A review of Memphis

Okay I'm going backwards a bit here but I finally looked through all my Memphis pictures, labled them and put them in their own file folder. Sometiimes this takes some time and I finally found (made?) the time.

So, Memphis Tennessee...
Why am I hearing a Paul Simon song right now..
Anyway, Memphis
On the mighty Mississippi, with a bridge to Arkansas.
Beale street.
Graceland
Sun Records
Awesome BBQ and fried chicken
And ducks in the lobby of the historic Peabody Hotel

And folks that's just about it.
Really.
There isn't much else.
There might have been a long time ago. Maybe not so long ago but there isn't now.
I don't think the time of year had anything to do with it.
It was weird at times that there just wasn't anyone around.
Sad really.

On my "bucket" list of things was to go to Graceland. Though not a huge Elvis fan I appreciate his humble beginnings and his rise and change in the music industry.
On the way to Memphis I had booked a night in Tupelo, Mississippi. I didn't know at the time of booking that this was Elvis' childhood home.
So I had to wander around what has now become a museum.

This is Elvis' first home. His parents and he lived here (his twin brother died at birth) until they moved to Memphis due to financial problems.

We don't hear much of Elvis' "old" music played now, except if you listen to the Elvis Satellite stations, but his influences were not what we expect.

Once out of Tupelo there isn't much around except expanses of field and forest. Then POW! you're in Memphis.
The city is like any other, good and bad spots. I didn't know where to stay when I started to think of Memphis but was advised to stay at the historic Peabody Hotel downtown. I enjoy the old style hotels with their marble lobbies and old style charm. The Peabody is no exception.
There are ducks in the lobby. Ducks???
See, in the late '30's live decoys were used for hunting and the managers of the hotel were out hunting. After a few wobbly pops out in the field it was decided that the decoys would be let loose in the hotel lobby fountain.
They liked it there.
They stayed.
There are now ducks that are raised by a local farmer that stay in the hotel for just about 2 years then they are set free.
The ducks have a pent house apartment.
The ducks have a parade ceremony at 11 am to the lobby and at 5pm to their penthouse.
There is a duckmaster who corrals them and walks them to the elevator.
Really, I'm not kidding.

This is one of the Peabody Ducks. There were 3 females and one male that enjoyed the fountain.

The Duckmaster is telling the history of the Peabody ducks to the crowd, and what a crowd it was. After the talk, the ducks walked!

Off to their penthouse for the night. Nice life for these guys.

This is the floor, yes, floor of the elevator in the Peabody. The duck theme is everywhere.

Right, so enough ducks for now. Onto all things Elvis.

This statue of Elvis (standing 10 feet tall) was on Beale Street but due to parts of him disappearing from time to time he was moved to the Memphis Welcome Centre! Even there he's alarmed, if you touch him bells go off!

I had made friends with the concierge at the hotel, Mr. Charles. He looked out for me and suggested things that I might like to do during my stay. I had mentioned to him that going to Graceland was a must and I didn't want to drive so he hooked me up with a tour bus that was already running there, along with a stop at the Memphis Visitor's Centre. Miss Michelle was our driver and between her deep southern drawl and her personality the tour was such a hoot. My nickname was O Canada as I was the only Canadian on the small bus. There were people there from Holland, Spain, Austria and Germany and one couple from Missouri. I didn't know that Elvis never toured Europe, he was there only for his Army duty. Europeans are fascinated on what Elvis is really all about. It was fun to hear their remarks.

Graceland is a historic landmark but still considered a private home. It's Lisa Marie's. As Elvis left everything to her it is the foundation that she created and is managed by her mother (Elvis wrote Priscilla out of the will when they divorced). The enterprise now consists of the house, the maintainance of the museum part (the lower floor) and the upkeep of the upper floor that is not open to the public and used by Lisa Marie and Priscilla if they so choose.

The large circular driveway leads to this majestic front entrance.

This is the formal living room. The couch on the very right was probably 12 feet long. The stained glass was amazing. Everything was in cream colours.

The pool was a normal kidney shaped affair, nothing fancy. The Memorial garden is behind it.

This building was Elvis' racquetball court (he loved the sport and built his own court in the backyard) which, after his death, was converted to house all his awards and costumes.

The number of awards was overwhelming. They also were in a basement area as well. They were so numerous it was incredible. Gold and platinum records, Grammy's, Country music awards, achievement awards, you name it!

The memorial gardens are really quite peaceful, they are just beyond the pool area.

 The story is that after Elvis died he was interred at Forest Lawn Cemetary in Memphis but it was found that some grave robbers were planning to removed Elvis' remains. Elvis' father, Vernon petitioned the city to have Elvis buried at Graceland. He then arranged to have his wife reinterred beside her son. There is a plaque memorializing Elvis' twin brother who died at birth in  the memorial garden. Now Vernon and Elvis' grandmother are interred there as well. The flower tributes arrive daily from all over the world and are left there until they weather then are removed by staff. Many people linger in this area for quite some time. Some were even crying. It was interesting.

Graceland is not a palacial, lavish home. It is a home though, and strangely you can get a sense of what it was like to be in "the day" when Elvis was king. The museum and memorials all recall Elvis in his hey-day. Not the "end times" when he was larger and strung out on chemicals. The rooms in the home are of a normal size, with normal furniture and it's like 1977 just stopped this place in it's tracks. The ceilings are low and very low in the basement where, it appeared, Elvis hung out with friends and associates.
There is an office set up in one of the back garages and he had horses on his property (as it wasn't really in Memphis when he bought it). The home was built in the 20's and had the name Graceland already and that was a condition of sale that the name would not be changed.
After he bought Graceland he asked his parents to move in too. Vernon was involved in Elvis' bookings and appearances.
The "jungle room" is really a sunroom that has shag carpet and green astro-turf on the ceiling and leopard print upholstery. I think this is where Elvis did a lot of singing and practicing. The TV room downstairs has low ceilings, yellow and blue leather furniture, a wet bar in the corner and 3 TV's all on, showing different shows. Elvis loved TV. There was a small record player in the corner and some 45's piled up. His sound system was nothing earth shattering. Just a couple of speakers on the counter!

Pictures are allowed throughout the whole complex but without a flash and I have yet to get a full handle on how to do that properly so the pics are a little grainy but you get the idea.

The Elvis Foundation also has all of his cars and planes on display too. They have a very well organized empire created so all fans can get a real sense of what he was like and what his life was like. I am so glad I took the tour, I'm so glad I made it to Graceland to really see what it's all about. I'd highly recommend it to anyone, if you were an Elvis super fan or just an interested party like me.

Right, enough now on this post.
Beale street and Sun Records for another time.
As I go through all of this I realize how truly neat it was to be at Graceland and see what one man, from a humble start could make for himself.