Tupelo in Lee County, Mississippi — The American South (East South Central)

Elvis at 11

January 8, 1946

— A Special Gift —

Elvis at 11 Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Jason Voigt, July 30, 2024

1. Elvis at 11 Marker

Inscription. On January 8, 1946, Elvis' mother Gladys took him to Tupelo Hardware to buy a present for his 11th birthday. Elvis was thinking .22 caliber rifle or bicycle. Gladys was thinking dangerous and dangerous. After a bit of crying, he was finally persuaded to choose a guitar, in fact, his only choice. The Presleys gave their son a $7.75 birthday gift and a priceless legacy to the rest of us. It was a gift that has kept on giving.

His love of music was born in his Assembly of God church in East Tupelo where as a small child he sang "Jesus Loves Me" before the congregation. His pastor, Brother Frank Smith, taught him to play his guitar. His first chords were D, A and E, the chords of "Ole Shep," the song he sang in 1945 to win second place in a youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show at the Tupelo Fairgrounds.

Growing up in East Tupelo, Elvis was surrounded by music. From gospel he heard in his church to country and western he heard on the radio from the Grand Ole Opry to blues he heard coming through the doors and windows of juke joints in the Shake Rag community, he would combine all those forms into his own unique sound -a sound that would rock and roll the world forever.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • Entertainment. A significant historical date for this entry is January 8, 1946.

Location.

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34° 15.556′ N, 88° 40.663′ W. Marker is in Tupelo, Mississippi, in Lee County. It can be reached from Berry Street west of Shady Lake Drive. Marker is on the grounds of Elvis Presley Birthplace complex (close to the east entrance). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 88 Blue Bird Dr, Tupelo MS 38804, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in andspecifically ast Mississippi in the North Mississippi Hills. It is also in the American South

and specifically in the Deep South.

Globally, it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Becoming (here, next to this marker); The Entertainer (here, next to this marker); In Remembrance of Elvis Presley (a few steps from this marker); The Outhouse (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Elvis Presley's Childhood Church (about 600 feet away); Elvis Presley and the Blues (about 700 feet away); Birthplace of Elvis Presley (about 700 feet away); The Birthplace / East Tupelo 1935-1948 (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Tupelo.

Additional keywords. Elvis Presley

Photographed by Jason Voigt, July 30, 2024

2. Elvis at 11 Marker

Marker (on the left) is behind the "Becoming Elvis" statue. The "Elvis at 11" part is in front of the larger statue of Elvis.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 3, 2024. It was originally submitted on August 3, 2024, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois. This page has been viewed 272 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on August 3, 2024, by Jason Voigt of Glen Carbon, Illinois.