Man, it sure was hot when I made it to Alabama to spend some time with Becky and her son, Nathan.  Becky told me that she had been a neighbor of mine back in the ‘70s when she lived in the apartments across from Graceland.  She said the crowds that came to the gate when I was home always made her late for work but she now wishes she had paid more attention to me!  She then told me to get in the car because we were going on a road trip!  I was anxious to see where they were taking me.  (Uh, obviously Becky forgot that I needed just a little help actually getting in the car.  Er…my legs have gotten a bit ‘stiff’ and I just couldn’t keep up with her.  She was 1/3 of the way to Memphis when Nathan asked her about me.  Slap on the forehead and then back to Alabama.  I was still there, patiently waiting.  I knew she’d be back for me.)  Then we finally got on the road.
 

 

The first stop was at a really cool shop across from Graceland.  They sell Harley Davidson shirts and a whole lot of other Harley stuff.  They told me that last April there was a charity ride for the Diabetes Foundation.  There were over 400 bikes leaving from the front of Graceland and I could just almost hear the roar of the engines.  I get goose bumps thinking about it!  Here’s one of the many pics she took that day. 




 I heard that they made a special limited edition Elvis Presley bike in my honor.  There were only 30 made and they let me take an imaginary ride on the prototype bike.



Cool.  Also, there was a really neat picture of me that was unveiled that day.  I like it!  Before leaving Graceland Plaza she took me in a museum there and told me to check out the cute guy. Ha!

We left the Harley shop and headed south on EP Blvd.  Becky told me there she was going to take me to a very special place.  But first we had to make a stop at the old Gridiron Restaurant.  It looks exactly like it did when I was there a long time ago.  She said that she and her family used to eat there many years ago too. 
 

 
A little further south and 2 more stops.  One stop was at Southland Mall where I would sometimes go shopping at Sears.  Becky said she went there too.  (I think she was just following me around but she said no, that she just happened to live in the same area and go to the same places as me and that she didn’t give me another thought.  Well, I showed her, didn’t I!) 
 
 Another quick stop was at the Whitehaven High School football field.  I had my own football team and we went there sometimes to play ball.  We sure had rough but really fun times there.

The last stop was a real surprise.  It was the old Circle G Ranch and I never thought I would see the place again!  Becky told me there are plans in the future for the place and once that happens it will never be the same.  I’m so happy that she took me there for one more look around. 

Look, there’s the house where me and Cilla stayed.  We were just married and I’ve often wondered if that’s where we made our precious little girl, Lisa Marie. 


Then she showed me the view that made me fall in love with the place.  I saw that cross overlooking the pond and I felt tears burning my eyes.  I had some very happy times there.  It was so peaceful and I am very grateful to Becky for taking me. 






We walked and walked through the pastures (now where were those rings lost?) and we finally made it to the BBQ pit that the boys had built for me.  I couldn’t believe it was still there.  I would love to go back in time and relive some of those days!  Becky’s brother Ronnie joined us for this part of the trip.  He thinks a lot of me too!

Las Vegas, Nevada

At the front gate


With the Fontanas, Laura & Reno


I took these pictures


Sue with Reno Fontana


Great room and Porch


My bedroom


My workout room

Outdoor spa


My bathroom


Love these colors!


Front area


Me on the sidewalk


Welcome to town!

Used to be Eleanor Park. I sang "Whistlin Tune" here


Gee, was this tree a baby the last time I was here?


The center of town

Sue wanted to visit Palm Springs. She had never been to the house on Ladera Circle before, so that was one of her goals.  I had already visited that on this world tour, so I wasn’t that interested. However, Sue told me she had been chatting by email and phone with the owners of the Chino Canyon home and we were invited to visit. Now THAT I couldn’t turn down!

 Sue had been there twice before thanks to fan club conventions, so for the both of us to be back was an incredible feeling, although we experienced it in our own different ways.

 Look how beautiful my old home is now.  The owners, Reno and Laura Fontana, are doing a great job of keeping in shape. They have lots of big plans to have this home become really known by my fans and to cherish it like I did when I owned it. 

They call it the ‘Graceland of the West’.  Yeah, I guess you could call it that! When I owned it,  I loved relaxing by this pool and spending many days and nights here, not only enjoying my home, but the city of Palm Springs.

 
I was really starting to appreciate what Sue had arranged for me.  It was great to meet the Fontana’s and they got a kick out of meeting Flat Elvis!

 After chatting awhile, we decided to take a tour of the house and go over some stories of what was what.

 The picture on the left is of that great room (and see the porch!), I loved that big window to look out at the pool and see the mountains while I was in the house.

 Next on the left is the bedroom I added on after the divorce.  That was my new bedroom. I guess you could call it my ‘bachelor pad.’

On the right, check out the view of the pool and the mountains from the door of my bedroom, and  I am checking out the Palm Springs scenery. My added on bedroom is behind me.

 Next here on the right are 2 pictures of the original master bedroom.  Priscilla and I stayed there during our marriage.

 Oh, on the left, check out these additions I had built!  In the tiled room, I loved to have karate demonstrations and do workouts.  See the doors behind me? That’s to my sauna, steam room, and bathroom.  This room also looks out onto the pool.
 

Speaking of bathroom, there is one available no matter where you are.  No need to wait for the restroom in my house!
 

 And yeah, again on the left. Here’s that great spa I had outside the exercise room. Behind me is the street and if I could look past the spa, that would be my driveway.

 You’re probably all turned around by now. It’s a big place!

On the left is my terrific Red and Black dressing room & bathroom.  I think that color combination is pretty dynamite, doncha think?  I sure did like that. Really snazzy.  That’s in my ‘bachelor pad.’  I had all of that especially designed for me.

On the right is a close up of the water fountain, right outside the master bedroom.  Again, I changed things. I filled in a back door that was in that room, and had a window installed in another wall, so I could see that beautiful fountain.

 Right here are more views of the front of the house. I had all these places to walk and look at scenery and accommodate lots of people.  I always had a lot of people; I sure had the bedrooms and bathrooms for it!  Everyone could be totally comfortable when they stayed with me.

Oh, here we come to the end of my day in Palm Springs.  We thanked the Fontanas very much for having Sue and me over.  It was so great to be there and reminisce and reexplore that beautiful house on Chino Canyon Road.

 The Fontanas told us we shouldn’t miss the stars on the sidewalk in town.  They told us how to find mine.  And wouldn’t ya know it, Colonel Parker had one, too! It’s right next to mine.

 Another Adventure 
 But wait!  Sue said we weren’t done with Palm Springs yet. She had an extra special surprise for me.

We headed out of town, and before I knew it, we were going up in the San Jacinto mountains.  (They border PS on the west.)

The car climbed way up. We entered forest pines, saw ranches and little villages. I still didn’t know what to think, but I was enjoying the temperature drop and the horse ranch scenery.

And finally, we came to the city limit sign.  We were in Idyllwild.

 Sue exclaimed, “This is where you filmed ‘Kid Galahad’!

Oh yeah … this was quite the movie hot spot for all kinds of stars back then. 

 Sue told me she had wanted to visit this place since she was a kid, seeing that movie on TV. (Gee, thanks, make me feel old!)  And, she wanted to show the world that much of the movie scenery and buildings were still here, (contrary to a mistaken rumor).  She knew if she took ol’ FE here, the point would be made.  Well, I sure did get it!

 We had to ask for help, but we found the filming area of the fight ring and the lodge.  I couldn’t believe Sue’s reaction. She was so happy to find the lodge!  She told me that it became privately owned in the 90s. 

 I looked all around, so many houses. I remember when there was NOTHING out here

The memories I have in this great front room!


Looks great, like it did back then


Hey, my pool! Where is my red carpet that I liked around it, tho?




Right outside my door


A little further down


Original Master bedroom


A little closer. See the Fountain
Fountain outside the bedroom



Look close on the left, can you see my garage behind the palms?





And the Colonel


Tahquitz Rock (also Lily Rock)
Named after a local native Chief

Where the rings used to be


And here is the lodge! Still looks great

I am really glad that Sue brought me here. The trip to Idyllwild was a terrific change of pace. To find out more about this heavenly spot, check out:
idyllwildareahistoricalsociety

Delaware
          Visiting Rachel



Delaware!  If my memory serves me, I never did perform there. I think the closest I ever came was in Philadelphia.  I did pass through a long, LONG time ago to visit ol’ Carl Perkins in the hospital. Man, he was really messed up after his car accident.

 So here I am, visiting with Rachel where she works at the courthouse.  My boy! My boy!  I remember a few nervous moments in courthouses in my time.

Rachel tried to take my picture in front of the courthouse and was stopped by a police officer who informed us that anti-terrorism laws prohibited us from taking a photograph of a state or federal building.  Can you imagine that!  This guy doesn’t remember how close I was with police officers all over the country!  If he had, he’d have let me have my picture in front of this great place.  Am I losin’ my charm?  I couldn’t get him to give in!

Kathy Antonio takes me to the unveiling of my new statue

   
On Thursday, July 26, 2007 I flew to Oahu with my Fan Club.  We were picked up from the airport in a black limousine and went directly to the Neil Blaisdell Center.  I felt like I was doing my concert again, there were cameras everywhere and news reporters going all around interviewing the fans from all over the world.  We got there early that we were in the front row right in front of the stage.  When they played the theme from "2001: A Space Odyssey" the bronze statue of me was unveiled, everybody was screaming.  I was shaking in the hands of Kathy, it was an awesome feeling.

Here I am with Tom Moffatt, he was the concert promoter and the dee-jay who played my songs on the radio.  He was the one who really helped me whenever I came to Hawaii.
 

I arrived back in my hometown of Memphis, TN on July 9, 2007. I caught a ride with a UPS driver to the home of John and Margaret Beach. They had invited me to attend a concert featuring Terry Mike Jeffery and the Stamps Quartet, in Benton, Kentucky, outside of Paducah, KY. As a special surprise for Terry, John and Margaret invited their friends, Sato Matsui and Marion Cocke (my former nurse).

Marion Cocke, and Ed Enoch and the new members of the Stamps Quartet

We arrived in Benton, KY and met friends, Angie and Randy Simpson, from Atlanta, GA for an early dinner before the show. Dinner was great and I can tell you that Mrs. Cocke loves ice cream...enough said!
Me with Angie Simpson and Ed Enoch

The concert was a great three hour gospel blessing. Terry Mike and the Stamps were in top form

 
                Me with Ed Enoch

Me with Marion Cocke and Lulu Jeffery (Terry Mike's mom)

Me with Terry Mike, Marion & John Beach

After the concert we drove back to Memphis, dropped everyone off safely at thier home and john & Margaret put me on a plane back to CA, the next day. It was great spending time with everyone again and seeing old friends.

See you soon in Memphis,
Flat Elvis

In the rear parking lot


By The rear (north) entrance

Entrance to employee hallway

Hilton gift shop (it's shopelvis!)

Entrance to show room


The marquee and Barry who?

The drive up entrance. Hmm, I gotta keep an eye on this Barry guy! Imagine Cpl. Parker using a poster the size of the hotel. He would have loved that gimmick.

On a lovely summer day, Sue wanted to take me to the Hilton.  She said, “C’mon, you’ve been so many places on this current world tour, this is an obvious place to check out!”  I knew she was right, and besides, I was pretty darn curious!

 We started in the rear parking lot. I usually entered the hotel through the back, so this was very familiar!

We made it to the back entrance, yes, this was jogging my memory.

And then we found it! The entrance to the employee hallways. It’s like a maze back there and in my time, it was my Play Ground! I started to run inside, but Sue grabbed me quick and said, ‘You wanna get us in trouble with Security?!’ I said, hey, I knew all the security guards and we could get in No Problem. But Sue got a case of the scaredy cats - so we did not go in that way. Hmph!

 Once inside, though, I could recognize some of the hotel layout. Sue told me here and there what was still around from back then, and what had changed. I really enjoyed seeing the makeover the old lady Hilton had gone through.

 She took me to the gift shop, moved from it’s old location to this new one and wow, was I surprised to see it decorated like the old Summer Festival days. Wallpaper, pictures, and souvenirs all over the place! I felt complimented that the Hilton would still do this kind of thing to remember my times there.

We went to visit the showroom. We could only stop by the entrance. Sue told me of her memories of standing in line waiting to see my show. We saw penny slots with my face on them. That is Squirrelly! Then I recognized the old baccarat pit, now redone, and wow, there’s the portrait that used to hang in Col Parker’s office.

 With that out of the way, Sue wanted us to go upstairs. I was ready to get into my usual elevator, and saw that that, too, had all changed. We needed a special key!  Sue told me everything had been renovated up there and nothing was left of what I had stayed in. It was really hard to adjust to this … I would not be able to relive those memories. Well, we went as high as we could go; to be on the 29^th floor really took me back in time. I used to get solemn looking at that view.  I could have everything in the world, but not the peace I wanted in my heart. We quietly stood there awhile and I appreciated Sue’s company while I had a my moment in reverie

Well! Back to the tour, it was time to go outside. We had a great zippy ride down the elevator and walked thru the casino. The casino still looks beautiful and spacious. 

 It was really weird to see the new Hilton sign.  And the new advertising. So! Barry Manilow is in the showroom with a long term contract and doing really well in there. Sue told me Barry even sings ‘If I Can Dream’ to honor me during his show. Isn’t that very nice of him?

 We walked the driveway. Boy, I had my memories of driving up, parking my car (many times my Stutz Blackhawk) and entering the hotel. That entrance still looks the same.

 Then Sue had me stand by that statue. I was here when it was unveiled last year in its new spot.  Still an incredible tribute to my times here at the Hilton.

I had to admit, I had had a terrific time during Sue’s Hilton tour.  I was really glad I went with her; she really knew her way around from the old days.

  Sue says, one more Vegas adventure for me coming up!

Elevator to the 30th floor

View from 29th floor


Penny slots with me on them! Am I a 'Good Luck Charm?

The old Baccarat pit. now a high roller slot room dedicated in my honor!

The original walk up the driveway. The Colonel would have this all decorated.

Sue makes me pose by the statue of myself