Elvis Blog – Post #23

DATELINE: Memphis, Tennessee
Remembering Saturday 18 August 2012
Elvis Week

ELVIS QUOTE:
“When I was a boy, I was the hero in comic books and movies. I grew up believing in a dream. Now I’ve lived it out. That’s all a man can ask for.”

ELVIS TRIVIA:
When Elvis performed on a flatbed truck in front of Katz Drug Store for its grand opening 9 September 1954, who was in the crowd watching?

ELVIS HISTORY:
Wednesday 18 August 1954
Elvis had become known as Elvis the Pelvis, a name Gladys disliked. On August 10th Elvis performed unbilled (again) at the Overton Park Shell. He sang Old Shep as one of his four songs. Webb Pierce was one of the billed stars, along with Carl Smith and Slim Whitman. After Elvis went on and the girls screamed, Pierce refused to go on the stage. Smart. Who could follow Elvis?

MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE:
Saturday 18 August 2012
Elvis Week
Walking up to the Meditation Garden this morning we saw one of the Sweet Inspirations. At lunch, we sat in the Elvis Booth (the one facing the big mirror in back booth) at the wonderful Arcade, the oldest restaurant in Memphis.

Final Round of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest
7 PM at the Cannon Center
We loved the five finalists, Ted Torres, Victor Trevino, Jr., Kevin Mills, and the two British guys, Ben Portsmouth and Pete Storm. The winner was Ben who sang Hurt, again. He also sang If I can Dream, the sure-fire all-time show stopper, but he wore a black leather outfit instead of the white suit that we expected to see for this song. We are such nit-picky purest.

It’s hard to believe it’s over. We only got to eat at Marlow’s one day for lunch, I don’t remember which day, and never did get to Neely’s or the first house Elvis bought, or Humes High—so much to do, so little time.

TRIVIA ANSWER:
Johnny Cash