August 1977
Hard to believe it's been 30 years since we lost The King.  Elvis was 42 when he died ... being that I'm now 42, thoughts like this cause the siren screech of mortality to become even louder.

I was living in Tupelo at the time he died, and still have the local paper's commemorative edition.  For some reason, my parents -- who don't share my passion for history and nostalgia -- thought it worthy of saving.

Tupelo's cable system received one local channel and all the stations out of Memphis.  Suffice to say, late August '77 was All Elvis, All The Time on the tube.  (Back then, I wasn't a big fan ... and wished the cable company and/or a set of rabbit ears could've pulled in 6 or 13, just for a badly-needed break from all the madness!)



This month, by the way, marked the birth of WKXX-FM - "KICKS 106" - and the eventual doom of its AM sister, WERC - and of WSGN.
A talking map, huh?  Unfortunately, a visitor soon asked it about the interstate routes through Birmingham, and the poor map blew all of its circuits from laughing so hysterically.
Y'know, people in our age group (at the time I was 12) might've been a little more sheltered than kids these days.  Still, not all of us were the gullible pushovers Ralston Purina thought.

"Cookie Crisp" is still around.  Only the mascot has changed (the little wizard and his corny TV commercials - "COOKIES FOR BREAKFAST?  Ohhh, heavens NO." - are, thankfully, long gone).

I tried this cereal once, and that was too many times.  Ecch.

Hey, check it out - it's the Hardee's star, before he became famous!

 



Summer of '77.  Skateboarding.  Talk about your shameless cash-in.
(Although I would've been tempted to coast down the little hill where Sike's Shoes is located)

07/29/2007 -- 525 PM EDT

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