- 18 Oct 2004
- 2,497
- 110
Graceland opens to Bush and Koizumi
By Woody Baird
The Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junichiro Koizumi and President Bush can hang around the Jungle Room all they want.
Japan's prime minister can even warble another rendition of "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," as he did at a birthday party for Bush last year.
But there are some things even presidents and prime ministers can't do at Elvis Presley's Graceland.
As a guest of the president and first lady Laura Bush, Koizumi will visit the Presley home June 30, and they'll pretty much have the run of the place.
Presley's private bedroom and the adjoining bath where he collapsed and died in 1977 will remain off-limits, however.
"You can't visit the upstairs at the White House, either," said Jack Soden, chief executive of Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Koizumi, a big-time Elvis fan, leaves office in September. He and Bush meet June 29 in Washington, and the Memphis trip is a farewell gift from the president.
For the most part, Koizumi and the Bushes will see the same Graceland other visitors see: the shag carpets and ceramic monkeys of the Jungle Room, which Elvis famously furnished with a 30-minute shopping spree; the glossy black baby grand piano near the living room's white, 15-foot sofa; and hundreds of gold records, jumpsuits and guitars in Graceland's museums.
Graceland opened in 1982, and each year, more than 600,000 tourists tromp through its first floor and basement playrooms and visit Presley's grave beside the swimming pool. But the home's upstairs is closed to the public.
The tour won't be completely standard fare, however. It will be led by Presley's only child and heir, daughter Lisa Marie, and her mother, Priscilla.
Lisa Marie Presley turned over management of Graceland and sold the rights to her father's name and image last year to CKX Inc., an entertainment company that also owns the "American Idol" TV show.
Graceland's new bosses won't be around for the president's visit because "they didn't want to get in the way," Soden said.
"This is not a photo-op for the prime minister," he said. "This is truly a heartfelt desire to tour Graceland, and the president and the first lady want the prime minister to have that experience."
Bush and Koizumi are the first sitting heads of state to visit Graceland, but Soden's staff is accustomed to dealing with high-profile visitors, including foreign ambassadors, movie stars and rock 'n' rollers paying homage to Presley.
"We're always ready for visitors great and small," Soden said. "Every hour of every day we're fulfilling somebody's dream."
The visit would be such a moment, too, for many of Koizumi's countrymen.
Presley has been one of Japan's most popular American entertainers since the 1950s and more than 2,000 Japanese tourists visited Graceland last year.
The Elvis Presley Fan Club of Tokyo boasts more than 3,000 members, and The Elvis Presley Society of Japan lists 2,000. Four years ago, Japanese fans quickly bought all 200,000 copies of a limited-edition Elvis CD featuring 25 songs selected by Koizumi.
Yoko Hika, president of a club called C'mon Elvis Fans, said many of the Japanese faithful are getting old, however, and the prime minister's Memphis trip may encourage more young people to give Elvis a try.
"I hope the attention from Koizumi's visit to Graceland makes them curious and want to listen to his music," Hika said.
By Woody Baird
The Associated Press
MEMPHIS, Tenn. - Junichiro Koizumi and President Bush can hang around the Jungle Room all they want.
Japan's prime minister can even warble another rendition of "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," as he did at a birthday party for Bush last year.
But there are some things even presidents and prime ministers can't do at Elvis Presley's Graceland.
As a guest of the president and first lady Laura Bush, Koizumi will visit the Presley home June 30, and they'll pretty much have the run of the place.
Presley's private bedroom and the adjoining bath where he collapsed and died in 1977 will remain off-limits, however.
"You can't visit the upstairs at the White House, either," said Jack Soden, chief executive of Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Koizumi, a big-time Elvis fan, leaves office in September. He and Bush meet June 29 in Washington, and the Memphis trip is a farewell gift from the president.
For the most part, Koizumi and the Bushes will see the same Graceland other visitors see: the shag carpets and ceramic monkeys of the Jungle Room, which Elvis famously furnished with a 30-minute shopping spree; the glossy black baby grand piano near the living room's white, 15-foot sofa; and hundreds of gold records, jumpsuits and guitars in Graceland's museums.
Graceland opened in 1982, and each year, more than 600,000 tourists tromp through its first floor and basement playrooms and visit Presley's grave beside the swimming pool. But the home's upstairs is closed to the public.
The tour won't be completely standard fare, however. It will be led by Presley's only child and heir, daughter Lisa Marie, and her mother, Priscilla.
Lisa Marie Presley turned over management of Graceland and sold the rights to her father's name and image last year to CKX Inc., an entertainment company that also owns the "American Idol" TV show.
Graceland's new bosses won't be around for the president's visit because "they didn't want to get in the way," Soden said.
"This is not a photo-op for the prime minister," he said. "This is truly a heartfelt desire to tour Graceland, and the president and the first lady want the prime minister to have that experience."
Bush and Koizumi are the first sitting heads of state to visit Graceland, but Soden's staff is accustomed to dealing with high-profile visitors, including foreign ambassadors, movie stars and rock 'n' rollers paying homage to Presley.
"We're always ready for visitors great and small," Soden said. "Every hour of every day we're fulfilling somebody's dream."
The visit would be such a moment, too, for many of Koizumi's countrymen.
Presley has been one of Japan's most popular American entertainers since the 1950s and more than 2,000 Japanese tourists visited Graceland last year.
The Elvis Presley Fan Club of Tokyo boasts more than 3,000 members, and The Elvis Presley Society of Japan lists 2,000. Four years ago, Japanese fans quickly bought all 200,000 copies of a limited-edition Elvis CD featuring 25 songs selected by Koizumi.
Yoko Hika, president of a club called C'mon Elvis Fans, said many of the Japanese faithful are getting old, however, and the prime minister's Memphis trip may encourage more young people to give Elvis a try.
"I hope the attention from Koizumi's visit to Graceland makes them curious and want to listen to his music," Hika said.
