Neely-Dorsey: Happy Birthday, Elvis Presley!

Jailhouse Rock promotional picture (Courtesy the Library of Congress as seen on Wikipedia)

It’s Elvis’ Birthday Week! Can you believe Elvis ‘The King’ Presley was born in my hometown: Tupelo, Mississippi?

Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi January 8, 1935, to an 18-year-old Vernon Elvis and 22-year-old Gladys Love Presley in the East Tupelo two-room “shotgun” house built by his father, uncle and grandfather. Jesse Garon Presley, his identical twin brother, was delivered 35 minutes before as a stillborn.

As an only child, Elvis was close to both parents and formed an unusually tight bond with his mother. Elvis’ mother bought him his first guitar at our very own Tupelo Hardware Store.

In November 1948, the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953. For a short time, he was a truck driver. In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. By 1956, he became an international sensation.

Known all over the world by his first name, Elvis is regarded as one of the most important figures of the twentieth century’s pop culture.

Thousands of tourists and fans from all over the world come to Tupelo every year to visit this two-room “shotgun” house.

Everyone who knows me knows what a huge Elvis fan I am. My loved ones are always amused when I frequently repeat the story of how I told my dear Hubby a few weeks after we were married that if he wanted to keep our relationship on track, there were two things that he needed to know:

1. I’m a star (Hey, if I don’t think it, who else will?! Haha!)

2. Elvis is still the King! (Everyone knows that!)

We have been married over 20 years and he faithfully remembers and repeats these facts.

Sometimes, out of the blue, I will start a sentence for him to complete. While we are watching television together, I will say: “Elvis is…”

And he will dutifully chime in: “Elvis is still the King…and you are a star”.

It is true that I don’t particularly appreciate that monotone voice that he uses at times or that half eye-roll that I seem to detect every now and then, but that’s all well and good …as long as he KNOWS!

Patricia Neely-Dorsey is the author of two books of poetry, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems and My Magnolia Memories and Musings-In Poems. Through her poems, the author hopes to protect, preserve and promote the rich cultural history and heritage of her state and region along with providing more positive images than all of the negative images usually portrayed. Patricia lives in Tupelo with her husband James, son Henry and Miniature Schnauzer, Happy. The author has been named a Goodwill Ambassador for the state by Governor Phil Bryant. Her slogan is “Always, Always Celebrating the South and Promoting a Positive Mississippi ” Her website is patricianeelydorsey.com and her email is magnoliagirl21@yahoo.com.

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