Memphis
Trip Start
Apr 15, 2008
1
13
59
Trip End
Apr 01, 2010
Memphis,
Tennessee,
United States
Monday, July 7, 2008
Memphis lies on the very western edge of Tennessee, boarded by the mighty Mississippi River. The summers are hot and the air is heavy. This city has given us our first view of the Mississippi which today was running high due to the recent floods further north. Memphis has had its problems over the years and the old down town was nearly abandoned in the 70's. Today is has been revived and benefits greatly from tourism.
Memphis was the home town for many years of Elvis Presley. High on the agenda is of course a trip to Graceland, Elvis' home and final resting place. Tours of his mansion are self guided; you are given a set of headphones with a narration for all the different areas of the house, out-buildings and grounds
Beale Street
. The house is much smaller than we had imagined. You get to see all rooms on the ground floor and basement which appear frozen in time, with 70's décor. There are impressive libraries of gold and platinum records, along with Elvis' ornate costume collection. Elvis and his immediate family are all buried in the grounds. I remember when Elvis died back in August 1977; I was eleven and was delivering the daily papers. The headline said 'The King is dead', I couldn't believe what I was reading, and had to go home and break the news to my older sister who was a massive fan. She'll kill me for publishing this but she cried for over a week! The whole experience was quite moving and really brought back both the mega success and the sadness of Elvis' short life.
Sun Studio was initially set up by Sam Phillips in the 1950's and is now an historic landmark. This studio is famous for the discovery and recordings of stars such as, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. In latter days music stars such as Ringo Star, U2 and Sheryl Crow have all come here to record.
And of course our trip wouldn't have been complete without a trip to the famous Beale Street where blue's music rings out day and night from the many bars which line the street. The day we visited we sat and listened to a live band in the small park squeezed between the buildings before walking down to the Mississippi River for a short stroll along its bank.
Comments
Elvis' House
Elvis' house would seem small to the man who lives in Stony Stratford Manor. Elvis also only did a 3 month world tour. Hope you are having a great time. Can't wait for the stick of Elvis rock.