Bethel Springs School

On September 17, 1954, a very young Elvis Presley was booked to play a benefit concert at the old Bethel Springs School. At that time, Elvis had one Sun Records single to his credit, and it was his first live concert outside Memphis, Tennessee. Rockabilly icon Carl Perkins was in the audience that evening and marked the performance as a turning point in his career. Two years later, both men would be among the brightest stars in the entertainment industry and are now considered the founding fathers of rock and roll music. The old Bethel Springs School where Elvis performed that night was later torn down and the present-day structure was built, but students and Bethel citizens still remember that night in mid-September 1954 when this young man came out of Memphis in black shiny pants and a shirt with pink trim. Reports say the crowd was sparse, but Elvis performed and thrilled the attendees with his rock and roll music, and his 1954 visit to Bethel Springs School is still talked about today.

Bethel Springs, Tennessee · United States