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Have you ever wondered what the King of Rock and Roll dreamed about before he was famous? Imagine being an 11 year old boy in ripped clothes, sitting on a milk crate and wishing to change the world. In his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi a stunning new statue called “Becoming” captures this exact, magical moment. It beautifully shows the unbelievable journey of Elvis Presley from a poor country kid to a massive global superstar.
The talented sculptor, Michiel VanderSommen, faced a really exciting challenge when making this piece. He designed the artwork to show the young boy looking up at a vision of his future self. The adult Elvis statue stands right behind the boy, but he is a towering seven feet tall! This giant size is not a mistake; it is meant to show how overpowering and huge his future life would soon become.
Creating this amazing artwork took some very cool hidden secrets. To get the superstar outfit just right, a famous Elvis tribute artist named David Lee wore a heavy cape and posed in a parking lot for over an hour. The sculptor even used rough sand and melted wax to perfectly build the famous, beautiful eagle design on the back of the King’s cape so it looked completely authentic.
Even the faces on the statues have a wild backstory. Since there were no clear photos of Elvis at age 11, the artist used real police forensic science to reverse his age from an older face down to a young boy. He also did special research to find the exact, small size of the guitar a poor Tupelo kid would have played. Today, thick steel pipes hold this heavy, beautiful piece of history safely in the ground so it never blows away.
The making of the Elvis “Becoming” statue in Tupelo – Interview with sculptor, Michiel VanderSommen
But what did that towering, seven-foot future actually look like in real life? Step right into a time machine back to 1956, and you will see the adult Elvis returning to his exact hometown for a mind-blowing live concert. The rare video footage is pure magic, showing the local boy coming home as the most famous, unstoppable entertainer on the entire planet.
The crowd of local fans goes completely wild as Elvis shakes, sings, and dances across the huge outdoor stage. You can easily see the pure joy on his face as he shares his massive success with the very same community where he used to play in torn socks. He even receives a special award from the state governor right there on stage, proving to everyone that his crazy childhood dreams really did come true.
Elvis Presley – Live 1956, Tupelo’s Own (Complete – 6 Tracks – 13 Minutes)
Elvis Presley will always be remembered as the legendary King of Rock and Roll but his real magic was his heart. He was a humble soul who never forgot the simple dirt of East Tupelo where he first picked up a guitar. From a boy wishing on a hill to an icon who changed music forever, his amazing story proves that the biggest legends often start in the smallest places.
