I’ve been listening to a lot of Elvis Presley songs this week. You probably think Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On is a Jerry Lee Lewis song – it is. However, Elvis recorded it in 1970 on his “Elvis Country” album. In case you don’t know, (and I can’t imagine how you would not know,) Elvis Presley is the King of Rock and Roll.
He was a Southern boy born in Tupelo, Mississippi. He moved to Memphis, Tennessee and began his music career there. He was successful in several genres and was the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, with estimated album sales of around 600 million units worldwide. (Reaves, Jessica. “Person of the Week: Elvis Presley”. Time. August 15, 2002)
Hearts will flutter and hips will shake when Elvis Presley returns to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival on Monday, August 18. Scot Bruce is playing Elvis and the Center for Lifelong Learning is going to be there.
The CLL is sponsoring an Academic Traveler trip overnight to Montgomery to see the show and visit the Alabama Shakespeare Festival. “The Alabama Shakespeare Festival, located in Montgomery, is a fully professional regional theatre that produces around ten productions each season in association with Actors’ Equity Association, The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, and United Scenic Artists union. Productions of Shakespeare are at the artistic core of the company. Broadway musicals, children’s productions, American classics and world premieres round out the annual offerings at ASF.” (www.asf.net)
Our group will leave Athens about 9:00am on Monday, August 18th and travel to Montgomery, stopping for lunch and to check into the hotel. We will be staying at the Courtyard Marriott right beside the ASF. We will tour the Festival grounds and visit the Gift Shop and have time for dinner and the show. We will return to Athens on Tuesday morning. For a detailed itinerary, call Diane Sauers at 256-233-8261 or visit our website (www.athens.edu/CLL) for more information. Make your reservation early. Final payment is due July 7.
If Elvis is not your thing, we are also planning a Academic Traveler trip to Belle Chevre and Arrington Vineyards in August. Our group will leave the Center at 9:30 on August 5th, traveling to Elkmont for lunch and touring at Belle Chevre, an award winning goat cheese fromagerie. Then, we will travel on to Arrington Tennessee for the Vineyard tour. “Arrington Vineyards opened its doors July 1, 2007. Since then, they have been providing a “wine country experience” of award winning wines set among the picturesque rolling hills of middle Tennessee.” (from www.arringtonvineyards.com)
The Academic Traveler program at the Center is funded by participant fees. In order to hold an event, we must have a certain number of travelers enrolled and all fees must be paid by the deadline. Please make your reservations early. Detailed itinerary is available online or call us at 256-233-8261.
Center for Lifelong Learning – 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 – 256-233-8262
By: Wanda Campbell
