A few Graceland and Sun Studios photos…

We had a great day today, we were in the first group to arrive at Graceland where we went through the entire house and grounds tour twice…

At the front door of Graceland, it is a very humble (and very cool) house considering how wealthy Elvis was….

Everyone should have a Jungle Room in their house.  I am convinced of this.

Kevin looked closely at all of the Elvis clothing items, he is looking for a more rockstar look for Influence 2010! Maybe Gold Lame with sequins would work great…

Elvis and his parents are buried on the Graceland property and we showed our respects to The King…

We had lunch on Beale Street and the Blues City Cafe where I had a half rack of the best ribs in Memphis, and we walked past B.B.King’s and down Beale Street.  Then I felt that no trip to Memphis is complete without a trip to the Peabody Hotel roof for a view of the mighty Mississippi and downtown Memphis.  (Of course we also saw the ducks in the fountain, and their new Duck Palace on the roof)…

Then we headed on to the legendary Sun Studios where Elvis Presley recorded his first song which he paid them $3 to record.  Others who have recorded in this studio: Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, U2, Jerry Lee Lewis, B.B. King, and a who’s-who of Blues and Country legends…

Here’s the original office and desk where the 18 year old Elvis approached the Memphis Recording Studio (later Sun Records) to record his first record.

The Million Dollar Quarter was L-R Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.
When you add Kevin Hogan, you get the Million Dollar Quintet…

They claim this is the real microphone, and they asked us not to lick it!  There is an ‘X’ on the floor where Elvis stood to record, and Bob Dylan came to Sun Studios recently, walked into the studio, went to the X, kissed it, and left… True Story!

After the Sun Studios tour, Kevin picked up the Gene Simmons guitar and strummed a few chords.  He didn’t sing and he wasn’t arrested.

A close up of Gene Simmons autograph on the Guitar..Notice the $ in $IMMONS

Total elapsed time 7 hours to see it all.  We took hundreds of pictures and videos today and look forward to sharing more in the future.

Have a great day…

Rob