MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shell at Overton Park, which has placed host to thousands of musicians over the years, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Bonnie Raitt, has a new name: The Overton Park Shell.
The Shell was built in 1936 and hosted many events over the years, including an historic concert by the King of Rock and Roll in 1954. In the late 20th century, the shell was nearly demolished after years of neglect, but community members came together to bring it back to life.
The Levitt Foundation stepped in in 2005, renovating the Shell and bringing the music back to the park’s venue. It reopened in 2008 as the Levitt Shell, and has hosted more than 550 free concerts in that time.
Thursday, the foundation said thanks to its supporters, the venue is now self-sustaining, and has been renamed The Overton Park Shell as a “nod to its roots.”
Learn more about the Overton Park Shell HERE.