Where the soul of soul was born... and still beats among cables and vinyls...

In a former movie theater turned studio south of Memphis, one of the most authentic and discreet musical temples in the United States has been operating since 1956: Royal Studios. Here soul anthems such as Al Green' s "Let's Stay Together", produced by the legendary Willie Mitchell, were recorded, and here history continues to sound, note for note, with the same analog console as half a century ago.

Royal Studios is not a museum: it's a working studio, one of the oldest still active in the world. If you're lucky enough to visit (tours are arranged on an ad hoc basis), you'll see original microphones, vintage instruments and walls that have heard the voice of artists like Ike & Tina Turner, Ann Peebles, Bruno Mars and John Mayer. All without special effects: the magic is real, because it never went away.

The atmosphere is warm, almost family-like. And that is no coincidence: it is run by the Mitchell family, heirs to the soul of soul. Walking through its corridors is like entering a song that is still in process. If you are a music lover, it is a place that moves you without the need for a show.

A tip: combine your visit with a stroll through South Memphis, away from the tourist circuit, to understand why music is not recorded here... it is lived.