We enjoy music as much as we enjoy holidays, so why not try and combine the two? There are places that we can travel to that celebrate the heroes that sung and played the music that we still enjoy today. Many of the stars are no longer alive but their music certainly is. So, let us start our journey and enjoy our favourite music in an adventurous way.
Graceland
Graceland is not just where Elvis Presley lived for most of his life, it has since been made into a museum that you can visit. It is a 14-acre property that is located in Memphis, Tennessee. Elvis bought it in 1957 and lived there until he died in 1977. It cost $100,000 to purchase and was a complete contrast to the tiny house where Elvis grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi. Considering his career had only begun in 1954 after recording for Sam Phillips’s Sun Records, it was not long until he was able to afford to buy a mansion. Its white outdoor colour scheme and stature can be likened to that of the Presidential White House.
Those visiting this museum, which opened five years after Elvis’s death, can view the King of Rock ‘n Roll’s extravagant touring costumes, his impressive car collection, and the famous “Jungle Room”. You should be aware that the whole property is not open to the public but those areas open to tourists are kept faithful to the day Elvis left them and well worth seeing. New Elvis fans are appearing all the time because of the quality of his voice and the large collection of hits that he amassed during his lifetime. I think it is fair to say that there will never again be anyone quite like Elvis, who had mass appeal because of his talent, looks, and stage presence.
Bob Marley Museum
As Graceland was turned into a museum five years after Elvis’s death, so was Bob Marley’s Jamaican home by his wife, five years after her husband’s death. Marley’s wife would turn the home in Kingston, Jamaica into somewhat of an institution that would focus on the life and legacy of the great musician.
The Marley home is in a beautiful location in Kingston that is shaded by palm trees. The late musician’s home now showcases many of his artifacts. This includes gold records and awards, as well as clothing that Marley wore for performances. Each year, on the anniversary of Marley’s birthday, the museum will hold a weeklong celebration. This, of course, as fans will know, each February.
ABBA
The whole of ABBA, that is Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid, may still be alive but they are no longer performing together as a group, which may explain why there is already a museum dedicated to the group and their music. In the 70s and 80s, they had a string of hits with tunes such as ‘Dancing Queen’, ‘Mamma Mia’, and ‘Super Trouper’.
The museum is packed with glittery costumes and gold records from the pop hit that ABBA sung and played on. The museum has interactive elements incorporated, such as a disco-inspired dance floor. There is also a red telephone that a visitor can answer when it rings. There are only 4 people that have this number, and I am sure that we can guess who they are.
The address for the museum is Djurgårdsvägen 68, 115 21 Stockholm, Sweden. I think that you might have guessed that it would be in Sweden. This is, of course, where ABBA originate from, although their song ‘Waterloo’, which they sang at the Eurovision Song Contest was in English. This adoption of the English language for songs in part explains the group’s global popularity, as does the string of melodic tunes that they composed, recorded, and performed. Björn and Benny would compose the tunes and play instruments, while Agnetha and Anni-Frid would be responsible for most of the singing.
To conclude, this is only the tip of the iceberg, and we haven’t even visited any cold countries. Whether you enjoy rock, early ska, reggae, or pop music, there will be a musical hero or group of heroes that you can follow to the destination of a museum where they are celebrated.
