Beale Street located in Memphis, TN was a popular strip for black blues musicians to play for tips and get recognition. In the early 1900 William C. Handy was named the 'Father of Blues' which music originated from folk, spiritual, church, and ragtime music. Some prominent musicians like Louis Armstrong, Muddy Waters, Albert King, Memphis Minnie, B.B King, Rufus Thomas, and Roscoe Gordon started playing on Beale St. Beale St was the place to go as an inspiring blues musician to get noticed. Commercial restaurants and bars, tourist, bikers, and non-original musicians over populate today's Beale St.