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