Of the 27 public bandshells built across the U.S. under President Roosevelt’s Depression-era WPA program, the Levitt Shell in Memphis, Tennessee, is one of a handful still standing. It probably didn’t hurt that it happens to be the site of Elvis Presley’s first concert. Originally named the “Overton Park Shell,” the open-air amphitheater—built for a humble $12,000 in 1936—primarily hosted operas, musicals, and orchestras in its early years. It began hosting big bands in the 1940s while making all shows free admission. Then, on July 30th, 1954, a nineteen-year old…
