In 1936, Memphis built Overton Park Shell for $14,000; 18 years later Elvis played...

A historic open-air stage in Memphis, Tennessee, built for just $14,000 during the Great Depression, is celebrating nine decades of live music with a major series of public concerts. The Overton Park Shell, built in 1936 as a Works Progress Administration project, became internationally known 18 years later when 19-year-old Elvis Presley performed his first paid professional show on its stage. Today, 90 years after its first performance, the iconic venue remains an active community music centre, hosting dozens of free and ticketed concerts each season. The milestone was reported by Memphis television station Action News 5, along with official updates published on the Overton Park Shell digital archive platform.From Depression-era construction to rock and roll historyDesigned by architect Max Furbringer and based on the famous Hollywood Bowl, the acoustic band shell was built with joint funding from the City of Memphis and the federal government. When it opened in September 1936, construction had cost about $14,000. The venue was designed as an affordable outdoor performance space for the wider public. On 30 July 1954, the venue became part of modern music history. A young Elvis Pre...