Go Memphis

It may not have been Vegas, the International Hotel or 1969, but the evening undoubtedly belonged to Elvis. Friday night's "Elvis 1969: A Celebration Concert" Downtown at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts took a near-capacity audience back 40 years to witness the rebirth of Presley, the live performer. The multimedia extravaganza -- which combined video of Elvis, live musicians and guest singers -- was keyed to the watershed year of 1969. Full story »

"Elvis Week" comes and goes, but Elvis himself seems to be always with us, on the radio, TV and the movie screen. Elvis references could be found recently in boys-will-be-bad-boys comedy "The Hangover" and the date-night flick "He's Just Not That Into You." From Elvis Week 2008 to Elvis Week 2009 (which ended Sunday), I made note of every reference to Elvis I found during public movie screenings. The result of this labor of hunka-hunka burning love is this story: The Commercial Appeal's 13th annual survey of "Elvis Allusions in the Movies." Full story »

Jesse Aron did it his way and took home the first-place title and $2,000 in the Images of the King Elvis tribute artist competition Saturday night at the Holiday Inn Select at Airways and Democrat. Chris Connor from Manchester, England, came in second and Cody Slaughter from Harrison, Ark., and Joseph Hall from Omaha tied for third place. Bobby Simkins from Independence, Mo., was the People's Choice winner. Full story »

George Klein’s annual Elvis Mafia reunion at Alfred’s on Beale brought together fans with a panel of people who knew Elvis and had some stories to tell. The Q-and-A Sunday evening is always a well-attended event with Klein emceeing and fielding the questions. He ends up answering many of them, too, thanks to his encyclopedic knowledge of the King or Rock and Roll. Full story »

Dewey Phillips' signature line -- "Tell 'em Phillips sent ya!" -- seemed to apply Thursday morning as a crowd gathered along Beale Street to honor the legendary Memphis music figure. The man known as "Daddy-O Dewey," Elvis' first great radio champion and the wild, white deejay who served as a musical and cultural touchstone for a generation of Memphians -- black and white -- was rewarded with a brass note on Beale. Full story »

By any standard, Chips Moman has an impressive résumé. As a songwriter, Moman is responsible for several true classics, from "Dark End of the Street" to "Luckenbach Texas (Back to the Basics of Love)." As a producer, he helped define Stax Records during its early years before going on to sire a succession of hits at his American Sound Studio. Full story »

Today: Shake, Rattle & Bowl Party: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Strike Zone Bowling Alley, 3330 Pine Tar Alley, Southaven, Miss. Activities include bowling, billiards, an Elvis trivia contest, Elvis karaoke and lots of fun surprises. Elvis clips and music playing throughout the entire facility. Special guests The TCB Band, Sweet Inspirations, Elvis' Imperials, Millie Kirkham and Joe Guercio will stop by for autograph session. Tickets $49. (800) 238-2000 or 332-3322. Full story »

Bill Cherry of Collinsville, Ill., won the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Thursday after a two-day showdown with 19 of the best Elvis acts in North America. Last year's runnerup, Donny Edwards of Las Vegas, again came in second, with Myrtle Beach, S.C., tribute artist Kevin Mills third in the event at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown. The winners were announced shortly before 10 p.m. after judges narrowed 10 finalists to five. Full story »

They called it a rehearsal but it was more of a reunion of musicians who had performed with Elvis. Many of the musicians on stage at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts Thursday morning were singing and playing songs they'd done with Elvis back in 1969 during his popular appearances at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Full story »

It simply wouldn't be Elvis Week without an appearance by Ronnie McDowell. The Elvis-inspired singer returns to Horseshoe Casino's Bluesville tonight at 9 for his annual "Tribute to the King" concert featuring Presley's famed backing vocal group the Jordanaires. Full story »

The stage of The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts in Downtown Memphis converted from classical music to classic rock Wednesday as 20 Elvis Presley acts competed for the title of 2009's Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist. Full story »

The annual Elvis Meet Up at Marlowe’s this afternoon packed the already popular restaurant on Elvis Presley Blvd. Fans were there to mingle and find some Elvis celebrities to pose with, but the main thing was the auction benefiting the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County. Door prizes were given out, including photos of the induction of Elvis sideman, the late Bill Black, into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Full story »

Well, you know that it's Elvis week. I can't find my copy of the cookbook written by Elvis's cook (I can't even remember her name), but I came across "The Life and Cuisine of Elvis Presley" by David Adler. In it, Adler says that Marion Cocke, a nurse at Baptist Hospital Elvis befriended during one of his stays, was called to Graceland just a few days before he died and fed him her banana pudding at 3 a.m. Who knows? It could've been 32 years ago today that he ate this very thing. Full story »

Since it was dedicated in 1983, the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center has benefited from contributions by Elvis fans. As a thank you to those faithful, the Regional Medical Center at Memphis offers tours of the facility throughout Elvis Week. For two hours Tuesday morning, Pamela Castleman, The Med’s nursing director of trauma service, and three other staffers were guides for dozens of Elvis fans who came to see the facility bearing Elvis’ name. Full story »

While most Elvis fans are focused on Memphis this week for the 32nd annual Elvis Tribute Week, Graceland's parent company, CKX Inc., is looking ahead to a December or January debut of the first Elvis production by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas. CKX signed a long-term joint venture in 2006 with the Montreal-based troupe which combines circus and theater for a series of extravagant productions including a Beatles-themed production called "Love." Full story »