Elvis Presley, what about his Cars

Elvis Presley, what about his Cars

Herewith an apology to the millions of Elvis Presley fans around the world. I never cared for your hero. I didn't approve of his Elvis-Pelvis stage mannerisms, hated his bouffant hair style, had no taste for his singing. This was not a generational thing for I was only slightly older than Presley during the height of his popularity. I was also part of the culture of the period, a renegade in some respects, definitely not a prude. So to understand my animosity you need to appreciate that musically I was dedicated to modern jazz, with a low tolerance level for pop and rock and a dislike of country music. By my standards Elvis was a third-rate guitar player and couldn't sing any better than most of the boring crooners of the day.

However I'm now willing to concede a grudging respect for Mr. Presley, for I've just learned that he was (gasp!) a car guy. Yes, Elvis Presley purchased more than 200 vehicles during his lifetime, including some real collectibles. Of course I knew that he'd owned a pink Cadillac Fleetwood because my ad agency art director Ray Fry recalled spotting the car in Pasadena when Ray was a student at the Design Center, leading to a brief "car guy" chat with the rock legend. But I didn't know that Elvis also owned, among others, the red MGA from "Blue Hawaii," a purple 1956 Eldorado Convertible, and a 1973 Stutz Blackhawk.

The cars from Elvis' garage will be on display during the inaugural Elvis Motor Classics International Car Show at Graceland from May 27 to 30, 2010. Many other collector cars will gather on the 70-acre grounds to celebrate the anniversary of his 75th birthday. The family-friendly four-day event will also feature music, competitions and tours. Classic car enthusiasts will be able to experience the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum, tour Graceland and other Memphis highlights, and enjoy special discounts and accommodation rates. "Elvis was passionate about collecting cars, so Graceland is the perfect place for car enthusiasts to celebrate his 75th birthday" said Walt Hollifield, world-renowned collector and event organizer. "We've received calls from clubs and individuals from as far away as Colorado and Canada who are bringing their classic cars to Graceland."

My friends at Hagerty Insurance will be on-site, assisting with event registration and presenting trophies on Sunday.

For more information about attending or exhibiting at The Elvis Motor Classics International Car Show, you should visit ElvisMotorClassics.com or call (704) 455-1564. I won't be there unless Elvis is, but if that should happen I'll say to him "hey man... your guitar playing may not be cool but your cars are." I'm sure he'd appreciate the compliment.