Elvis Presley, B.B. King or the icon of the civil rights movement, Dr. Martin Luther King – nowhere is the legacy of these men more alive than in Memphis. The metropolis in Tennessee shines with Elvis dream destinations, blues, soul and barbecue on the mighty Ol’ Man River.
Here he drove around the garden in a golf cart with Priscilla and Lisa Marie, laughing: Graceland. In the mansion with its columned portico flanked by two lion statues in Memphis, you can almost hear Elvis Presley’s voice. The kitchen seems to be filled with the aroma of his beloved peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Everything still looks as if the King of Rock “n” Roll has just stepped out the door: the living room with stained glass windows and white leather sofas, the famous Jungle Room with its artificial waterfall, and the billiard room. In the yellow and blue TV room, the televisions still flicker side by side.
Watching television was one of his favourite pastimes, and there are 14 sets in the house. Many videos and photos show the exceptional musician, who would have turned 90 in January 2025, in his private life. Nowhere else but here in the US state of Tennessee can fans get as close to their idol as they can at Graceland.
In 1957, the then 22-year-old Elvis bought the mansion from its previous owner, Mrs Grace Toof, for $100,000. He lived here until his death 20 years later.
At his grave right next to the pool, hardly a visitor’s eye remains dry. Not only Elvis is buried here, but also his parents Vernon and Gladys, his twin brother Jessie Garon, who died shortly after birth, and his only child, Lisa Marie Presley.
Across the six-lane Elvis Presley Boulevard is the Elvis Presley’s Memphis visitor and event centre: Between souvenir shops and restaurants such as ‘Vernon’s Smokehouse’ are his cars, such as the pink Cadillac he gave to his mother, his stage clothes, motorcycles and his two aeroplanes. The ‘Lisa Marie’ jet is particularly luxurious, with leather seats and seat belts with gold buckles.
A glimpse into the eccentricities of the super-rich King does not come cheap: the basic, full-day tour costs $85.50 and the Ultimate VIP Tour, with exclusive behind-the-scenes access and food, costs $236.50. According to museum figures, more than 500,000 people visit Graceland every year, with only the White House in Washington attracting more visitors.
Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins have all left their mark on Memphis. What connects them? The tiny, legendary Sun Studio in a narrow brick building on the corner of Union Avenue and Marshall Avenue. In the 1950s, producer Sam Phillips mixed ‘black’ and “white” sounds there, triggering a musical revolution: rock “n” roll was born. Elvis recorded his first hit, ‘That’s All Right, Mama,’ here in 1954, which made him rich and famous overnight. Thanks to the income, his mother drove a pink Cadillac. Today, young musicians are given tours of the legendary recording studio. Anyone can hold the microphone that Elvis sang into back then.
If that doesn’t get you in the mood, you’ll feel the heat of the southern night on Beale Street at the latest. On America’s famous blues mile, clubs like B.B. King’s and Rum Boogie Café fill the street with rousing guitar sounds and acrobats twirl through the air. Everywhere, the spicy aroma of juicy steaks and spare ribs from the smoker tickles the nose. This is another Memphis classic, served by more than 100 restaurants. The dishes at Charlie Vergos’ Rendezvous – where they are atypically served off the grill with a so-called ‘dry rub’ crust – and at Central BBQ are particularly delicious.
Directly opposite is a place steeped in tragedy. On the balcony of the former Lorraine Motel, Dr. Martin Luther King (1929-1968) collapsed after being shot. There is much to learn about the death of this fighter for equality between black and white people and the history leading up to the beginning of slavery in North America at the National Civil Rights Museum, built around the scene of the crime: the great museum of the American civil rights movement. The view into the room with its unmade bed and coffee cups, where Nobel Peace Prize winner Martin Luther King spent his last night, takes your breath away.
The sunsets over the Mississippi, the Ol’ Man River, evoke entirely different feelings – romantic ones. The fiery red glow is particularly impressive when viewed from the Memphis Riverboats excursion ships, from Tom Lee Park on the riverbank or from the viewing platform at the dizzying height of the huge Memphis Pyramid.
The only real competition for this natural spectacle comes from the stars of the Peabody Hotel. The ducks of the 100-year-old ‘Grand Hotel of the South’ splash and quack in the fountain of the magnificent lobby during the day and are led back and forth across a red carpet at 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. sharp – a beautifully animalistic parade!
Beauty is also the focus at the Beauty Shop in Memphis’ trendy Cooper-Young neighbourhood in Midtown. Priscilla Presley once sat in the wide leather chairs with hair dryer hoods for a perfect rockabilly-style blow-dry. Today, it is a hip restaurant where families enjoy salads and sandwiches. Outside, you can meet bronze statues of famous musicians such as Johnny Cash or browse Burke’s Books for reading material about Memphis and its music, which still resonates today.
Because a second world revolution in music originated in Memphis. The Stax Museum of American Soul Music tells the story of Otis Redding, Isaac Hayes, Carla Thomas and many more who recorded here in the 1960s and early 1970s. Music is simply part of the American way of life. And that’s especially true in Memphis, Tennessee: live music can be found on almost every corner in the city of kings and home of blues, soul and rock ‘n’ roll.
The trip was supported by Memphis Tourism.
Further information:
www.memphistravel.com
Best time to visit: Spring or autumn
Getting there: For example, fly with United Airlines from Frankfurt, Berlin or Munich via Chicago, Houston or Newark to Memphis.
Accommodation:
The Central Station Memphis Curio Collection by Hilton: Coolly renovated railway station building from 1914 with bar, restaurant and in-house DJ. Around 120 modern, spacious, comfortable rooms, double room from approx. US-Dollar 170
Tip for breakfast nearby, at Elvis Presley’s favourite spot: The Arcade – a 1950s-style diner.
Photocredit: Petra Kirsch (19)
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