Elvis is having a longer career in death than he had in life. He still draws a crowd. Each year 600,000 people come to his house, Graceland. Some are loyal fans, others are just curious. They come to see the furniture, the things Elvis owned, everything that is Elvis. This is where he lived and died. Graceland is the cornerstone of tourism in Memphis. But there\u2019s another house, in another place: Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis was born in the front room in 1935 and grew up the only child of Vernon and Gladys Presley. The family had constant money troubles and moved to Memphis when Elvis was 13. But Elvis visited Tupelo often. He gave the town the money to buy back the house to build a park. Improvements are still underway with public and private money, like a new statue. Reverend Frank Smith was the minister at Elvis\u2019 church. Reverend Frank taught him one of the first songs Elvis would sing. Elvis got his first guitar at the Tupelo Hardware Store. George Booth says his father was running the place then. It hasn\u2019t changed much, even though newer, much bigger hardware stores have come to town. \u201CWe\u2019re standing in front of the sales counter where Elvis and his mom, Gladys, shopped for a birthday present for Elvis when he was ten years old,\u201D says Mr. Booth. \u201CThey ended up buying a guitar, but Elvis came in thinking about a bicycle or a rifle.\u201D The salesman, Forrest Bobo, years later documented his pivotal role in Elvis\u2019 career. \u201CMr. Bobo wrote this letter, and in it he says that the guitar cost $7.75, Elvis |
Elvis is having a longer career in death than he had in life. He still draws a crowd. Each year 600,000 people come to his house, Graceland. Some are loyal fans, others are just curious. They come to see the furniture, the things Elvis owned, everything that is Elvis. This is where he lived and died. Graceland is the cornerstone of tourism in Memphis. But there\u2019s another house, in another place: Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis was born in the front room in 1935 and grew up the only child of Vernon and Gladys Presley. The family had constant money troubles and moved to Memphis when Elvis was 13. But Elvis visited Tupelo often. He gave the town the money to buy back the house to build a park. Improvements are still underway with public and private money, like a new statue. Reverend Frank Smith was the minister at Elvis\u2019 church. Reverend Frank taught him one of the first songs Elvis would sing. Elvis got his first guitar at the Tupelo Hardware Store. George Booth says his father was running the place then. It hasn\u2019t changed much, even though newer, much bigger hardware stores have come to town. \u201CWe\u2019re standing in front of the sales counter where Elvis and his mom, Gladys, shopped for a birthday present for Elvis when he was ten years old,\u201D says Mr. Booth. \u201CThey ended up buying a guitar, but Elvis came in thinking about a bicycle or a rifle.\u201D The salesman, Forrest Bobo, years later documented his pivotal role in Elvis\u2019 career. \u201CMr. Bobo wrote this letter, and in it he says that the guitar cost $7.75, plus a two percent sales tax,\u201D recalls Mr. Booth. |