lvis Presley live at the “Mississippi-Alabama Fair And Dairy Show” on the open air stage of the “Tupelo Fairground” in his native town of Tupelo, Mississippi, Wednesday, September 26, 1956, afternoon concert. Elvis wears a deep dark blue velvet shirt from Lansky’s with black pants and sings to 20,000 fans (sold out). In his show, Elvis brings his record-breaking million hits of the year as well as current album songs and is accompanied by his regular band “The Blue Moon Boys” with Scotty Moore (lead guitar), Bill Black (bass) and DJ Fontana (drums) as well as the Back-Up Choir “The Jordanaires”. During the performance, Elvis receives a symbolic guitar-shaped key to the city from Tupelo’s mayor, James Ballard. Later, a particularly enthusiastic blonde manages to climb onto the wooden stage and briefly get to the young rock ‘n’ roll king. In the evening, another 20,000 people are on the site for the second concert, and Elvis donates his entire fee of 10,000 dollars to the city, which he left in 1948 at the age of 13 with his parents to live in Memphis/ Tennessee to find a brighter future. His return for a day on September 26, 1956 is reason enough for Tupelo city leaders to proclaim the day “Elvis Presley Day”.
Photos: Terry Wood, Roger Marshutz, Joseph Pirzada Archive
