Stunning day in Memphis today. We were up early and at Graceland right about the time it opened. With my senior discount as well as AAA all things considered it was pretty reasonable. Well, of course the Young Elvis changed my life. Elvis the movie star was another story but that early music… well, if I have to explain, you just won’t understand. Elvis bought Graceland when he was only twenty two years old. A young guy with a lot of money… we should all have such problems. Anyway, surely Graceland isn’t Monticello or Mt. Vernon, but it is a true American artifact nonetheless… and you know… I loved it. When I get home in a couple of days I’m going to upload a bunch of photos. That will have to wait for my home computer. Graceland… what a trip… and then the Sun Studios. The soundtrack of my life continues. Sam Phillips… what a genius… well with his fair share of luck too. If you’re ever in the Memphis area, you gotta see this. By the time we got through at Sun we had enough time to cruise down to the Mississippi and look at a couple of river boats. I wanted to go to the Stax Soul Museum, but by this time I had enough. graceland

Back at our hotel in Mississippi I washed clothes and caught a bite to eat. Now I’m hunkering down for the evening and tomorrow we start our trek home. I’ll be able to spend the Fourth Of July with the girls.

Now that’s America!


Comments

  1. Comment made on July 2, 2010 by Carlo Pagliano

    True! Young Elvis changed me life too but I wasn’t aware of that. It happened on a train journey from Milano to London back in 1958 or 1957, I was only eleven, same age as my friend Patrizia, our parents wanted us to learn English and so off we went just we two on this 24 hrs journey through Switzerland and France and finally the Channel, someone from a summer school in Yarmouth (G.B. East Coast) would fetch us at the Victoria Station in London once there.
    Patrizia had one of those record players powered with batteries and amongst others she held this extended play by Elvis with five songs turning, Jailhouse Rock, I Want To Be Free etc., actually she was fond of Elvis and those songs went on and on the night long riding through the Nations of Old Europe, figure the excitement of two kids alone in our second-class compartment with hundreds of Young & Semi Young Black Immigrants makin’ their way to London through France running back and fro our wagon gathering in the corridor all around the music, the sound track of that glorious time was for me ‘I Want To Be Free’, always associated to the night and deep blue colors and a real movie at the train window never lived before. Once back home that song kept my heart beating the American way without me knowing it and didn’t take long since Jorma arrived to score forever in my little world. Elvis undoubtedly set the way for Jorma’s august arrival in my soul. My spiritual America now unfolds within Jorma’s Master Voice in all understandings and the American Land holds Jorma to so do! Safe Journey back home dear Jorma & Jerry!

  2. Comment made on July 2, 2010 by Dave Millard

    Home, Sweet Home! Have a happy 4th!
    When are we going to hear your version of “Poke Salad Annie”?

  3. Comment made on July 2, 2010 by Dave Rosenbluth

    Sounds like a great time. A man of music in a city of music.
    Between that and the road trip itself maybe some inspiration for some new lyrics

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