An Elvis Guide To Memphis

Above, the studio at Sun Studio where Elvis made his first recordings. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Travel + Leisure marks the 82nd birthday (today) of Elvis Presley with "Blues, Grits and Gospel: An Elvis Guide To Memphis".

I visited Memphis, Tennessee in November and visited some of the places the article mentions, such as Graceland, Beale Street and Sun Studio. I stayed at the Graceland RV Park, which sits behind the now-closed Heartbreak Hotel. There's a new and bigger hotel, Guest House At Graceland, across the street that the article spotlights.

Above, Beale Street. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

They begin their article with:

Elvis Presley may have been born in Tupelo, Mississippi, but Memphis, Tennessee, was home. 

From the high school football fields where a young Elvis played as a teen, to the studio where he recorded for the first time, Memphis shaped both the star and style icon that he would become. 

Often overlooked as the younger sister of nearby Nashville, this Tennessee metropolis is bustling with its own vibrant, cultural life. With record stores, music venues, and the kind of comfort food that helped Elvis develop his taste for deep-fried pickles, Memphis offers visitors a hot city with old Southern charm.

Above, "The Jungle Room" at Graceland. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Travel + Leisure article would have come in handy had it been posted before my visit to Memphis.

To read more, go here.