Original Church of Young Elvis Presley Opens Its Doors Once Again

Aug. 5, 2008 - PRLog -- TUPELO, MISS. --  The original one room frame building that was the Assembly of God Church of East Tupelo opens to the public on Saturday, August 9, on the grounds of Elvis Presley Birthplace. Guests will visit the simple church and through an immersive audio-visual experience will be transported back to a lively 1940’s Pentecostal service.

Energetic, spirit-filled worship and close gospel harmony became the bedrock that Elvis himself credited for his great success. “We are thrilled to have this church that was so important to the Presley family become part of the Birthplace experience,” said Henry Dodge, President of Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation.

The festivities will begin at 10:45 a.m. with an opening ceremony in front of the church, located adjacent to the Chapel at the Birthplace Park.  The daughters of Brother Frank Smith, pastor in 1946 who taught young Elvis his first three guitar chords, Tammy Smith of Tupelo, Reba Maxwell of Zion, IL, and Betty Brasfield of Okolona, MS, will attend as guests.  The Landmark Quartet will perform.

The church will seat approximately 48 visitors for each showing of the 15-minute film. Showings are scheduled every half hour between 10 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Dick Guyton, Executive Director of Elvis Presley Birthplace, plans to utilize the church for private events in the future.

This humble one-room church was moved from its original location one block from the Presley home in 1959 and converted into a two-bedroom house just across the street. The congregation replaced it with a larger church and the history of the original structure was all but forgotten.

Once this house was identified as Elvis’ church, the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation purchased the building in 2007 and moved it one block to its new site on the Birthplace grounds. Germantown Contracting has been responsible for the move and restoration of the historic structure.

Design 500 Inc., museum and exhibit designers, created the reenactment of a 1940s church service featuring Brother Smith, a gospel quartet, and the local congregation. Brother Frank was known to “walk about” while preaching to emphasize a point. Oftentimes a visiting quartet would perform “specials,” and the congregation’s singing was always a big part of the service. Scott Blake, creative director for Design 500, stated, “Because of this tradition, Elvis was soaking up Southern gospel music from an early age.”

The film was produced by William Bearden Company, who also created the two documentary films in the Birthplace museum. “Design 500” called for three massive screens to surround the visitor with the old time church experience,” said Bearden, “so we employed three static cameras and two hand-held units shooting simultaneously during the church service.” Still photos of original church members will be woven into the story.  
Local volunteers along with professional actors and musicians served as the 1940s congregation. A number of the actors will attend the opening in costume.

Saturday, August 9, is Elvis Presley Fan Appreciation Day, the annual event marking the passing of Elvis Presley on August 16, 1977. Elvis Presley Birthplace invites fans from all over the world to visit the home where Elvis was born and the museum that chronicles his life.

Elvis Presley Birthplace is managed by the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation of Tupelo, Mississippi. Other notable Elvis sites in Tupelo are included in the Elvis Presley Driving Tour.  Among the 10 sites are Tupelo Hardware, where Elvis' mother bought his first guitar, and Johnnie's Drive In, where he often enjoyed a cheeseburger and RC Cola with friends.

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