Did you know we’re in the middle of Elvis Week? The occasion is spearheaded by Graceland and honors the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll on the anniversary of his death — 2025 will mark 48 years since he died.
Though Elvis Presely was born in Tupelo, MS, he has a special relationship with Tennessee because he moved to Memphis when he was 13. In his career, Presely would visit Nashville to perform + record. Later, he bought his Graceland home (and later museum) in Memphis.
Don’t think Knoxville is out of the mix. In the early 1950s, it’s believed an RCA record producer heard Elvis playing at a shop named Bell Sales Music in Market Square and purchased copies of the song. This helped the singer get signed, and there’s a historic marker honoring that store’s role in Elvis’ career.
Elvis also had three notable performances in Knoxville, each time at Stokely Athletics Center. The first concert took place on April 8, 1972, and the second March 15, 1974. His last local show was May 20, 1977, but once Elvis had left the building, fans didn’t know this would be his final show in Knoxville. The singer shockingly died months later on Aug. 16, 1977.
