My family and I first made the drive from Southern Ontario to Memphis, Tennessee in the summer of 2005 when my two sons were still quite young. The thing that really helped in making the decision to take such a potentially costly trip was the realization that it need not be a long trip. In fact, that first trip was not much more than a long weekend. Our sole purpose was to tour Graceland and we did – but that’s only one day and so, really, we learned you could do Memphis in but one day. But we stayed the night and toured Sun Studio the next day. And then we went home. Easy, fast and fairly cheap. Credit to my boys; looking at the pictures from that week I see their sweaty little faces, hair matted to their heads, red cheeks. We pushed them that weekend but we got it all dug.
And this initial foray taught us that Memphis need not be a weeklong endeavour with 6 or 7 pricey nights in hotels with meals out. Subsequently, we made three more trips roughly every other year. Once, we continued south from Memphis and stopped in Tupelo to see Presley’s birthplace and then deeper still to visit friends of my wife’s in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and then – what the heck – two nights in New Orleans. Keeping to the biannual trips, we went in 2018 and were scheduled to go again in 2020. I don’t know if you recall but travel was challenging that year. In fact, it was impossible. Four years went by and we were itching to get back.
We have close family friends who are Danish and live in Denmark. They have visited us over the years and we have a love of Elvis in common. During one of their visits, they broached the idea of the four of us making the trip to Memphis together. I like to think that part of their motivation was the fact that, having been there many times, we would know how it could best be done. Which is true. Perhaps also they had listened to the DEC4 podcast on which I had teamed with the host, my good friend George Fairbrother, to describe a trip to Memphis detailing some of the things to see and how it could be efficiently and safely accomplished. Then one summer, the four of us prepared to meet in the Home of the Blues. And Elvis Presley. What follows then is the story of one trip to commune with the king.
“Put on my blue suede shoes and boarded the plane. Touched down in the land of the Delta blues…and I’m walkin’ in Memphis.”
From the Memphis International Airport, it is a 9-minute, 3-mile – or five kilometre – drive to Graceland so depending on where you’re staying, it’s no big deal to get from the airport to the area around Elvis’ house. But we always drive. In the past, it has always been a full day of driving, a night in a hotel and then we arrive in Memphis mid-morning the next day. But this time we made such good time that we made it in about 14 hours – and we passed a time zone so we got an hour back. We used the time well.
Saturday, 4:08pm CDT – Pulling into Tennessee and the Nashville area, I decided to put some Gentleman Jim Reeves on the car stereo. This got me wondering out loud about where Jim – and Elvis – and many others recorded some legendary music, that being RCA Victor’s Studio B in Nashville. I asked my wife and she said it was basically on our way so we stopped by. While there, I saw more evidence that my man, Mike Curb, is a true patron of the music that was made in the south in the middle of the last century. We didn’t tour but it was a thrill to see the buildings.
Saturday, 7:26pm CDT – The next bonus stop was in Memphis. One of my favourite artists, Isaac Hayes, rests in Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery on Poplar Ave. He lays not far inside the gates next to the Crystal Shrine Grotto. The grotto is quite impressive – but not as impressive as Isaac’s “stone”.
Saturday, 7:59pm CDT – We arrive before dark at the hotel we’ve always stayed at, The Days Inn Graceland, which is across the street from Graceland and across the street from the Elvis Presley’s Memphis exhibit buildings. See map below.
The Days Inn has always been a mid-level hotel but it’s always a lot of fun. The lobby is loaded with Elvis memorabilia and the continental breakfast is basic but fine. The pool is shaped like a guitar and Sirius XM’s Elvis Radio blasts outside through the day. This adds so much and I recall hearing some deeper cut 70s songs for the first time while sitting around that pool. There are two TV channels on which the staff plays Elvis movies on DVD so you have two to choose from. When the movie ends, you call the desk and they’ll start it again. So, coming back into the air conditioning for a break after a walk, flopping on the bed and jumping into the middle of Spinout becomes part of the whole Elvis/Memphis experience. Fun!
At least, that’s how it was.
This time we rolled into the Days Inn a night early hoping they could still put us up. We pulled into the parking lot – which was empty. The front sliding doors were locked and there was a sign posted saying to knock hard. After being admitted, we walked into the lobby and it was empty, under construction. We asked and were told the hotel was undergoing a renovation. The greatest import of this discovery was that there would be no continental breakfast. It turned out that was the least of our problems.
It was apparent that the kid behind the counter was just that; some kid behind the counter. He told us there was no breakfast, no movies, no Elvis Radio and the pool was open – but there were no chairs there. The kid said that work was ongoing to be ready for Elvis Week in August. But meantime, they accepted our reservations – and those of our friends – while the hotel was in this sorry state. We walked to our room – past massive piles of garbage – and were met by the one saving grace. The renovations had obviously started in the rooms and ours was in great shape, large and clean and very cold from the air conditioning. We noticed, though, that there was no coffee maker – and no phone. Our friends had already arrived and discovered this craziness. They had also ventured next door for supper.
Years ago, right next to the Days Inn was an excellent souvenir shop at which we had purchased many t-shirts and other items. Sadly, on subsequent visits, the place had morphed into half-souvenirs, half-diner. But now? Now it is Sake vs. Tekila, a ridiculously-named restaurant that “features” Japanese and Mexican food. Our friends said they were frisked when they walked in by a huge guy heavily strapped and then they were assaulted by deafening discotheque-level dance music and all they wanted was sushi.
Sunday, 7:15am CDT – One thing the Days Inn could not wreck was the walk up to the Meditation Garden. Something special that Graceland offers is the opportunity to walk up to the graves of Elvis and his family for free every day between 7:30 and 8:30am. There are parking lanes set up in front of the house enabling people to pull off Highway 51 or Elvis Presley Boulevard to write their names on Graceland’s stone wall and to walk up to the gravesite. This is no little thing. The Meditation Garden is not only the final resting place of Elvis Presley and his parents, but it is also where Lisa Marie and her son, Benjamin, now rest. And it is a significant rock & roll landmark, if I can be so crude. And you can go there for free. Every single morning we’ve ever stayed in Memphis we are sure to go up and stay for the hour. I can’t understand why you wouldn’t. By staying up the whole hour, you will often have the place to yourself as people come and go. And standing directly opposite Presley’s gravestone with no one else around…is huge. One year, there were even two guys there in orange robes actually meditating in the Meditation Garden. Everyone is quiet and respectful and we often will offer to take people’s pictures so couples and families can all be in at least one picture from their trip. I have often sat on the steps that lead up to the pool and now, sitting on those steps, you directly face the crypts of Lisa and Ben. Even if you are just traveling through town, you can pull off the road and visit Presley’s grave all in the space of five minutes. This video shows how that looks.
“The Reverend Green be glad to see you when you haven’t got a prayer. But, boy, you’ve got a prayer in Memphis.”
Sunday, 11:20am CDT – It took a few years but I finally figured out that my favourite singer, Al Green, pastors a church that is in Memphis. The Full Gospel Tabernacle Church on Hale Rd. is a 7-minute drive from Graceland. Service starts at 11:30 and we rolled in and sat in the back. Here’s the thing. This is not a photo op, this is not an exhibit or a tour. This is a church. If you’re like us and regularly attend a Pentecostal church, then you will recognize the service. But even if you are not a regular attender or even a believer this is an authentic and a powerful cultural experience. The proceedings are laid back, the music is exuberant to say the least and the Bishop Green has a casual way about him. During the service – be ready for two hours – Al will take a moment to pray but then break into a full song; the band knows this can happen at any time and they are right with him, even seeming to goad him on sometimes. It is quite something to be a part of. I mean, Al Green is right there and singing. On one previous visit, he looked at me and said “where ya’ll from?”. I busted out crying. Tourists just need to be respectful and understand the nature of this part of your trip. Highly recommended.
“Saw the ghost of Elvis on Union Avenue. Followed him up to the gates of Graceland then I watched him walk right on through.”
Monday, 8:50am CDT – Currently, there are five different ticket options for touring Graceland and the environs – see them all for yourself here. Recently they have been offering super deluxe tours that include meal vouchers, opportunities to ask questions about archival work and to see things not currently on display for the peasants. I debated about this but decided to stick with the tickets we have always purchased. The Elvis Entourage VIP ticket allows you to see the house, the planes and all the exhibits but most importantly it allows you to catch a shuttle up to the house as many times as you want. With this ticket, you will be given a time of day at which your tour starts – which is a new thing – and at that time you take a shuttle up and start your tour. This tour is a self-guided audio tour (in the past, the voice of the audio guide has been provided by Levon Helm but, for the last six years at least, it has been the dulcet tones of John Stamos) but because you have gone up with a group you travel through the house in this group. After one circuit, the shuttle takes you back and you start the exhibits.
As you wait for your tour time, you can peruse the gift shop. I should say the first of a plethora of gift shops. The appeal of all this merch is subjective; I go in there and always joke out loud that they should provide carts like a grocery store. I’d like to go around and just fill my cart. The first-timer will no doubt revel in all there is to buy. Any and all items you could name are available. The Presley graphics department must be a going concern as designs are constantly being created to mark anniversaries like those for the Aloha from Hawaii special or for the recording of “That’s All Right”. There are items celebrating Graceland itself, the two airplanes specifically, the TCB insignia, specific movies and on and on. Each person will have to decide how many coffee mugs their cupboards will hold (Mine? No more) and how many hoodies they can wear (Me? No more). I’m always interested in the music for sale, the CD sets and vinyl releases that seem so expensive online with shipping added on. Like me, you may try to be a good steward of your finances but you may also – like me – consider the pricey purchases “in the budget” as you are, after all, on holiday. There is cool stuff at the various shops – you should hit them all – but things are expensive, as you would expect. (*Click on any image in the galleries to enlarge*)
There is a lot to see in Elvis Presley’s Memphis. This actually makes things a little difficult. In past years, I have gone back up to the house five and six times. You hop on a shuttle, call the driver by name and she says “you gon’ up again?!”. During the fourth and fifth trips, you are often in there alone. I have had the den or the “jungle room” to myself for ten, fifteen minutes and stood on the back lawn all alone, pondering. But with there now being so many exhibits to see across the street, with lunch and shopping, it takes a lot of time to do. On this trip, I only got up to the house twice. Now, mind you, the second time I was basically alone with my thoughts in the lounge area of the racquetball building, for example, with the ability to do what you are not really supposed to do – shoot video. The signs say it is forbidden to take videos for the purpose of uploading to any site that is monetized. As mine technically is, I hesitate to share the videos here (check my socials).
“There’s a pretty little thing waiting for the king down in the jungle room.”
As regards the house, well, what can I say? There is nothing quite like being there and one enters into a clearer realm of understanding Elvis Presley when one spends time in Memphis and visits Graceland. Simply breathing the air in the house, feeling the thatched wallpaper, standing in the billiard room, pondering the kitchen and jungle room and considering the staircases and how they were used – all these moments bring Elvis somehow to life. You find yourself imagining the action that took place in these rooms and you recall how much Elvis loved being in his home. It makes being there, where he walked, a significant thing. When it comes to the exhibits, they are many, varied and excellent. There are exhibits devoted to the jumpsuits, the “’68 Comeback Special”, individual films, King’s time in the Army and the making of Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie. There are the two airplanes, the Lisa Marie and the Hound Dog II to tour and a vast collection of Presley’s automobiles to view. Sadly, there is a now a section devoted to Lisa Marie. Sad to see her clothes on display like her dad’s have been for years. In Lisa’s exhibit, even my man Jerry Schilling has a suit on display; the one he wore when he escorted Lisa to the Golden Globes two days before her death.
Your ticket could run you $200 USD but you’ll get an incredibly full day in Elvis World. This time around I toured the house twice, the second time I was largely alone; I can’t stress enough how much that can mean to an Elvis Person. You can stroll slowly through excellent exhibits that chart every aspect of Presley’s life and career. You can touch the Stutz Blackhawk, as I did – but the sensors will detect it and a disembodied voice will chastise you (worth it). You can walk through the fascinating Lisa Marie jet and revel in the scores of items for sale. I can confirm that it can be done in one day – although this time I wondered if maybe a second day would not be a crazy idea – except for the expense of two tickets. And I can confirm that it is more than worth it.
Tuesday, 9:44am, CDT – Months before this trip to Memphis, I got an idea. A terrifying one. My regular readers will know of my article on Memphis lawyer Blanchard Tual and his place in Elvis World, by far the most-read piece here at Vintage Leisure. My idea had to do with the fact that Mr. Tual’s office at Tual Graves PLLC is but 18 minutes away from Graceland – it is actually almost across the street from Memorial Park cemetery. What would happen, I began to wonder, if I went to Tual Graves? My wife had the good idea to email Mr. Tual ahead of time. A few days before I would arrive in Memphis, I emailed him at his office simply stating my appreciation of his work extricating Col. Tom Parker from the Presley family after Elvis’ death. I mentioned my article and the fact that it is the “champ” of my site and I sent him a link. Afterwards, I was watching my website’s stats and noticed that the article was getting read; in fact, I soon got a notification that my stats were “booming”.
This I hoped would serve as an introduction of sorts. The email would serve to show that I was not a typical crazed Elvis “fan” and the article would show that my info was accurate and legit. I could only hope that he had read it and at the very least had read my email and knew of my existence. I decided that I could not be in Memphis and not make an effort to gain an audience with Mr. Tual. But in the months leading up to my trip my mind would reel with possible scenarios. And the day before I planned to go, when I would remember that I would visit him the next day, I would actually get frightened. How would it go? Would I be ushered out by security? Is he constantly hounded by Elvis fans? Would he think I was a nut? I decided that there was no way that anyone before me had walked into his office as I planned to do. But I was still nervous.
I opened the door to the posh offices of Tual Graves and there behind the desk was a pretty young girl. I was savvy enough to have one of my business cards out and I presented it to her. As she made no move to take it, I explained that I had come “from Canada” to see Mr. Tual. I said that I wrote an article on him for my site and I wondered if he had a minute to see me. Finally, she took my card and said she would see if Mr. Tual was available.
Maybe 90 seconds later, he walked out. He’s quite tall. What followed was one of those dream-like moments when you wish you could remember every word that was said but I can’t. As I shook his hand, he said he had some people coming in at 10:00 (about 16 minutes later) and he wished he had time to sit and talk with me. I told him that I simply wanted to express my appreciation to him for his work all those years ago for Lisa and her legacy. I told him that I knew I was coming in cold and that I certainly didn’t expect him to set anything aside for me. He said that he sometimes still gets “fan mail” from Japan and parts of Europe from people who know his role in the Elvis story. I said I figured he would consider that he was just doing his job but that many of us thought of his work as heroic. That was a long time ago, he said “I was just a young lawyer then”. I said I was glad to see that he and his firm were both still so vital – Blanchard Tual is in his early 80s. While we talked, I saw an attractive, well-dressed older lady look at us and give a bemused and questioning look to one of the secretaries. This surely was one of his partners, both of whom are women, wondering what was up (I like to think they all talked about my visit afterwards!). And then Mr. Tual said that my article was one of the best he had ever read. He said he wished he could blow it up and frame it. A second time he said he wished he could sit and talk with me and he expressed a desire to do so some other time. He then hurried back to his office just as he had hurried out. I was overwhelmed. It all took maybe 5 minutes.
It took me awhile to recover but I was as the morning wore on able to really comprehend what had happened. My wife and our Danish friends were waiting in the car. I had wondered if we should all go in but quickly discarded that idea. Then I wondered if at least my wife should have gone in with me and perhaps asked for a picture to be taken of Mr. Tual and I. All four of us were quite taken with the brief episode and as we talked about it a few pertinent realizations fell into place.
I just walked in off the street – in a t-shirt and shorts, mind you – and entered this posh building and office. Blanchard Tual, at 80-odd years old, could easily have been at home still or even working from home. Or golfing. When he said he had people coming in at 10, I jokingly thought to myself that he could spend the 16 minutes talking to me. Then of course I considered that he needed the time to prep for his 10:00 meeting and during that important prep time, he took a minute to come out and meet me. I also wondered what the secretary said to him when she took my card in. But the realization that really hit me was – what if I had arrived 15 minutes later? Do you think he would have left his meeting to see some crazy blogger from Canada? I do not. I could easily have missed him for any number of reasons. Then I thought that I would have loved to have had a picture taken of the meeting. The four of us decided that that might have been pushing it. It may have even been simply selfish; I want a picture of you and I, sir, for my website. I feel now that would have cheapened the experience and may have lessened how he perceived me. I have come away exceedingly content. Blanchard Tual read my article. He praised it to me personally. He expressed a desire to sit and talk with me and I shook his hand twice. I met Blanchard Tual.
Tuesday, 11:19am CDT – I always say that Memphis is a two-day trip; one day at Elvis’ house and the second day stopping at significant places in Memphis. Sun Studio is an obvious stop and a good one. The gift shop half of the building was once a diner and you can still get a coffee while you peruse the merch. The 40-minute tour is inexpensive and while there is not a whole lot to see it is a must for any Elvis Person. The highlight is of course standing in the very room where Elvis stood when he recorded “That’s All Right” – not to mention all the other music made there. I feel like I need to go to Sun and I’m happy to but I’m often more excited about the Stax Museum at College and McLemore. A quick note about the neighbourhood. Be prepared. This is the most rundown area of the Elvis/Memphis tour. It is a fascinating look at life in the area and most businesses are shuttered. Stax itself has an excellent gift shop and the museum is worth it. Remember; EP recorded there, too.
While you’re out driving, you should stop by what is now Humes Middle School. Back in the day it was Humes High and Elvis graduated from there in 1953. The homes across the street are…interesting. We noticed a lady cop in an unmarked car parked on the street and we felt safe when she gave us the high sign. Not sure what she was doing there. In a much nicer part of town is 1034 Audubon Drive, the house from which the Presley’s moved to Graceland. Just look at the driveway; once upon a time Elvis drove up that driveway on his motorcycle with Natalie Wood on the back. We also walked up Dolan Drive, the homes on which back onto Graceland. We walked by the house that was once owned by Vernon Presley. There once was a gate in the back fence through which Vernon could walk. This house today is sadly in great disrepair, the front lawn like a jungle. I did spot a blue circular marker on the wall that noted that Vernon Presley lived there.
We also drove downtown. Here you can visit the Lorraine Motel where the Reverend King was fatally shot. It is preserved and expanded and today houses the National Civil Rights Museum. Closed on Tuesdays – the day we went there! Also worth a look is the glorious Peabody Hotel, one of the reasons being that there is where you’ll find Lansky Brothers, the clothiers to the king. The Lansky’s Elvis connection is, of course, legendary. Such wonderful clothing they have for sale – but bank. And then there’s Beale Street. All I’ll say is you have to see it for its historic significance but while the street does hold many blues clubs which some people will love, it is a place for drinking and buying cheap t-shirts. And you will likely be accosted and asked for a hand-out. And a quick note about thrifting in Memphis. We had always assumed that the stock would be – I dunno – cooler than other cities with maybe Elvis- or Memphis-themed things among the t-shirts or records. But I can report that the thrift stores in Memphis are among the most rundown and disorganized we’ve ever been in. And the stuff for sale is only a notch or two above being just straight garbage. Too bad.
Wednesday, 11:41am CDT – We left Memphis and headed southeast on I-22 and drove the 100 miles or 160 kilometers to Elvis Presley’s birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi. This is another significant stop that frankly doesn’t have a whole lot to offer. That being said, it is essential to go there especially if you are already in Memphis. There you will see the actual house, the actual room in which Elvis Presley was born. You can walk the same floor little Elvis walked. The house has been moved down the road but it is the actual house. The gift shop is alright and they also have the church building in which the Presleys worshipped and sang when Elvis was a boy. The building has also been moved. They play a video recreating a church service from the time and it is only fair. The small museum is fine and they have added some small features since I was there last. A woman giving a tour was wearing the same t-shirt I bought there years ago. When I mentioned that, she complimented me on mine, saying she had never seen one like it before. That’s what I’m talking about.
In Tupelo, we had lunch at Johnnie’s Drive-in, a great authentic burger joint that apparently once had young Elvis as a customer. Portions are not huge but the food is dirt cheap. And a first for me was a stop in downtown Tupelo, a stretch that is immaculate, having been cleaned up nicely. Still as it once was though is the Tupelo Hardware Store where Gladys bought Elvis his first guitar. No small thing. There is an X on the floor where little King stood.
Wednesday at 2:16pm CDT we left Tupelo and made the 5-hour drive to the Crescent City, New Orleans. So, our sojourn in Memphis lasted not quite four days. Following up on the Days Inn, this was an area of some consternation for us. I’ll admit I found it hard to not be affected by it. There being no breakfast we got over quickly, aided by a run to Walmart for bread and peanut butter, etc. However, there was no coffee machine in the room. On one trip to Walmart we talked to a woman who had just bought a small Keurig. In her thick southern drawl she told us she had paid only $19.95 for it. We found one for ourselves and made much use of it – I will give it a good home at my son’s apartment where I will get even more use out of it.
No coffee machine in the room? Big deal – soon there was no staff on the premises for something like 36 hours. We were abandoned. There was garbage piled up in bags around the hotel, there was a homeless guy that was sleeping in the stairwell and on the bench out front and then for a couple of days there was no wifi. No phone in the room and no wifi – for people who were traveling internationally. I reached out to Days Inn just to let them know that they had no staff on site, that they had guests who were alone. They got back to me to say they’d be in touch. Eventually, they replied to say they would fix the inconvenience by offering us some points on our Wyndham account or something. So, to fix things they were offering to give us a break – on our next stay. Assuming we would ever want to stay at a Days Inn again. Whatever. All I can do is hope that they do indeed revamp the hotel to its former grandeur at least to provide a more cost efficient alternative to the luxurious Guest House at Graceland. The one saving grace at the Days Inn was a little treasure called FETV. In our room, we constantly had Family Entertainment Television on the TV and we enjoyed an endless run of Perry Mason, Highway Patrol, Quincy, ME, Barney Miller and that most comforting of all old shows, The Andy Griffith Show. A couple of times, the picture would flicker – pixelate or buffer – and a band came up saying if the problem persists, call the front desk. We laughed at this – “Call?! There’s no phone! The front desk?! There’s no one there!” Ah, well. Chalk it all up. As my man once said “memories, pressed between the pages of my mind”.
My Blanchard Tual story has a nice conclusion. When I got home, I thought it appropriate to email him again just to thank him for taking time for me. I emailed one evening thinking he would reply next day when he got to his office. Not Mr. Tual. He replied some 30 minutes later from his iPhone. Again he apologized for having clients coming – basically saying he was sorry for having a thriving business! – and again he said he “would love to have spent some time with you”. He says if I’m ever in Memphis again to give him a call. What a story but, more importantly, what a class act.
There was one quick little Elvis Moment in N’Awlins courtesy something my Danish friends had discovered. Presley’s finest film is 1958’s King Creole, a film that takes place and was partially shot in New Orleans. Presley as Danny Fisher says his family lives at 29 Royal; there is no 29 on Royal Street but here’s what there is. At the beginning of that film, King does a great job on the fun little tune “Crawfish”. I’ve always loved this number for many reasons, not the least of which is that, while singing, we see the man comb that great hair of his. Danny sings along with a street vendor (played and voiced by Kitty White) while sitting on his family’s balcony. I had always wondered if this was on a set but it was shot on location at 1018 Royal Street. This building still stands – though it seems vacant – and the same railing is intact. An Elvis Photo Op, for sure.
Today, I’m glad I have fresh memories of being in Memphis; I’m glad it hasn’t been years since I’ve been. This trip was a little tougher, though. As for the new experience of traveling as adults with another couple, our relationship with our Danish friends is intact! The desires and needs of others will always be a factor when traveling in a group but this can be easily navigated. The Days Inn Debacle is a good story today – at the time, though it was a little trying. Perhaps more concerning is the question of what the future holds for this property. My wife and I have begun to consider that when we return to the area we may fly in and we may pay the freight and stay at the Guesthouse. Our next Memphis vacation could look a little different.
But the trip reminded me – this odyssey brought it back into stark relief – that, for me and for Elvis People, there really is nothing like actually being there. There is nothing like joining others in a common love and actually being in Presley’s town and in his home. And by his grave. There is nothing like walking in Memphis.
“Walking in Memphis” by Marc Cohn (1991) Copyright held by Sony/ATV Harmony
SoulRide 
I really enjoyed your blog about “walking in Memphis” (a song I also love 😉). Despite having crossed “Old Man River” literally hundreds of times, driving from Texas, to visit close family in Kentucky and Tennessee, I have never toured Graceland, or for that matter, spent any time in the city, except, maybe to buy gas. I had no idea Rev. Al Green’s church is there – really interesting and cool!
It is disappointing the Days Inn has changed so much. I have found that on many of my recent road trips. Motels I used to depend on for clean, safe, excellent respite have greatly disappointed me, I find myself looking for new go-to’s. Phooey!
Finally, you mentioned the late, great “Gentleman” Jim Reeves. He was my stepfather’s absolute favorite. So, I grew up hearing all of his music. And now you have motivated me to visit the Jim Reeves Memorial right here in Carthage, Texas – only a couple of hours away from me. I should have gone long ago.
thank you for the great read, insights, and inspiration to keep up with the great memorials to the musicians who made the soundtrack of our lives.
Thank you so much for reading and for your comment. We all could use some more inspiration to visit these music landmarks. There should be a website devoted to Music History Tours! Let’s start one!
I will be very interested to see what the future holds for that Days Inn. At this point, I am not very optimistic. I wonder if I went right now to book a room there what they would tell me…
A beautifully written and presented article, the embedded video is so well done, it really conveys the solemnity of the Meditation Garden and the sense of peace being there early in the morning. Some great insights as well, I enjoyed learning more about your meeting with Mr Tual, and how he was (rightly) impressed with your article about his work on the Presley estate. Thanks for the honourable mention, by the way, and thank you for sharing your experiences in such detail and with such care. It was almost like being there with you.