"Elvis at 21" Offers a Pre-Fame Glimpse of The King
Eric Richardson
[Flickr]
In "Elvis at 21," photographs of the singer are accompanied by recollections from photojournalist Alfred Wertheimer, who documented Elvis just before his rise to fame.
DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — Friday, on what would have been singer Elvis Presley's 75th birthday, the Grammy Museum will open an exhibition of photos that document the time in the singer's life that immediately preceded his rise to stardom. 56 oversized black-and-white prints bring to life images taken by photojournalist Alfred Wertheimer of the 21-year-old who would later be called The King.
Wertheimer was hired by RCA Victor to shoot publicity shots of their newly signed recording artist, but the results were far more journalistic than staged. One set of shots captures a flirtatious encounter with a young woman backstage in Richmond, Va. Others show Elvis at home with his parents and standing in a crowd waiting to order food from a lunch vendor on a train platform. Just months later, Elvis would need police escorts to get through mobs of screaming fans.
The show, a traveling exhibit organized by the Smithsonian, is making its debut in Los Angeles. Along with the photos, the Grammy Museum has put together a display of artifacts that includes the first two guitars Elvis played. The show is the second to occupy the museum's special exhibit space, and will be on display through March 28, 2010.
Elvis at 21: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer / Grammy Museum / / Opens to museum members on Friday, January 8, and to the public on Saturday, January 9.
ChattyCathy on January 08, 2010, at 12:34AM – #1
I've already starting telling my friends about this event. Have you been to the Grammy museum yet? I was so pleasantly surprised about how much it has to offer and how entertaining it really is. And I can't wait to see these photos of Elvis at age 21. What a fine specimen of a man! He broke the mold.
Heather Shelton on January 13, 2010, at 07:47AM – #2
The folks at the Smithsonian are so glad that people are talking about this exhibition. Most of all, we're excited that these fantastic images seem to be bringing people back in time--to an era that was so different from our own. And, of course, we're excited that people are sharing their stories about seeing Elvis on TV and hearing his music for the first time. For anybody who wants to share their own Elvis tale, check out the Smithsonian's Elvis at 21 Facebook group. http://www.facebook.com/sitesExhibitions