Graceland

My hubby started school last week but spent most of the time in orientation. This is the time where they meet the professors, staff, Dean, and other students. It is also when they get their schedules, books, and photos taken. They ended orientation on Thursday so my husband had Friday off. We decided to seize the opportunity and take a impromptu road trip to Memphis. We had heard that it was "Elvis Week" and considering that I have never been to Graceland my husband decided it was the perfect excuse to go.

The house was much smaller than I had originally imagined it to be. Just like the Southfork House out of Dallas. I really like the living room of this home. I even tracked down a picture of Elvis playing guitar on the sofa. 

Check out the Peacocks!!!

Elvis had heard that the President had three televisions in his office to watch all three networks at the same time. He decided that he wanted to do the same. That is why he had three televisions installed in his den.

This is his record room. I almost laugh at the thought it is called a room. It's more on the scale of a small house. You wouldn't believe all the awards he had received over his career. I don't think I've ever seen so many in my life.

I really love these jumpsuits. I told my hubby that I think he should start wearing them around campus. That and some big gold Elvis sunglasses. He could become the Elvis attorney, Ha!

More records and awards

 

One of my favorites to tour was his car collection. I'm a huge classic car fan and I was excited to see all the unique vehicles he had in his collection. Although, I was disappointed that I wasn't allowed to use a flash inside. The room was very dark and my pictures didn't turn out very well. However, I did take a picture of this classic beauty.

Another section of the tour was his famous wardrobe. I had to get a snapshot of this shirt and jacket.

A lot of people do not realize that Elvis was not from Memphis, Tennessee. He was actually born and raised in Tupelo, Mississippi. His family relocated to Memphis when he was 13 years old. His twin brother, Jesse, died at birth. His family was very poor and often had difficult times trying to make ends meet.
His mother, Gladys, took Elvis to church. This is where he began singing gospel music. He was only 10 years old when he entered a contest at the Mississippi-Alabama fair. He sang, "Old Shep," and won 5th place. For his birthday that year he received his first guitar. He said, "I took the guitar, and I watched people play a little bit. But I would never sing in public. I was very shy about it."

He didn't have any friends at school. He would bring his guitar and play at lunch. He was considered the "trashy" kid that played hillbilly music. In November 1948, his family moved to Memphis. They couldn't afford a house so they lived in a rooming house until they were able to move into a two bedroom apartment (considered public housing).  He began playing guitar with a few boys he'd met in his Junior year. They even started playing on the infamous Beale Street (known for blues). B.B. King said he knew Presley when they both us to frequent Beale Street before they became famous.

In his senior year he entered a talent show, "I wasn't popular in school....I failed music-only thing I ever failed. And then they entered me in a talent show....when I came onstage I heard people rumbling and whispering and so forth cause nobody knew I even sang. It was amazing how popular became after that."

It was August 1953, when Elvis walked into Sun Records. He failed the audition. He ended up taking a job as a truck driver for Crown Electric Company. On a hot July night, Presley was about to call it quits as he was finishing up a audition."All of sudden, Elvis just started singing this song, jumping around and acting a fool, and then Bill picked up his bass, and started acting a fool, too, and I started playing with them," said Winfield "Scotty" Moore. Three days later a popular Memphis DJ played their song and people were eagerly calling in to find out who he was. Did you know that one of his first major shows was in Houston, Texas? Just thought I'd throw that out since we just moved from Houston.

Ok, and since I resided in Austin, Texas for nearly 6 years I must add that Priscilla and her family lived in Austin prior to leaving for Germany (where she met Elvis). Her father was a US Navy Pilot and moved the family to Wiesbaden, Germany. She would visit the Eagles Club (a hang out for Americans) and listen to the jukebox. There she would write all of her friends back home in Austin.

She met a friend, Currie Grant, who said he knew Elvis. Elvis was deployed to Germany during this time. Her friend Currie Grant asked if she would like to meet Elvis but she told him she would have to ask her parents approval. She was only 14 at the time. Grant assured her parents that she would be well chaperoned. On September 13, 1959, during an evening party at Elvis' house, they met. He immediately was stricken by her and said he felt "awkward, embarrassed" like the boy next door in front of her. They were married on May 1, 1967 in Las Vegas.

Look at Lisa Marie's baby clothes

I love her maternity dress

This was his private jet "Lisa Marie" where Lisa Marie spent her 9th Birthday. It was really impressive to see

Hope y'all enjoyed my tour of Graceland.