The Villages Daily Sun

THE VILLAGES — Elvis Presley’s sprawling Graceland estate garnered an honor Monday normally reserved for the sites of historic military battles or the homes of former presidents. And the designation has one Villager who had more than a few encounters with Presley “all shook up.”

“I was really glad to see it; I think it’s very fitting,” said Memphis, Tenn., native Alex Coles about Graceland’s designation as a national historic landmark. “People come not only from all over the United States, but also from parts of Europe as well to see it.”

Elvis was — and still is — considered royalty in Memphis. They don’t call him “The King” for nothing. But Coles has a special insight into just how revered Presley is in his hometown. From 1962 to ‘67, Coles’ wife Ann worked as a deputy at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department in Memphis. For two of those years, Coles said his wife had the plum assignment of essentially working security at Graceland, a job she procured through her friendship with Elvis’ former girlfriend and longtime friend Anita Wood.

“Elvis called (Ann) ‘Little Mama’ — that’s a saying rock and rollers had,” Coles remembered. “And he would always call her at home and wish her a happy birthday.”

Coles said because of his wife’s employment with Presley he had the opportunity to be in the presence of rock and roll royalty on several occasions.

“I met Elvis many times; he was a sensational man,” Coles said. “He was always very polite.”

Coles said he has been inside Graceland at least 10 times and especially loves “The Jungle Room,” a glaring example of the opulence of the ‘70s, filled with furniture upholstered in animal fur and decorated with Polynesian idols and a waterfall.

But the estate’s backyard, which is also Elvis’ burial site, holds a special place in Coles’ heart.

“It’s very touching,” he said. ”They play very somber music. It’s really something to see.”

Coles remains an Elvis fan. He said his home telephone is even chock full of Elvis ringtones.

Villager Nancy Parris, another Memphis native, said while she believes Graceland is a “rock and roll landmark,” she is not sure if the mansion deserves the same designation given to the White House.

“The first time I went (to Graceland) I was very disappointed,” Parris said. “You were expecting this really big mansion.”

And she adds, “The rooms (Elvis) decorated were atrocious.”

Still, Parris said that stories of Presley’s benevolence toward the less fortunate were well known and that his death on Aug.16, 1977, cast a pall over the entire city.

“It was just terrible,” she said.

And almost 30 years after Elvis’ death, Coles said his presence still looms exceedingly large in the River City. If you choose to visit Memphis, “don’t be cruel” when speaking about “The King.”

“You won’t find anybody in Memphis that will talk bad about him,” Coles said. “A local hero is a local hero.”

Richard Conn is a reporter with the Daily Sun. He can be reached at 753-1119, ext. 9067, or at richard.conn@thevillagesmedia.com.