Former Mississippi-Alabama Fairgrounds -- Fairpark,Tupelo MS
N 34° 15.428 W 088° 42.064
16S E 343377 N 3791976
A recreation in bronze of Elvis in concert in 1956 at the in Mississippi-Alabama Fairgrounds in Tupelo Mississippi, his hometown
Waymark Code: WMWZZF
Location: Mississippi, United States
Date Posted: 11/06/2017
Views: 6
The waymark coordinates are at the bronze statue of Elvis, the hometown boy made good, which stands in a beautiful circular plaza located in the center of Fairpark, at the spot where he gave a concert to his hometown fans in 1956 when this area was the Mississippi-Alabama Fairgrounds.
The statue shows Elvis singing into a microphone and reaching into the crowd. The statue is based on a famous photograph of that moment taken by Roger Marschutz in 1956.
An interpretive sign nearby reads as follows:
"ELVIS PRESLEY AND TUPELO
On October 3, 1945, a 10-year-old Elvis played to his first crowd on these grounds and took fifth place in the talent show. Eleven years later, he returned as the King of Rock and Roll!
Elvis in Tupelo
Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo Mississippi on January 8, 1935 to Vernon and Gladys Presley. Born in a two-room house built by his father, grandfather and uncle, Elvis was one of identical twin brothers born to the Presley’s. His brother Jesse Garon, was stillborn. Elvis spent his formative years in Tupelo surrounded by his extended family. Times were financially difficult for the Presleys, who moved out of the home where Elvis was born when he was 3, moving many times within the city throughout the next 10 years. It was at the Assembly of God Church that Elvis first became enthralled with music and, more specifically, the music of gospel quartet. Elvis grew up in a household that valued country music, and was often exposed to Jimmy Rogers and Bob Wills’ music. He was further influenced by the rhythm and blues and gospel music that he heard on “The Hill” and the “Shake Rag” district, historically African-American communities in Tupelo. It was the unique blend of the genres that created Elvis’s sound. In 1948, Elvis family moved to Memphis to pursue a better life. Eight years later, they would take the same road “home” Tupelo perform once again on these fairgrounds . . . But this time in triumph, to play a sold-out concert at the Mississippi Alabama fair. Elvis life and certainly changed by this time, and it was about change tremendously. Tupelo will always be the place where it all began.
The Homecoming Concert – September 26, 1956
What he played:
The Afternoon Show
Heartbreak Hotel
Long Call Sally
I Was The One
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You
I Got A Woman
Don’t Be Cruel
Ready Teddy
Love Me Tender
Hound Dog
Evening Show
Love Me Tender
I Was The One
I Got A Woman
Don’t Be Cruel
Blue Suede Shoes
Baby Let’s Play House
Hound Dog
In 1948, Elvis Pressley left Tupelo with his parents at the tender age of 13. He was a poor, East Tupelo boy whose family struggled to make ends meet while dealing with the stigma of a father who’d been imprisoned. In September 1956, poised to become a mega superstar of historic proportions, Elvis and his family were welcomed home by a parade, thousands of screaming fans, and the governor of Mississippi. He performed to shows and received the “key to the city” of the little town where he was so humbly born.
About the statue
dedicated in August 2012, this larger-than-life statue depicts the famous photograph known all over the world as “The Hands”, shot by Roger Marschutz in 1956 in Tupelo. Mississippi artist Bill Beckwith was commissioned to sculpt the statue and is known for his artistry on statues of Mississippi’s well-known native sons including William Faulkner and BB King. The statue’s place of the famous photograph can be re-created by fans today."
Additional waypoint: Not Listed
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