Elvis in Memphis — The Years That Shaped the King When the Presley family moved from Tupelo to Memphis in November 1948, Elvis was just 13 years old. They lived in boarding houses before settling into Lauderdale Courts, a public housing complex where Elvis spent some of his most formative years. It was here that he carried the gift that started it all — the guitar his mother, Gladys, bought him at Tupelo Hardware in 1945 for $7.90. Too shy to sing for classmates, Elvis practiced quietly in his r