway Twitty, and Johnny Cash have stood.

We heard the very first rock-and-roll song recorded: “Rockin’ 88” by Jackie Brentson and His Deltacats. It was the first time guitar distortion was used, brought about because their amp had blown and they stuffed it with crumpled newspapers as an impromptu fix. We also learned how Johnny Cash ingeniously played “percussion” on his guitar: our colorful rockabilly tour guide, Chris, demonstrated the method by weaving a dollar bill through his guitar strings and strummed along with Cash’s “I Walk the Line.” We heard the original radio broadcast of Elvis’ first single, “That’s Alright Mama.” After they aired it, so many requests poured in that they played it 14 more times over a three-hour period. We watched Elvis’ first national TV appearance when, at 21 years old, he performed “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” Even at such a young age he had a stage presence like nobody’s business. On the studio wall is a photo of a spontaneous jam session with Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis and Johnny Cash together and we got to listen to the outtakes that resulted from it! I can’t tell you how many times I got chills while we were at Sun Studio.

In downtown historic Lynchburg, we attended the 15th annual Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbeque. There were more than 50 teams competing in the categories of Ribs, Pork Shoulder, Whole Hog, Beef Brisket and Chicken. It was serious business as the judges tasted and deliberated for over five hours. I think Holly was partial to Rockin’ Ronnie’s Butt Shredders team. There were clogging performances, barrel-making demos, a rolling pin toss challenge and a bung pitching contest. (A bung is a stopper for a whiskey barrel.) Twenty thousand people packed the town square and neighboring park for the gleeful festivities. It’s somewhat ironic that Lynchburg (pop. 361) is located in the dry county of Moore, so not a drop of barley-pop, let alone Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, was part of the scene. When the smoke cleared and the day was over, Smokin' Triggers of Alvarado, Texas was crowned this year’s Grand Champion.