Bob Mehr

Memphis and national music writer and critic

• Contact Bob via e-mail

Bob Mehr has been a reporter and critic covering music for The Commercial Appeal since 2006. Born in 1975, the Los Angeles native began his career in Phoenix, working as a music editor at the flagship paper of the New Times’ alternative weekly chain, before going on to serve the same role at Village Voice Media’s Seattle Weekly. After several years as an award-winning columnist and critic at the Chicago Reader, Mehr arrived in the Mid-South where he’s reported on local institutions like Stax and Elvis, and produced a series of in-depth features on more obscure and unknown chapters in local music history. Mehr’s byline has also appeared in numerous national and international music magazines including SPIN, MOJO in the U.K. and German Rolling Stone, and his essays are regularly featured as part of CD reissues for labels like Rhino Records.

Recent stories:

• Fronting a band is good medicine for Exene Cervenka
  February 5, 2010
• Medical examiner cites cocaine toxicity, alcohol in death of Memphis musician Jay Reatard
  February 3, 2010
• Now Hear This! Pat Mitchell Worley
  February 3, 2010
• Memphis musician-educator channels jazz pioneer for new CD
  January 28, 2010
• Whitehaven concert to benefit Haiti set for Thursday
  January 27, 2010
• Now Hear This! Ben Nichols
  January 26, 2010
• Blues Challenge winners prove that 'blues is global'
  January 24, 2010
• A beat above: Cordova teen wins national drumming contest
  January 21, 2010
• Songman Scott Miller continues to thrive as solo artist
  January 21, 2010
• Blues Challenge draws hungry competitors, fans
  January 18, 2010
• See full list of stories by Bob Mehr...