I’m delighted to share the story of the Yellow Corvette, a narrative that has resonated with many. This tale was featured on The Moth, a platform dedicated to the art of storytelling. In this particular story, Dennis Oulahan, a teacher, recounts an experience that left a lasting impact on him. While the full details are best appreciated by listening to his own words, the essence revolves around a day of celebration that took an unexpected turn, leading to profound personal reflections. You can listen to Dennis’s heartfelt story here:
For a visual journey through the evolution of yellow Corvettes from 1953 to 2020, you might find this video insightful:
The story of the Yellow Corvette…
At the end of the tour and upon returning to Memphis, Ron bought his own special vehicle. Although the crew was well-paid, Elvis routinely handed out bonuses or tips, especially at the end of a tour.
Ron saved his tip money and in August 1976 bought a yellow 1973 Corvette Stingray. He bought the dealership near Graceland. Taking a look at the parking lot, he explained to the salesman that he worked for Elvis Presley.
While Ron thought about the purchase, the seller suggested he take the car home over the weekend, drive as long as he wanted, and then return Monday to decide on the purchase. Just casually driving Corvettes home on the weekend was indeed another perk of working for Elvis.
He “got out of that car” over the weekend and made the purchase Monday. When Elvis saw the yellow car parked at the airport, he asked: “Who is the owner of this car? ”Ron confirmed that it was in fact his Corvette. “I must be paying enough,” Elvis replied as he continued to board Lisa Marie.
A special place at the August 18, 1977 procession…
Ron and Betty attend funeral. Ron drove the yellow Corvette, which he proudly bought with the generous tips Elvis would give him in previous months. As the procession began to form from the Graceland Mansion to Forest Hill Cemetery, police on-call asked who owned the yellow Corvette. Ron, assuming there was something wrong, notified them the car was his. They asked if he would be comfortable being the last car in the procession. With about one hundred thousand fans gathered along Elvis Presley Boulevard, police wanted a brightly colored car to easily keep up with the line of vehicles. “Of course, I said no problem,” Ron recalled.
The entire video of that day follows the hearse and the limousines. Ron’s bright yellow Corvette, which marked the end of the procession for the officers in charge of the procession and the crowd, is nowhere to be found. Ron was hoping that someday a photo or video would emerge. Just a few years ago, a fan reached out and shared a photo of the Corvette. While not a picture of the whole procession, it was a picture of Ron’s car on Elvis Presley Boulevard that day in August 1977