Les and Marcia's Bohemian Life: Elvis Elvis Everywhere

Here we are on US 40 heading toward Memphis. The sky is blue. We have lost any signs of fall color in the trees. We do see many cotton fields ready for harvest (looks like a giant dumped his popcorn bucket). Our main tourist stop is Graceland. So bright and early we kiss Brady and head to one of the most visited homes in the

. There is very little navigation required it is pretty well marked. Surprise, $10.00 parking fee. There are plenty of places to park not on the complex if you are in the know (we were not). Graceland is not just Elvis’ Home it is a complex of diners, museums, The Lisa Maria and gift shops. To tour Graceland estate you board a bus that takes you across the street, through the Iron Gates to the house. Now this is Tuesday, 9:30 in the morning and we had to wait for three buses before we could cross. When we finally made it across the street we are all (about 20 of us) herded into the entryway. We are armed with our head phones and this is the last time today we are made to feel like cattle. Once inside you are able to take your time and mosie as you see fit. I maybe have a bit of a different style sense but I didn’t see too much that was over the top 70 design. I love the house and its personality. The jungle room didn’t seem as jungley as it could have but it did have an amazing coffee table. The rest of the rooms can really speak (shout) for themselves. I loved walking through the offices, and into the racquetball court. Every out building now holds costumes, gold albums, and memorabilia. How was Elvis such an Icon? He was huge before huge was possible. It was enlightening to see what a big business he is. After our tour of Graceland was complete we still had Elvis’ car museum, and many more tributes to his career (all with adjacent gift shops) to see. Our tour was complete when we walked through the “Lisa Marie” Elvis’ private plane. This was just a terrific tourist day.

Cotton Field on US 40

Front Living room

The strair to the "no tourist" zone

Dining Room

The kitchen reminds me of Peninsula Dr

TV Room

Help Jo Ann Fabrics threw up

The Jungle room

Awesome Coffee Table

Desplay

Wall of gold and silver

Percillas dress is still perfect

Show costumes are everywhere

Graceland

The Lisa Marie

Grace land wall is covered with love

The gate

Day two we headed to downtown Memphis and toured the Gibson Guitar Factory (no Pictures). Gibson started in Kalamazoo, MI and started shifting to Memphisfrom 1974 to 1984. It was an honest factory tour. Right from the bulk wood, fusing and molding, carving, painting and playing the finished product. Our tour guide was very agile about not answering questions about recent raids from this government looking for endangered wood. What we saw was a productive environment with very engaged employees making a beautiful American product.

Gold Notes on Beal Street

If I ever needed proof that fire marshals could be paid off– I have it now. We visited Sun Studios. The birthplace of Rock ‘n’Roll, the very place Elvis recorded his first song. Sun Studios has purchased the diner on the corner to stack tourist in while we wait for our scheduled tour. We had about an hour wait.We were able to get a couple of stools at the counter.In this crowded joint the few employees were all very upbeat and chatty.To start our tour, about 30 of us climbed narrow stairs to a small room to hear the history of Sun, listen to vintage recordings, see artifacts to prep you for your tour over to the Sun.You then walk down a different set of stairs that opens to the Sun Studios reception room and into the tiny sound stage.This is still a working studio (used in the evenings after tours are done). Our guide set the stage of a young Elvis recording here, Johnny Cash, Ike Turner and the house piano player Jerry Lee Louis. She played several more recordings that really gave this tour a great historical feel.Looking at the stained ceiling and peeling paint, it is easy to see not much has been changed.Even with so many people crammed in these spaces it was a really informational and fun tour.The highlight was to have your picture taken with the Microphone Elvis and these other greats have used (not sure if I really believe this though). Definitely do not miss this tour sometime in your life.

Music fans everywhere

Jerry Lee Louis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins and Elvis = The Million Dollar Quartet

Marion made sure Elvis' recording was heard

The Sun Reception Office

Oh - If I only could sing

Watch out Brad and Carrie

We finished our Sun tour just in time to catch the free shuttle back to Beal Streetand run to The Peabody to see the Duck Parade. Now the Peabodyis a grand beautiful hotel that has had ducks in the fountain since 1932.The ducks march from the elevator to the fountain at 11:00am and march back to the elevator at 5:00pm (they then spend the rest of their free time at their penthouse pond). At 4:45pm the duck path is packed three deep with Peabodyduck fans (the crowd continues to grow even up to the walkway on the second story. Les and I were both a bit surprised at all of this fowl support. I spied a tiny spot by the elevator and asked the cute older guy if it was ok if I stood there? He was very sweet and gave me his spot. He had seen the parade that morning and was glad to let me get my pictures too (surprise he is a retired vet). The pressure was on. Today was this flocks first day on the job. They were a bit reluctant to leave the fountain. The Duck Master talked some sense into the feathered divas and they did proudly parade past the camera flashes to the safety of their waiting elevator.

Step aside - The ducks are coming

After the drama of the ducks it was time to find the perfect place for dinner. Beal Street is quite a bit like a tiny Burbon Street with many eateries to offer. We settled on the“ Superior Bar and Grill”. They offered great beer Specials, Ribs, Pulled Pork with the fixens. The tips only Singer was great. If we lived in Memphis this would easily be our bar. Now they did not pass our bar mark of Mikes Jones ribs or Grandpa Bobby Lands pulled pork but it was great food.

After visiting Nashville and Memphis we saw a big difference between the two. Nashville seems to be trying to be better and Memphis says accept me the way I am. Both are great towns with tons to do.

All the people must still be stuck inside the Sun Studio

Good use of State resources

The final cherry on our Rockabilly tour is a stop in Tupelo Mississippito Elvis’ birthplace. I stopped here during a cross country drive from Fort Lewis WA to Fort Gordon GAin the early 80’s. At that time you would go in the little house give a sweet old lady a few dollars and toured the house. The sweet old lady has changed, the little house has not. However, now there is a museum, chapel, monuments. They have also purchased and moved Elvis’ childhood church onto the property and yes they have a gift shop. We learned that Elvis dad, Vernon went to jail for forging a check, The house went back Vernons employer. His mom Gladys had to take public assistance and through it all Elvis sang in the church and was learning to play the guitar.This is a very grass roots story and experience. Don’t miss the three side film in the little church that dramatizes the Pentecostal church experience. This was such a good natured and touching tour. How can you miss this for the $9.00 charge?

It is thought that Elvis modeled his look after his favorite comic book character