Tennessee 2024
I went to visit a friend in Knoxville, Tennessee last month. I had never been to the southern USA and thought it would be interesting. Also the weather is much warmer this time of year there than here in Washington state. It was actually in the 70s (F) in October and beginning of November which was a nice change from days in the 40s (F) here. I also got a bit trapped there for extra days since my flight got canceled WHILE I WAS SITTING ON IT at the airport on the way back. Not many flights from Knoxville to my part of Washington so I had 4 extra days at the friend’s house.
While I was in Tennessee, we went to Memphis for a little music related site seeing. We went to Graceland, Sun Studios, and Beale Street there. It was a planned thing before I went to visit the friend and involved a 5 1/2 hour drive from Knoxville. Many people wondered why I did not go to Nashville (we merely drove through and stopped at a grocery store there) and see that city since it is the one that everyone thinks of when they think of TN. It is simple. I am not at all interested in country music. I know, I know, “there is other music that happened there” but it is overwhelmingly a country music city and I am not a country girl. I would much rather see the birthplace of rock & roll, Elvis’ house, and the birthplace of Blues music (Beale Street) than a bunch of people, all countryfied, in a country music mecca.
Graceland…I should preface this by saying I am not an Elvis fan. I was not sure what to expect going to Graceland in Memphis, TN. I figured it would be a strange, tacky, bizarre experience. It turned out to be one of my favorite travel stops.
Graceland is a place that I had heard a lot about because Elvis is a huge deal, at least when I was growing up, in the United States. I expected to be over-the-top tacky and that it would be a weird place I could say I went to. It was actually quite tasteful in how it was presented and in the decor. It was quite a surprise.
Yes, Elvis had money. Yes, Elvis was super famous. His house? It was obvious a rich person lived there but, was artsy, 70s, and cool in decor.
The house itself was large suburban home in style with added on areas that Elvis did in a very suburban area in the very southernmost part of Memphis. Hell, we stayed in a hotel in Mississippi since Memphis meanders over state line in MS becoming Southhaven. Graceland is only 15 minutes from Mississippi. The house is very “home” in feel and family oriented.
There is a large yard area around the house that include stables and his father’s office. There is a swingset out back just off the porch that had been made into a lounge room. Elvis really lived here. It is a home for him and his family wthat was left as it was the day he died. He and his deceased family are buried here in an area in the back yard. Yet…there are no anti-intruder aspects on the top of the stone fence surrounding the home. It is as if he wanted his family to have as normal a life as possible while there.
There is a museum complex that is part of Graceland across the street from the home. The helpful, enthusiastic, people working there informed us there was over 700,000 Elvis artifacts in the buildings. So, we got to wander different parts of the museum complex looking at his cars, his boats, his airplanes, his stage costumes, his military memorabilia, and so much more.
We spent the morning wandering around looking at everything at Graceland. It was a really great experience and a lot better than I thought it would be. I think almost anyone would enjoy it and it was extra nice to be wandering the site off-season so we did not have to deal with huge crowds. The giftshop is everything Elvis but, tasteful as well. You can buy everything from postcards to t-shirts to vinyl records. I definitely liked the Graceland experience.
After we went to Graceland, we drove over to Sun Records/Studio.
It only made sense since we saw Graceland and it was nearby. We paid for the tour because you get to head back and see the actual studio part of the place during it. If you go? Do pay for the tour otherwise you are just going to see the giftshop.
The tour was fun, interactive with the guide playing lots of music recorded there at certain points in the tour, and it all was really interesting. You end the tour in the actual studio where so many early rock & roll/blues records were made by Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, and more. Definitely worth a stop and they had lot of music and tasteful merch in the gift shop.
The last stop we had that day was Beale Street in downtown Memphis, TN.
Beale Street we arrived at right as they closed off the street and the neon signs started lighting up. They close off the street for the night crowds who come for the food, bars, and music. We ate here in a place called “Pig On Beale” where I had great BBQ pork and a guy was playing blues music as everyone ate. We walked around poking into different shops and just looking around. I saw you could have a Blues tour if you wanted of famous blues music sites. I made mental note of that for if I ever happen into Memphis again.
Memphis was a great trip. I know many people in reviews complain about being unsafe there but I felt perfectly safe to me. I think this feeling stems from the fact that Memphis is a majority African-American in make-up and the city has a bit of a “grubby” feel to it. I never felt unsafe and it was on par with where I am in eastern Washington when it comes to rundown feeling. I actually liked Memphis better than Knoxville…it just felt a lot more welcoming and less overwhelmingly white. Also, their nightly news is WILD as they just bleep out swearwords of people interviewed on the scene of happenings.
I am glad I finally got to the South and saw a bit of it. I think everyone should take trips to places they may deem '“too red in voting” and see what they are like on the ground away from media takes.