Memphis Music Feature: Lina Beach

One such artist is Lina Beach, who has been taken under the wing of none other than GRAMMY Award Winning engineer, composer, and producer Boo Mitchell.  I caught up with Lina at Royal Studios to talk about her upcoming debut album, her time with the Hi Rhythm Section, and more. Read below to find out all the details! 

Though a certified Memphian these days, Lina is originally from Franklin, TN. There, she was raised by two musicians who introduced her to an assortment of Joni Mitchell, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, and even classical violin. These early influences remain relevant today, including the lessons from her father on the importance of a strong ear, as Lina has stepped into her career as a songwriter. 

She moved to Memphis to attend Rhodes College’s Mike Curb Institute for Music where she did everything she could to be surrounded by the Memphis music scene. That determination paid off as she was fatefully connected to Royal Studios where she found herself under the mentorship of Boo Mitchell for a summer internship. Growing up, Lina had been a longtime Al Green fan, but that connection he had to Memphis and to Royal Studios never fully clicked until this point. That realization made the chance at Royal Studios that much sweeter. She found herself eager to dig deeper into the history of the music at Royal Studios, now having a better understanding for the music she grew up admiring.

 “Coming here [to Royal Studios] is like the holy grail.” And as destiny would have it, it would be an Al Green song that led to her pursuing life as an artist. During a break in a session one day, Boo overheard her playing “Isn’t She Lovely” by Stevie Wonder in the lobby, and he liked what he heard. A month later, he had her come in to try playing guitar on an Al Green cover of “As Long As You’re Mine,” where he found himself in awe of her hidden talent. Boo stood up out of his chair and exclaimed,  “Lina! That was incredible! You sound like a 70 year old black man!” 

Since then, Boo has been her number one supporter, being a major catalyst in her finding her sound and her voice as an artist.  He felt her skills likened to that of original Hi Rhythm Section guitarist, Teenie Hodges, and invited Lina to fill in on a show one weekend. There was only one rehearsal before the show for Lina to show the band what she was made of. On her first note, Charles Hodges said, “Oh I can feel that. That’s amazing.”  Since then, Lina has had the opportunity to tour all over the country and overseas. 

 

 

 

 

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Now, with a world tour under her belt, Lina is stepping into a sound of her own. She’s working to release her debut album that she describes as “ethereal, old soul, calming, soothing, and honest.” This album will be the story of her finding her voice after all these years of being stuck inside her own shell. It’s a coming of age tale born from experiencing loss, love, and stepping into who she truly is for the first time. “[Boo] brought in his all-star crew of musicians and we just came here over five days and recorded live with the band. We kind of just let these musicians put their own taste on the record, and then me and Boo were both hearing drums parts, and he heard horn parts and strings…We trust the ear…There’s a really good quote by Willie Mitchell [on the wall] ‘You can listen, but you have to hear that.’ You have to pay attention to what the music is trying to tell you.” Lina says there’s an “unmistakably ‘Royal Studios-Memphis’ sound” to her music that still has a twist that is unique and personal to who she is as a writer and a person. 

In this journey of embodying her artistry, Lina finds that she now feels more than a desire to make music, it’s a need. “It’s how I express myself. And now to step into this legacy, this studio has such a history, and to still be hanging out and making music with the legends that created it, it’s just…I can never stop. I feel like I owe it to my listeners…to the world…to keep that music and that spirit alive.” She’s found that as she performs these songs live, she’s been delightfully overwhelmed with the responses she’s had. It makes the songs all that more special. “You realize we’re all a lot more similar than we think, and these songs are really resonating with people. It’s really exciting.”  

Though her passion for making music drives her, “being a part of Royal Studios, it became a little bigger than myself. It definitely is kind of spreading the word and the gospel of the Royal Studios legacy, the Hi Rhythm Section that played behind Al Green and Ann Peebles. I think I’ll always look for opportunities to talk about those stories…I hope people know I’m coming in the footsteps of the true greats.” She hopes that in telling these stories, and reminding people what has come from Memphis and what still is to come from Memphis, we’ll see more credit to Memphis music where it's due. “A lot of people have recognized the history, but certain parts are overshadowed. I want to see the spotlight on the artists that are making music now.” She speaks highly of the musicians in Memphis, recognizing that there’s “raw talent” all over the city but also a “struggle, this hustle that you kind of come from…it just produces something authentic.” 

She doesn’t take her place in the Memphis music scene for granted one bit. “That’s a huge honor for Memphis to embrace an artist. I didn’t grow up here, but I’ve felt so loved. I’ve found my voice here so it’s part of my story. I’ll never stop talking about it. It really means a lot when someone or Memphis as a whole has wrapped its arms around me. We like to see each other succeed so hopefully I can be this beacon of ‘Memphis, Memphis, Memphis’”  

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW (IT'S A GOOD ONE!)

She’s found a home in some of her favorite performance spots, including DKDC, which she referred to as an “intimate…big family gathering,” and the Green Room at Crosstown Concourse.  “There’s so much I love about Memphis. [Memphis] encourages me to be myself. I feel seen. It’s not a small town, it’s a city, but sometimes it feels like it, especially in the music scene. I can go out and run into who knows how many people. I really feel that community where I feel seen and known and loved. It’s really special. I’m not sure I can find that many other places.”

To keep it nice and simple, there’s only two things Lina thinks you have to do to be able to say “I’ve been to Memphis!” 

1. Eat Gus’s Fried Chicken

2. See the Mississippi River