He called Elvis racist (at the Elvis birthday event, an aggrieved Priscilla Presley addressed the comment, saying, I dont think Elvis had any prejudice at all). During the two all-too-brief weeks of rehearsal, says Masekela, we hoped it would be as good onstage as much as we enjoyed playing it. The hotel is located within steps of Elvis' Graceland mansion. I was a different person when I came out. Not only did he pay the South African musicians on Graceland the equivalent of the triple union scale commanded by New York studio vets, but he is not accepting any payment for his Graceland concert performances to ensure that the two dozen members of his road band get maximum paychecks. Send us a tip using our anonymous form. Internationally, call 1-901-332-3322. The full value of your original tour ticket will be applied towards your rescheduled tour ticket of equal or greater value. A nearby couple speaks German; a man with Elvis sideburns and a late-Elvis paunch speaks with a thick Scottish brogue. WHAT'S GRACELAND LIVE; FAN FAQ; WHAT FANS ARE SAYING; More. GRACELAND.COM | Press Room | Employment | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Web Accessibility, document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); The Guest House at Graceland | All Rights Reserved | Produced by MGR Consulting Group. As for ongoing specials, The Guest House offers 20-percent discounts for first-responders fire, police and military personnel and Tennessee residents, so Memphians have all the more reason to take a staycation. This hotel exceeded our expectations. By cultural contrast, Dylans lyrics continue to be studied in college classrooms. It was everything we thought it would be and more! To find out, Im on an Elvis road trip, starting here in Memphis, then on to his birthplace in Tupelo, Miss., and back north to Nashville, to measure the state of the Kings long reign and what it says about identity, youth, race and what endures musically and culturally. With 128 rooms, the Heartbreak was a busy little hotel, says Frances McNutt, who worked in the gift shop there for eight years before transferring to The Guest House. Graceland is known for attracting about 600,000 guests annually. After the eccentric opulence of Graceland, Sun exudes a refreshing grit. Check your selected option for more info. We really enjoyed our stay at The Guest House at Graceland. Were all here to keep his legacy alive, she had vowed in her speech, and 2022 is a big year for meeting that commitment. Proof of that eligibility (see below) will be required when picking up tickets or the difference will be charged on arrival. Both are only a quarter-mile from The Guest House, which offers free shuttle service. She remembers sitting by the stereo as a young girl and listening to his music while staring at pictures of him. When Mom died, we all took an Elvis knickknack from her home. Fara Sclafanis Facebook profile photo shows her with Priscilla Presley at an Elvis and Me event in 2016. I know your pet friendly.. We welcome your dogs less than 35 pounds at The Guest House in our South Tower rooms, with daily pet cleaning fee of $50 per dog. People went wild, just wild, says Simon, still raving about the February 1st blastoff of the Graceland tour. But the first audience was a sea of smiling faces, giving us ovations and encores. 03marAll Day05Ultimate ETA WeekendThis unforgettable weekend will include concerts with Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest winners, conversations, photo ops, and more! Back in 1987, when Mojo Nixon and Skid Roper sang Elvis is everywhere, the line seemed true. Please dont include personal, political, ethical, or religious commentary. Roger Ebert once noted something similar about the Marx Brothers. 3717 Elvis Presley Blvd. 2,835 reviews. In the late 50s and early 60s, Black Americans were among his most avid fans, according to Ponce de Leon. By default, reviews are sorted based on the date of the review and on additional criteria to display the most relevant reviews, including but not limited to: your language, reviews with text, and non-anonymous reviews. Enjoy our 464-seat theater home to live music and entertainment shows all year long. The Guest House at Graceland: Hotel - See 3,742 traveler reviews, 2,817 candid photos, and great deals for The Guest House at Graceland at Tripadvisor. It has 450 spacious rooms and a range of contemporary facilities, including two restaurants, spaces for meetings and special events and a 464-seat theater for live performances and movies. 8.6. Graceland has various ticket options to meet the needs of our visitors. Graceland welcomes over 500,000 visitors each year, is one of the five most visited home tours in the United States, and is the most famous home in America after The White House. White bigots saw the rise of Elvis and the integrated crowds as a threat to Jim Crow and segregation. Internationally, call 1-901-332-3322. PERKS. Hotel made our first visit to Graceland priceless., We really enjoyed our stay at The Guest House at Graceland. And to many White fans, the American Dream appeal of Elvis should transcend race. One Fans Search for Seeds of Greatness in Bob Dylans Hometown. He would have been thrilled to have had his own guest house where they could stay so close by. Please arrive on time for your tour; if you miss your scheduled tour time, you will be assigned the next available tour time. When you see multiple reviews, the most recent ones will be at the top, subject to a few other factors (e.g. When I emailed her recently to see whats changed over the past 23 years, Doss, now a professor in the Department of American Studies at the University of Notre Dame, replied that she hasnt followed the Elvis phenomenon in recent years. Joel Weinshanker says hes not worried that young people will discover Elvis, for a simple reason: They always do. Turner tells me the story of Elvis and his segregation-era friendship with a boy named Sam Bell, whom Turner got to know over the years. There was a problem loading the reviews. The Guest House at Graceland wouldnt be complete without a live entertainment venue. This trip was a birthday trip for them and they were very pleased!, everything it was spectacular from the staff to the hotel was beautiful the food we ate was above great, Everything! The Guest House at Graceland wouldn't be complete without a live entertainment venue. Our largest meetings & events space, The Ballroom, is perfect for any gathering with up to 1,000 people. Im not really the demographic, he says. Thats the message we want to get out: Theres always something going on at The Guest House, says Keith Hess, the hotels Vice President and Managing Director. In fact, Jones included Elvis along with Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson as icons that had changed popular music and helped it progress. Paul Simon was sweating bullets . Elvis Presley fans might be the best ever. Yes, Graceland is open for tours. After exploring the museum, I meet executive director Roy Turner in his office. Group rates for meals and admissions are available for 15 people or more and can be arranged through the Group Sales Department. A New Look at Cult-Favorite Folk Sisters the Roches Elvis air fresheners, car-seat covers, cookie cutters and dog leashes (on Twitter, the Elvis account plugs products such as Elvis whiskey, Topps trading cards and a Build-A-Bear stuffed bear in a Hawaii concert jumpsuit). The Guest House at Graceland is more than a full-service hotel. perfect place to stay. When I email these numbers in April to Joel Weinshanker, managing partner of Elvis Presley Enterprises, his response arrives 12 minutes later. All the die-hards were there, including Priscilla Presley. For updated information on specials and events, call (800) 238-2000 or (901) 443-3000, or visit guesthousegraceland.com. All content should be genuine and unique to the guest. Less than a 5-minute walk from Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion, The Guest House at Graceland offers accommodations with 2 on-site restaurants, a theater and outdoor pool with pool bar. Your contribution should be yours. Simon, who twice turned down million-dollar offers to play Sun City the South African entertainment complex located in the black homeland of Bophuthatswana in the past, has never appeared on the UNs published register of performers who have violated the cultural boycott; earlier this year, he wrote a carefully worded letter to the UN Special Committee Against Apartheid, which monitors the boycott, reiterating his status as an artist who has refused to perform in South Africa and pledging to maintain this position in the context of the UN cultural boycott. Nevertheless, Simon has been challenged by civic leaders, interviewers and fellow musicians throughout the Graceland tour about his position on the South African governments racist policies, the lack of overtly political songwriting on Graceland and in the words of a spokesperson for the South African antiapartheid group the United Democratic Front the exploitation of the talents of the African musicians for the furtherance of Simons own aims.. My whole thing was the one-sidedness like, Elviss icon status in America made it like nobody else counted. In response to the coronavirus (COVID-19), additional safety and sanitation measures are in effect at this property. The number of extra beds and cribs allowed depends on the option you choose. RELATED:The Chisca: From Launching Elvis to Luxury Living, If youre up for a pricier jaunt, spring for one of the hotel suites, including one that is modeled after Elvis and Priscillas home in Palm Springs and another that replicates the International Hotel suite where Elvis lived when he performed in Las Vegas. You can review an accommodation that you booked through our platform if you stayed there, or if you got to the property but didnt actually stay there. By 1989, in Public Enemys Fight the Power, Chuck D raps, Elvis was a hero to most / But he never meant s--- to me you see / Straight up racist that sucker was. Yet in a Newsday interview tied to the 25th anniversary of Elviss death in 2002, Chuck D offered a more nuanced view: As a musicologist and I consider myself one there was always a great deal of respect for Elvis, especially during his Sun sessions, the rapper said. Only 10 minutes from downtown and 3 minutes from the Memphis Airport. No rainchecks. The hotel has four meeting spaces, each named for the type of music that Elvis was known for: Blues, Country, Gospel and Rock. GRACELAND.COM | Press Room | Employment | Site Map | Privacy Policy | Web Accessibility, document.write(new Date().getFullYear()); The Guest House at Graceland | All Rights Reserved | Produced by MGR Consulting Group. Between the anniversary and pent-up pandemic demand, Gracelands management expects a big turnout for the nine-day Elvis Week in August. Unlike at Graceland, where an iPad tour includes narration by John Stamos, the birthplace home tour takes me roughly two minutes, long enough to see items like a quilt-covered bed and wood stove. Only 10 minutes from downtown and 3 minutes from the Memphis Airport. Average Tour Time: 2 2.5hours A shaking leg seems tame compared with Beyonc dancing in front of her marching band at Coachella, or Lady Gaga skyfalling from the top of the stadium during her Super Bowl performance. The beautiful red poinsettias line the staircase at Graceland and can be seen throughout the mansion by our guests who visit during this special time of the year. As with most people here, Elvis is part of my familys DNA. During the COVID-19 pandemic we are only going to the Memphis International Airport and Graceland. We check for naughty words and verify the authenticity of all guest reviews before adding them to our site. Experience the magic and beauty of Graceland this holiday season with festive events to celebrate one of Elvis' favorite times of the year. Paul Simon was sweating bullets. We cant predict what will endure. Reviews are most valuable when they are original and unbiased. After their trip, guests tell us about their stay. When we arrive at Studio B, Debbie shares some history, then instructs each of us to sit at a piano that Elvis used to play. EPs Bar & Grill plays all blues music and no Elvis, just to mix it up. 3600 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116, USA Food, atmosphere and location. The Guest Houses Manager is right there is always something going on at the new Guest House at Graceland, and this is just its first year in business. It is part of The Guest House at Graceland, Memphis' second largest hotel and a Four Diamond luxury resort. One notable writer disagrees with me on this distinction. I had expected tacky T-shirt shops and Elvis-themed cafes with names like Grill Me Tender, but the Elvis connection is muted. If you book your ticket in advance and are unable to tour on your scheduled tour date for any reason, you can make changes to your tickets prior to 5:00 PM CT the day before your scheduled tour. RELATED:Put the Highland Strip On Your List of Places to Revisit. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), this property is taking steps to protect the safety of guests and staff. 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