Elvis Statue Unveiled August 9th - Elvis Week 2012 - Tupelo, Mississippi

Tupelo’s second Elvis statue was unveiled Thursday night in Fairpark. The bronze sculpture replicates a 1956 photo by Roger Marshutz of Elvis performing at a homecoming concert in the Fairpark area.  
William N. Beckwith, native of Mississippi was the sculptor.

Here are some facts about the statue.

• The statue is a little larger than life size. It’s 7 feet tall and is on a 4-foot-tall base.

• The base is made out of aggregate concrete, which was the popular style used in the 1950s. It has eight sides because Elvis’ favorite number was eight.

• Elvis faces the birthplace. His hand is stretched out so visitors can reach up and touch his fingertips like they would when he was performing.

• The placement of the statue is geared toward visitor photo opps. Tupelo City Hall is in the background from one angle and Tupelo Hardware is in the background from the other angle. The signage was changed on City Hall to add “Tupelo” as part of the project.

• Bill Beckwith, a Mississippi native,  made the sculpture in his Taylor studio.

• The interactive display features Elvis’ set list during the 1956 and 1957 concert in Tupelo.

• Visitors can use their smartphones to access video from the concert via an interactive display. They display also links to Tupelo’s promotional video, “Tupelove.” They also are invited to download GPS coordinates for the Elvis driving tour.

• Philips Day-Brite donated the lights for the statue.

Photo by Joyce Burns

Photo by Joyce Burns

Photo by Thomas Wells

Photo by Thomas Wells

Elvis Statue to Be Unveiled - Elvis Week 2012 - Tupelo, Mississippi

The statue's sculptor, William N. Beckwith,  was born in Greenville, Mississippi in 1952.
He graduated from The University of Mississippi and is now the
Adjunct Assistant Professor of Sculpture at The University of Mississippi.
He created the Elvis sculpture in his studio in Taylor Mississippi.

On September 26, 1956, a 21-year old Presley returned to Tupelo only a few years after leaving it to perform at the same fair he had performed at as a 10-year old. This time, as part of the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, Elvis performed two shows. A hundred National Guardsmen controlled the crowd that came out to see the biggest star to come from their hometown.

The statue is based on an iconic image of Elvis singing “Hound Dog,” as women raise their hands up to him with dreams they may brush his hand.   The image was taken that day in September of 1956 by photographer Roger Marshutz and is titled, 'The Hand'.

'The Hand'
Elvis performing in Tupelo Mississippi,
September 26, 1956.  Photo by Roger Marshutz

Elvis Week 2012 - Plans Underway -Tupelo MS

Elvis Week 2012
35th Anniversary
Tupelo Itinerary

Thursday, August 9, 2012
9 am – Shake Rag documentary at the Lyric with Q&A by Wsir Johnson

10:45 am – Fan Appreciation Day Ceremony at the Elvis Presley Birthplace, Ribbon Cutting and Dedication of the addition followed by music until 3 p.m. and storytellers in the chapel from 12:45 pm – 2:30 pm

6 pm – Down on Main concert/Community Celebration of Elvis with statue unveiling at 8 p.m. – Fairpark District

Friday, August 10, 2012
9 am – Conversation Panel with Roy Turner moderating featuring:

• Sara Patterson Gunter
Sara worked for Tupelo photographer Robert Kingsley.  He got her back stage in the tent to meet Elvis.  She placed one of the souvenir hats on him and he bent down and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  Her photo came out the next month in all the movie magazines and she received letters from all over the country asking, “What was it like to kiss Elvis?  Can you help me meet Elvis?  etc.”

• Gloria Wedgeworth Reasons
Gloria’s mother chauffeured 7 girls to Tupelo from Alamo, TN to see the concert.  One of whom was Judy Hopper, the girl that jumped up on stage and is in the Fox Movietone Newsreel.  Gloria was at the foot of the stage with her camera and took photos from a fan’s perspective that day.

• Sam Bell
Sam was Elvis’ childhood friend in Tupelo when he lived at 1010 N, Green (up on “the hill”).  He has interesting stories of growing up playing with Elvis.

• Barbara Mallory and Linda Hankins
Barbara started the Tupelo Elvis Fan Club in 1956 when she was 15 years old.  She and her cousin Linda were at the concert and have fun stories to tell about the day they saw Elvis perform.

• Allyson Adams
Her father Nick Adams accompanied Elvis from Hollywood to Memphis and on to Tupelo for the concert.  Allyson found a box marked “Nick’s Stuff” among his things.  In the box were the photos he made that day and a manuscript titled 8 Days with Elvis.  It is an account of his journey with Elvis to Tupelo for the Homecoming Concert.

11am – Fan Appreciation Day ceremony at Elvis Presley Birthplace followed by music until 3 p.m.

Special Exhibit at the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau
The “Embroidered Eagle” and “Black Vine” jumpsuits were both worn by Elvis in the early 1970’s and are on exhibit in the CVB lobby.  The CVB is open 8am-5pm, Monday through Friday and located at 399 East Main Street, next door to the Hilton Garden Inn. 
The exhibits are free.

The statue was sculpted by Mississippi native, William N. Beckwith based
on a September of 1956  photograph by Roger Marshutz, titled 'The Hand'.