It was named after Beale Street, a center of African-American music in Memphis, Tennessee, and was published in 1917.

The title refers to Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee, an entertainment district for the city's African-American population in the early part of the 20th century.

[1] An early version by Earl Fuller's Famous Jazz Band earned Handy's firm $2,857 in royalties.

[1] More typically, however, in the early years after it was written, jazz musicians played instrumental versions of the song.

[1] Jack Teagarden used the song as a vocal showcase in the 1930s and 1940s, and recorded it with several bands in that period.