How Tupelo Made Elvis: A Timeline of Key Events
Elvis’ creativity, curiosity, and passion led him to change American music forever.
Let’s see how growing up in Tupelo helped shape Elvis’ outlook on life and influenced some of his greatest musings.
JANUARY 8, 1935
![](https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image3-768x511.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=240&q=80&w=320&s=a64bd2a18127f4ecebfc8ce44f5e289f 320w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image3-768x511.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=405&q=80&w=540&s=f0147d3187701dfbdbc9ba5f07d7c270 540w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image3-768x511.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&crop=focalpoint&fit=min&fp-x=0.5&fp-y=0.5&h=576&q=80&w=768&s=cea30c299614d6d844587dc597ffa3c1 681w)
Elvis knew that more positive tomorrows are not a given, you have to make them. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in a two-room house built by his family, he grew up poor. While money was scarce, love and support were not. According to Tupelo historian Roy Turner, the small community that Elvis grew up in all supported each other however they could. “If one person had a radio, it was there for all to come over and listen to the Grand Ole Opry on Saturday night. If one had a sewing machine all the ladies were welcome to use it. No one had a lot and no one felt better than the other in general.” The tight-knit nature of the community meant that the young Elvis was constantly surrounded by positivity and musical inspiration – from the sounds of his local church, to the Black bluesmen in his neighborhood, and the country music radio programs he enjoyed with his family.
![](https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=67f461416af8caac2ee50c899c5895be 320w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=4b453d6cff3fccd608f35217b20f5a9a 540w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=44cb535ae09db0ba98dc31b2b3fd95df 768w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=ea438d68e927f1397b0fda45146091df 1024w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=bd94ac1f7ac9c959799087bdd4ca52a2 1200w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=cab83f19a21052ea25016087820b603c 1440w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=ae5194e6f1bf61e9c9f842a939a30ad1 1920w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image6.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=140d48c6985d3d0f366630b62d7297ed 1999w)
1946
Shaped by the sounds of his community, Elvis’ love of music started young. By 1946, the ten-year-old would be singing “Old Shep” in a youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo. He won fifth prize and received $5.00 in fair ride tickets.
“WHEN THINGS GO WRONG, DON’T GO WITH THEM.” – ELVIS
In the same year, Elvis went to get a bicycle, but was enamored by a rifle which his mom wouldn’t buy for him. He became very upset and was handed a guitar to calm him. For a total of $7.75, Elvis has just received his very first guitar. This interesting turn of events all went down at Tupelo Hardware Company, which remains open to this day. Just like Gladys Presley, and her soon-to-be-famous son, people in Tupelo have a knack for making great things happen, no matter what life throws their way.
![](https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=4b125621559a8fe7059de74da63545d7 320w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=b502607d5f677033fb387980695e76ef 540w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=9a175e66e77d16c3beb60f2da2d4a0b5 768w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=bc116d14070f8f3686ee544896bcd90b 1024w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=451d70e47b43253631d9c056a2de1f7f 1200w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=901e791ae6b0540ea74f6ff052054ef4 1440w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=984522d1a45740dbb401ee91e01460bf 1920w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image5-e1622769896208_2022-06-17-181906_icax.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=2560&s=30236653f829af092dcd200ef2e297a5 1999w)
1948
Elvis plays his guitar and sings “Leaf on a Tree” for his Milam Junior High class in Tupelo as a farewell. Elvis and his parents move to Memphis, Tennessee.
“VALUES ARE LIKE FINGERPRINTS. NOBODY’S ARE THE SAME, BUT YOU LEAVE ’EM ALL OVER EVERYTHING YOU DO.” – ELVIS
1956
Eight years after leaving Tupelo, Elvis returns to his hometown as the top rock and roll singer in the country. At 21-years-old, he performs two “Homecoming” concerts at the Tupelo Fairgrounds. During his visit, he donated proceeds from his concerts to buy his former home and several more acres to turn it into a park for the children in East Tupelo. According to Roy Turner, Elvis was motivated to do this because “he was an East Tupelo kid. He knew we had nothing on the east side of town. We had to go to the west side for a park, to swim, movies, everything. And we were not welcomed by the west side kids. At 21, he wanted to make a change in the lives of others growing up as he did. I think that speaks volumes about the man.”
![](https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=320&s=df2c4eeb42cd76191bac47b44b977130 320w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=540&s=f1e4316b2f9ce3832159ce7dfa85930e 540w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=768&s=3ec4d84c613cdd8f3c54ba1b02fa56b1 768w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1024&s=bd69e61acb507da6a3c2cf038f27a126 1024w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1200&s=0918ac514497fbf3988d0d315c704451 1200w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1440&s=8a48961b2686c2339c6d0a2265855539 1440w, https://visit-tupelo.imgix.net/images/image2_2022-06-17-182007_aheg.png?auto=compress%2Cformat&fit=max&position=50%2050&q=80&w=1920&s=aa56a70a9791f5c68d194db5e815523b 1762w)
1957
When Elvis returned again the following year to do a show on September 27, 1957, he donated approximately $14,000 for a youth rec center to be built in Tupelo. “No one prompted him to do these two acts of kindness,” explains Turner. “That was Elvis.” This generous habit of giving to others would become a well-known trait for the singer and something that can be traced back to growing up in Tupelo – where everyone helped each other.
Come live the journey that changed music forever.