Memphis told a fictional story inspired by real events, set in the underground music scene of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee. The show explored the birth of rock and roll through the story of Huey Calhoun, a white radio DJ who fell in love with Black singer Felicia Farrell and fought to bring "race music" to a broader audience despite fierce racial segregation. With music and lyrics by David Bryan and book by Joe DiPietro, who also co-wrote the lyrics, the musical examined the transformative power of music during the civil rights era.

Directed by Christopher Ashley with choreography by Sergio Trujillo, Memphis opened at the Shubert Theatre on October 19, 2009 and ran for 1,165 performances before closing on August 5, 2012. The production won four Tony Awards in 2010, including Best Musical, Best Original Score, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Orchestrations.