WTFgal: You have chosen a very dangerous handle! People will think that you're my girlfriend or somehow otherwise associated with me!!

As for Leatherface, I like that guy too, but he is from Texas, so I don't think that's who they were talking about.

There's also the Olympic skier by that name, but he's from California.

According to Wikipedia there are a musicians, football players/coaches, baseball players, a pastor, a writer, etc. all with that very common name, none from this area.

Bill Johnson? I love that guy. I'd be honored to name an airport after him. You do mean this guy, right?

http://www.leatherface2.com/

tupelojoe81: The fair performance was 26 Sept 1956.

According to the link provided, he returned a year later and performed in Tupelo on 27 Sept 1957.

Elvis did perform here, once I believe. Fairpark/Fairgrounds area.....

megmabus: I don't blame Tupelo for trying to capitalize on its ties to Elvis. it should! But, it hasn't done so very well over the past 50 years for some reason. They can't even get significant acts to play at a festival named for Elvis!

As for why I read the Tupelo news, etc. , that's really just none of your business. But, one reason that I will share is that I find the incompetence of the people involved in "running the city", amazing, hilarious and disturbing all at the same time. It's better than a sitcom.

Here's a tip for you. If you don't want to read what I write whenever you see "WTFDude" in bold at the top of a post, just skip it. It's really just that easy.

As for the Memphis airport, I'm not saying that it's "all that". But it is a MUCH more significant airport than the Tupelo airport and Memphis is where Elvis made his home.

JoshMabus: I've never heard of anyone by that name that is famous and from around here. And if I did, I don't see why whether or not that person will ever have anything named for him is relevant to this topic.

Now back to the actual topic.

What Elvis might have wanted in 1957 is probably VERY different from what he might have wanted later after he because world famous. I doubt that the naming of a rec center in Tupelo was very high on his list given the amount of fame and acclaim that he gained during his lifetime. But maybe it was, who knows?

But just because he played an event In Tupelo early in his career to raise funds for a rec center doesn't really mean that was something that he "REALLY WANTED." If he had wanted that so much, he'd probably have just donated the money to have it built.

But, I have heard that Elvis sorta "disowned" Tupelo over the mishandling of some money or something. Was that related to the September 27, 1957 event that you referenced?

He never performed here, or made any sort of appearances here after that event did he?

My point was that in the grand scheme of all of his fame, something being named for him in Tupelo is probably just not that big a deal!

If you think Tupelo is so pathetic that its unworthy of claiming its relationship with Elvis Presley, then why do you waste your time here? More specifically, time reading Tupelo news and commenting on it. Often.

Personally, I think the Memphis airport should be named the "My Terminals and Layout Don't Make a Bit of Sense Airport".

If that comment was about me, I'm not sure how or why my name was mentioned in this "debate". :)

I don't understand why anyone would even mention something being named after me, much less in the same conversation as a discussion of something being named after the most recognizable person in the world. Doesn't make any sense.

But I do have some questions.

If the benefit that he did 53 years ago was for for a recreation center named for him, why has it been 57 years and the thing is still not built?

Was that money used for something else?

Was it misappropriated?

Is that why he never performed here again after that?

Just curious.

As for naming an airport after him, that should be the Memphis airport. Memphis is where made his home and I'm sure he flew in/out of Memphis airport. Plus Memphis is actually a significant airport that people actually use.

Someone would know about the youth center with a quick trip to Google (it's a wonder how things can hang around for 33 years):

http://www.elvis.com/elvisology/bio/elvis_1935_1957_6.asp

Look under September 27, 1957. Now, we can argue semantics about him wanting it or wanting it named after him, but I think it was understood that it would be named after him.

Although I don't know if a youth center is in the plans, Representative Steve Holland helped secure $3mm for improvements and expansions at the current birthplace site. So we should see some changes out there.

It's more than Bill Johnson will ever get.

How would anyone know that he wanted a recreation center in Tupelo, MS named after him?! He died 33 years ago!!

I'm sure that with all he accomplished in his life that it just won't be complete until a recreation center in the small town that he was born in but chose not to live in or visit is named after him!

And sure, rename an airport that no one uses after him.

What a great honor that will be!!

A HUGE TYTYVVVM TO ALL OF YOU WHO HELPED

WITH THE FESTIVAL TO CELEBRATE ELVIS !

HE WOULD BE SO PLEASED AND GRATEFUL TO

HIS HOMETOWN THAT CONTINUES TO DO SO MUCH

TO HONOR HIM AND HELP OTHERS! THE LICENSE TAGS LOOK SO GREAT AND SOON HOPEFULLY WILL PAY FOR

THAT YOUTH REC CENTER HE WANTED NAMED AFTER HIM! NOW LET'S RENAME THE AIRPORT-- TUPELO ELVIS MEMORIAL AIRPORT--

Thanks for the catch.

I'm sorry about the damage, but who let someone post a caption that "the Hogues WAS up the road..."?