WHITETIGERMAN
01-08-2009, 07:34 PM
Honorable A C Wharton's Comments from Elvis Presley Day 2009
1/8/2009
ELVIS PRESLEY DAY
Thursday, January 8, 2008
Remarks from the Honorable A C Wharton,
Mayor of Shelby County, Tennessee
Elvis and Memphis
They compliment one another. They are bound together. In fact, they almost rhyme. Now I know we are on Elvis Presley’s Boulevard, but I must remind everyone this was also Elvis Presley’s city.
Tupelo is where he was born
Vegas is where he’d perform
The World Stage is where he was known
But Memphis was always his home
Here in his city, we cherish his memory and his legacy and what he brought to the distinctive American invention of Rock and Roll. And as we see year after year, folks across the globe have a genuine love affair with Elvis Presley as well.
We all are CAUGHT IN A TRAP that we CAN’T WALK OUT. We love Elvis completely, deeply, sincerely, and forever.
If Rock and Roll were a religion, Elvis was its most prolific disciple, responsible for more converts than anyone before or after him. If Rock and Roll were a country, Elvis was a Founding Father and his lyrics were the documents of freedom that helped to birth the nation. If Rock and Roll were a sickness, Elvis-itis would be the most potent and contagious virus known to man, infecting victims who just looked at his image, heard his voice or saw him perform in person or through a recording. But since Rock and Roll is music, we’ve all decided the world over to just call Elvis…the King.
I want to thank Robert Sillerman, and Priscilla Presley and Jack Soden for their creativity, their passion, and their devotion to this history we celebrate today. They are helping to refine and build on the structure that will carry Elvis-mania forward with a new energy and awareness even as thousands of new fans – who were never even alive during Elvis’ lifetime – enlist in the army of the faithful.
I must say it again: this community was one he loved and we love him.
We know that the legacy of Elvis will be just fine because it’s planted in the right place. Memphis laid the rails for the MYSTERY TRAIN; we put sole polish on those BLUE SUEDE SHOES, we gave the HEARTBREAK HOTEL its first business license….Memphis was even the kennel and the playpen for that HOUNDDOG.
There is a creativity in the air here, possibly even in the soil and in water; a creativity that helped to activate the music in Elvis’ soul from any early age. A creativity that would allow him to embrace bedazzled and colorful jumpsuits, activate his rhythmic hips, have a Cadillac painted pink, and eat fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches.
As a community, we were a major part of who he was, and he is a major part of who we are. Memphis and Shelby County will forever uphold his legacy for the world to see and admire.
Thank you for coming and for embracing our favorite son, Elvis Aaron Presley.
1/8/2009
ELVIS PRESLEY DAY
Thursday, January 8, 2008
Remarks from the Honorable A C Wharton,
Mayor of Shelby County, Tennessee
Elvis and Memphis
They compliment one another. They are bound together. In fact, they almost rhyme. Now I know we are on Elvis Presley’s Boulevard, but I must remind everyone this was also Elvis Presley’s city.
Tupelo is where he was born
Vegas is where he’d perform
The World Stage is where he was known
But Memphis was always his home
Here in his city, we cherish his memory and his legacy and what he brought to the distinctive American invention of Rock and Roll. And as we see year after year, folks across the globe have a genuine love affair with Elvis Presley as well.
We all are CAUGHT IN A TRAP that we CAN’T WALK OUT. We love Elvis completely, deeply, sincerely, and forever.
If Rock and Roll were a religion, Elvis was its most prolific disciple, responsible for more converts than anyone before or after him. If Rock and Roll were a country, Elvis was a Founding Father and his lyrics were the documents of freedom that helped to birth the nation. If Rock and Roll were a sickness, Elvis-itis would be the most potent and contagious virus known to man, infecting victims who just looked at his image, heard his voice or saw him perform in person or through a recording. But since Rock and Roll is music, we’ve all decided the world over to just call Elvis…the King.
I want to thank Robert Sillerman, and Priscilla Presley and Jack Soden for their creativity, their passion, and their devotion to this history we celebrate today. They are helping to refine and build on the structure that will carry Elvis-mania forward with a new energy and awareness even as thousands of new fans – who were never even alive during Elvis’ lifetime – enlist in the army of the faithful.
I must say it again: this community was one he loved and we love him.
We know that the legacy of Elvis will be just fine because it’s planted in the right place. Memphis laid the rails for the MYSTERY TRAIN; we put sole polish on those BLUE SUEDE SHOES, we gave the HEARTBREAK HOTEL its first business license….Memphis was even the kennel and the playpen for that HOUNDDOG.
There is a creativity in the air here, possibly even in the soil and in water; a creativity that helped to activate the music in Elvis’ soul from any early age. A creativity that would allow him to embrace bedazzled and colorful jumpsuits, activate his rhythmic hips, have a Cadillac painted pink, and eat fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches.
As a community, we were a major part of who he was, and he is a major part of who we are. Memphis and Shelby County will forever uphold his legacy for the world to see and admire.
Thank you for coming and for embracing our favorite son, Elvis Aaron Presley.