Bethel Springs School

Bethel Springs School. Circa 1920s. September 17, 1954, a very young Elvis Presley was booked to play a benefit concert here at the old Bethel Springs School. Elvis had one Sun Records single to his credit at that time. It was the future King of Rock and Roll’s first live concert outside of Memphis, Tennessee. , Rockabilly icon Carl Perkins was in the audience that evening and marked the performance as a turning point in his career, two years later, both men would be among the brightest stars in the entertainment industry and are now considered the “founding fathers “of rock and roll music. , The old Bethel Springs School, where Elvis performed that night, was torn down and the present-day structure was built, both students and Bethel citizens still remember that night in mid-September of 1954 when out of Memphis came this young man in black shinny pants and shirt with pink trim. Reports say the crowd was sparse, but Elvis did perform and thrilled the attendees with his rock and roll music. , Elvis and his 1954 visit to Bethel Springs School is still talked about today.