Graceland and ENCORE Present the "Ultimate Big Easy to Graceland Sweepstakes"
April 17, 2013

Not only will Elvis fans have the opportunity to watch Elvis movies throughout the month of May, fans now have an opportunity to win an exclusive, once-in-a-lifetime trip to Graceland and the Big Easy, where Elvis filmed one of his favorite movies "King Creole." 

Enter for your chance to win by visiting EncoreUltimateGracelandSweeps.com. This contest will end on May 31, 2013. 

One lucky winner and guest will receive a private after-hours tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis plus exclusive access to the Graceland archives, along with a seven night Mississippi River cruise on the American Queen®, and so much more.

GRAND PRIZE PACKAGE INCLUDES:

• Coach class airfare for two (2) to New Orleans, LA, with return airfare for two (2) from Memphis, TN
• Two (2) nights in New Orleans with accommodations at the Roosevelt Hotel
• Seven (7) nights aboard the American Queen Steamboat® from New Orleans to Memphis, including on board, Elvis-inspired entertainment, shore excursions, meals and more
• Two (2) nights at the Peabody Hotel in Memphis, TN
• Exclusive, after-hours private tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland with an estate archivist, plus access to tour the Graceland archives
• Two (2) tickets to visit Sun Studio, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, and the Memphis Zoo
• A $50 gift card to the Memphis Hard Rock Cafe
• Premium AVIS Car Rental during your Memphis stay

Learn more about this grand prize totaling over $16,000 by visiting EncoreUltimateGracelandSweeps.com. Also, be sure to check out the complete schedule of the Elvis collection in May, plus a timeline of Elvis' movie career by visiting TheElvisCollection.com. Learn more about planning your trip to Graceland with our free online trip planner and check out great savings with our new specials and packages on Elvis.com. 

source: Elvis.com

Shreveport Municipal Auditorium Closed for Renovations
Wednesday, 17 April 2013

The Shreveport Municipal Auditorium closed in April for one year due to renovations for the first time since opening in 1929. Group tours will not be hosted until renovations are complete.

Located just minutes from downtown Shreveport on Elvis Presley Avenue, the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium is known for offering groups haunted tours, taking visitors behind the scenes on a narrated tour full of historical facts and ghost stories. With a rich history dating back to November 11, 1929, the Shreveport Municipal Auditorium has closed for one year for renovations starting April 1, 2013 for the first time.The Shreveport Municipal Auditorium is a national landmark and known for its musical past. Elvis Presley got his start on the Louisiana Hayride , a CBS 50,000 watt live radio broadcast from the Municipal. Elvis had his first professional appearance there on October 16, 1954.

source: bayoubuzz.com

source: Darlene Perez

LEGENDS HOME BEDDING PRESENTS THE ELVIS PRESLEY® HOME BEDDING COLLECTION

A New and Stylish way to Slumber, like a King!

Introducing extraordinary, quality bedding with a sophisticated statement and a touch of flair. Legends Home Bedding will provide fans of The King™ a new, elegant way to dress up their home with beautifully crafted home bedding. The collection is not only inspired by, but also bears the likeness of America’s “King of Rock N’ Roll™” and music legend, ELVIS PRESLEY!

Go ahead…relax, tug the comforter under your chin and grab your favorite magazine, or reach for the remote control in style, with these exclusive new designs.  We’ve made it down right difficult to get out of bed!  “THANKYOUTHANKYOUVERYMUCH™”

For more information visit:
http://legendshomebedding.com/

source: Legends Beddding

Elvis' original floor length Aloha cape, which was designed by Bill Belew and Gene Doucette for Elvis' legendary "Aloha from Hawaii" concert special is up for auction through Julian's Auction House in Los Angeles. 

The cape was too heavy for Elvis to wear, so he asked for a 'shorter' version. The floor length cape remained in the Graceland Archives, until Elvis Presley Enterprises sold the long cape in the year 1995 with other items for an auction. 

View the action and other Elvis auction items at the following link:
http://www.juliensauctions.com/images/auctions/2013/music-icons/flipbook/icatalog.html#/34/

source: Julian's Auction House and Elvis Matters

Elvis Fans Receive Special Discount for "MEMPHIS: THE MUSICAL"
April 18, 2013

Elvis fans are in for a treat with a special discount for the upcoming shows of "MEMPHIS: THE MUSICAL" at the Memphis Orpheum Theatre on April 23 - 28. Fans can experience this incredible production with a limited-time only 25% discount off select orchestra seats. Fans can access this discount by clicking here, selecting your show and entering the code MEMPHIS in the code/password box. This is a limited-time offer that will expire on Sunday, April 21, at 10:00 p.m.

Next week, when "MEMPHIS: THE MUSICAL" returns to the Orpheum Theatre, we hope to introduce even more members of our Elvis fan community to this important show that has people everywhere singing “Memphis Lives In Me.”  The powerful, Tony® Award winning musical has been capturing hearts all over the nation. Set in the smoky clubs of Beale Street during the segregated '50s, "MEMPHIS: THE MUSICAL" is loosely based on the true story of Memphian, Dewey Phillips, who was the first to interview a young Elvis Presley and play his debut record "That's All Right/Blue Moon Of Kentucky" in July of 1954. From the WHBQ radio station located in the historic Hotel Chisca, Phillips started a revolution that helped redefine the cultural landscape of America.

Be sure to take advantage of this limited-time offer by clicking here and entering the code MEMPHIS in the promo box to receive your 25% discount. Also, be sure to take the rock 'n' roll pilgrimage to Graceland and save big with new specials and packages on Elvis.com!

source: elvis.com

Rubberneckin' Podcast Talks Elvis Sweepstakes and Sends Special Tribute
April 18, 2013

Download Episode #119 of the Rubberneckin' Podcast where Elvis Presley Enterprises' Steven Gibbs and Amanda Pannell talk about all of the exciting things taking place here at Graceland. The Rubberneckin' duo kick off with announcements about Elvis Week tickets. Find out what tickets are selling fast and how you can purchase tickets for this year's celebration. We also look at ENCORE's "Ultimate Big Easy to Graceland Sweepstakes" where Elvis fans can win the ultimate getaway which includes a private after-hours tour of Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis plus exclusive access to the Graceland archives, along with a seven night Mississippi River cruise on the American Queen® and much more. Fans can also learn more about an historic aircraft from Elvis' army days and the 40 month-long restoration project from McGuire Air Force Base. Plus, see Graceland decked out in blue and gold for Memphis Grizzlies' play-off run and hear about Food Network star Chef Mario Batali's recent visit to Graceland. This week's Elvis sightings feature a high-dollar offer for one of Elvis' original watches and the man who turned "Cajun Pawn Stars" down, plus Elvis' cameo in Tom Cruise's upcoming sci-fi thriller "Oblivion." We wrap up this week's podcast with a special tribute and our condolences to the victims of the Boston bombings and the explosion in Waco, TX, and feature one of Elvis' most powerful and inspirational performances. 

Visit the Rubberneckin' Podcast page to listen to the new podcast and subscribe to future podcasts. If downloading new podcasts from iTunes, please allow 48 hours from the day of release for the podcast to show up.


source: elvis.com

Elvis Week Tickets Now On Sale to the General Public!


GENERAL TICKET INFORMATION

• For all Elvis Week tickets sold through Graceland, the price of the ticket includes sales tax and there will be a $4.95 transaction fee for each order. This includes orders made over the phone or online.
• For all tickets for the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii Enhanced Screening, they will be subject to tax and additional fees as charged through the ticketing vendor and facility.
• 10% Elvis Insiders discount does not apply to Elvis Week Event Tickets.
• All guests, times, and details are subject to change.
• All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. 

Tickets for the events below are available through Ticketmaster.

Ultimate ETA Contest Two Day Ticket (includes a ticket to both rounds)

Semifinal Round: August 14; 7:00 p.m.
Final Round: August 17: 7:00 p.m.
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Memphis
$139.00 - Adult/Child VIP ticket* 
$69.00 - Adult/Child
Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Cannon Center box office. 

*VIP ticket includes front of the house seating at both rounds plus access to Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Meet ‘n’ Greet on August 14.

Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Semifinal Round ONLY

August 14; 7:00 p.m. 
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Memphis
$25.00 - Adult/Child
Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Cannon Center box office. 

Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Final Round ONLY

August 17; 7:00 p.m. 
Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Downtown Memphis
$49.00 - Adult/Child
Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Cannon Center box office. 


Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii Enhanced Screening

August 16, 2012; 7:30 p.m.
Orpheum Theater
$89.00 - Adult/Child VIP ticket*
$35.00 - Adult/Child
Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com. by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, at any Ticketmaster outlet or at the Orpheum Box Office. 

*VIP ticket includes pre-event reception at Graceland Main Stage with light appetizers and free soft drinks, tea, water plus round-trip motor-coach transportation to/from Orpheum for the screening.


EVENT TICKETS AVAILABLE THROUGH GRACELAND

Tickets for events below are available through Graceland Reservations by calling 800-238-2000 or 901-332-3322 or online at Elvis.com.


Elvis Week Main Stage All-Access Pass

The All-Access Pass is available for $200 - a savings of $25

A very limited number of All-Access Passes are available for the Elvis Week Main Stage at Graceland during Elvis Week. This large, air-conditioned tent is the site for many of the Elvis Week events that are listed below. The All-Access Pass grants you admission to all published EPE events listed on the schedule for the Elvis Week Main Stage (with the exception of private events, including the Aloha VIP Reception on August 16). Doors for all-access pass holders will open 10 minutes prior to doors for individual ticket holders. 

The All-Access Pass will be available for purchase through Graceland Reservations either over the phone or online per the on-sale dates listed above. 

*All seating at the Elvis Week Main Stage is general admission. The All-Access Pass does not offer special seating in the venue but doors for All-Access Pass Holders will open 10 minutes prior to doors for individual ticket holders. 



Salute to Memphis Music Featuring Memphis Jones and Brad Birkedahl

Monday, August 12; 7:00 p.m.
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$20.00 - Adult/Child

Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Showcase

Tuesday, August 13; 1:00 p.m.  
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$20.00 - Adult/Child

“Viva Las Vegas” Movie and Dance Party

Tuesday, August 13; 7:00 p.m.  
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$30.00 - Adult/Child

Conversations on Elvis

Wednesday, August 14; 1:00 p.m. 
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$20.00 - Adult/Child

Graceland Trivia Tour

Wednesday, August 14; 5:00 p.m. 
Graceland Mansion and Elvis Presley Car Museum
$33.00 – Adult
$15.00 - Child (7-12)
*Please note, this event is not part of the Elvis Week Main Stage All-Access Pass

Elvis Gospel Celebration

Thursday, August 15; 9:00 a.m.
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$30.00 - Adult/Child

Elvis Presley Fan Club Presidents’ Event

Thursday, August 15; 1:00 p.m.
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$15.00 - Adult/Child

Aloha from Hawaii After-Party

Friday, August 16; 10:00 p.m.
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$30.00 - Adult/Child

Official Elvis Insiders Event

Saturday, August 17; 10:00 a.m.
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$25.00 - Adult/Child

Elvis Celebration Concert

Saturday, August 17; 3:00 p.m.
Elvis Week Main Stage, Graceland
$35.00 - Adult/Child

*All ticket sales are final and non-refundable. All event details including guests, times, etc. are subject to change.

source: Elvis.com

Elvis to make flower show debut

By Matt Rutherford
April 11, 2013

The Suburban Garden Club will hold its annual flower show, which is themed “Elvis Has Not Left the Building” will be held on Wednesday, March (April) 17 at the Clark Opera Center of Memphis, located at 6745 Wolf River Blvd. in Memphis, Tenn. Must be a misprint because this is  their April 10th paper.

The show will open at 1 p.m. and run until 4 p.m. Admission is free to the public and the Clark Opera Center is a handicapped accessible facility. The show will have close to 100 exhibits that will florally and artistically capture the essence of Graceland, performances in Las Vegas and Hawaii, and an assortment of other fan favorite songs. All plants used in the exhibits will consist of only fresh plant material, and any artificial plant material is not permitted.

The theme was chosen in recognition of Elvis’s enormous and positive influences on the culture and life of our city. With that in mind, the members of the Suburban Garden Club will pay tribute to the “King” and his many achievements through a floral interpretation of his best loved hits, slogans and films.

Members competing in the show will try to rise to the challenge of blending music and plants to create a beautiful display the same way Elvis fused the musical traditions of Country, Gospel and R&B to create Rock and Roll.

Gretchen Reaves, publicity committee chairman, said that when the Clark Opera Memphis Center heard about the Elvis theme, they were immediately on board. “When you are dealing with Elvis, he (Elvis) just opens every door for you,” she said. She explained that the Clark Center is currently trying to reach out to other artistic communities throughout the area, and the Elvis theme helps do that because of the influence that Elvis had and the common affection for him that so many people share.

source: Germantown News.com

The photograph above shows the current state of the legendary Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas. After the hotel, where Elvis stayed many times in the sixties, closed two years ago there were talks about renovating the hotel but still preserving the original building. Well, as the picture shows, those plans are probably off the table. The big neon sign is taken down, the roller coaster is gone and workers have begun their demolishion work. 

source: Elvis Matters and Photographer Jeroen Vanderschoot

There wasn't a storm predicted, but as can be seen in the photograph, one of the older trees on the Graceland Grounds was litterally 'blown away'. Fortunate enough, the fallen tree didn't hit the mansion or one of the other buildings. It's not the first time that a tree suddenlee falls down, but for visitors it's always a 'strange view' to see.

Source: Elvis Matters and Photographer: Jeroen Vanderschoot

New Video Highlights Memphis Music and "MEMPHIS: The Musical"
April 15, 2013

The main inspiration for the 2010 "Best Musical" Tony award-winner "MEMPHIS: The Musical" is local Memphis DJ and rock 'n' roll pioneer Dewey Phillips. In a new video posted by the Memphis Orpheum, Memphis music experts share stories about the legendary DJ, including the first time Elvis' music was played on WHBQ radio.

Phillips briefly hosted an afternoon program on WHBQ in the mid-1950s. He was known for playing a great deal of rhythm and blues, country, and jazz, including several Sun Records artists. One of his most legendary moments came in July of 1954, when he interviewed a young Elvis Presley and played his debut record "That's All Right/Blue Moon Of Kentucky."  

"MEMPHIS: The Musical" features the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis and bursts off the stage with explosive dancing, irresistible songs and a thrilling tale of fame and forbidden love. 

Experience "MEMPHIS: The Musical" at the Orpheum Theatre on April 23 - 28, 2013. Fans can purchase tickets by visitingOrpheum-Memphis.com. 

source: elvis.com

Elvis Presley’s Graceland will celebrate The Memphis Grizzlies and their success in reaching the 2013 NBA Playoffs by illuminating the exterior of the famous Memphis mansion in the team’s signature colors of Beale Street Blue and Grizzlies Gold starting Tuesday, April 16 throughout the team’s NBA Playoff run. 

The Grizzlies are back in the Playoffs for the third consecutive year, and the City of Memphis is joining its team in “painting the town blue and gold.” Many local landmarks will support the Grizzlies in unique ways throughout the postseason, while the Grizzlies will be all around the community as Grizz fever spreads in the Bluff City.

Go Grizzlies!! 

Elvis to be Immortalized in Stained Glass

The brick corner of North Church Street in Jackson, Madison County, Tennessee soon will be fit for superstars, as a local artist works with celebrities to create colorful tributes in the windows of the International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame. If you're traveling to Memphis from Nashville on I-40 Jackson, TN is about 70 miles from Memphis. 

Stretching the length of the museum’s façade, the nine second-story windows will be replaced with stained glass representations of some of rockabilly’s finest creators and supporters.

Henry Harrison, museum president, said several window designs have already been selected and include icons such as George Klein, Elvis Presley, Charlie Daniels and Brian Setzer.

“They are the super-historical stars,” Harrison said. “They are the ones who created the sounds, who people dressed and cut their hair like and had a dynamic impact on American culture.”

High school pals Klein and Presley will be represented together in their rockabilly days in the first window, coming to life through the fingertips of local artist Lee Gaugh.After looking at samples of Gaugh’s work, including a window at the First United Methodist Church, Harrison had his eye on Gaugh as an experienced artist to tackle the project. 

An installation ceremony was held Saturday afternoon for the first window.

“The stained glass windows are built to last as long as the great artists like Michelangelo and da Vinci built over 500 years ago,” Harrison said. “We think that the Jackson, Tenn., Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame will be the only museum in the U.S. that has preserved through a variety of visual arts the physical appearance of icons of rockabilly history.”

If you go:
• The International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame is located at 105 N. Church St. in downtown Jackson. 
• Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday and Saturday. 
• For more information about the museum, call (731) 427-6262 or visit www.rockabillyhall.org.

Click on the link to read the origional article from The Jackson Sun: http://www.jacksonsun.com/article/20130413/NEWS01/304130021/Stars-immortalized-stained-glass

source: The Jackson Sun and Elvis Matters

'Elvis' made a surprise appearance at Denver International Airport for Alma Sewell's sendoff

DENVER - Travelers at Denver International Airport got a surprise on Monday morning when "Elvis" and a group of dancers suddenly started performing in the main terminal.

The surprise show was put on for 87-year-old old Alma Sewell. Sewell was at DIA Monday morning for her dream trip to tour Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.

Sewell became an Elvis fan in the 1950s while living in Bermuda with her husband who served in the United States Navy.

Sewell's husband was relocated to Memphis, but Alma never visited Graceland.

On this trip back to Memphis, Sewell will visit Graceland, stay at the Heartbreak Hotel and get a private tour of the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis where she will be interviewed to create an archive of her experiences as an African American woman living in the segregated south during the Civil Rights Movement.

Sewell's trip is being paid for by Wish Of a Lifetime, a group that fulfills the life-enriching wishes of deserving seniors. 
Learn more: www.seniorwish.org    


source: 7 News Denver

The photo which you can see below is from a newspaper in the late 1950's or early 1960's. It features two female Elvis fans taking turns at getting a peek over the famous wall which surrounds Elvis' Graceland Mansion. 


What is interesting is the barbed wire that can be seen running along the top side of the wall! 

source: Elvis Matters

In Search of the King

Hit the California desert town the rock 'n' roll legend called (second) home and soak up his spirit with a bite of his favorite pastrami sandwich—and a bounce on his bed


By RACHEL DODES

THE LILY PAD-SHAPE steps bridged a waterfall and led our group to the front gate, where a fluorescent-muumuu-clad Priscilla Presley impersonator named Darlene Perez—aka Darling Presley—was waiting for us.

"Elvis recognized Graceland in these walls," she said, batting her false eyelashes and stroking the peanut-brittle masonry in the entryway. "The minute he stepped into the backyard, he looked around and realized he wanted to get married here."

Palm Springs may not be the first, or even the third, place that comes to mind when pondering Elvis Presley. But in 1967, he and Priscilla honeymooned in the midcentury modern Honeymoon Hideaway (1350 Ladera Circle,elvishoneymoon.com ), and he spent much of his final decade in the city, leaving a mark that remains to this day.

I wouldn't describe myself as an Elvis fanatic, but I've always admired his originality and boldness. (He was wearing eye makeup and crazy one-piece ensembles well before David Bowie made them chic.) So when my husband and two of his cousins—a music-industry executive and a fashion entrepreneur—and I found ourselves headed to a family reunion in La Quinta, Calif., earlier this year, we decided it was worth a detour to follow in the footsteps of Elvis, visiting the places where he lived and loved, and eating like the King.

Located in the Coachella Valley, about a two-hour drive east of Los Angeles, Palm Springs emerged in the 1920s as a retreat for Hollywood stars who were lured by its sunny weather and privacy. By the 1960s, it was a playground for the famous: Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and Elizabeth Taylor were all frequent visitors. These days, Palm Springs is making a comeback among celebrities and vacationers who enjoy the midcentury architecture, the Coachella music festival and the retro vibe.

Our first stop was Sherman's Deli and Bakery (401 E. Tahquitz Canyon Way,shermansdeli.com ), a kosher-style deli founded in 1953 and a Palm Springs institution. "Elvis used to come in and sit in front of that painting," said Joe Hanna, an 85-year-old manager, pointing out a Paul Blaine Henrie depiction of Elvis on the back wall. Mr. Hanna said that the singer used to show up with an eight-person entourage and order his favorite: a hot pastrami sandwich. Though a publicist for the Presley Estate said that she has "never heard of him liking pastrami," we preferred to take Mr. Hanna's word for it.

Our sandwiches arrived piping hot and overflowing with salty meat. To top off the meal, we devoured a fluffy coconut cake, one of the 23 old-school dessert options on the menu. We were off to a promising start.

Across the street was the Spa Hotel—now the Spa Resort Casino(100 N. Indian Dr., sparesortcasino.com )—where Elvis's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, is said to have taken mineral baths. While guests can still soak in pools filled with spring water that the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians claimed had natural healing powers, the recently renovated hotel was not particularly evocative of the King, so we moved on.

We wound up a few blocks away atRoute 66 West (465 N. Palm Canyon Dr., route66west.com ), a boutique that sells designer vintage costume jewelry and "opulent vintage plastics," like an emerald-hued Bakelite cutlery set from the 1930s ($995) and a 1970s violet acrylic necklace by designer Judith Hendler (also $995). Priscilla would have approved. Down the street were a couple of vintage furniture shops, including Trend House (675 N. Palm Canyon Dr.), which specializes in a mix of midcentury modern (a Corbusier-style chaise was $2,100) and newer pieces, like a '60s-inspired dining room set with zebra-upholstered chairs designed by store owner Joel R. Wolfgang ($5,200). The metal light fixtures ($1,125) would have fit perfectly in Honeymoon Hideaway, which a 1962 issue of Look magazine dubbed the "House of Tomorrow."

Next, we drove by the only property besides Graceland that Elvis owned when he died. In 1970, he bought the Spanish colonial-style house at 845 West Chino Canyon Rd., for $105,000 from Elton F. McDonald, part of the fast-food-chain family.

I'd spoken by telephone to Reno Fontana, a real-estate investor and sportswriter who in 1998 ran for the congressional seat formerly held by Sonny Bono. Mr. Fontana and his wife paid $1.25 million for the house in 2003. Over the phone, we had made elaborate plans for a picnic by the pool facing the valley below.

Designed by Albert Frey, the "desert modernist" best known for the historic Tramway Gas Station (now the Palm Springs Visitor Center), the stucco home became Elvis's bachelor pad after Priscilla left him in 1973. He added a basketball hoop to the end of the driveway and extended the roof over the Jacuzzi, which comfortably fit members of the Memphis Mafia—the friends and hangers-on who surrounded him—to protect himself from the increasingly intrusive paparazzi.

“In the Hideaway, we set foot in the bedroom where Lisa-Marie Presley was possibly conceived.”

Our Graceland West garden party was not to be. We would not marvel at (or mock) the likeness of the King sculpted in steel on the house's chimney, Mr. Fontana's addition. A few days before the arranged date, he emailed to say that he had been kicked out of the house pending a court date with his lender. When we arrived, the gate was padlocked and odds and ends—rugs, a vacuum cleaner, clothing—were strewed across the driveway. A tour van packed with Elvis enthusiasts pulled up to gawk.

Mr. Fontana said he expects to emerge from the lawsuit victorious and he's hoping to open the house to tourists again in November. Michael P. Rubin, the attorney for Financial Bonanza LLC, Mr. Fontana's lender, called the evicted owner "a con man and a flake." (By the end of March, Mr. Fontana's cellphone had been disconnected, and he didn't respond to .) emails

Gazing at the vacant home, my companions and I thought of the song "Spanish Eyes," which Elvis recorded there, with the lyrics, "Soon I'll return, bringing you all the love your heart can hold."

We headed to dinner at Las Casuelas, the first Mexican restaurant in town. Elvis reportedly loved Mexican food, and sang a Spanish song called "Guadalajara" in the 1963 film "Fun in Acapulco." He starred as a former trapeze artist who becomes a hotel lifeguard and finds himself trapped between two muchachas bonitas.

We had made a reservation at the Las Casuelas Viejas (368 N. Palm Canyon Dr., lascasuelasquinta.com )—there are now several Casuelas in the area—requesting the "Elvis booth," next to the kitchen. The restaurant was an inexpensive, authentic place where a TV played telenovelas nonstop. But there was no trace of the rock 'n' roll legend. In the corner, an ideal spot for some kind of Elvis figure, there was a ceramic cat.

"We are…not a 'Hard Rock Hotel' type of place," said Alana Coffin, granddaughter of founders Florencio and Maria Delgado. "The stories can be heard firsthand rather than by reading an article on the wall."

We ordered the Combo Plate #1—shredded beef tacos, beans, chile relleno—because Ms. Coffin said that's what Elvis used to eat. (He substituted refried beans with Memphis-style beans, she said.) We washed it down with micheladas (beer with lime juice and some spice) and iced tea, which the King used to drink with his Mexican food. "Oh yeah, he preferred pills to booze," said Andrew, the music-industry executive, when the waitress advised him to order the iced tea.

In search of a more upbeat retro feel, we headed down the block to Workshop Kitchen + Bar (800 N. Palm Canyon Dr., Suite G, workshoppalmsprings.com ), an industrial-chic restaurant with high ceilings and concrete booths, a seasonal menu and excellent classic cocktails, in a building formerly occupied by a 1950s movie theater. We ordered five "Palm Springers"—cocktails described as "similar to the kiss of an ex-lover…only without the early morning awkwardness and wayward feelings." Now it seemed as though we were channeling the 1969 Elvis hit, "Suspicious Minds."

The next day, our final stop—and the pièce de résistance of our weekend—was the Honeymoon Hideaway.

In 1966, Elvis Presley leased the five-bedroom home at the urging of the notoriously controlling Colonel Parker, who lived around the block. The Hideway was built in 1960 by Robert Alexander, part of a father-son development company responsible for more than 2,000 houses in Palm Springs. Mr. Alexander had created the home for himself and his wife, Helene, a well-regarded hostess who rubbed elbows with Barbara Sinatra and Dinah Shore; Elvis rented the home for $21,000 a year (a copy of the lease hangs on the wall) after the Alexanders died in a plane crash.

Then 31, Presley was struggling to mount a musical comeback amid the twin threats of the British Invasion and the rise of hippie counterculture. He had made a series of films that were mostly profitable—and critically despised. Overweight and sporting a wig-like hairstyle, he turned to the desert to seek inspiration.

The 5,500-square-foot home has curved walls in every room and was renovated in the 1990s to restore it to its 1960s glamour. Now it's a museum stocked with Elvis memorabilia. In the Hideaway you can sit on the marital bed, complete with pink comforter, and stroll through the kitchen, with its state-of-the art pop-up cake mixer built into the countertop. (Tours cost $30-35 per person and can be booked online.)

In the leopard-print "Jungle Room," located in the back of the house, overlooking the pool, visitors can check out a recreation of the black leather ensemble Elvis wore for his 1968 NBC "Comeback Special." We set foot in the bedroom where Lisa-Marie Presley was possibly conceived and saw the indoor grill where Elvis would cook steaks in the summer.

According to Hideaway lore, Elvis and his then-fiancée, Priscilla, planned to wed at the home, but changed plans after realizing that their next-door neighbor, Hollywood gossip columnist Rona Barrett, was hot for the story. By the time the paparazzi pulled up to the house on the morning of their wedding day, May 1, 1967, the couple had made their way out the back door into Frank Sinatra's limo. Mr. Sinatra flew Elvis and Priscilla to Las Vegas in his Learjet and chartered a plane for everybody else. (The Elvis estate spokeswoman says that the escape to Vegas was the plan all along.)

After touring the house, we followed the path out through the backyard, creeping toward Rose Avenue, as we imagined the wedding party had, while the faint strains of "It's Now or Never" wafted from a strategically placed CD player. When the couple returned from Las Vegas, Elvis sang "Hawaiian Wedding Song" while carrying his new bride over the threshold and up the stairs. Lisa-Marie was born nine months later.

Over martinis at a bar that evening, we engaged in a lively debate about what, exactly, went wrong toward the end of Elvis's career. Would he still be alive if his music had remained relevant? Did his manager trigger his undoing by pushing him toward Hollywood? What was with the white embroidered jumpsuits? We may never know.

Then we heard it: the King's low, rumbling voice singing the 1969 hit, "In the Ghetto," over the sound system.

When it was released, the song was Elvis's first top-10 hit in the U.S. in four years. Listening to it, we forgot about all about the city's golf courses and tennis courts. We had fallen completely under Elvis's spell. We stopped talking and sang along.

source: The Wall Street Journal

Hotel room dedicated to Elvis' guitarist, John Wilkinson

Friends, family fondly recall late musician who was Presley's friend

April 12, 2013

A friend of Wilkinson tells his memories: A themed room was dedicated to late musician John Wilkinson, who played guitar for Elvis Presley.

Written by
Katie Lamb

Best Western Rail Haven has an Elvis Presley-themed room. The hotel dedicated a nearby room to guitarist John Wilkinson. 

A historic Route 66 hotel dedicated a themed room to late musician John Wilkinson, a former Springfield resident who played guitar for Elvis Presley.

The room, located in the Best Western Rail Haven motel next to the Elvis-themed room, honors the musician who played more than 1,200 shows with Presley from 1968 until Presley’s death in 1977.

Wilkinson, 67, died in January after a four-year battle with cancer and is survived by his wife, Terry, whom he married in 1983.

Tears were shed and memories were shared as Wilkinson’s friends and family gathered at the motel on Friday to view the room for the first time.

Tom Petit met Wilkinson in 1972 while working at a hotel in Aurora, Ill., and they became close friends.

Petit was unaware of who Wilkinson was when he checked in, Petit said. Later that evening, two women came to the hotel, asking for Wilkinson’s room number.

Petit refused to share the information and told the women, “Sorry, that’s not the way we operate.”

“The next morning, before I got off work, (Wilkinson) was down in the bar having breakfast, having it served to him in the lounge because he didn’t want to be around all the people,” Petit said. “Somebody came and told me there was a gentleman down in the lounge who wanted to have a word with me.”

Petit approached Wilkinson and asked, “So you wanted to see me?”

Wilkinson held up a finger to pause Petit and listened to a song that was playing on the jukebox.

A few moments after the song was over, Wilkinson told Petit, “Sorry, but that’s the only song we play that you can hear me play in.”

Petit said he thought, “Who is this guy? What are we talking about here?”

Wilkinson had two notes in the song “Burning Love” that could be heard. Petit said now he can’t listen to the song without hearing the guitar and those notes.

Wilkinson thanked Petit for taking care of things for him the night before.

“We sat down and we talked for a few minutes,” Petit said. “Next thing you know, we’re talking for half an hour.”

Gordon Elliott, owner of the Rail Haven motel, said the Elvis-themed room was updated for the motel’s 75th anniversary in August.

“We didn’t get the chance to do anything to tie (Wilkinson) into Elvis when he was alive,” Elliott said. “We ended up getting the room right next door to Elvis’.”

Elliott said creating the room for Wilkinson would be a great idea since he and Presley were close friends.

“And it ties into Springfield history,” Elliott said.

Presley appeared at the Shrine Mosque in 1956, and Wilkinson, then 10 years old, took the opportunity to tell the king of rock ‘n’ roll how he felt about his guitar playing.

Wilkinson sneaked into the mosque and approached Presley while he was in his dressing room. After some small talk, Wilkinson said, “Elvis, you can’t play guitar worth a damn.”

Presley, slightly insulted but amused, let Wilkinson play his guitar and said, “You’re pretty good.”

Wilkinson responded, “I know.”

Presley hired him 12 years later.


Click on the link below to watch the video news story:
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20130413/NEWS01/304130030/john-wilkinson-rail-haven-room-dedication

source: The News Leader

Historic aircraft 'rolls down the line'

by Staff Sgt. David Carbajal
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

4/3/2013 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. 

One of McGuire's most storied aircraft is back on display after more than 40 months of restoration.

A team of volunteers from various on- and off-base organizations helped restore the C-118A Liftmaster back to near-original condition.

Members of 305th and 514th Air Mobility wings and 87th Air Base Wing transported the historic aircraft from Big Beige to the circle in front of the McGuire Passenger Terminal here March 30, 2013.

"It's a huge piece of not only American history, but of McGuire history as well," said Aungelic Nelson, 305th AMW historian.

One of the C-118's most notable legacies is Elvis Presley returned to the U.S. from Germany on this very aircraft. The restoration project officer, Senior Master Sgt. Christopher Hofrichter, views that legacy as only a piece of this aircraft's many claims to fame.

"This aircraft isn't a part of Elvis' history," said Hofrichter, 514th Maintenance Operations Flight superintendent. "Elvis is a part of this aircraft's history."

The C-118 was the first cargo plane assigned to then McGuire Air Force Base in 1953 and began McGuire's transformation from a combat base into a mobility base, said Nelson.

This Liftmaster, as well as many other C-118s, contributed to operations SAVE HAVEN I and II, saving more than 14,000 Hungarian refugees from communist oppression from 1956-1957.

It was then transferred to the U.S. Navy to continue its mobility mission after the aircraft's Air Force employment.

"A lot of people have turned wrenches on this Liftmaster and a lot of people supported it," said Hofrichter, a Bordentown, N.J., native.

The Navy operated the C-118 during the rest of the aircraft's flying time, which concluded at Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland.

Volunteers contributed more than 4,000 hours, mostly their off-duty time, toward the aircraft's fuselage refurbishment, interior, propeller blades and paint scheme since renovation began October 2009.

Maintainers from the 305th and 514th Maintenance groups worked in their spare time to restore both the interior and exterior of the aircraft. Boy Scouts from Winslow High School, Troop 251, focused their efforts on rewiring to restore lighting in the aircraft. Members of the AMC Test and Evaluations Squadron, and even retirees who had previously flown on the airplane, assisted in various ways, including scraping paint from the historical aircraft.

Members of JB MDL's First Four volunteered to block roadways and ensure the aircraft didn't hit any obstacles along West Arnold Avenue during the transport to the circle.

Hofrichter said historical aircraft static displays help future generations of Airmen gain familiarity with the legacy upon which their time in uniform is built.

"What we're doing today is giving the aircraft a place of honor," said Hofrichter. "With this static display, we honor those people who died on the aircraft, the pilots, maintainers who kept it flying as well as the passengers who flew on it. It's their legacy that brought the U.S. Air Force to where it is today."


source: 
http://www.jointbasemdl.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123342941

Historic Aircraft From Elvis' Army Days Restored by McGuire AirForce Base
April 12, 2013

*Special thanks to McGuire AirForce Base for providing these photos. 

After more than 40 months of restoration, the infamous C-118 Liftmaster aircraft that brought Elvis home from Germany in 1960, has been restored by the McGuire Air Force Base in Lakehurst, New Jersey. In a recent article on JointBaseMDL.ad.mil, Staff Sergeant David Carbajal writes about how this military plane contributed to American history. 

"It's a huge piece of not only American history, but of McGuire history as well," states Aungelic Nelson, 305th AMW historian, onJointBaseMDL.ad.mil.

One of the C-118's most notable legacies is when Elvis Presley returned to the U.S. from Germany on the aircraft. After his promotion to Sergeant in January of 1960, Elvis left Germany on March 2, arriving in New Jersey the next day for a press conference. He was officially discharged from active duty on March 5, 1960. According to the military base, this Liftmaster, as well as many other C-118s, also contributed to operations SAVE HAVEN I and II, saving more than 14,000 Hungarian refugees from oppression from 1956 - 1957. 

Volunteers contributed more than 4,000 hours, mostly their off-duty time, toward the aircraft's fuselage refurbishment, interior, propeller blades and paint scheme, since renovation began October 2009.

Read all about the history of the C-118 Liftmaster and the extensive restoration project by visiting JointBaseMDL.ad.mil. 

source: elvis.com

New Elvis photography Exhibition at The University of Tennessee 

The new exhibit of old Elvis Presley photographs entitled “Elvis: Grace and Grit” opened this week at the University of Tennessee located in Martin, Tennessee. 

Curated from the CBS Photo Archives, the exhibit examines the young and feisty, talented and sexy, Elvis Presley who revolutionized pop music in the early sixties.  His trailblazing renditions of blacks-only blues with rock shot him to the top of the charts and into the libidos of America's teenage girls.

Sam Richardson, the head of archives for Paul Meek Library, searches for different exhibits to bring here to UTM. 

The exhibition consists of 27 black and white photographs of Elvis in the late 1950s. He was photographed on the Ed Sullivan Show, which became even more popular once the “King of Rock and Roll” made several appearances.

The Elvis exhibition should intrigue students because of the history that hits close to Martin, Tenn. Gordon Stoker was a native from Gleason, Tenn. and a member of the Jordanaires. Other group members included Neal Matthews, Hoyt Hawkins and Hugh Jarrett. Stoker just recently passed away on March 27, 2013. He was 88 years old.“Elvis came from the small town of Tupelo, Miss. He showed us that anyone can make it from a small community, which relates to students here at UTM. Plus, Elvis Presley is cool,” said Richardson.

“Students will enjoy looking at these old black and whites of Elvis in his prime. It’s exciting to have these types of exhibits right here on campus,” Medling said.

“Elvis: Grace and Grit” will be on display now until May 31. It is open Monday through Friday, 8am to 4pm.

Go here for info

source: Elvis Information Network