There was nothing before Elvis. He is the King of Rock, a style icon, a heartbreaker, a hip-shaker and a devourer of unusual food. His impact on music and the USA is profound.
Every August when pilgrims gather there for Elvis Week, a celebration of his music and movies, they are at the ground zero of Elvismania. You can visit his famously eccentric estate and learn about the cornerstones of his career on a trip to get a full sense of Elvis's legacy.
We've put together a list of the top places in the US where you can see first-hand Elvis' history.
There are nine museums for music lovers in the United States.
The modest white building with a swing on the front porch may be the most important two-room shotgun shack in American music history. The childhood home of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi, where he lived until the age of 13 in 1948, remains a pilgrimage worthy site. Furniture, table settings and all have been restored to how they were when Elvis was a child.
There is a lot more that influenced the young musician in Tupelo. The Assembly of God Pentecostal Church, where Elvis was first introduced to the music that would shape his work, is one of the places you can see. The Elvis Festival takes place in June.
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The mid-century modern house at 1350 Ladera Circle in Palm Springs was supposed to be the site of the wedding ofElvis andPriscilla. The quiet property was besieged with media on the wedding day when a gossip columnist outed their plans. On Frank Sinatra's private jet, the King and his fiancée made their way to Las Vegas. They went back to the House of Tomorrow for their honeymoon.
The abode is now known as the honeymoon hideaway. The tours blend Elvis history with a crash course in midcentury modern architecture, a lively and sleek style, abundant glass and stone, and pops of color, all of which captured the free-wheeling, future focused spirit of the time.
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The first time Elvis walked into Sun Studio, he was almost shooed away, but as the story goes, a receptionist spotted his talent, got his record across the legendary label-owner SamPhillips's desk, and so on and so forth. There are tours led by local musicians seven days a week at the building which is a music- history museum. You will understand why the building is known as the birthplace of rock 'n' roll by listening to the stories they tell. Elvis recorded "That's All Right" in the studio where you can see where he stood in 1954.
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There is a corner booth at the Arcade Restaurant in Memphis. During his regular visits to this diner, the King would often sit at the counter and eat his peanut butter and banana sandwich. Arcade has a history that goes past Elvis. It's claimed to be the oldest restaurant in Memphis. The feel of the place is similar to a time when Elvis songs were played all over the place. It is a great place to get a treat off the all-day breakfast menu or fill up on a classic burger.
There are 9 best museums in Memphis.
It is almost impossible to avoid Elvis in Las Vegas. After his local debut was panned by the press, Elvis went to Hollywood, started acting and returned to Sin City to perform his first show at the International in 1969. By the end of the performance, it was sold out for 2.5 million people. You can see from the statues that Elvis is still popular. You can go to the wedding chapel or catch a show.
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Hawaii has beaches, luaus and hula dancers. Also, Elvis. Elvis is the most well known pop star associated with the 50th state. He recorded a concert in Honolulu that was broadcast via satellite to 1.5 billion people and filmed three movies there. There is a statue of the singer outside the concert venue. Fans hang leis around the figurine on a daily basis. The Coco Palms Resort and Puu Ualakaa State Wayside Park are two of the must-sees.
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There is a historic World War II army base in Arkansas that is 2.5 hours west of Little Rock. When Elvis enlisted in the army, crowds came to see him give up his sideburns. After falling into disrepair in the 1990s, the building was restored in 2008 and opened as the Chaffee Barber Shop Museum in 2009. The original barbershop pole, photos taken on the day of the buzzcut, and the camera used by the local photographer are housed in this building. On March 25th, crowds gather to celebrate Elvis Haircut Day. The son of the man who gave Elvis his buzz is offering participants a hair cut.
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Don Epperly is a super fan of Elvis Presley. His Elvis-loving legacy lives on at this small-scale shrine to the King despite his death in 2012 All of the buildings were constructed by hand. There is a scaled-down version of the famous Memphis estate, as well as other buildings that were important in his life, like his childhood home in Tupelo and the Elvis Presley Car Museum.
When Epperly got sick in the 1990s, it fell into disrepair as he and his wife added it throughout the 1980's. Donations can be left in the white box to support its upkeep. It is next to the Elvis statue.
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The Howard Johnson is a motor lodge that Elvis and his friends would often stay at. The kitschy Heartbreak Hotel, which embodied the same no- frills vibe as the Howard Johnson, was the place to stay for many years for Elvis pilgrims. The guest house at Graceland changed everything. The 450-room hotel is made up of the Heartbreak Hotel's building and another building. The suites pay homage to the King in a low key style. In each room, Elvis is honored with clever design touches that he preferred, such as TVs mounted in the ceiling and bold colors.
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Like Don Epperly, the Queen of the King is devoted to sharing her Elvis love with the world. The Everything Elvis Museum is located about 90 minutes north of Atlanta. It is unsurprising that it is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is the largest assortment of stuff and also the most unique, with things like Elvis's wart and his toenails. Do you think it's squeamish? It's not to worry. There are many Elvis-themed household goods such as lamps, towels and curtains. The Loudermilk boarding house is a national historic landmark.
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The article was first published in July of 2019.
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