Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
only make one stop in Memphis, it ought to be here: the sublimely kitschy, gloriously
bizarre home of the King of Rock and Roll. Though born in Mississippi, Elvis Presley
was a true son of Memphis, raised in the Lauderdale Courts public housing projects, in-
spired by blues clubs on Beale St, and discovered at Sun Studio. In the spring of 1957,
the already-famous 22-year-old spent $100,000 on a Colonial-style mansion, named
Graceland by its previous owners.
The King himself had the place, ahem, redecorated in 1974. With a 15ft couch, fake
waterfall, yellow vinyl walls and green shag-carpet ceiling - it's a virtual textbook of os-
tentatious '70s style. You'll begin your tour at the visitor plaza on the other side of Elvis
Presley Blvd. Book ahead in the busy season to ensure a prompt tour time. The basic
self-guided mansion tour comes with an engaging headset audio narration. Pay just $4
extra to see the car museum, and two custom planes (check out the blue-and-gold private
bathroom on the
Lisa Marie
, a Convair 880 Jet).
Priscilla Presley (who divorced Elvis in 1973) opened Graceland to tours in 1982, and
now millions come here to pay homage to the King who died here (in the upstairs bath-
room) from heart failure in 1977. Throngs of fans still weep at his grave, next to the
swimming pool out back. Graceland is 9 miles south of Downtown on US 51, also called
'Elvis Presley Blvd.' You can also hop on the free shuttle from Sun Studio. Parking costs
$10.
Stax Museum of American Soul Music
MUSEUM
( 901-942-7685;
www.staxmuseum.com
; 926 E McLemore Ave; adult/child $12/9; 10am-5pm
Tue-Sat, 1-5pm Sun Mar-Oct, closed Mon Nov-Mar)
Wanna get funky? Head directly to Souls-
ville USA, where this 17,000-sq-ft museum sits on the site of the old Stax recording stu-
dio. This venerable spot was soul music's epicenter in the 1960s, when Otis Redding,
Booker T and the MGs and Wilson Pickett recorded here. Dive into soul music history
with photos, displays of '60s and '70s peacock clothing and, above all, Isaac Hayes'
1972 Superfly Cadillac outfitted with shag-fur and 24-carat-gold exterior trim.
Full Gospel Tabernacle Church
CHURCH
(
www.algreenmusic.com
; 787 Hale Rd; services 11:30am & 4pm Sun)
If you're in town on a
Sunday, put on your smell goods and head to services in South Memphis, where soul mu-
sic legend turned reverend Al Green presides over a powerful choir. Visitors are wel-
come, and usually take up about half the pews. Join in the whooping 'hallelujahs,' but
don't forget the tithe (a few bucks is fine). Green is not around every weekend, but ser-
vices are a fascinating cultural experience nonetheless.
