Elvis
Presley Travel page
including
Memphis, Nashville, Tupelo
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Elvis
Presley Travel page |
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Memphis Elvis' Graceland
Mansion
Tupelo, Mississippi http://www.elvispresleybirthplace.com/
Travel Companies
Elvis General Merchandise
One of Elvis' Best Friends,
George Klein, author of Elvis
Presley: The Family Album
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by Trina Yannicos Why not take a long and winding road trip down South? If you're a music fan, you'll be surprised at how much you can learn about the history of rock and roll, blues, and country music, and the performer who put them all together to become one of the most successful musical acts of our time.
When taking a tour of RCA recording studios (which is still a functioning studio), you find out that Elvis Presley did the majority of his recordings here. You walk through the actual sound studio and see an actual microphone Elvis used, and picture him in the prime of his life recording all those number one hits. But Elvis wasn't really a country star, was he? He did sing a few country songs though, and if you think about it, many of his songs did have a subdued country flavor. Now on to Opryland, the country music theme park, to hear some live country music. You're almost ready to buy your first country album, but then it's time to hop in the car and continue down to Memphis on the other side of the state. What a contrast . . .
Just a few blocks away, you can get a sense of the roots of blues music created here in the early days, by stepping into one of the many nightclubs that line up on Beale Street. B.B. King even has his own nightclub here, where he occasionally stops in to perform. Sam
Phillips, the founder of Sun Records, saw in Elvis the
chance to mix the two musical cultures of white and black:
"He (Elvis) has a white voice, sings with a Negro rhythm,
and borrows mood from country style." Phillip's vision
started a revolution in music when he signed Elvis to Sun
Records. Although he sold Elvis' recording contract to RCA
early in Elvis' career, many other successful artists
recorded here as well including Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis
and Carl Perkins. When visiting the studio, you can imagine a young Elvis pouring his heart out in hopes of getting his first hit record. You hear exclusive tapes of dialogue of Elvis during his rehearsals, and you see actual instruments that were used for Elvis' recordings. It is here where you see and feel the blending of two cultures to form a musical explosion that has lasted over 50 years. Now that you've got a taste of Elvis' beginnings, it's time to see the result of all his hard work. Next stop-- Graceland. Take a short trip into the suburbs to the "World of Elvis." From the surface, Graceland is all the Elvis myth leads you to believe-- a tacky and tasteless palace for a burned-out star. But if you dig deeper, Graceland is a symbol of a poor boy's dream come true. By today's standards, Graceland as a luxurious home isn't very impressive. But when comparing it to Elvis' birthplace, a two-room shack in Tupelo, Mississippi, Graceland seems like a palace. And to Elvis, that's what it was.
As you walk through the hallways of the mansion on your guided audio tour, you begin to see Graceland through Elvis' eyes. He was only 22 years old when he bought Graceland, and it represented a dream come true for him in rising above the harsh life of poverty his family had suffered for years. His taste may have been tacky, but his heart was in the right place. He generously shared his wealth with his family and friends, and was known for impulsively buying brand new cars for people without warning.
You may see Graceland as just another place to go to witness the excessive commercialism that surrounds the Elvis myth. However, when you walk through his enormous awards room, you get a sense of the magnitude of Elvis' talent. Nowadays, it is very easy to remember all the corny Elvis impersonator jokes, instead of Elvis' many accomplishments. However, when you visit Graceland, you're reminded of why Elvis became so popular.
At the end of the tour, you take a walk through the meditation garden where Elvis and his parents are buried. You experience a solemn feeling while looking at the elaborate graves. There isn't much time to stand and look since there are lines and lines of people right behind you. Then it's on the bus and back over to the Graceland Plaza. After you have perused all the Elvis attractions at Graceland (which takes a good part of the day), don't forget to pick up some Elvis souvenir items. You may get a laugh at the Elvis ashtray or Elvis earrings, but don't forget to pick up an Elvis CD, because if you don't take the time to listen to the music-- really listen-- you're missing the whole point.
ELVIS:
STILL TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS (Press Release) ~Bill E. Burk - Publisher, ELVIS WORLD magazine
Much has been written about The King of Rock 'n' Roll over the years, but nothing ever like this. On the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, fans will get the full story from the man who had a front-row seat for it all. Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business by Elvis' bodyguard of sixteen years, Sonny West (with Marshall Terrill) provides revealing insight into Elvis Presley's career and personal life. West was a charter member of the infamous Memphis Mafia and had a close friendship with the superstar. Elvis features never-before-seen photos from West's personal collection along with a number of untold stories such as:
If you want to read the book
that the estate probably wouldn't endorse, then Elvis: Still
Taking Care of Business is for you. It's arguably the most
authentic, no-holds-barred depiction of the greatest
entertainer who ever lived. About the Authors Sonny West was Elvis Presley's close friend, trusted confidant, and bodyguard for 16 years. He is semi-retired and routinely performs an hour-long show around the world called Elvis: Up Close and Personal by Sonny West. He resides in the middle Tennessee area with Judy West, his wife of 36 years. Marshall Terrill is a veteran reporter for the Chandler (Arizona) Connection and is the author of a dozen books, including bestselling biographies on actor Steve McQueen and basketball legend Pistol Pete Maravich. Terrill resides in Tempe, Arizona, with his wife, Zoe. Editor's Note: Marshall Terrill has been a long-time contributor to Daytrippin' Beatles Magazine and Website (http://www.daytrippin.com/articles.htm). We congratulate Marshall on the publication of this book and thank him for his assistance in compiling the information on this page.
Sonny West on why he wrote Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business "Looking back almost 30 years later, I am forced to concede that even though Elvis: What Happened? sold three million copies, it was largely a failure. The book, co-written with my cousin Red West and fellow bodyguard Dave Hebler didn't save Elvis, and neither did it convey to readers how much I loved the man. By focusing so much on Elvis' addiction to medication and oddball behavior, I was remiss in not telling readers how much he meant to me. Let me state for the record &endash; he meant the world to me.
In this book I want to give readers an insight to what Elvis was really like. Elvis had abundant charm, charisma, sensitivity and class. He was well-read on a variety of subjects from religion to philosophy to world history. Elvis had a God-given talent in music and gave 100 percent all the time on stage and in the studio. But he likewise put all of himself into every emotion, and when he was mad, you always prayed it was at somebody else. If not, you felt you needed to get the hell out of Dodge. Writing this book has truly been a labor of love and a catharsis. At times it's left me drained emotionally and physically. I have taken almost four years to put down my stories on my life with Elvis, and I truly hope you enjoy reading them. If you laugh a lot or are deeply touched and moved to tears, and feel you know Elvis more personally by the time you are done reading this book then I will have accomplished something very important to me. Over the years there have been statements made by some concerning Elvis' view on race, religion and politics. Elvis spent a lot of time discussing current affairs and articulating his positions. He purposely chose not to publicly convey his views so his fame would not influence anyone. Elvis served his country with distinction, and he believed that everybody is entitled to an opinion, and to have freedom of choice. He was once asked at a news conference about his view on a political issue, and politely declined to answer. The reporter asked Elvis if he even had a position on the subject. Elvis stated he did, but preferred to keep it to himself. That's quite a contrast to so many of our current celebrities who aren't at all shy about using their status to promote a political agenda. In private, Elvis never shied away from telling anyone how great this country is. He was one of the most patriotic people I ever knew and was very proud of the men and women in our armed forces for doing their duty to protect our freedom. It's no mere coincidence that Elvis is the symbol of America to many people around the globe, and he would be very proud of that association. I am happy to have been associated with Elvis Presley, a man who profoundly touched the lives of untold millions, and enriched the lives of those who knew him." -----
Book Excerpts from Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business: "Elvis and the Chairman" Elvis' co-star in G.I. Blues was the lovely Juliet Prowse. The native South African actress-dancer played a sexy nightclub dancer and Elvis' love interest in the film, but there were no sparks between them right off the bat. "Man, I'll tell you, that is one cold chick," Elvis told me one day on the set. Miss Prowse's icy veneer could have had something to do with the fact that at the time she was engaged to be married to a pretty well-known operator by the name of Frank Sinatra. Although the two superstars had recently filmed a successful television special together, the Chairman of the Board was on record in the 1950s as disapproving of the music that made Elvis Sinatra's successor at the top of the charts. Frank was nothing but cordial to Elvis in person and I truly feel he liked him; but I've always felt Ol' Blue Eyes was just a little jealous of Elvis because he dared to steal the mantle of teen idol and usurp Frank's popularity. While Sinatra was the idol of millions of bobby-soxers in the forties, Elvis became the gold standard by which every entertainer was measured. Whatever her initial reservations about Elvis, the Presley charm, charisma and wit worked their magic on Juliet Prowse, and she loosened up after a while. We even discovered she had a great guffaw-like laugh. In no time she warmed up to everyone and we ended up having a lot of fun. Exactly how much fun Juliet and Elvis were having together off the set has long been a matter of speculation. I know they were greatly attracted to one another and they spent an inordinate amount of time in Elvis' trailer on the set. I don't know if they were just going over their lines or if they were acting out their love scenes in private; but I did notice that Elvis got quite antsy the first time he heard Sinatra was on the set looking for his girl. He and Juliet were ensconced in Elvis' trailer, and with Red in the lead; we decided to have a little fun. "Elvis! Elvis!" Red rasped outside the trailer door. "Don't try anything, Elvis! Frank's coming around the corner!" There was the sound of frantic scrambling from inside the trailer, and then Elvis appeared at the door looking very concerned. When he asked where Frank was, we laughed and said we were just kidding. "You sons of bitches," Elvis said. At least he was smiling. Juliet laughed, too. Everybody enjoyed our little prank so much that we repeated it several times. Predictably, as in the case of the boy who cried wolf, nobody took us seriously anymore. Then one day during a lunch break, this little dapper figure appeared on the horizon strolling through the big soundstage doors with that pork pie hat and silhouette. It wasn't Mickey Rooney. I remember thinking, Man, I hope there isn't anything going on behind closed doors. "Yes, Mr. Sinatra. How are you, sir?" I said, trying to stall. "I'm fine, thank you. Do you happen to know where I can find Juliet Prowse?" "Yes sir, she and Elvis are going over their lines right now," I answered, trying to knock on the door. I'd have tried to stall Sinatra a little longer, but he just didn't look like he was in the mood to shoot the bull right then. Luckily, Elvis and Juliet heard Frank's voice from inside the trailer. Whatever was going on in there stopped, and when Elvis opened the door, Juliet was sitting on the couch with the script on her lap. We never repeated that prank again, but it didn't put an end to our worries about keeping Elvis in one piece if Frank ever found him and his fiancée in a tryst. It almost happened again, according to Lamar, when Elvis decided to have a "reading" with Juliet in his bedroom at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Lamar was there, and Elvis asked him to go gas up Juliet's car. Frank had given Juliet a Dual-Ghia, a rare, fabulously expensive American-Italian hybrid car. Frank and Dean Martin each had one of their own, and I'm sure you could count on one hand all the Ghias (only 125 were made over an eight-year period) in Los Angeles. As Lamar was filling up the tank with gas, damned if a limousine didn't pull right up next to him. And double-damned if Frank Sinatra didn't pop out of the rear door. "Where's Juliet?" Frank inquired, and not in a very positive tone I might add. "She's back at the hotel with Elvis rehearsing their lines," Lamar said. Frank's limo almost did a wheelie peeling out of there, and as soon as the smoke cleared, Lamar took off in the Ghia in the same direction. Their destinations were the same: the Beverly Wilshire. Sinatra got there first, and as Frank strode toward the elevator, Lamar ran for the house phone. "Frank's coming up!" Lamar yelled when Elvis answered. "Oh not this again!" Elvis groaned. "No, Elvis, it's the truth!" Lamar screamed. "He's on his way up! The man is getting on the elevator and he's coming up." Elvis and Juliet were fully dressed when they greeted Sinatra at the door a minute later. The first time they weren't caught was pure luck. The second time, I'm fully convinced, was divine intervention. -----
Book Excerpt: "The Comeback King" At the end of the Sixties, Elvis' career was booming again with his hugely successful TV special, a new batch of recordings and an upcoming engagement in Las Vegas. Elvis invited me and my then-girlfriend Judy Jordan (who is now my wife of 36 years) to be his special guests at his first live stage show in almost nine years at the Las Vegas International Hotel. "It's going to be fun being back on the stage again," Elvis said.
Judy and I arrived in Las Vegas on July 31, and everywhere we looked we saw Elvis. Billboards, posters, taxi marquees and radio and TV ads shouted his name. The marquee in front of the International featured his name in letters taller than me. In the lobby was an Elvis souvenir booth that sold posters and 8 x 10s of the man of the hour. The excitement was something even for Las Vegas. As the Sweet Inspirations warmed up the audience, I felt a tap on the shoulder. A showroom captain said that Elvis wanted to see me backstage. I was escorted through a side door and along a hallway to a staircase leading down to Elvis' dressing room. Inside were Elvis, Joe Esposito, Lamar Fike, Richard Davis and Charlie Hodge. Elvis looked spectacular. His wavy jet black hair and gold jewelry meshed well with the dark blue karate-style Cossack suit and macramé belt designed by Bill Belew. We hugged, and after visiting for a short time, we headed upstairs to the backstage area. Elvis was very nervous as we started the stretching routine we had always done before our karate workouts. We placed our right feet side-by-side, barely touching. Then Elvis leaned way back, pulling me forward, and I leaned back pulling him forward. Then we switched hands and feet and duplicated the process. Elvis said repeatedly, "It is here, it is here," almost as if he were in a trance. When we finished, he shook his arms as if to release all that nervous energy. As he paced back and forth, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, I told him, "Elvis, you're going to kick ass. I just know it." "Man, I hope so," he replied nervously. When the lights in the showroom dimmed and Elvis' opening music filled the room, the crowd was on its feet. The gold lame curtain began its ascent and Elvis looked up as if to say, "Help me, God, do the best I can," then took one last deep breath, exhaled. He nodded to me, then walked out on stage. The crowd roared its approval, and the sound seemed to move through him like an electrical current. All of a sudden, he was home. There's an old saying in show business that was made for Elvis that night: "A singer needs songs, but an entertainer just needs a stage." He grabbed the microphone, paused and launched into a raucous version of "Blue Suede Shoes." The audience was screaming, swooning and dancing. Sammy Davis Jr. was right up front, pounding the stage in excitement and yelling, "Yeah, yeah, kick it, babe!" Sammy kept it up all night. Elvis did the same thing himself when he attended other entertainers' shows. There came a time in the show where Elvis introduced celebrities in the audience and he gave Sammy a very special one that night. When Elvis did the Frank Sinatra TV special in 1960, Sammy was there and noticed how nervous Elvis was. He went up to Elvis and spoke with him, and succeeded in calming him down, telling him, "You're the man! Don't worry about anything. Just do your thing!" Elvis graciously told the audience in Vegas that night about it and then to thunderous applause knelt down and took a huge Black Star Sapphire ring off his finger and presented it to Sammy, moving "Mr. Bojangles" to tears. For 90 minutes, Elvis's manic energy never waned. It was just him and a microphone. No pyrotechnics or backdrops, just pure raw talent. He electrified the crowd with rolls, kicks and gyrations. It was crazy, spontaneous, frenzied and over-the-top. That one show changed the face of Las Vegas-style entertainment forever and added a gilt-edge page to the Elvis legend. He was a superstar again. And he knew it. "Damn Elvis, that was great!" I said excitedly when he came off stage. "Thanks, Sonny," he said, wiping his face with a towel. Then he said, "Yeah, I did it. I knocked them on their butts!" The celebrities in the crowd paraded backstage to congratulate him. Sammy Davis Jr. and Cary Grant were especially effusive in their praise. After the Colonel was done with business, he went backstage. The crowd parted as he and Elvis fell into a tearful clinch. Parker's body was literally shaking with pure emotion. "We did it! We did it!" the Colonel said. "Yes, we did, Colonel," said Elvis. "We sure did." ------
Q & A with Sonny West, author of Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business Sonny, why have you decided to write a second book on your relationship with Elvis Presley, 30years after Elvis: What Happened?, a book you co-authored with you cousin, Red West and bodyguard, Dave Hebler? Elvis: Taking Care of Business is based on my life with Elvis and all the wonderful memories that I have of those years (1960-1976). I think I need to get on record the love I felt for Elvis and my total commitment to him. The first book didn't do a good job of expressing that fact. What was the purpose in writing the first book? Many people have speculated you did it for the money. Some said you did it out of revenge because Elvis fired you, and some have speculated that you did it to issue a challenge to Elvis to get off drugs because you loved him. Can you set the record straight? The reason for writing the first book was 180 degrees from the reason for writing a second book. The first was written as a challenge to Elvis to change his prescription drug habits. He was in total denial and could not see where he was headed. As far as writing it as a motive for revenge for getting fired, I was fired on a couple of occasions prior and never even considered writing a book. If I wanted to do it just for the money, I had an opportunity, as did Red and Dave. We were contacted during the first few days of writing it, by a private detective named John O' Grady, representing Elvis, to come up with an amount for not writing the book. We never even considered a figure, because it would have made us just like those that were giving him whatever he wanted. It would have been much simpler to accept the money, and there is no doubt it would have been a substantial amount, because he didn't want the book written Looking back, are there any regrets with your involvement with Elvis: What Happened? I do have some regrets on the book. Not writing it, but the way it was written by the author assigned by World News Group, whom we signed a contract with to write the book. The book is true, but the sensationalism was used so blatantly, that it took away a lot of the sincere message we were trying to send Elvis. In fact, I was supposed to go on a tour to promote the book, but was canceled because of my press conference the day after Elvis' death, for my being very critical of our author, Steve Dunleavy, who was on 'Good Morning America' acting like an ass with another ass, Geraldo Rivera. They were more interested in conveying their dislike for each, than discussing the sensitivity of Elvis' tragic death What is the focus of Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business? There isn't really any centralized focus that I am trying to convey in the new book. It really is just a book about this wonderful, talented and warm human being that I shared most of my young adult years with for 16 years. If I just tell my story the way I want, you will have a lot of things brought into focus. What new insights will you give into Elvis Presley? There will be some things that have been written before, by me and/or others, but I hope to give you a different insight into them.As an example: Elvis' pre-occupation with death was not why Elvis had an interest in going to the funeral home after closing hours to view corpses. It was an interest in how morticians were able to take a somewhat disfigured face and prepare it in such a manner as to enable there to be an open casket funeral so their loved ones were able to view them in a reposing manner to say their good-byes. He was also interested in the technique used to prepare them physically for burial.I think another insight is that Charles Manson helped fuel Elvis' pre-occupation with guns because they occurred the same week that he opened in Las Vegas in 1969. What do you think Elvis Presley Enterprises and Priscilla Presley will have to say about your Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business? I would like to think they would be supportive of the book, because my love and devotion to the man will be evident in every word I write. But, regardless of their support or non-support, I am writing this book from my heart and I hope they will read it. I think it will give insights to Lisa Marie Presley that she may not know about her father that will make her even more proud, if there is space for more pride. As for Priscilla, I think she is pretty much aware of how much I loved Elvis and how I protected him not only from physical harm, but emotional situations in all areas I was able to do so. What is the one thing you miss most about Elvis Presley? There are so many things to miss about him. His sense of humor, his warmth, zaniness, zest for life, music and friendship, but not necessarily in that order. In Elvis: Still Taking Care of Business, I bring out those feelings just mentioned and share them with everyone. Why do you think Elvis Presley is bigger30 years after his death, than he was when he was alive? I think it is a bit unfair
to Elvis and his fans worldwide to say he is bigger today 30
years after his death than he was when he was alive. Who
knows how big he would have gotten if we had him these years
that he has been gone. New songs, new styles, new movies,
etc. It is true he has picked up many new fans, but why
can't we accept the thought that he would have even picked
up many more if he was alive all of these years with new
products being released to the fans? It goes without saying,
Elvis' fans are the greatest, most loyal fans in the world,
and have proven it over the years to the extent of being the
reason the statement, "bigger today than he was when he was
alive" is being said. |
Elvis Travel Videos Elvis
Memphis: A Magical History
Tour
Beyond
Elvis Memphis
(2-disc collection)
Beyond
Elvis Memphis
(Concise version)
Elvis Travel Guides The
Field Guide to Elvis
Shrines
Travel Guide:
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First
stop is Nashville, Tennessee, the home of country music. It
is a definite must to visit all the famous musical places
like the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall of Fame, and
RCA recording studios. You don't have to be a country music
fan to get a sense of the history and significance that
country music represents. If you want to sing country music,
this is the place to be. You can feel the excitement in the
air as you travel down the long suburban streets of Music
Row, the home of countless recording studios and music
publishing firms. "Reba McEntire records here, Randy Travis
records there, Kenny Rogers lives there" --the celebrities
and talent are all around you.
Walk
down the urban, gritty streets of Memphis to visit the
"Birthplace of Rock 'n Roll" also known as Sun Record
Studio. Now, everybody knows that Memphis is Elvis' hometown
and the place where he got his start. However, there were
other famous musical acts that got their start here as well.
Black artists like Ike Turner, B.B. King and Howlin' Wolf
all recorded their first records here at Sun Records in the
1950s. 
You
may shake your head in disbelief when you realize that you
have to buy a ticket for a pre-scheduled time of the day to
take a tour of the Graceland mansion. The reason for this is
that hundreds of other people have come to take the tour on
the same day as you. When it's your turn to take the tour,
you are supplied with a headphone and cassette player which
gives you a personal audio tour of the mansion. You must get
on a shuttle bus which takes you across the street through
the gates of Graceland and right up to the door. Even though
you don't get to see Elvis' bedroom, there are many other
rooms to view, such as the living room, dining room and
infamous "jungle" room.
Graceland
may have originally been a home, but now it is almost like
an amusement park. Apart from the mansion, across the street
you can also visit the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum, the
Sincerely Elvis museum, the Elvis Theater, two of Elvis'
personal planes, and to top it off, Graceland Plaza, which
includes numerous gift shops, restaurants, and even the
Graceland branch of the postal service.
Looking
at the hundreds and hundreds of gold records and special
awards that Elvis received throughout his lifetime is
overwhelming. Take a look at some early footage of Elvis on
TV, and you realize that he is "The King." There has never
been another performer like him, and there never will be.
The truth is that Elvis had it all-- looks, talent, charm,
personality and a great voice.
