Graceland Unveils ‘All-American’ 4th of July Event

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If one doesn't currently have any plans to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday, a trek to Graceland just may be what the doctor ordered.

Graceland announced an "All-American Weekend" to celebrate on July 4 weekend.

According to Parade:

In honor of America’s upcoming 250th anniversary, Graceland is hosting an “All-American Weekend” from July 3 to July 5, where fans will be able to see Elvis’ iconic Memphis estate like never before as it getes lit up in red, white and blue.

According to the official Graceland website, this year’s fourth of July celebration will include  include two “electrifying” concerts, including a performance from The Dreamboats, who are slated to “bring their electrifying, high-energy celebration of 1950s and ’60s rock ‘n’ roll to the Graceland Soundstage for a night that will have you on your feet from the first note.”

To read more, go here. 

Trump At Graceland

President Donald Trump was in Memphis, Tennessee yesterday to attend a forum on the crime safe task force accomplishments. Following this, he made a surprise visit to Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion.

He signed a guitar in the Jungle Room (known during Presley's time as the den). 

He is the second sitting U.S. President to visit Graceland.

According to Google:

As of March 2026, only two sitting U.S. presidents have toured Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion: George W. Bush (in 2006 with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi) and Donald Trump (on March 23, 2026). Other presidents, such as Jimmy Carter, have visited the estate after leaving office.

Here's a video on Trump's visit:

EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert

The documentary by Baz Luhrmann opens in theaters this week. I have been seeing rave reviews.

The movie features long-lost films found at the Graceland estate and restored.

The Hanford Sentinel posted a review which starts with:

Over the years, countless attempts have been made to resurrect the King, whether it was movies, TV specials or musical ventures celebrating his artistry and legacy, attempting to bring him back and keep him among us.

No single project has done a better job of making Elvis feel present and alive than "EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert," director Baz Luhrmann's dazzling documentary-slash-concert film, which lets us see and feel Elvis on stage, in his element.

It's a pure joy to see, to feel, to behold, as Elvis tells his story, in his own words, and hits the stage to let us bask in his greatness. The movie, meanwhile, helps to reclaim Elvis as a singular force of nature, an otherworldly dynamo, not the parody of himself with which we've come to associate his Vegas years.

The movie will be opening February 27 at the Red Rock 10 Theaters in Gallup. I'll be seeing it there.

To read more, go here.

Where To Eat When You're Visiting Elvis Presley's Graceland

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I visited Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in 2016, the Elvis Presley's Memphis Museum complex was still under construction.

I stayed at the Graceland RV Park & Campground across the street from the mansion and I cooked my own meals at my RV. 

But those who now visit Graceland can find several restaurants in the vicinity to dine at.

MSN has posted a slideshow of eateries.

They begin it with:

You can't call yourself a true Elvis Presley fan unless you've been to Graceland. This 120-acre institution in Memphis was once Presley's private home and is now a major tourist attraction. Presley bought the mansion in 1957 when he was just 22 years old and it was his home base until his death in 1977. Today, visitors can tour the mansion, see Presley's former jets, and view exhibits and artifacts at Elvis Presley's Memphis museum and entertainment complex. There are also plenty of restaurants on and off the grounds where you can fuel up before or after all that exploring.

If you want to feast like the King of Rock and Roll did, you'll find several dining venues on the Graceland grounds. You can grab some of Presley's favorite Southern comfort foods like grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches and meatloaf along with Memphis-style barbecue, sweet treats, and coffee. The Guest House at Graceland also has inviting spots where you can grab cocktails and tasty bites. Head off the estate and you'll find more enticing eateries within walking distance. If you're planning a pilgrimage to Presley's former home, this is where and what to eat when you're visiting Graceland.

To see the slideshow, go here. 

48th Anniversary of Elvis Presley's Death

Above, Elvis Presley's Grave at Graceland in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It was a rainy August day in Hawthorne, California and I was watching the James Cagney movie, One, Two, Three when a news bulletin interrupted the movie.

Elvis Presley had died.

My mom was working out in the yard (she was an Elvis fan) and I went out and immediately told her the news.

It was one of those news events where people can remember where and what they were doing when hearing the news. That is still true with this story, even though we're two years shy of the fiftieth anniversary.

Here's a video from NBC News with David Brinkley reporting:

50 American Tourist Traps

Above, oddly, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion is on the tourist trap list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Traveling the U.S. is a popular pastime for many Americans. Visiting tourist attractions are part of allure.

However, some can be considered "tourist traps" that will make visitors feel like they've been ripped off. At least in the opinions travel bloggers and travel industry professionals.

AOL has posted a list of what are considered to be tourist traps.

They begin it with:

For better or worse, tourist traps are part of the American landscape. Countless overhyped, colorful, quirky, and sometimes downright mystifying spots draw sightseers nationwide — at least, when a pandemic isn't making travel too dangerous and complicated for such silliness.

Whether an attraction qualifies as a tourist trap is often in the eye of the beholder, and some are still beloved by locals. Travel blogger David James of The GypsyNesters has his own test: whether visitors leave feeling a little swindled. "But we love tourist traps," says his wife and fellow blogger, Veronica James. "David cannot pass them by. Boomers are really into this stuff because, when we were kids, that's where we went. We would pack up our station wagon and go to these places."

Some are iconic locales now overrun or overrated. Others lure road trippers out of the way of their intended destinations. They might be cheesy, inauthentic, overpriced, crowded, boring, ugly, or just plain not worth the time. We talked to travel bloggers and industry professionals and read online reviews to identify tourist traps in every state.

To see what they are, go here. 

Woman Pleads Guilty In Graceland Scam

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On the heals of the passing of Lisa Marie Presley, a Missouri woman tried to defraud the Presley Family and take possession of Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.

Fortunately, the scheme was foiled and now the woman has plead guilty to a count of mail fraud.

From Billboard:

A Missouri woman has pleaded guilty to mail fraud for her role in an alleged scam to steal the Elvis Presley family’s ownership interest in the famed Graceland mansion.

Lisa Jeanine Findley, who has gone by various aliases including Lisa Holden and Lisa Howell, initially pleaded not guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft last year. But during a hearing before a Memphis federal judge on Tuesday (Feb. 25), Findley agreed to plead guilty to one count of mail fraud. According to court documents, the other charge — a count of aggravated identity theft — will be dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Findley was arrested in August on the charges, with prosecutors alleging she posed as three different people affiliated with a fake company named Naussany Investments & Private Lending to claim that Presley’s daughter, the late Lisa Marie Presley, had utilized the music legend’s Memphis, Tenn., home as collateral for a $3.8 million loan she had failed to repay. Findley also allegedly falsified loan documents and forged the signatures of both Lisa Marie and a notary public in order to file a false deed of trust with the Shelby County Register’s Office, as well as a false creditor’s claim with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles.

To read more, go here. 

Judge Stops Graceland Foreclosure Sale

Above, Graceland from Elvis Presley Blvd. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

A Memphis judge has halted a foreclosure sale of Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion that was scheduled for today.

AP News reported:

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — A judge on Wednesday said Elvis Presley’s estate could be successful in arguing that a company’s attempt to auction Graceland is fraudulent as he halted a foreclosure sale of the beloved Memphis tourist attraction.

Later Wednesday, a statement from someone who appeared to be a representative of the company said it would drop its claim, which the Presley estate has argued is based on fake documents. Online court records did not immediately show any legal filings suggesting the claim had been dropped.

Shelby County Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins issued a temporary injunction against the proposed auction that had been scheduled for Thursday in Memphis, where the king of rock ‘n’ roll’s former home is located. Jenkins’ injunction essentially keeps in place a previous restraining order issued at the request of Presley’s granddaughter Riley Keough. 

To read more, go here. 

Elvis's Granddaughter Fighting Foreclosure of Graceland

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in Memphis. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Elvis Presley's granddaughter, Riley Keough, is fighting a foreclosure of Graceland, alleging that some signatures are forgeries.

NBC News reported:

Elvis Presley’s granddaughter is trying to halt the court-approved sale of Graceland, the late singer’s Memphis, Tennessee, compound.

Riley Keough, a successful dramatic actor also known as Danielle Riley Keough, has filed a claim in Tennessee civil court that alleges the creditor behind the foreclosure claim used forged signatures.

Keough, who was granted virtual control of Graceland Mansion and much of Elvis' estate after her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, died last year, alleges in the suit that the creditor's paperwork on a $3.8 million loan to Graceland trustees, with a deed of trust on the compound pledged as collateral, is fraudulent.

In a statement, Elvis Presley Enterprises — the entity that runs Graceland and the assets of the Elvis Presley Trust — suggested the announced sale is a scheme.

“Elvis Presley Enterprises can confirm that these claims are fraudulent. There is no foreclosure sale. Simply put, the counter lawsuit has been filed is to stop the fraud,” it said.

To read more, go here. 

Elvis Presley’s Graceland Gears Up for Summer

Above, Graceland's famous Jungle Room. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It has been eight years since I last visited Elvis Presley's Graceland. It was a year before the big Elvis Presley's Memphis complex across the street opened. It was still under construction during my visit.

I stayed at the Graceland RV Park & Campground located across the street and behind the former Heartbreak Hotel. It was very handy as it was an easy short walk to the mansion.

Above, The Beast at the Graceland RV Park & Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Graceland is gearing up for the summer vacation season with new tours, events, concerts and exhibits.

Yahoo! Finance posted:

MEMPHIS, Tenn., May 16, 2024--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Elvis Presley’s Graceland is preparing for a summer filled with a variety of events, concerts, and numerous other reasons why this is the summer to visit the home of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Memphis.

Graceland’s daily tours give fans and music lovers the opportunity to experience how Elvis lived and spent his time. This summer, visitors can enjoy an all-new tour experience, updated exhibits, as well as get a last chance look at one of our fan favorite exhibitions.

To read more, go here. 

NBC's "Christmas At Graceland"

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

That time of year is fast approaching.

The Christmas holiday season is already apparent as stores and restaurants already have Christmas decorations out. We noticed Genaro's Café in Gallup already has theirs up last evening.

There's another thing that is coming up to celebrate the holiday: NBC's Christmas At Graceland on November 29.

According to Rolling Stone:

Graceland will be hosting an all-star group of performers this year in tribute Elvis Presley‘s legacy.

Lana Del Rey, John Legend, Post Malone, Kacey Musgraves, Alanis Morissette, Kane Brown, Lainey Wilson, and The War and Treaty will gather at Presley’s home in Memphis, Tennessee on Nov. 29, according to People. The NBC holiday special, billed as Christmas at Graceland, will begin at 10 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and Peacock.

This is the first time the legendary estate has hosted a televised concert, according to the outlet, and each artist will perform a song in tribute to Presley. Actress Riley Keough, daughter of Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s only child Lisa Marie Presley, will join the event.

To read more, go here. 

Elvis Renaissance Helps Graceland Make Up Its Debt Payments

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion in 2016. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Elvis Presley's Graceland complex has had a shortfall in visitors during the pandemic years and missed a few debt payments.

The revamp of the complex also put Graceland in the red. But things have turned around and the operators have caught up and made all debt payments.

From Yahoo! Finance:

(Bloomberg) -- Elvis Presley’s fans are breathing life back into Graceland, the singer’s 120-acre Memphis estate that’s been preserved in his honor. The uptick in attendance has allowed its operators to make up some missed debt payments.

Borrowers now have enough funds to make a full payment of July interest after an earlier shortfall, according to a regulatory filing by the trustee on Friday. The bonds were issued to help fund an overhaul of the complex, which its owner says is the second-most-visited private home in the US, after the White House.

The Graceland complex got a revamp a few years ago, adding a hotel and new museum complex featuring the singer’s jumpsuits and private jets. But like other attractions, Graceland suffered a plunge in visitors as the pandemic halted tourism, leaving a shortfall in funds needed to make bond payments. Things seemed to turn around as attendance rose to 133,627 in the third quarter of 2022, up from 68,961 in the last part of 2021, according to bond documents. Hotel occupancy and room rates climbed during the period as well. But numbers from the third quarter of this year dipped a bit, with 130,497 visitors.

I last visited Graceland in November 2016, before the complex across the street opened.

To read more, go here. 

Priscilla Presley's Request For Graceland Burial Allegedly Denied

Above, Elvis Presley is buried between his grandmother and father. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The settlement of by the Presleys may have been reached amicably, but there was one thing that allegedly did not go in Priscilla Presley's favor: a burial spot next to Elvis at Graceland.

I have no idea of this is true. You know how the media loves rumors. But TMZ posted:

Priscilla Presley may have settled her dispute over Lisa Marie's trust for millions of dollars, but she lost out on one of her big asks  ... being buried next to "The King" -- this according to sources with direct knowledge.

Our sources say ... while Priscilla and her granddaughter, Riley Keough, battled over Lisa Marie's trust ... Priscilla wanted something other than money ... a burial spot next to her ex-husband, Elvis Presley.

Elvis is buried at Graceland, his legendary Memphis estate, flanked by the gravesites of his mother and father. Thus the issue ... if Priscilla were to be buried next to Elvis, who moves?

Priscilla and Elvis may have remained on good terms after their divorce, and she did save Graceland, but it seems odd to me having the divorced spouse buried next to or even near their ex-husband. It just rubs the wrong way.

The article has one thing definitely wrong, Elvis is buried in-between his grandmother and father.

To read more, go here.

Presleys Come To Estate Settlement Agreement

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The dispute between Priscilla Presley and granddaughter Riley Keough over Lisa Marie Presley's estate has been settled.

Rolling Stone reported:

Priscilla Presley and Riley Keough have reached a settlement over the estate of Lisa Marie Presley, CNN reports. 

Lawyers for Priscilla (Lisa Marie’s mother) and Keough (Lisa Marie’s daughter) announced the agreement at a court hearing in Los Angeles Tuesday, May 16. Details of the agreement were not divulged, and the settlement request itself will be submitted under seal. The motion must be filed by June 12, while a follow-up hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 4.

The dispute — which emerged just a few weeks after Lisa Marie’s sudden death earlier this year — centered around an amendment in Lisa Marie’s living trust, which Priscilla claimed was “invalid.” The document, dated March 11, 2016, reportedly sought to remove Priscilla and former business manager Barry Siegel as co-trustees of her daughter’s Promenade Trust and name Keough and her now-deceased brother, Benjamin, as co-trustees. 

Priscilla, however, argued that the document was “never delivered” to her during Lisa Marie’s lifetime, as required by “express terms” of the trust agreement. They also argued its validity was dubious because the amendment misspelled Priscilla’s name, wasn’t witnessed or notarized, and that “Lisa Marie’s signature appears inconsistent with her usual and customary signature.”   

After the hearing where the settlement was announced, Priscilla’s attorney, Ronson J. Shamoun, told reporters, “The families are happy. Everyone is happy, unified, together and excited for the future.” Keough’s lawyer, Justin Gold, added that Keough is “very content” with the agreement. (The two lawyers did not immediately return Rolling Stone’s request for additional comment.)

To read more, go here. 

Summer Travel: Memphis Or Nashville?

Above, Memphis's Beale Street. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To start things off, I state for the record that I have never been to Nashville, Tennessee. I plan on visiting the city someday.

I have been to Memphis, Tennessee twice. I have enjoyed it each time I have been there. The most recent time was in 2016. I stayed at the Graceland RV Park across the street from Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion.

Travel Off Path has an article stating that travelers should choose Memphis over Nashville for summer travel this year. I cannot say if they are right or wrong, it is up to the reader to decide.

They begin with:

If you’ve been to Nashville lately, you’ve probably noticed how packed it is.

There’s a current trend of bachelorettes and their bridal parties flocking to Nashville for one last wild weekend before heading to the altar — and they’re not the only ones overcrowding Nashville.

Music lovers and travelers searching for that Southern charm aren’t going to find it in Nashville anymore.

The true soul of Tennessee is in Memphis – The Home of the Blues.

 To read more, go here.

National Geographic: How To Visit Graceland

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Planning a visit to Memphis, Tennessee? 

If so, there are a few places that are "must-sees" in the city. They include Graceland, Sun Studio, the Lorraine Motel and Beale Street.

If Elvis Presley's Graceland is on the top of one's "bucket list" (I have been there twice, once in 2001 and once in 2016), National Geographic has a guide on how to visit Graceland.

They begin with:

Elvis’s beloved, outré mansion is the second-most visited private home in the US, beaten only by the White House. Here are some tips on making the most of a visit to the former residence of the King.

Pay your respects for free

Time it well and you can visit Graceland’s grounds without spending a dime. Every morning (aside from Thanksgiving and Christmas Day, when the site is closed), from 7.30am to 8.30am, fans can pass through the gates free of charge for an hour of quiet contemplation at Elvis’s graveside.

Plan around peak season

The party kicks off from 5-8 January for Elvis’s birthday celebrations, where crowds flock for a cake-cutting ceremony sometimes hosted by his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley. There are events all across Memphis, too, but plan ahead as hotels book up lightning fast. The bustle returns for the week surrounding 16 August, the anniversary of Elvis’s death, when celebrations go all out, with tribute artists in bejewelled jumpsuits and a moving candlelight vigil.

When I went there in 2016, I stayed at the Graceland RV Park that is across the street from Graceland, which I found nice and handy.

Above, my campsite at Graceland RV Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Prince Harry: From Prince To Ass

A couple of minutes ago, I spotted this tweet on Twitter by Michael Reagan:

Prince Harry has already pissed off the United Kingdom, now he seems to be trying to piss off Americans. Reagan just said it best.

Prince Harry made his comments in his book, "Spare".

Above, Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Graceland...Haunted?

Above, the upstairs office windows of Graceland from the backyard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first job I ever had was as a dishwasher at a Hawthorne, California convalescent hospital.

One day, I was talking to the cook, whose back was to me and separated by a stainless steel kitchen counter. A metal dessert cup was face down on the table. The table was dry and there were no vibrations. Suddenly, the dessert cup moved, as if by an unseen hand, about seven inches.

Ever since that experience, I don't doubt stories of hauntings and other paranormal activities.

The latest comes from Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. 

The Express (U.K.) reported:

Elvis Presley lived and died at Graceland 45 years ago. The King was fascinated by death and once visited a morgue in Memphis with his inner circle. His cousin Billy Smith knew it was time to move out of the mansion when he became hearing the late star calling him from upstairs where he suffered a fatal heart attack in 1977.

Speaking previously on his son Danny’s YouTube Channel Memphis Mafia Kid, Billy said of sensing Elvis’ presence at Graceland: “I did. In fact, I guess that was the biggest reason I left Graceland. Got to a point where I’d go to sleep, it’d be early in the morning and I would hear him calling me. And I even got up and got Jo up too. She used to wake up too sometimes close to the same time.”

Yet it was when Billy was near the front of Graceland and he saw the upstairs windows that he says he felt something.

Billy continued: “I’d get dressed and I’d go out to Graceland and for some reason I always looked up at his office window because I felt like he was calling me and he was looking out the window. Oh boy that…that…got to me. And after they brought Elvis’ casket back into Graceland and they buried it then I felt like I was a little more at ease and it was time for me to get out of there.”

Above, the upstairs windows of Elvis Presley's bedroom. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

To read more, go here. 

Memphis Places Elvis Fans Should Visit

Above, Graceland mansion is no.1 on the list. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you happen to be a hardcore Elvis Presley fan or just have a casual interest, TheTravel has posted a list of ten places in Memphis, Tennessee they should visit.

I was last in Memphis six years ago (it hardly seems possible) and visited Graceland and Sun Studio. I also visited Beale Street on a prior visit.

Above, Sun Studio, where rock 'n roll history was made. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

According to TheTravel:

Whether you’re a lifelong Elvis fan or a new convert, thanks to the Baz Luhrmann movie starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks, one thing is certain: Elvis fever is back. The King of Rock and Roll famously grew up in Memphis. Each year, an estimated 500,000 people flock to Graceland to tour the iconic home he purchased when he became rich and famous. While touring Graceland is undoubtedly one of the best things to do in Memphis, there are lesser-known sites in Memphis that shed light on Elvis’s early years and musical development. Some of them are such unassuming visitors might even pass them by without understanding their significance or connection to music history.

If you’re looking for things to do in Memphis, this guide will take you to the recording studio where Elvis was discovered, the low-income housing project where he grew up, his favorite restaurant, clubs, and more.

To see what they are, go here. 

45 Years Ago At Graceland

Above, Elvis Presley's grave at Graceland. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Big news events happen in every generation. 

People will generally remember where they were and what they were doing upon hearing a big news story. This happened when the news hit about Pearl Harbor, JFK's assassination, 9/11 and the death of Elvis Presley.

Above, returning home from a dental appointment at 12:29 am on August 16. One of the last known photos of Elvis Presley.

Tuesday, August 16, 1977 was a relatively quiet summer day. It was warm, but humid out as there was a monsoon flow coming up from Mexico into the Los Angeles area.

I was at home in Hawthorne watching a James Cagney comedy movie, One, Two, Three (1961) that was directed by Billy Wilder. It would be a couple of hours later that I would have to go to work in Redondo Beach. My mother was outside working in the yard.

Above, Memphis newspapers from 45 years ago at Sun Studio. Photo by Armand Vaquer

A news bulletin interrupted the movie. It was announced that singer Elvis Presley had been found unresponsive at his Graceland mansion on Elvis Presley Blvd. in Memphis, Tennessee and was rushed by ambulance to Baptist Memorial Hospital, where efforts to revive him failed and he was pronounced dead.

After hearing the bulletin, I rushed outside to tell my mother, who was a big Elvis fan.

Later, when I went to work, it began to rain. It was strangely appropriate. It was a strange day all around.

In many respects, it is hard to believe that 45 years have passed.

For an interesting article on the state of Presley's health during his final months of life, go here.