[Pages S2425-S2426]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

CONGRATULATING GRACELAND

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate now
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 406, which was submitted
earlier today.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:

A resolution (S. Res. 406) Congratulating Graceland on the
occasion of its designation as a National Historic Landmark.

There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution.
Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed to,
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid upon
the table.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The resolution (S. Res. 406) was agreed to.
The preamble was agreed to.
The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

S. Res. 406

Whereas Graceland--
(1) served as the home and private retreat of Elvis Aaron
Presley from 1957 through 1977; and
(2) is intimately connected to the musical and cultural
heritage of Elvis Aaron Presley;
Whereas Elvis Presley is--
(1) universally recognized as the ``King of Rock and
Roll'';
(2) known to generations by only his first name; and
(3) widely agreed to be one of the most famous and
influential American cultural icons of the 20th century;
Whereas Elvis Presley, having drawn on musical traditions
including gospel, country, and rhythm and blues, contributed
to the development, popularization, and evolution of the rock
and roll genre;
Whereas Elvis Presley, having been an exceptionally
talented vocalist and stage performer, experienced a career
marked by unprecedented professional success and achievement;
Whereas Elvis Presley received numerous honors and
accolades, including--
(1) 3 Grammies;
(2) 14 Grammy nominations; and
(3) a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award from the National
Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences;
Whereas the Recording Industry Association of America has
officially recognized Elvis Presley as the number 1 Solo
Artist in United States History because he has--
(1) achieved over 150 gold, platinum, or multi-platinum
awards; and
(2) documented album sales exceeding 120,000,000 albums;
Whereas Elvis Presley is the only artist to be inducted
into 3 major music halls of fame, including--
(1) the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986;
(2) the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998; and
(3) the Gospel Music Hall of Fame in 2001;
Whereas Elvis Presley continues to maintain a preeminent
position on numerous Top Artist Achievements lists,
including--
(1) ``Most Chart Hits'';
(2) ``Most Top 10 Hits'';
(3) ``Most Top 40 Hits'';
(4) ``Most Weeks at the number 1 Position'';
(5) ``Most Consecutive number 1 Hits'';
(6) ``Most Consecutive Top 10 Hits''; and

[[Page S2426]]

(7) ``Most Gold and Platinum Hits'';
Whereas Elvis Presley was personally involved in the
renovation and reconstruction of Graceland, and the unique
design and decoration of Graceland enshrines his style,
character, influence, and cultural legacy;
Whereas Graceland serves as a museum for promoting,
celebrating, and maintaining the role of Elvis Presley in the
history of the United States;
Whereas Graceland--
(1) is a historic residence built in the Classical Revival
style; and
(2) was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1991;
Whereas Graceland continues to serve as a pilgrimage site
for millions of Elvis Presley fans from around the world;
Whereas Graceland is recognized as one of the most visited
historic house museums in the United States, attracting over
600,000 visitors each year; and
Whereas Graceland will continue to impact the popular
culture of the United States by educating millions of
visitors for years to come: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) recognizes Graceland as exceptionally valuable for
promoting and illustrating the contributions of Elvis Presley
to the music and popular culture of the United States;
(2) acknowledges the importance of designating Graceland as
a National Historic Landmark for the purposes of recognizing
and preserving that unique cultural attraction; and
(3) congratulates Graceland on the occasion of its
designation as a National Historic Landmark.

Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I want to take a few moments to comment on
the resolution that was just agreed to with regard to Graceland.
As famous as the White House, as beloved as Wrigley Field, each year
over 600,000 people from around the world travel to Memphis, TN, to see
Graceland, the legendary home of the King of Rock.
Today, I am pleased to introduce and pass the Senate resolution
honoring Graceland as a National Historic Landmark.
On behalf of my fellow Tennesseans, I extend my thanks to Secretary
Norton for recognizing this unique contribution to American culture,
and the extraordinary influence of the man who made it his own, Elvis
Aaron Presley.
Born on January 8, 1935, in a 2-room house in East Tulepo, MS, Elvis
and his family moved to Memphis when he was 13. Six years later--with
the help of Sam Phillips, Sun Records, and his recording of ``That's
All Right''--Elvis became a star.
From that moment on his fame only grew, propelling him into the small
pantheon of American icons who single-handedly remade popular culture.
In the 1960s, Leonard Bernstein was moved to remark, ``Elvis is the
greatest cultural force in the 20th century. He introduced the beat to
everything music, language, clothes. It's a whole new social
revolution.''
John Lennon famously said, ``Before Elvis, there was nothing.''
Elvis fused the styles of gospel country, and rhythm and blues. His
instinctual style revolutionized rock'n roll and drove it to the center
of popular culture.
Through his enormous talent, drive, and charisma, Elvis achieved
remarkable success over 2 decades earning 97 gold albums, 55 platinum
albums, 25 multi-platinum albums, 51 gold singles, 27 platinum singles,
7 multi-platinum singles, and album sales exceeding 120 million copies.
When the 21-year-old star appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1956,
82.6 percent of the viewing public tuned in.
Thirteen years later Elvis opened in Las Vegas, selling out a 2,000
seat showroom, 2 shows a night, for 4 weeks straight.
He became the most successful performer in Las Vegas history,
surpassing Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, or Barbra Streisand.
In 1973 Elvis performed the now legendary ``Aloha from Hawaii, via
Satellite.'' The concert was beamed worldwide, attracting the largest
television audience to date, estimated at 1.5 billion viewers.
Elvis was only 36 when he received the prestigious Recording
Academy's Lifetime Achievement Award.
In 2004, the Recording Industry Association officially certified
Elvis Presley as the No. 1 solo artist in U.S. history.
Elvis was, and remains, a genuine cultural force. Millions of fans
from around the world have traveled to Graceland to feel a little
closer to this American icon. And his music continues to course through
American life.
Bruce Springsteen once said, ``There have been a lotta tough guys.
There have been pretenders. And there have contenders. But there is
only one King.''
And there's only one Graceland that preserves the King's memory.
I commend my colleagues for recognizing this singular cultural
landmark.

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