"The Spirit Of Elvis" Reprinted From The Former Newsletter "The Southcentral Kentuckian," Collector's Story Edition # 1, 2005.

 (Note:The following story posted below is a reprint of a story that I wrote for my former short-lived newsletter called "The Southcentral Kentuckian," Collector's Story Edition #1, Oct.-Dec. 2005.  After seeing the 2022 Elvis movie at our local theater in Bowling Green, Ky., several weeks ago, I immediately thought of this story that I wrote about Elvis almost 17 years ago.  I even mailed a copy of it to Graceland Enterprises in Memphis, Tenn., which oversees the Elvis Presley estate and mansion where Pricilla Presley is the CEO. Graceland is now one of the top tourist attractions in the country.  And also the second most visited house in the USA besides The White House in Washington, D.C.  Btw, I thought the new movie was great and I highly recommend it everyone to see it if you get a chance especially if you're an Elvis fan like me. Also, I apologize for any mistakes you might find while reading this story. It is long and it was a lenghty process while typing it into the blog format.)

The Spirit of Elvis

By Galen A. Smith Sr.

Memphis, Tenn. _ Elvis Lives! Yes, that's right, he's alive and well at his home at Graceland on Elvis Presley Blvd., in Memphis.

Poster from the new Elvis movie

As a matter of fact, I just saw him on Aug. 31 at his house. Man, this guy's face, image, voice and music is over this beautiful mansion which was built in 1939. Elvis bought this southern style, stone house in 1957 and managed to live there until 1977 before his death due to heart failure and prescription drug addiction. Too bad he was only able to enjoy Graceland for 20 years before he left this world and all of his millions of fans. To this day, I am still amazed that "The King of Rock & Roll" is still popular as ever. Many people have said that Elvis didn't really, really get famous until after his death. To a certain degree I think this is true. However, I think he happened to be "at the right time at the right place," to claim his place on the popular throne in American history and culture. His name, music, songs and images are finely woven into the fabric of the America and the American South not to mention his claim to fame on the world-wide stage of admiring fans. From Mississippi to Germany and from Los Angeles to Moscow, his fan base still ranges in the millions and millions still to this day.

My Knowledge Of Elvis

I was born in Memphis in 1962 and lived in that city until I was 14 years-old before I moved further on down South in 1976. I had just moved to DeSoto County, Miss., the fall before the Summer of 1977 when Elvis died at his home. I remember the day of his death on Aug. 17, 1977. Donald Dillingham, a friend of mine from Eudora, Miss., where I lived on a private fishing lake in the rolling hills of North Mississippi on the bluff of the Delta near Eudora, and I had been to the drive-in theatre in South Memphis on U.S. 61 Highway the night before. My brother, Gary, had driven us up to the drive-in but I don't remember the movie we watched. Wait a minute...I think it was "Warriors" about street gangs fighting in New York City. That's right! And I remember too, that Classic Rock Star Joe Walsh's "In The City," was the theme song for the movie. Anyway, Donald and I, after drinking a couple of bottles of "Boone's Farm Apple Wine," (Lol) decided that we were going to walk home after the movie because Gary did not want to take us to Southhaven, Miss., to see these particular fine pretty ladies. Of course, we were only about 30 miles or so from our homes in Eudora. But little did we know that walking the streets of South Memphis at midnight would be a frightening event. Finally, we arrived in Southhaven but the girls were asleep and we decided not to disturb them. It was getting really late so we decided to go to a nearby gravel pit to sleep. (Lol) When morning finally arrived, we hitchhiked to Hernando to spend the afternoon with some friends. We talked one of our friends from Eudora on the phone to come to Hernando to come pick us up. I guess it was about 3 p.m. in the afternoon and I heard on the radio of this friend's station wagon that Elvis had just died at Baptist Hospital in Memphis. I said, "Hey, did you all hear that? Elvis died!" Then everyone in the vehicle said, "No way, that can't be true!" And I said, "Yes, it is, I just heard it, for real!" Needless to say, The King of Rock & Roll" was really dead.

The "Southcentral Kentuckian, 2005"

My first recollection of Elvis was the time I was invited to see "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," the Walt Disney movie starring Dick Vandyke that was showing at the Southland Mall not far from Elvis' house. I guess it was about 1968 and I was about six years-old.  When we drove by Elvis' house, the mother driving the car, "There's Elvis Presley's house and he's in Hollywood filming movies right now." I wasn't quite sure who Elvis Presley was at the time but I did have an idea that he was kind of famous in my young mind at the time. The main thing I remember about this particular moment was the gate to his house. I remember seeing musical notes and an image of man singing into a microphone. Then as the years rolled on by into the 70's, I would see Elvis on television, in movies, concert footage and the memorable "Live From Hawaii Via Satellite Concert." I think I was memorized watching all the women going crazy over him while they were receiving a kiss and scarf to remember him by. 

Then in the Summer of 1974, I met a new friend at an old church in Memphis where AA and Al-Alon meetings were being held. My mother would attend these meetings on Saturday and Wednesday nights and us kids of the parents who were there would have to hang around in the basement or outside to pass the time. But this one particular boy who was about my age, 12 years-old, named "Tommy" had become friends with Elvis and had met him at the Karate studio on Union Avenue. Tommy was taking Karate lesson and Elvis and his entourage would come there and do karate demonstrations and etc. Elvis befriended Tommy and even took to his house for dinner and gave him an autograph record on the album that was recorded in "The Jungle Room." that same year.  Yes, I was impressed but it was hard for me to believe it too. But I guess it was true.

In the Spring of 1977, I developed a bad sore throat and it would not get any better even though my dad had taken me to the local doctor in Hernando. Finally, he decided to take me to his doctor, and Elvis' doctor also, "Dr. Geroge Nichopoulous who lived and had a practice in Memphis. My dad said that "Dr. Nick" (affectionately known by Elvis and everyone else in Memphis) was famous for prescribing drugs without having to do surgery. Boy, how true it was! Yes, Dr. Nick was famous or infamous, I should say for prescribing drugs alright.  But little did we know at the time that Elvis was in a predicament with his drug addiction. However, I enjoyed meeting Dr. Nick and I remember he was wearing lots of gold and diamonds that Elvis had probably given him including the gold chain with the "TCB" pendant.

Before and after Elvis' death, I had hung out around Horn Lake, Miss., quite a bit because I had a friend on the private fishing lake who went to school in Horn Lake. There was this place called the "Gun Club" and apparently Elvis had built for him and Pricilla and his entourage to go ride horses and act crazy while having tons of fun. Supposedly, head several mobie homes moved down there so everyone had their own mobile homes at the gun club property near Walls, Miss., on Goodman Road. After Elvis' death, a group of investors quickly rented the property and started busing people from Graceland to the Gun Club to see the little house on the farm where Pricilla and Elvis spent their honeymoon. I remember they had an old school bus taking tourists back and fourth from Graceland and the bus did not have any air conditioning. You know those tourists had to be really hot!

My Feelings About Elvis

Me and my former neighbor, Lee Swetmon 

After seeing and being inside Elvis' house for the first time after living in Memphis and American South for 43 years, I realized that I have had a spiritual connection to Elvis just like he connects with all of his other fans and admirers. I had felt this same feeling once before when I was allowed to walk up to Elvis's grave in March of 1981 not long before it was turned into a museum and tourist attraction. Although, across the street which used to be a little strip shopping center, is now a part of the whole Graceland experience with Elvis gift shops, Elvis Hotel, Elvis Restaurant and etc. Also, his personal jet, the "Lisa Maria" is there along with some of his cars. I had my picture made in front of make believe gates and house in the distance. Then we were shuttled into a small bus and taken across the street while wearing head phone listening to Elvis' voice and some of his songs. I really felt enchanted and amazed. I couldn't believe it! Then we arrived on the front steps of his house and we were directed inside. The first thing I noticed was the blast of air that blew into my face and it had a sweet smell to it. I could feel "The Spirit of Elvis." Yes, he was here and alive. His spirit was in this house. Elvis had a very strong energy force that can still be felt today. As I walked through the living room and dining room and into into the kitchen. I was pretty much taking everything in like a sponge while trying to comprehend and absorb it all. Then we went downstairs into the "Television Room" that practically all yellow and then into the multi-color "Pool Table Room," then back upstairs to the "Jungle Room" and then out back to the "The Office," then "Gold Record Hall of Fame" and then out back to "Racquetball Building" that shows his crowing glory of world-wide and international fame at the pinnacle of his incredible singing career. However, my favorite spot was the "Meditation Garden" by the swimming pool. I was silent and inspired. The Spirit of Elvis had touched my life again. I felt as if I knew him and he knew me.

                                               

The Mid-South Coliseum In Memphis, Tenn., Has Its Place In Rock & Roll History And It Should Be Saved

   

The 1970's in the American South was in tatters after the civil rights movement with unrest that had blazed the streets of Memphis, Tenn., and other cities across the South in the late 1960's.  With the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., at the Loraine Hotel in downtown Memphis in April of 1968, the city was struggling to get back on its feet after the riots that rocked the streets that stood next to the "Mighty Mississippi River."

     Also, the Vietnam War was still riveting the landscape with America's young soldiers being slaughtered on foreign soil and then later sent home in body bags and makeshift coffins tearing families apart as well as the drug culture seeping into mainstream of the country's veins.

     And with the "Summer of Love" in 1967 during the "Golden Age of Rock & Roll" which had come and gone in San Francisco and the massive rock concert in Woodstock, N.Y., that made history in 1969, Memphis was slowing but surely finding its way to become a world-famous city for "Arena Rock" even before the death of Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock & Roll" in 1977.  However, there was a light of hope in the form of entertainment for Memphis that shined a beacon of  light during turmoil years of the late 1960's and during the reconstruction years of the 1970's.  And that light was the "The Mid-South Coliseum" and tens of thousands of people from Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas flocked to shows, rock concerts, sporting events and graduations at this historic, iconic arena.

     Also, the Mid-South Coliseum is a place where the ghosts of the Mississippi delta blues men would meet on any given night that there was a rock concert taking place.  The roots of rock and roll all began about 60 miles south of Memphis on that famous Highway 61 in North Mississippi just outside the little shanty town of Clarksdale, Miss., where former sharecropper Robert Johnson made a pact with the devil in order for him to become a famous blues man and guitarist and singer from the Mississippi delta.  Unfortunately, Robert Johnson died at the young age of 27 years-old.  From Elvis to The Beatles, Led Zeppelin to Kiss and Van Halen to ZZ Top including hundreds of more rock bands who have performed at The Mid-South Coliseum, this former rock and roll venue has earned it's place in history and it should be saved from the wrecking ball.

                           Some Historical Facts About The Mid-South Coliseum

*The Mid-South Coliseum was also known as the "The Entertainment Capital Of The Mid-South" which is located at 996 Early Maxwell Blvd., at the former Mid-South Fairgrounds and the Liberty Bowl Stadium with a seating capacity of 11,555.  At one time, it was fully air-conditioned with a paved parking lot for 3,000 vehicles.

* The building was built as a sports and concert venue in 1963 and now listed with the United States National Register of Historic Places.

*The Mid-South Coliseum was home to the University of Memphis Tigers basketball team before they booked for the Pyramid which opened in 1991.

*The Mid-South Coliseum was one of the few stops on the Beatles' final American tour. The Aug. 19, 1966 concert is infamously known as "The firecracker Concert" in which a concertgoer set off a firecracker or "cherry bomb" while the Beatles were performing on stage.  The Beatles had flown into the city for two shows and Memphis was their eight stop along their North American tour.  John Lennon's misquoted remarks earlier in the year about the current state of Christianity had caused some problems especially in the Southern states.  There were protests, record burnings organized by Christian radio stations and even death threats including a televised death threat against the Beatles from a local Memphis Klu Klux Klansman.  While there were no problems with the afternoon concert, nerves were shattered when some someone threw the firecracker or cherry bomb on stage during the evening concert.  Apparently,  concertgoers thought the noise sounded like a gunshot during their performance.  Everyone who heard it was shocked.

*The Mid-South Coliseum was also a popular venue for professional wrestling and the home base for the United States Wrestling Association and Jerry "The King" Lawler headlining numerous sold-out shows at this historic facility.

                    Help Save The Mid-South Coliseum From The Wrecking Ball

    Currently, there are plans for the City of Memphis and Shelby County to raze the historic, iconic The-Mid Coliseum in order to build to some new developments.  In order to keep up on the latest news of what's happening with the MSC, please "Like" the "Save The Mid-South Coliseum" Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/savemidsoucol/