Meet the New CEO of the Soulsville Foundation!
Born and bred in Memphis, Pat Mitchell Worley has found a calling in advocating and promoting our local sound — as the president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation. Meet our dynamic new FACE of Memphis, Pat Mitchell Worley!
Born and bred in Memphis, Pat Mitchell Worley has roots in her hometown that span generations. Her mother’s family owned the Defender newspapers; the Tri-State Defender was the Memphis edition. Her father’s family lived in the historically vibrant community known as Soulsville, USA. Today the neighborhood is home to the Soulsville Foundation, which works to further the dreams and aspirations of young Memphians through the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Stax Music Academy, and The Soulsville Charter School. With a long-standing passion for Memphis music, Pat has found a calling in advocating and promoting our local sound — and the perfect job as president and CEO of the Soulsville Foundation. Meet our dynamic new FACE of Memphis, Pat Mitchell Worley!
Why is it important to you to promote and advocate for Memphis music?
If Memphis music is not in the DNA of every person who calls this city home, it should be. Music, by and large, is what Memphis is all about and what the rest of the world knows us for. We are the home of rock ‘n’ roll, blues, soul, and so much more. Music is such a part of history in this city, starting with Beale Street, that it was once one of the largest employers in Memphis. Memphis has so many artists that it’s as though [music is] in the water. But we can’t rest on our laurels and expect this kind of magic to last on its own. We have to constantly nurture it, and that includes reinterpreting, rebranding, and reinvigorating the legacy music of Sun, Stax, Hi, and other record labels. I’ve always worked for the new and emerging sounds of Memphis, but I have a responsibility to the Memphis music legacy that I take very seriously.
What are some of your earliest memories of music?
There were always the typical Memphis household favorites like Al Green, Stax, and even Elvis, but what stood out most was less conventional. I remember my mother took me to the opera when I was in elementary school. She just wanted to expose me to it. She was shocked that I loved it and begged to go again and again. I even went to the library and checked out opera albums.
Did you always want to have a career in music?
Yes, whether I knew it or not! My first job was with the Memphis in May International Festival, which [included] the Beale Street Music Festival and Sunset Symphony. And even though it was about more than just music, my job started me on a career path that led to stints at other music-related organizations. It also introduced me to the non-profit arts culture sector.
Can you give a brief overview of your career trajectory?
When I was 18, I had a plan: play music, promote music, and write about music. My job at Memphis in May led to radio and promotions work while also writing for music publications, from the Memphis Flyer to Hit Parader. Then I started doing publicity work for labels and acts. All of that led to working for the Blues Foundation, ArtsMemphis, Memphis Music Foundation, Beale Street Caravan, my own music community relations firm, and the Soulsville Foundation’s Stax Museum and Stax Music Academy, where I most recently served as executive director until I became the president and CEO in August of this year.
You worked with some big names during your time as a music publicist. What is one of your favorite stories of working with well-known Memphis musicians?
My favorite story is about when I worked for the Blues Foundation. We produced our Lifetime Achievement Awards in Los Angeles. That year the honoree was B.B. King. I walked to the green room, and B.B. King was talking to Rufus Thomas, Ike Turner, and John Lee Hooker. My heart started racing; I turned away, and D.J. Fontana and Scotty Moore were chatting it up in the corner. I had just stepped into the room with music history, and it overwhelmed me. Rufus watched my whole reaction and just chuckled at me. My favorite Memphis artists to work with are always The Bar-Kays. Founding member James Alexander not only offers lots of sage advice, but he is also a master of promotions. And if I were lucky, I would hear a story behind the music I loved.
What drew you to the Soulsville Foundation?
They have the incredible legacy of Stax Records. It is not only a musical legacy, but a culture of inclusion, opportunity, economic empowerment, social responsibility, and the out-and-out love and respect the artists and employees had for each other. The Soulsville Foundation, specifically the Stax Music Academy, has embraced that same legacy since its inception and has instilled those values and that sense of character in an entirely new generation of young artists. The way the young people embrace the legacy with open arms is also very heartwarming.
What does it mean to you to become president and CEO of the organization?
It’s a very full-circle kind of feeling. My first job at Memphis in May was under the tutelage of Deanie Parker, who worked as Stax Records Director of Publicity, Artist Relations, and Community from 1963 until the company was forced into involuntary bankruptcy in 1975. When the push to build a museum and school at the original site was underway in the late 1990s, the new board chose her to be the organization’s first president and CEO. I feel like I’m following in her footsteps to an extent.
What excites and fulfills you about your new role?
First of all, we will be celebrating the Stax Museum’s 20th anniversary throughout 2023, which is my main focus right now. It’s also exciting to be here at the Stax Museum, Stax Music Academy, and The Soulsville Charter School because we are seeing an entirely new way of post-COVID pandemic life open up on our campus with so many new opportunities. It’s a very productive time to start in this new role.
You are also the co-host of Beale Street Caravan (BSC), a globally syndicated roots radio program based in Memphis. What do you enjoy most about hosting?
I have co-hosted the show for more than 20 years. In the beginning, it was a chance to let other music fans hear the amazing musical moments that I was able to experience. As I have gotten older, I cherish the show even more because I don’t get to see live music as much. Introducing local talent to the global BSC audience is so fulfilling. Live music is this fluid, evolving medium. Every concert is different, so capturing a moment in time and catching something extraordinary is every music fan’s dream. First and foremost, I am a music fan.
What do you love most about Memphis?
Our authentic, dare-to-be-different, rebellious attitude that other popular cities would pay for in a branding campaign. For us, it’s real. And it’s because of the people who live and work here, create here, and love this city, blemishes and all. It also has a history that not many other cities can match.
Where can we find you on your days off?
At home, binge-watching or reading something sci-fi.
What is your best piece of advice?
Working with young people, I often say, “Never assume you know everything you want to do in the future. Build skills, explore, and be curious. Then the opportunities will find you.”
Aside from faith, family, and friends, what are three things you can’t live without?
Heavy metal music, Four Way fried chicken, and travel.
Thank you, Pat! All photography courtesy of Soulsville Foundation.
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Visit our FACES archives to meet more inspiring women from Memphis and across the South.
Gaye Swan
As a professional writer of over 20 years, Gaye is an avid traveler and enjoys highlighting food, culture, and attractions around the South. While Gaye is passionate about life in Memphis, she grew up in Meridian and is still a Mississippi girl at heart.