Graceland... Eh, Randers, DK.

Was Elvis Danish?  Is there something we do not know?

Lately, we’ve been asking questions to that effect.  It is all because of a newly opened place in Denmark called... Graceland.

Yeps, it’s Graceland Denmark.  Or, as it is known:  Graceland Randers.

This poses several question:  Where is Randers and what does it have to do with Elvis?

The new Graceland is almost twice the size of Elvis’s original house.  So, it's not really a replica, because it's different.  Okay, we can over look that.  It is a museum with over 6000 Elvis items – and the owners hope to attract 50,000 visitors a year (the real Graceland attracts 600,000 people a year, just to put it into perspective).

Surely, there must be some serious Scandi Elvis connections?

Here are the answers to your hunka hunka burning questions about Elvis’ Scandinavian connections:

Elvis – it’s a Norse name.  We know this because Bronte used this fact to persuade Jonas to let her name their first born son Elvis.  They had all girls, so no Elvis (but they do have an Elsa).  Elvis means Old Wise One. 

Randers – it’s a bit of a typical place in Jutland, Denmark.  Nice enough to live there, but we see no other reason to stick for too long around except it does have a really good hot dog stand.  We still cannot understand how it connects to Graceland, though.  It is a bit like deciding to put a museum for Scottish contemporary art in the middle of Sao Paulo. 

Yes, you can get married at Graceland Randers.  There are Danish Elvis Impersonators available. 

Nope, Elvis never visited Denmark.  That we know of.  Maybe he’s still here?  Maybe he lives in Randers?  Is it he who runs that nice hot dog place?  A-ha, the plot thickens.

Elvis nearly married a Swedish girl from Valsjobyn  her name was Ann Margaret.  But he didn’t, in the end.  Except he kinda did:  in the film Viva Las Vegas they got married in the Little Church of the West... (as did Jonas and Bronte...)

l to r: bronte, Jonas

Kjell Elvis is a chap from Stavanger in Norway who has had quite a bit of surgery to look like his idol.  Yikes.

Any more connections?