Jeff Buckley Drowning Site?

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by kingdomforakiss

I just returned from my own trip to Memphis, where I visited several sites important to Jeff Buckley's time there. Contrasting with the original poster's experience with low water levels putting the monorail pylons on land, the water was too high for me to make my way to the shoreline anywhere near the site without a machete to whack my way through a mini-jungle, so my photos are from the walkway of the welcome center. It's a beautiful, tranquil place. The last image is from the 20th anniversary of Jeff's death, May 29, 2017... around half an hour before he drowned, so possibly around the time he waded into the water, and who wouldn't want to swim into such a beautiful scene? A stunning sunset on a tragic date.

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Nice pics, thanks for sharing them. Welcome to the forum.

Beretta

[Lilacskin]

So I'll add a bit to this thread as i have some relevant stuff:
I currently live in Memphis and have searched out several places with some relevance to Mr Buckley's brief stay here in addition to the area where he went swimming and, horrifically, never came back.
It was stated in a previous comment that J.B. lived in Cooper Young. He did, in fact, live in Midtown but closer to the Overton Park/ Evergreen district. I've sat in front of the house he rented and, in my own twisted way, celebrated his life. The house truly is a shotgun shack type...ramshackle, small, and overgrown. I hope he had some moments of joy there.
Apparently J.B. really loved the Memphis Zoo and I've read that he considered volunteering there. Currently there are 2 plaques, one from his mom and one from his fans, honoring his life and music, on a wall in the tiger exhibit. It's a nice little grotto and a sweet spot to meditate.
Lastly, i note Mike Doughty mentioned in a previous comment. Mike moved to Memphis a couple of years ago and i consider myself lucky to call him a friend. I would never ask but i believe that time has healed him a bit and that he probably remembers Jeff with a little more compassion these days. Mike did record a song about Mr Buckley's death; it's called 'Grey Ghost' and it is haunting andd lovely, just like Jeff's legacy. Thanks for letting me toss in my two cents at this late date.

[gunshotglitter]

lilacskin:

I'm heading down to memphis next week, and as a fan of jb, I would like to pay my respects as well and perhaps pass by his shack while in town. Is that information posted anywhere, would anyone know where it is? I'm pretty sure I can head down to the harbor & make my way around. Any info would be appreciated.

[Beretta]

Originally Posted by gunshotglitter

lilacskin:

I'm heading down to memphis next week, and as a fan of jb, I would like to pay my respects as well and perhaps pass by his shack while in town. Is that information posted anywhere, would anyone know where it is? I'm pretty sure I can head down to the harbor & make my way around. Any info would be appreciated.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/73042825179743997/ <--- address

Legacy of singer-songwriter lives on after death in Memphis five years ago | Archives | dailyhelmsman.com

There is also a video on youtube of the inside of the house. Pretty dark but it is out there.

[gunshotglitter]

Originally Posted by Beretta

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/73042825179743997/ <--- address

Legacy of singer-songwriter lives on after death in Memphis five years ago | Archives | dailyhelmsman.com

There is also a video on youtube of the inside of the house. Pretty dark but it is out there.

Thank you so much for the info!

[nowheregirl37]

Just a little added note to this probably forgotten thread. About 5 years ago, my daughter and I took a trip to Memphis with my best friend and her family. Downtown Memphis is a place I have frequented quiet often during my adult life, with my ex-husband and I taking many short vacations there as it is only about an hour and twenty minutes from where I used to live.
On this particular hot, June day, after hours of sightseeing, I decided to have a rest along the grassy hills close to the visitor center while the rest of the gang went for a ride on the monorail.
I hadn't thought about Jeff Buckley in a while, hadn't been listening to his music during this time, and would not consider myself a "superfan", but definitely appreciative of his music. Anyway, setting there looking at the overgrown vegetation near the visitor center and the monorail I was all of a sudden washed over with the memory that Jeff had drown somewhere along this shoreline like I was close to where it had happened, but I had no real reason to believe this was true (although at the time I had thought the exact location was much further down on the other side of the monorail).
It was such an odd feeling I got sitting there remembering this, it indeed seemed like someone trying to say something to me although I dont really put much stock in things like this. At any rate, I got up and walked around thinking maybe there was some sort of marker to recognize Jeff, but didn't find anything but a grouping of empty alcohol bottles and some spent cigarette butts, which is not an uncommon find on downtown Memphis. Despite this, it seemed like a perfect spot to sit and have a smoke and thank Mr. Buckley for his music.
I couldn't get Jeff or that odd feeling out of my head for a few days after that. Given that we are taking a trip to Memphis in a couple of weeks I thought I'd try to look up again where the exact spot actually is and happened upon this forum. It's a little eerie to discover that I was much, much closer to the spot than I had believed I was that day.
Just wanted to share my experience with this and say I can't wait to come back to Memphis for another visit. My before mentioned best friend and daughter are making the trip with me. And she's actually going to shoot some of my daughter's senior pictures in Memphis. Super excited!

[AsIWander]

This was all so informative. A quick thanks to everyone that contributed info.

A very interesting point brought up here (among so many) is the tide.
The fact that v_astro's picture and description has the bridge pylons on land on each side of Wolf River and then in kingdomforakiss' pictures, it very clearly shows them surrounded by water...I guess I hadn't given that aspect much thought, but it's game-changer of how/why that water might've looked inviting.

A low tide would've also exposed the muddy ground. I wonder how the mud-stuck boots play into this tragedy, if at all.

Anyway, this has been a very informative read. I hope to one day visit.