Hearing stories like this is the reason I enjoy coming to Graceland every year. Everything doesn’t have to be about Elvis but most of the best stories have an Elvis connection. When I see a group with matching shirts, there is usually a story behind them, and Misty from Dallas was no exception. I noticed a poem on the back of one of the shirts that appeared to be a memorial to a family member. Misty told me that her mom had died in 2017. Her mother had told her daughters that she didn’t think they would continue their family tradition of coming each year to Elvis Week. The year after she passed away, they came to Graceland and spread her mom’s ashes around their favorite sites in Memphis including some at Elvis’ grave. They have continued to make the trips each year. The poem on the back of the shirt was written by Misty’s sister. The picture on the front of the shirt showed their mom standing in front of a large picture of Elvis.
Many of the people I encountered this year only come to Elvis Week for the 5- and 10-year anniversaries. As with most people who have come regularly, they note the changes that they don’t like. The man from Colorado was there with his mom from Kansas and they were trying to figure out how to get into the secure area for the Candlelight Vigil. He was also concerned that there would be no decorations in the street. The couple from New Jersey said they miss the tent and everything happening close to the street. They also missed hearing Elvis music all the time. I noticed it too. I was standing in front of the ticket building around 6:45 PM and there was no music playing at all around the visitors’ center. None. You could hear the faint sound of music coming from the street where people were lining up for the Vigil. Earlier, I had been closer to the street and heard non-Elvis music being played. It was a female singer and I didn’t recognize the voice or the song. I don’t think it was Lisa Marie. It could have been a song on the soundtrack of the Elvis movie but I don’t know if I would recognize it if I ever hear it again.
I stayed for the Candlelight Vigil ceremony but didn’t get in line to go to the grave. I didn’t have a candle. I stood with the other locals who had come to people watch instead of blending in and participating. My aversion to COVID was greater than the need to get a story about someone standing in the line. While waiting for the ceremony to start, I met a black man named Rodney who lives around the corner from Graceland. He had a nice camera and was taking pictures of people in the crowd. He does this every year. When the sun went down and he couldn’t get good pictures anymore, he went home.
After Pricilla spoke before the ceremony, I started going around to take pictures of the tributes in the street. There aren’t as many as there were in previous years. The added security makes it harder to commit to doing this. They have also changed the rules and don’t allow alcohol. The locals that would set up tributes in the past were also brought coolers for a people watching party. Being fenced up may be safer, but it is sapping the fun from the free range Elvis fans and people watchers.
They had just started letting people go up to the grave when I left. I made one last stroll through the visitor’s center area. A couple of gift shops were open. The BBQ restaurant and the ice cream shop also had customers. They were playing Elvis music again. I could hear Teddy Bear and I walked back to my car.
