Graceland was home of Elvis Presley in Memphis, Tennessee until his death at the estate on August 16, 1977.
Located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard about 9 miles from downtown Memphis. Graceland is a large white-columned mansion constructed of tan limestone and consists of twenty-three rooms, including eight bedrooms and bathrooms. The entrance is guarded by two large lions perched on both sides of the Temple of the Winds portico.
Presley made modifications including the fieldstone wall, wrought-iron music gate, swimming pool, a racquetball court, Meditation Garden and the famous "Jungle Room.". In 1976, the Jungle Room was converted into a recording studio, where Presley recorded the bulk of his final two albums, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee and Moody Blue.
Elvis Presley, his parents Gladys and Vernon, and grandmother are buried in the Meditation Garden. Graceland serves as the museum dedicated to Elvis Presley. It was opened to the public on June 7, 1982. The site declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006. Photographs are allowed in Graceland without the use of flash. Graceland has become one of the most-visited private homes in America with over 600,000 visitors a year.
GRACELAND:
ELVIS PRESLEY HOME TROPHY BUILDING RACQUETBALL BUILDING
MEDITATION GARDEN CAR COLLECTION ELVIS’ AIRPLANES
Sun Studio recording studio was opened by rock pioneer Sam Phillips at 706 Union Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, on January 3, 1950. Reputedly the first rock-and-roll single, Jackie Brenston and his Delta Cats' "Rocket 88" was recorded at Sun Studios in 1951 with Ike Turner on keyboards, leading the studio to claim s itsstatus as the birthplace of rock & roll.
Blues and R&B artists like Howlin' Wolf, B.B. King, James Cotton and Rufus Thomas recorded at Sun Studios in the early 1950s. Rock-and-roll, country music and rockabilly artists, including Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Charlie Feathers, Charlie Rich, and Jerry Lee Lewis recorded there throughout the mid to late 1950s.
In August 1953, Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studio to record a present for his mother. He paid 50 cents for a few minutes of studio time to record a two-sided acetate disc:. One side was "My Happiness" and the other side was "That's When Your Heartaches Begin." Sam Phillips was out but his receptionist Marion Keisker made the recording and disc for Presley. Realizing the potential see saw in Presley she also saved the tape. Click this button to listen to the very first recording ever by Elvis Presley, The King of Rock and Roll.” "My Happiness" was recorded at Sun Studio August 1953.
Memphis
Rufus Thomas's "Bearcat," was a record that was way too similar to Big Mama Thorton’s recording of "Hound Dog." “Bearcat” was the first real hit for Sam Phillips and Sun in 1953. Although the song was the label's first hit, a copyright-infringement suit ensued that nearly bankrupted Phillips' Sun record label. Big Mama Thorton’s version of “Hound Dog” is a bluesy version of the song that Elvis later made famous. (Did you know that “Hound Dog” was written by Leiber & Stoller?) Listen Here:
In 1987, the original building housing the Sun Records label and Memphis Recording Service was reopened by Gary Hardy as "Sun Studio," a recording label and tourist attraction that has attracted many notable artists, such as U2, Def Leppard, Bonnie Raitt, and Ringo Starr. In 2005, Brian Setzer (of Stray Cats fame) released his "Rockabilly Riot Vol. 1: A Tribute To Sun Records" album, recorded at Sun and featuring various Sun Records songs, some hits and some obscure.