The first statue of Elvis on Beale Street Memphis TN, unveiled in 1980 and created by artist Eric Parks, was unfortunately too fragile to withstand the elements and was being damaged a couple of times.
To prevent further damage, in 1994, a decision was taken to remove the heavily worn down “Elvis” from the street and place it indoors in the downtown Memphis Tennessee Welcome Center.
For three years, Elvis Presley Plaza remained a big, empty spot, until in 1997 it was finally filled with a new 9.5-foot bronze statue of a young Elvis sculpted by Andrea Lugar. Unlike the original, the replacement depicted “pre-tassels” Elvis with a curled lip, a wave of hair, and a guitar poised to make fans of all ages swoon – just as Elvis would have looked like back in 1955, wearing a stage gear bought, most likely, at Lansky Bros. down the block.
Although designed to be more sturdy than the previous statue, it is also kept at a secure distance from the public behind an encircling fence.
