Memphis Home of Jeff Buckley Made Into Airbnb Honoring the Late Musician

Throughout his time in the music industry, Jeff Buckley spent a great deal of time as a session guitarist. But given his massive talents as a musician, he gained a devout following as he played venues in Manhattan. While receiving a great deal of attention from record labels, the singer sought to carve his own path. Although he eventually signed with Columbia, Buckley would only release one studio album, Grace, in 1994 before passing away. And with his legacy continuing on, it appears that his old Memphis home is getting a makeover as one concert booker hoped to turn it into a tribute Airbnb.

In August 1994, Buckley released his only studio album, Grace. Although his only release, the album continues to gain praise over three decades later. And with the singer’s fanbase growing as more and more music lovers discover the musician, concert booker and real estate agent David Lorrison noticed the star’s Memphis home was left to rot. Not wanting Buckley’s legacy to turn into mold, he insisted, “I want this to be in homage to him, but not like a hipster’s Graceland.” He added, “Nobody in Memphis was paying attention to the house. But when you look online, you see people are coming here from all over. They drive for miles to make videos of the house and trace Jeff’s steps in Memphis.”

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Why Jeff Buckley Loved Memphis

According to filmmaker Robert Gordon, the home in Memphis allowed Buckley to be a “pretty regular guy.” Moving to the area to get away from the pressures of the music industry, Gordon revealed, “Jeff Buckley had fame and came here to lose it.”

A friend of Buckley, music writer Andria Lisle, offered a glimpse into what the house looked like while the musician resided there. “The house was really spare. It was a tiny, wonky, Midtown house, typical for that neighborhood. He borrowed a gorgeous Victorian couch from David and Tammy, but other than that he kind of just had a phone, an answering machine, and a mattress.” She added, “He always had a pile of books and CDs. He moved from room to room, following the sunlight.”

With a bright future ahead of him, Buckley passed away in 1997 after he decided to go swimming in the Wolf River Harbor. Sadly, a passing tugboat swept him away. Keeping his legacy alive, Lorrison hopes to have the Airbnb finished just in time for the holiday season.

(Photo by David Tonge/Getty Images)