Editor’s Note: This year’s Elvis Week is being closely watched by tourism officials because the number of international visitors to Memphis has dramatically declined. Memphis is a strong market for international tourists which includes a considerable number from Canada. Memphis Tourism even has an office in England. In the face of federal policies by the Trump Administration, foreign tourism to America – is dropping precipitously as tens of millions of international tourists go elsewhere, creating what Forbes estimates will be a $29 billion hit to the national economy.
By John Branston
Elvis week begins tomorrow so get out your 45s, picture collection, some folding money for the Tribute Artist Contest and … your Jack Purcell tennis shoes???
Ever attuned to the latest fads in finery, food and fashion, The Wall Street Journal reported last week that the clunky white shoes worn by tennis pros 60 years ago are back in style for wealthy hipsters. There was even a picture of Elvis circa 1957 in black suit and white Purcells, possibly faked but who can tell these days?
The young Elvis was a “greaser” at Humes High who graduated in the era of PF Flyers, white bucks, penny loafers and shitkickers (Sks). Carl Perkins wrote Blue Suede Shoes in 1955 and Elvis covered it in 1956. Maybe he wore them too. Please, just don’t let him be photoshopped in Birkenstocks.
Back to Elvis Week.
The Tribute Artist Contest (formerly known as the Elvis Impersonator contest when it was a freebie for attendees at a Whitehaven motel near the airport owned by impresario Ed ‘Doc’ Franklin), will be at Graceland. Bring some folding money.
It has always been a first-rate show in any venue. The contestants are talented dead-serious singers and actors in jump suits, Vegas-duds, tuxedos, and pompadours. My all-time favorite was an Army Elvis named Ryan Pelton who roamed the Franklin lobby in shy silence and mumbled a quick “hello, sir.” He won, beating out, among others, Black Elvis, Elvis Herselvis, and Fat Elvis.
The show moved to The Orpheum and got even better on the big stage, with fans and their little kids dressing up as Elvi. It was a suspenseful tearjerker when the finalists were announced to a drum roll. Don’t miss this year’s TAC if you can get ducats.
A final note. A good friend of Elvis, former Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris, died a week ago. He was 92, a handsome devil , knew ’em all, and had style and a TCB pin. He made being a reporter in Memphis more interesting. RIP, Bill..
Elvis Presley and Bill Morris
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John Branston has been contributing to Smart City Memphis for four years. Before that he wrote columns, breaking news, and long-form stories for The Commercial Appeal, Memphis Flyer, Memphis magazine, and other print and online publications. He is author of the books Rowdy Memphis (2004) and What Katy Did (2017). He is a journalist and opinion writer. His stories are based on reporting, interviews and quotes supported by notes or a tape recorder. He has written about people who made Memphis what it is, for better and worse; about sleep issues and depression; about racquet sports; and about travel in the South and West.
