Music and Stories from Art Wheeler
I’m going to go with you to Elvis Week this year.” This is what my wife told me moments after I let her know that my jury duty wasn’t going to interfere with my annual trip to Elvis Week at Graceland. She had never expressed much interest in going on this trip until this year. …
Continue reading “Elvis Week 2018 – The Beginning of the End”
I’ve had many people share with me their story about where they were when they found out that Elvis died. I’m sure that my story isn’t that much different from a lot of people who live relatively close to Memphis. Here’s my story.
I was walking back to the entertainment tent at Graceland when I saw 4 people from Brazil. I was in my Elvis Week element when I started talking to them and asking them about their visit. Only one of them had ever been to Graceland before. One of the men did most of the talking. …
Continue reading “Elvis Week 2017 – Chaos and Confusion at Graceland”
I have made regular trips for several years to Graceland for Elvis Week in August. Graceland also has activities in January to celebrate Elvis’ birthday. I have never visited Graceland during his birthday celebration. They don’t have anything that goes on during his birthday celebration that compares to the Candlelight Vigil experience. It doesn’t attract as many …
Continue reading “Travelling through Memphis on Elvis’ Birthday”
The last of 3 stories about my April trip to Graceland.We didn’t do the tour until Saturday after the conference was over. I was waiting on the back patio of the hotel while my wife was finishing up her last session. I talked to a man from Carbondale, Illinois who had gotten married at the …
The second of 3 stories about my April trip to Graceland.The autism conference started on a Thursday. I stayed with my wife while she checked into the conference so I would have an idea of her schedule and when we would try to check in to the hotel. After she checked in, I decided to …
The first of 3 stories about my April trip to Graceland.March 30, 2017, I made my first trip to Graceland at a time other than Elvis Week. My wife was attending an autism conference at the Guesthouse at Graceland and asked me to tag along with her. The Guesthouse is a new hotel run by …
The rain started falling on us as we got to the edge of Memphis. By the time we pulled into the parking lot at Graceland, the rain had stopped but there was rain and threats of rain all day. When we were getting out of the car, I suggested to Tina that we take the …
August 15, 1978 marked the eve of the first anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. This would be the first time I would visit Memphis on August 15 that I remember but this first trip was not to attend an Elvis Candlelight Vigil. I’m sure the Elvis fans gathered there that year just as …
“Excuse me, can I get a picture of your backsides?” I have to admit that this was an unusual request, even for Elvis week. You might expect that the reaction would be to call for the cops or at least a good slap in the face. But the four women to whom I made the …