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WE SAW YOU: Mike McCarthy’s El-Bow Party

Memphis filmmaker/sculptor Mike McCarthy threw his annual El-Bow party, in homage to the shared birthdays of Elvis Presley and David Bowie, on January 25th at McCarthy’s Midtown home.

Each icon got his own cake made by Kasey Dees.

The party, McCarthy says, “was for people who I worked with and sort of a payback to people I’ve been collaborating with.”

This year, the party was part of a longer series of events dealing with the history of rock-and-roll in Memphis. The Marcialyns with Marcia Clifton, Tim Prudhomme, Rev. Neil Down, and Memphis Flyer reporter Chris McCoy performed.

McCarthy kicked everything off with his Glam Rock Picnic last June, where he unveiled his 10-foot papier-mâché work-in-progress sculpture of Bowie, who performed in Memphis. 

McCarthy will tentatively hold his “next Bowie sculpture awareness event”on February 25th. The four Bowie faces have been cast into bronze by the Lugar Foundry. The statue, which portrays Bowie in the “Tokyo Pop” jumpsuit by Kansai Yamamoto, has four heads, which represent Bowie’s predilection for taking on different identities, McCarthy says. 

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Head to Tupelo, It’s Festival Time

Tupelo invites you to celebrate its story, spirit, and most famous native son with Celebrate Tupelo 2025—a year-long tribute to the milestones that have shaped the city. From its deep-rooted history and vibrant culture to the enduring legacy of Elvis Presley, this celebration offers countless opportunities for visitors and residents to connect, discover, and be inspired.

One of the most significant highlights of Celebrate Tupelo 2025 is the 90th birthday of Elvis Presley. Born in a modest two-room house in east Tupelo, Elvis Presley’s journey from small-town boy to King of Rock ‘N’ Roll forever changed the landscape of music and pop culture. Fans from around the world gather in Tupelo to pay tribute to the legend, visiting the Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum, enjoying Fan Appreciation Day each August, and experiencing the city that shaped the early years of the global icon.

Photo: Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau

The celebration isn’t just for Elvis’ birthday. Many of Tupelo’s most beloved institutions will also reach milestone anniversaries, adding to the city’s rich legacy. Reed’s, the iconic downtown department store, marks 120 years, while MLM Clothiers celebrates 85 years of timeless fashion and personalized service. Johnnie’s Drive-In, where Elvis enjoyed eating, commemorates 80 years, and Dairy Kream, a local favorite for burgers and ice cream, reaches 70 years. These longstanding businesses reflect Tupelo’s deep sense of community and tradition.

Photo: Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau

Spring in Tupelo is synonymous with festivals, and the 2025 lineup does not disappoint. The season kicks off February 21-23 with the World of Customs Auto Show at the Tupelo Furniture Market. As Mississippi’s largest indoor auto show, it features an impressive array of classic cars, showstoppers, and mouthwatering food. The excitement continues May 2-4 with the Tupelo Blue Suede Cruise, when more than 1,000 classic and antique cars take over Downtown Tupelo. To learn more about all of the city’s upcoming events and festivals, visit tupelo.net/events.

While you’re here, dive into Tupelo’s culinary scene. For a fresh and healthy meal, visit PoPsy on the courthouse square, known for its smoothie bowls, juices, and hearty toasts. Charcutie, located in Jackson West, offers a delightful summer lunch menu featuring hot honey chicken salad, Mediterranean pasta salad, and custom charcuterie boards. And for one of the best burgers in the country, Neon Pig’s old-school butcher shop serves up a burger paired with their famous parmesan fries.

Photo: Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau

With its incredible festivals, historic celebrations, and welcoming atmosphere, Tupelo is the perfect place for your next getaway. Stay close to the action at Tupelo’s newest downtown boutique hotel, Hotel Tupelo or enjoy a comfortable stay near the festivities at Tru by Hilton, Home2 Suites, or Spark by Hilton.

This year will be a celebration like no other, so pack your bags and head to tupelo.net to start planning your getaway today. Stay in the know on all things Celebrate Tupelo by viewing the calendar of events at tupelo.net/events/celebratetupelo and imagine what you can do here!

Photo: Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau

This article is sponsored by Tupelo CVB.

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Music Music Blog

Elvis’ 90th Celebrated with Exhibit of 90 New Artifacts

The anniversary of Elvis Aaron Presley’s birth, January 8th, has always been a time of reflection and dual meanings, as it also marks the day in 1935 that his twin Jesse Garon was stillborn a half hour before baby Elvis emerged. Yet that’s just one among a host of dramatic moments that punctuated one of the 20th century’s most epic lives. And even after all these years, the exhibits at Elvis Presley’s Graceland have never captured the whole story.

With that in mind, Elvis Presley’s Graceland launched a new exhibit this Wednesday, January 8th, full of never-before-seen gritty objects from a life well lived. Four days of festivities surround the opening of the new yearlong “90 for 90 Exhibit” that celebrates Presley’s life.

The new exhibit features 90 curated “stories” told through items specially selected from the over 1.5 million artifacts housed at the Graceland Archives at Preseley’s home in Memphis. These artifacts, each embodying a unique moment from the singer’s life, range from iconic items easily recognizable by fans to rare, personal pieces that capture Presley’s private moments out of the spotlight.

The earliest known photo of the Presleys (Photo: Courtesy Elvis Presley’s Graceland)

One such artifact, never displayed until now, is the earliest known photo of the Presley family, taken around 1938, cataloged as inventory no. 1 in the Graceland Archives Collection database. This is the original black-and-white photo found inside the family’s steamer trunk. The exact date of the picture is unknown, but Elvis appears to be two or three years old. It’s a gripping slice of life from the earliest days of the young family.

Other artifacts range from the trivial to the profound. Few may realize that Presley’s ’70s passion for racquetball actually led to a business venture, Presley Center Courts, founded in 1976, intended to become a nationwide chain of branded racquetball and spa facilities. Commemorative paddle rackets from that time are included in the exhibit.

So is the original film reel of The Frank Sinatra Timex Show: Welcome Home Elvis television special; a poem, “Why God Made Little Girls,” that Presley treasured; a road case of stage scarves from 1977; and, arguably the most badass of them all, a special pair of nunchucks personalized for “Master Elvis Presley.”

Many of the artifacts in the new exhibit have never been seen on display until now. (Photo: Courtesy Elvis Presley’s Graceland).

This yearlong exhibit will run through December 2025 and can be toured as part of the Elvis Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex. Throughout the coming year, Graceland will unveil additional new exhibits and refresh some existing spaces to enhance the visitor experience, so stay tuned. A full schedule of events going on now is available at Graceland.com/Birthday.

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Arrest Made in ‘Brazen’ Fraud Scheme on Graceland, Presley Family

Suspicious minds at the U.S. Attorney’s Office found a Missouri woman was a devil in disguise for a fraud scheme against Elvis Presley’s family that may now have her singing “Jailhouse Rock.”

Lisa Jeanine Findley (also known as Lisa Holden, Lisa Howell, Gregory Naussany, Kurt Naussany, Lisa Jeanine Sullins, and Carolyn Williams), 53, was arrested Friday morning for an attempt to steal the Presley family’s ownership in Graceland. The woman will appear later today in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri.

“As alleged in the complaint, the defendant orchestrated a scheme to conduct a fraudulent sale of Graceland, falsely claiming that Elvis Presley’s daughter had pledged the historic landmark as collateral for a loan that she failed to repay before her death,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As part of the brazen scheme, we allege that the defendant created numerous false documents and sought to extort a settlement from the Presley family. Now she is facing federal charges. The Criminal Division and its partners are committed to holding fraudsters to account.”

According to court documents, Findley allegedly posed as three different individuals affiliated with a fictitious private lender named Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC. Findley allegedly claimed falsely that Lisa Marie Presley had borrowed $3.8 million in 2018 from Naussany Investments, pledged Graceland as collateral for the loan, and failed to repay the debt. 

To settle the purported claim, Findley allegedly sought $2.8 million from Elvis Presley’s family. She allegedly fabricated loan documents on which Findley forged the signatures of Elvis Presley’s daughter and a Florida State notary public. 

She then allegedly filed a false creditor’s claim with the Superior Court of California in Los Angeles, and a fake deed of trust with the Shelby County Register’s Office in Memphis. Findley also allegedly published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in The Commercial Appeal, announcing that Naussany Investments planned to auction Graceland to the highest bidder on May 23rd. 

Finally, when Naussany Investments was sued by Presley’s family in Tennessee state court as part of an effort to stop the sale of Graceland, Findley allegedly submitted false court filings.

After the scheme attracted global media attention, Findley allegedly wrote to representatives of Presley’s family, the Tennessee state court, and the media to claim falsely that the person responsible for the scheme was an identity thief located in Nigeria.

“As a Memphian, I know that Graceland is a national treasure,” said Kevin G. Ritz, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee. “This defendant allegedly used a brazen scheme to try to defraud the Presley family of their interest in this singularly important landmark. 

“Of course, all homeowners deserve to have their property protected from fraud, and the Department of Justice will vigorously prosecute anyone who commits financial crimes or identity theft.”

Findley is charged with mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. If convicted, she faces a mandatory minimum of two years in prison for aggravated identity theft and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for mail fraud.

“Fame and money are magnets for criminals who look to capitalize on another person’s celebrity status,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “In this case, Ms. Findley allegedly took advantage of the very public and tragic occurrences in the Presley family as an opportunity to prey on the name and financial status of the heirs to the Graceland estate, attempting to steal what rightfully belongs to the Presley family for her personal gain. 

“Postal inspectors and their law enforcement partners put an end to her alleged scheme, protecting the Presley family from continued harm and stress. This is an example of our relentless investigative work and commitment to bringing criminals to justice for their illegal activity.”

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Music Music Features

Elvis at the Shell

It seems like this should be national news — international, even. We’re talking about Elvis Presley, after all. And the 70th anniversary of his first great triumph as a live performer is fast approaching, although anyone who saw it advertised in the paper beforehand might have gotten his name wrong. Promoting the eighth annual Country Music Jamboree scheduled for July 30, 1954, an ad in the Memphis Press-Scimitar read, “In person, the SENSATIONAL radio-recording star, Slim Whitman, with Billy Walker, Ellis Presley and many others … Tonight at Shell, $1.25 reserved.”

Whoever this “Ellis” Presley was, he shared the Overton Park Shell stage with some mighty respected company amongst country music fans. Pretty good for only the second or third public performance of his life.

As it happened, it was more than pretty good: It was earth-shattering. In Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll, Peter Guralnick quotes Presley’s guitarist Scotty Moore as saying, “With those old loose britches that we wore, it made it look like all hell was going on under there. During the instrumental parts he would back off from the mic and be playing and shaking, and the crowd would just go wild, but he thought they were actually making fun of him.” They weren’t. After the show, dozens of teens rushed backstage for autographs from this new singer.

That validation was exactly what the young Presley needed, only 11 days after the release of his first single, “That’s All Right.” 

It’s a story that Cole Early knows well, being the content and archives manager of the Overton Park Shell, not to mention curator of the Shell’s excellent Connie Abston Archive & History Exhibition. That short set, Presley’s first live show with just his recording band of Moore and Bill Black, was akin to a big bang of pop music, in stark contrast to Presley’s one earlier attempt to sit in with a band unfamiliar with his style. 

“His first public performance ever was in a honky-tonk on Summer Avenue, and he wasn’t received well,” says Early of Presley’s previous experience. “The country music audience there at the club that night just saw this flashy kid wearing pink, and this was like a dive bar, a honky-tonk place.” Then came his appearance at the Country Music Jamboree.

Knowing that the Shell bore witness to one of rock-and-roll’s great moments, Early wanted to celebrate the memory of Elvis’ performance in style. Since the Shell already offers the Backstage Experience tour of the Connie Abston Archive, it was easy to imagine the Shell stage as the culmination of an even greater tour. What Elvis fan could resist seeing various key locations in The King’s ascension, working east from Downtown, then ending up at the very stage on which Elvis first made his mark, with music by a live band?

Done in partnership with Backbeat Tours and the Memphis Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum, the whole package, billed as The 70th Anniversary of Live Rock ‘n’ Roll, will be available one day only, on Saturday, July 27th. Early says the tour will “originate Downtown at the Rock ‘n’ Soul Museum. Of course, they have amazing exhibits down there. Then it’s going to do an Elvis-centric tour of Memphis, though not Graceland.” Expect stops at Sun Studio, the Presley’s Lauderdale Courts apartment, Elvis’ high school, the original Lansky Bros. clothing store, and the like. “And then they’ll come here to the Shell for a custom Backstage History Experience tour with mostly the Elvis points, and then at the end, a live re-creation of that first show, right where it happened.”

Finley Watkins & His Blue Moon (of Missouri) Boys will be playing, and Early says they’re a perfect fit. “You know, Elvis was a teenager when he played at the Shell, he was 19,” he says. “So it’s great having Finley, who’s also a teenager. And yes, he will have a Scotty and a Bill with him as well. That will be super exciting because they’ll have an upright bass, like Bill Black played during the original show. The Shell’s acoustics pick up that slap back really well. So we’re really proud that the Shell is the one venue where that can be realistic, in such a way that it couldn’t be in any other room or venue.” 

For more details and tickets, see the “special events” at backbeattours.com.

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News News Feature

MEMernet: Those Lights, ‘Fabulous,’ and Never-ending Elvis

Memphis on the internet.

Those Lights

Cosmic forces painted the skies around Memphis with the dazzling colors of the northern lights over the weekend.

“I actually gasped when I went outside and saw the pink hue in the sky between Arlington and Millington,” tweeted Jason L.

“Fabulous”

Posted to X by Memphis Zoo

The Memphis Zoo wished a happy Mother’s Day on X with this photo of mom Wendy and her new calf, Fitz, born last month. To all moms, the zoo said, “Keep being fabulous.”

Never-ending Elvis

Posted to X by Argo Memphis

The whole “post a picture that says you’re from Memphis” thing is still making the rounds on X. Argo Memphis wasn’t playing with the meme above, but it certainly qualifies.

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Get Ready to Shake, Rattle, and Roll in Tupelo, Mississippi

While Tupelo, Mississippi, celebrates its favorite native son throughout the year, the city rolls out the blue suede carpet each June during the Tupelo Elvis Festival. Held June 6-9, 2024, the festival honors the legacy of Elvis Presley and his immense impact on popular culture in the city where it all began.

The celebration kicks into high gear June 6th with the “Becoming Experience” Youth Day & Competition at the Elvis Presley Birthplace. Young Elvis fans participate in workshops with Elvis tribute artists and compete to earn $1,000, a guitar from Tupelo Hardware Company, and the opportunity to perform on the main stage at the Cadence Bank Arena during the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist finals Saturday morning. A showcase featuring the 30 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contestants and the “Welcome Back to Tupelo” concert round out Thursday’s events, followed by the Tupelo Elvis Festival After Party at the Silver Moon Club.  

The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Competition begins June 7th at the Cadence Bank Arena with festival host Tom Brown and the Tributes in Concert band. Festival participants are invited to Food Truck Friday featuring Tupelo’s delicious food truck fare and a special Stax Museum of American Soul Music Pop-Up experience featuring the Stax Soul Mobile. Other events on Friday include the “Behind the Jumpsuits” Conversations event that delves into the stories of those individuals who keep Elvis’ memory alive, and the “From Tupelo with Love” concert. More after parties round out Friday night’s festivities.

TCB Fights is one of the newest festival events, and features fighters from UFM, HIT Fitness, and other local gyms. The TCB Fights “Decked Out” Weigh In happens June 7th, with the Boxing Event June 8th at 7 p.m. in the Cadence Bank Conference Center. Dress to impress and enjoy fight night with the king.

Lace up your running shoes for the Running with the King 5K at Veteran’s Park June 8th. This annual race takes participants past the Elvis Presley Birthplace and through the neighborhood where Elvis grew up. Sponsored by the Tupelo Running Club, the race is a fast, flat course and benefits the Northeast Mississippi Boys & Girls Club.

The Elvis Tribute Artist Meet & Greets and Tupelo Elvis Fan Club activities take over Downtown Tupelo June 8th. Visit Downtown retailers, meet the tribute artists, and enjoy living history demonstrations. Tupelo Hardware Company, where Gladys Presley purchased Elvis’ first guitar, holds a reenactment of the famous purchase, and guitars are still sold there today. The Stax Museum Soul Mobile makes another appearance Saturday with music, giveaways, and fun for the entire family.

With more than 200 restaurants in Tupelo, planning your next meal is as much fun as the festival revelry. Eat like the king with a visit to Tupelo’s oldest restaurant, Johnnie’s Drive-In, where Elvis liked to eat. Sit in the Elvis booth inside or enjoy carhop service at this operating drive-in. Try the doughburger, a North Mississippi delicacy. Tupelo’s restaurants serve up plenty of other Elvis eats including his favorite fried peanut butter and banana sandwich at Café 212 in Downtown Tupelo. Visit tupelo.net/blog/eat-like-a-king/ to explore all of the scrumptious food inspired by Elvis. Follow #tupelofoodie on Instagram and drool over all of the culinary delights just waiting to be enjoyed.

Johnnies Doughburger – photo: Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau

Looking for an experience you can only have in Tupelo? Mississippi’s first and only meadery, Queen’s Reward, is the only meadery in the world that makes mead with 100 percent Mississippi honey. Enjoy a tasting in their exquisite west Tupelo tasting room or enjoy mead by the glass. Mead slushies are a crowd favorite. Can’t decide which one to try? Order the mead slushie sampler and try them all.

Tupelo has more than 2,200 accommodating hotel rooms, so you are sure to get a great night’s sleep after a full day of festival fun. Hotel Tupelo is the city’s newest boutique hotel. Located in the heart of Downtown Tupelo’s Fairpark, Hotel Tupelo has 79 rooms, a bar and restaurant on-site, and an array of local touches that make it a truly unique stay. Just across the street, the Hilton Garden Inn offers guests a comfortable stay in walking distance of all Tupelo Elvis Festival events.  

The Tupelo Elvis Festival is the perfect excuse to visit the city where anything is possible. To learn more about the events or to purchase tickets, visit tupeloelvisfestival.com. Plan your trip by visiting tupelo.net and imagine what you can do there!

Elvis Festival Concert – photo: Tupelo Elvis Festival

This article is sponsored by the Tupelo Main Street Association.

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Humes School, Elvis’ Alma Mater, to Close

Humes Middle School in North Memphis will close at the end of this school year as it returns to the Memphis Shelby-County district’s control after a decade in Tennessee’s failed turnaround district for low-performing schools.

The last-minute decision to shutter the nearly 100-year-old building, where a young Elvis Presley attended high school, is a change in plans since the fall, when teachers were told the school would stay open, said Bobby White, head of Frayser Community Schools, the charter company that runs Humes for the state’s Achievement School District.

“I just wish it had been sooner,” White said of the decision.

The school has long struggled with low enrollment. Students will be rezoned to Booker T. Washington, a grade 6-12 school three miles away in South Memphis, according to Memphis-Shelby County Schools documents.

The decision, shared with families and staff in recent days, happened with little to no public discussion in the community or by the school board. And the prospect of students having to shift to a faraway school has some education leaders concerned.

White and district leaders have known for years that they would need a plan for Humes’ students and the building. Schools like Humes that are taken over by the state typically spend a maximum of 10 years in the ASD.

Humes is one of five Memphis schools that are reaching the end of their 10-year term this summer. Of the other four, one will remain open and operated by MSCS, one received approval to operate under another state-run charter district, and one will continue to operate as a charter school under MSCS.

The fourth, MLK College Prep High School, operated by the Frayser charter network, is also set to close in its current building, but families have received more regular communication from the Memphis district about the changes there. MLK is set to merge with Trezevant High in the fall while a new neighborhood high school is built.

Meanwhile, the Humes community has been waiting for clarity. Last summer, the Memphis district rejected White’s application to continue running the school under Frayser Community Schools.

“When you’re dealing with poor, marginalized folks,” White said, “you respect them enough to communicate with them as soon as possible, and think through things in a way where they’re going to be valued and respected, where you’re doing right by them.”

For Humes, conversations changed after the district faced renewed concerns about the physical condition of the building, which turns 100 years old next year. When another charter school inquired about leasing the building during a January board meeting, then interim Superintendent Toni Williams said the building had “major issues.”

Around that time, Chalkbeat reported that a draft plan for all district schools suggested that Humes would close. Still, the district hadn’t communicated any new plans to Humes teachers and families since an earlier fall meeting, said White.

MSCS did not respond to Chalkbeat’s inquiries in time for the publication of this story. During a meeting with board members Tuesday, Superintendent Marie Feagins said the district reviewed several factors including the capacity of the buildings. Feagins, who became district leader on April 1st, told board members she was under the impression the news about Humes had already been shared.

The building is on the National Register of Historic Places because of Presley, who graduated in 1953 from Humes when it was a high school.

But enrollment at Humes has remained low since even before it was taken over by the state. It can serve more than 1,300 students, but only 193 are enrolled. A previous charter operator, Gestalt Community Schools, also struggled with low enrollment at Humes.

White says the district’s plans to send students from Humes’ zone out of the neighborhood for middle school could result in lower enrollment at Manassas High School in North Memphis.

Memphis board members Stephanie Love, who has kept a focus on schools in the turnaround district, and Michelle McKissack, whose district includes Humes, Manassas, and Booker T. Washington, both said the board should revisit the district’s policy on school zoning.

“The culture in South Memphis and North Memphis is not the same,” Love said, adding that she understands why families and teachers could be upset by the last-minute closure.

The district and board face more decisions about remaining Memphis schools in the ASD, as their charters expire in the next two years. The takeover district itself could wind down, too.

In a letter to parents, Feagins suggested that they consider Cummings K-8 Optional School and Grandview Heights Middle School as alternatives to Booker T. Washington. White said some of the students have considered nearby charter school options as well, including KIPP Collegiate Middle or Frayser Community Schools’ Westside Middle.

The district is holding online meetings for family members on April 17th at 12:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. A community meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the Porter-Leath location at 628 Alice Avenue.

Laura Testino covers Memphis-Shelby County Schools for Chalkbeat Tennessee. Reach Laura at LTestino@chalkbeat.org.

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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Music Music Features

James D. Gish Is Wickedly Talented

There’s something about James D. Gish that evokes Elvis.

He gets that from people. But especially since he began playing the dashing love interest, Fiyero, in Wicked on Broadway. “I’ll slick my hair for this show,” says Gish, 28, who is appearing in the musical through April 21st at the Orpheum Theatre.

Offstage, Gish’s hair has resembled the pompadour Elvis sported in his early movies. “Not on purpose. It’s sort of the way my hair sits.”

He isn’t trying to emulate The King on or offstage. But, ironically, ever since Gish was a child, Elvis was part of his life. “My family are such obsessive Elvis fans. When I was growing up, I had a dog named Elvis. And after he passed away I had a dog named Presley.”

And, Gish says, “Let’s just say, the garage was full — every wall — [of] Elvis memorabilia that my parents, especially my father, collected over the years.”

His family still watches Elvis movies and “Elvis CDs are playing throughout the house.”

Images of Gish also are included at their home. If his face appears on a poster at a venue or if his name is printed anywhere, his dad wants it. It then gets added to the “Elvis and James D. Gish Shrine.”

His dad still calls him “Presley” or “Elvis.” As in “I’ll see you later, Elvis,” Gish says. Or “Oh, have a great night, Elvis.”

That actually translates to “rock star,” Gish says. “He’s very proud. And I’m very fortunate that he’s proud.”

Born in Las Vegas, Gish was raised in Bullhead City, Arizona. His family is related to the famous silent screen actresses Dorothy and Lillian Gish, he says. “I know that my grandmother knew Lillian quite well. She said she would always attend the family reunion. She passed away before I was born.”

But, for Gish, it was singing “as a very young kid” before acting, Gish says.

He reluctantly joined the choir in high school. Then the guy who was playing the Beast in the school production of Beauty and the Beast had to drop out. “He had issues with family, school, or something. And they asked me to do it. And I ended up falling in love with it.”

Gish’s first Memphis visit was with his parents when he was 20 to participate in the United Professional Theatre Auditions. “Of course, we toured Graceland and went to Sun Studio.”

Like other tourists, Gish’s dad paid to have his son make a little recording at Sun Studio. “Most people sing ‘Hound Dog’ or ‘Viva Las Vegas.’ And I, of course, sang ‘Music of the Night.’”

Gish remembers looking at his proud father. “You just see him crying. With his son singing show tunes at Sun Studio.”

In 2017, Gish recorded an EP, So in Love, which rose to number six on the iTunes Classical Chart. It was “sort of a mishmash of a few different genres.”

The EP included an Italian aria as well as “soaring symphonic arrangements” of show tunes. And, he says, “We took Elvis’ ‘Can’t Help Falling in Love’ and adapted it into an up-tempo swing jazz number like a big band.”

Gish toured with the EP off and on for about a year before focusing on acting. “I missed having a full cast around me.”

He majored in business at Arizona State University, but at night he would audition for the Phoenix Theatre Company. “I just kind of took to it like a fish to water. It just felt right.”

Gish eventually moved to New York. “There’s no book on how to become an actor in New York City.” It’s just “falling on your face until you start to crawl and then walk and then run.”

From a small role in Les Misérables, Gish went on to appear in leading roles in plays, including one of his best known — Fabrizio in The Light in the Piazza.

Gish landed the role of Fiyero in Wicked on Broadway. “I love Fiyero because you get to play two very different people in one night, which is really cool. It’s fun to come on stage and get to be a ‘big shot’ — this cocky little punk who thinks he’s God’s gift.”

Then, in the second act, Fiyero’s character changes and he becomes more human. “He comes to know empathy, sympathy, and caring for other people.”

As for roles he’d like to play some day, Gish says, “I would really like to play a very quirky awkward character who lacks all self-confidence. I think I would do a character like that justice. I never get the opportunity. I sort of just get typecast as a Fiyero. A lot of cocky jerks or leading man types.”

When he’s not on stage, Gish likes to write young adult fiction books. He hasn’t tried to publish any yet, but, he says he’s currently working on a “young adult fantasy novel” that is “almost a historical allegory with fantastical elements.”

For now, Gish is taking care of business pursuing his work in the theater. He’s happy “the cards have fallen the way they have.”

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Music Music Blog

Elvis Week ’23: See Him Sing on the Silver Screen

Elvis Week, those days in August surrounding the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, is here again, with its unlikely mixture of celebration and mourning, and Elvis Presley’s Graceland once again rises to the occasion of this great gathering of pilgrims. Check their website for a massive smorgasbord of events to choose from, all compelling in their own way: an Elvis tribute artist contest; The Conversations on Elvis series, featuring those who knew Elvis best sharing memories and stories; and of course the annual candlelight vigil on the night he died, Tuesday, August 15th (a Monday in 1977, the year of his death). This year, the same day will feature another event of mourning in remembrance of Lisa Marie Presley.

Yet Elvis Week also features, through the wonders of cinema, two brilliant concert films from the singer’s career, and thus two chances to witness his artistry very much alive and in full bloom. Such moments of bearing witness to what Elvis hath wrought help one lean into the celebratory side of the moment.

The Elvis ’68 Comback Special 55th Anniversary Enhanced Screening on Monday, August 14th, features an NBC television program that aired in December 1968, later dubbed “The Comeback Special.” But while filmed for TV, the high production values of Singer Presents … Elvis make it worthy of the cinematic treatment, especially with such iconic moments as his appearance in black leather with his Sun Records band, or bedecked in white, standing before his name in blazing red lights. Here’s a rare chance to see this era-defining show on a larger-than-life screen.

For the uninitiated who believe Elvis was all washed up by the late sixties, see how 2018’s 50th Anniversary of the ’68 Comeback was saluted by the Memphis Flyer’s onetime scribe Chris Davis — including his interviews with the show’s producer/director Steve Binder and singer Darlene Love of the Blossoms.

The enhanced screening on Monday will include special guest appearances by Allan Blye (writer), Gene McAvoy (art director), Mike Deasy (guitarist), and Tanya Lemani George (dancer), not to mention video interviews with those who were there.

The ’68 Comeback Special features brilliant performances, but can such a carefully crafted television production capture the electricity of a live concert? That’s where the Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii 50th Anniversary Concert film on Wednesday, August 16th, comes in. Elvis Presley’s Graceland doesn’t mess around with 50th Anniversaries, and this celebration is preceded with Sony’s Q&A listening event and an “Aloha” luau dinner.

The film itself captures the singer’s groundbreaking Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite concert, performed at the Honolulu International Center on January 14, 1973. Not including the short broadcast of “All You Need is Love” via satellite by The Beatles in 1967, Aloha from Hawaii was the first entertainment special by a solo artist to be broadcast live around the world.

That itself was a technological marvel at the time. This year, more such marvels will make it possible to see Elvis’ Aloha from Hawaii concert live on the big screen, featuring vocals by the king himself, backed by a live band on stage. That’s right, a live band will be matching Elvis’ voice beat for beat for the entire show. The night will also feature a guest appearance by original TCB Band member Glen Hardin.

And there you have it, two great ways to get your Elvis on. Now you can pay your respects in the most fundamental way possible — by listening to him sing.