Graceland . . . very interesting, Imitation Elsie loved it too

After the bus takes you to the front door, you enter and look to the right into the all white living room. NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY! Pics aren't the greatest but can ya see those peacock stained glass windows? The King had them made special for this area and you too can have them in your home. Yes, purchase your reproductions at one of the eleven. yes ELEVEN, official EPE gift shops found across the street. EPE = Elvis Presely Enterprises... now you know.

Oh, BTW, no tour guides. Just tour guards. Everything is relayed via satellite radio and you wear these little headset thingys to listen. You have to push numbers or specific buttons on the small radio to hear the next narration. The tour guards will answer questions and are VERY friendly and VERY nice. They were especially nice to IE. I didn't take very many pics in the house. It was a little eerie to me and I wanted to show respect to The King. Seriously, I found it incredible and would go back again. Anyone wanna go? Ok, on with the tour.

Beyond those peacocks is the Music Room. You can just get a glimpse of the piano.

To the left of the white living room is the stairway and a short hallway to the right. Off to the right is (was?) his parent's bedroom. Nothing fancy but a bit nicer than what they had in Tupelo. The stairs are roped off and a large blue velvet curtain blocks your view at the top of the stairs. THEY SAY that no one ever went upstairs except Elvis, Priscilla, and Lisa Marie. THEY SAY that nothing has been touched up there since he died. Kinda creepy. Also, THEY SAY (well, not on the tour but eveyone else) that the bathroom in which he died is directly above the foyer. Ok, off through the dining room (no pics) and kitchen (no pics). Something I thought as I walked through this floor was how if this house was on House Hunters (HGTV).... those potential buyers would gasp and say 'oh my, this needs totally remodeled, look at that terrible carpet, who picked these wall colors?' yadda yadda yadda. However, one has to remember that this house was decorated in the late 60's and early 70's and I'm sure was very stylish and modern. Ok, back to the kitchen.... previously the kitchen was not on the tour because his aunt lived in the home until she died which I think they said was 1993. I better google that date. Anyhoo, think about that... she lived there for a very long time with people ooing and ahhing and boo-hooing through there. Very generous of EPE to commit to his request to allow her to stay. Ok, now you go downstairs to the famed TV Room and Pool (or was it game?) Room. The TV room was decorated in dark blue, yellow, and white - which looks adorable on a child's sweater or on a sailboat flag. In here... well, between the colors, the vinyl, and the mirrored ceiling, it was a little much. However, like I stated before, 30ish years ago - this was HOT! The Pool Room was different too - the walls and ceilings are totally covered in fabric. Back upstairs to the famed Jungle Room:

That's Imitation Elsie sitting on the ledge near the indoor waterfall. After this room you are guided outside and walk through Vernon's office, the shooting range (an outdoor room with a large door), and then to the racquetball court. After you walk into the RC, you step into the actual area that would have been the floor, etc. and instead the walls are covered - floor to ceiling - with gold records. TVs are showing concerts from his last years and there are a few of his legendary jumpsuits on display. It was at this point I started getting very sad. He was only 42 years old and wow - what a life. I know you think I'm silly but I did get very sad.

So, after you leave the racquetball court you move into what Elvis called the Trophy room (building? I can't recall). Anyhoo, again, a short intro and then you walk into this:

Can ya see tiny IE in the pic to the left? Can you see the hugh number of tourists? Note: If you ever want to go to Graceland, this time of year is AWESOME!

Walking along, looking at all of those records was just incredible. As you leave this hall, you enter the hall of movie posters, etc. At the end is a display of his wedding suit, her dress, and Lisa Marie's crib and a few toys. Around that corner is another long hallway that displays his charity work, etc. Both he and Priscilla were very active and generous. Again, this display really moved me.

Here's a couple of shots to cheer you... Imitation Elsie at the pool!

And then there's the meditation garden with the four graves and the original HUGE marble headstone from his mom's grave. Flowers, tributes, gifts, etc. are everywhere but not trashy.

This is the marker near the road. Here are the famous gates.

And... the famous wall with signatures, tributes, and messages from around the world.


The tour also includes a building with about 10 cars and motorcycles as well as the golf carts, etc. he used to drive around the acreage. Yes, Graceland was originally almost 14 acres. I'm not sure what it is now. I think I should get a job there. I love it and am becoming quite the expert. Of course, in two weeks I will have forgotten all of this which is why I am putting it here. Well, that and I want all of you to enjoy my experience. I wish you were there!

Back to the tour... you can walk thru the Lisa Marie airplane with the gold plated everything and also Hound Dog II, a smaller jet. There is Private Presley - a display about his time in the military and an exhibit I really liked which showcased all of his movies. I wish there was a package set of DVDs of his movies. I'll just have to get them here and there at the flea market. I want to get Roustabout first. My new fav Elvis song is 'Little Egypt' from that movie. I watched Jailhouse Rock for the first time last week too. He was so handsome!

This concludes your tour of Graceland.

I went back a few days later to visit the remaining gift shops and do another drive-by of the wall/gates. At one of the shops the very nice clerk noticed IE in my purse and said I had to take a pic in front of the suit.

We love you ELVIS!
If you get the chance, stop by and take the tour. I know I didn't spoil it for you here because you can see all this all over the web. I can't wait to go to Memphis again and fork out the cash and head through those gates.

A little WC Handy and Tutwiler, MS

Imitation Elsie pays tribute to BB King

I gave up the hunt for this marker after driving for miles down dirt roads, passing farmers harvesting the cotton crop. Then, I came to a dead end and started to turn when I looked over my shoulder and there was the dang marker. This happened more than once to me with a few of the off-the-beaten-path markers. It was kind of strange how they seemed to just appear.

BB's hand and footprints in the cement.

I think there is a third BB King marker but I can't be certain since I didn't find it....

Putting some miles on that car in the Mississippi Delta - Blues Trail Markers

Imitation Elsie at Sun Studios

The Million Dollar Quartet. Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and The King.

A row of guitars in the studio. Upstairs is the museum then downstairs you go into the actual studio. Stand where He stood. Ok, stand where many others stood too. The studio is used once again for recording at night and 1000s of tourists visit each week.

I'm really gettin' lazy... From Wiki:

Sun Studio was opened by rock pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. It was originally called Memphis Recording Service, sharing the same building with the Sun Records label business. Reputedly the first rock-and-roll single, Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats' "Rocket 88" was recorded there in 1951 with song composer Ike Turner on keyboards, leading the studio to claim status as the birthplace of rock & roll. Blues and R&B artists like Howlin' Wolf, Junior Parker, Little Milton, B.B. King, James Cotton, Rufus Thomas, and Rosco Gordon recorded there in the early 1950s.

The front office of the Sun Studio, where office manager Marion Keisker worked and greeted many artists on their first visit to the studio, including a young Elvis Presley.
Rock-and-roll, country music, and rockabilly artists, including unknowns recording demos and others like Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Ray Harris, Warren Smith, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis, signed to the Sun Records label

The Riverside Hotel, Abe's BBQ, Red's Blues Club, Club 2000, and a few other places around Clarksdale, MS

We got here either a little early or a little late - depends on how you look at it I suppose. This was taken close to 7am. I'm thinking we were about 2 hours late. Dang.

Clarksdale has a lot of music history for those interested. Since I'm getting tired, here is some info from wikipedia:

Riverside Hotel, located at 615 Sunflower Avenue, is a historic hotel in Clarksdale, Mississippi in operation since 1944. It was the fourth marker place on the Mississippi Blues Trail. Famed for providing lodging for such blues artists as Sonny Boy Williamson II, Ike Turner, and Robert Nighthawk, it was also where Bessie Smith died in 1937 after her fatal car accident on Highway 61 (then known as the G.T. Thomas Hospital). Ike Turner wrote and rehearsed his song "Rocket 88" here. Robert Nighthawk left his suitcase in his room there just before he died.

Abe's is the place to grab a pulled pork sandwich if you stop in Clarksdale. Well, if the place is open! I learned quickly about Blue Sunday... and then again... Blue Monday... translated to 'many places are not open on Sunday and Monday'.... Unfortunately I did most of my traveling Sunday and all museums and other places of interest are closed. I remember when it was like that most everyplace. I could get all of the fast food I wanted and even go Krogering - but - try to get a tamale or bbq plate and you are out of luck. I was referred to a Mexican restaurant that was packed and the food was very good.

I stopped by here to listen to some music but the place was dead. Tuesday night in the Delta isn't such a great night to party either.

Yes, that is Imitation Elsie sittin' on the smoker.

IE at the birthplace of the king, Tupelo, MS

Imitation Elsie sitting at the feet of the Elvis sculpture.

This is one of many MS Blues Trail Markers that I found. I have to admit that this one was very easy to locate!

Imitation Elsie on the porch.

This is the birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, MS.