Most of you probably know that the little boy in the picture on the cover of the Elvis Week album is my son, James. This picture was taken at the candlelight vigil in 2003. It was my second year to go to Graceland for Elvis Week and the first year to take my son. When I went in 2002 with my friend Terry, we arrived too late to take a tour of the house. Also in 2002, we waited too late to get in the line to go to the gravesite after the candlelight vigil ceremony. When I took my son in 2003, I knew we would need more to do during the day to keep my 8-year-old son entertained. I went online weeks before the trip and booked the full tour of the house and all other exhibits on the property. The trip with my son would be the first time that I did the house tour and the first time to get the full experience of the candlelight vigil line and gravesite visit.
Taking my son on this trip was a great idea. One of the things I love doing is taking pictures of interesting people and talking to them to find out their stories. There is no better icebreaker with people you don’t know than asking if you can get a picture of them with your son. No one would turn me down. This was also back in the day when there were more people in Elvis jumpsuits at Elvis Week than there are now. The first two years I went to Elvis Week were overall the best two opportunities to get interesting pictures. If you watch the music video for the song Elvis Week, you will a lot of picture of my son.
If you are curious about what my son looks like now, watch the video for Just Say You Don’t Love Me. He is the young man singing along with me on the chorus. That video was shot on a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for his 21st birthday.