Giant Panda Ya Ya Returns to China

From the Memphis Zoo Press Release: On Wednesday, April 26th, giant panda Ya Ya began her journey back to China. Ya Ya is accompanied by Memphis Zoo's senior veterinarian and Chief Zoological Officer – together they possess over 25 years of giant panda experience. Our veterinarian will manage any medical concerns or needs, while our Chief Zoological Officer will manage all husbandry needs while en route. Memphis Zoo's panda loan agreement ended this spring and Ya Ya is returning to China to live out her golden years. After 20 years, Ya Ya has become like family, and she will be sorely missed by the Memphis Zoo staff and the local community. We wish her the best of luck in her new home. ~ The Memphis Zoo

I dug through my archive to rekindle some of the memories from when my colleague, Wayne Risher and I went along to China to document the zoo officials bringing back the Giant Pandas, Ya Ya and Le Le to the Memphis Zoo.

It was a big deal for Memphis!

Below is a photo gallery from China in 2003. See where they lived and how officials prepared the pandas to fly on a FedEx plane to Memphis.

Here is another photo gallery of daily life around Beijing and Shanghai.

Here is a gallery with more current photos of the pandas and also YaYa’s recent going away party at the Memphis Zoo and the panda exhibit.

Here are some links to the coverage of Ya Ya’s return, including this one that speaks to the politics of pandas by CNN.

https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/04/28/china-welcomes-ya-ya-panda-home-after-20-years-abroad/

https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/26/china/china-us-ya-ya-panda-diplomacy-intl-hnk/index.html

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/panda-yaya-china-memphis-zoo-diplomacy-washington-beijing-geopolitics-rcna81566

https://dailymemphian.com/section/metrocity-of-memphis/article/35795/ya-ya-memphis-zoo-giant-pandas-return-to-china

Here is a link to my prior blog post that includes links to videos of the Pandas-

https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/2022/12/21/giant-pandas-leaving-memphis-zoo

Lisa Marie Presley Dead at Age 54

Fans leave flowers and notes outside of Graceland in memory of Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvis Presley who Died Jan, 12, 2023 at the age of 54.

Lisa Marie lived at Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee in her early childhood. After Elvis Presley died, she inherited the house. She frequently returned to Graceland to remember her father and to greet fans on his birthday or during Elvis Death Week.

As a photojournalist in Memphis, I have had many opportunities to cover Lisa Marie and her mother Priscilla Presley, and those who loved and were connected to Elvis in his lifetime. I have put together a small photo gallery and video of the spontaneous memorial outside Graceland and some other links to stories about the passing of Lisa Marie.

Each year, during death week in August, fans travel to Memphis from around the world to remember Elvis. A candle is lit at his grave and the flame is transferred to a few fans, who process past the graves along with thousands of other fans who come to participate in the candlelight vigil. The event usually goes into the early hours of the next morning. (One of the photos in this photo gallery is Lisa Marie participating in the vigil, passing that flame to fans.)

Newspapers around the world have been interested in the story of the death of Lisa Marie Presley.

Lisa Marie will be buried at Graceland near her son Benjamin Keough, who died in 2020, and her father Elvis along with other family members in the meditation garden next to the home.

A few highlights from Elvis Week, usually attended by Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley, Below-

The video of the spontaneous memorial for Lisa Marie outside Graceland is below:

Lisa Marie was here this summer for a premiere of the new Elvis movie that came out.

https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/tag/Lisa+Marie+Presely

It’s a busy time in Memphis! I will try and add to this blog post and photo gallery as I have time.

John Beifuss, my former colleague at the Commercial Appeal who is a longtime Memphis reporter wrote an excellent story about Lisa Marie. https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/2023/01/13/lisa-marie-presley-dies-elvis-daughter-graceland/69804300007/

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/lisa-marie-presley-dies-wealth-net-worth-graceland/

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https://youtu.be/1deDe9Ye_LM THIS IS A LINK TO THE LIVE STREAM OF THE CEREMONY

Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob at the St. Jude Marathon 2022

There is just something about a bunch of ukuleles playing together that makes people smile. Each year, our Memphis Ukulele Flash Mob entertains the runners in the St. Jude Marathon. Often they are exhausted, they laugh, cry, smile, dance and some even stop to take selfies with us. It’s a wonderful thing to be a part of.

Runners raise millions of dollars to fight against rare forms of childhood cancer. https://www.stjude.org/get-involved/fitness-fundraisers/memphis-marathon.html

I love the story behind St. Jude and the founding of the hospital by Danny Thomas. Praying to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes, Danny asked the saint to “help me find my way in life, and I will build you a shrine.” It is so inspiring to live in Memphis and see the fulfillment of the promise that Thomas made to St. Jude. It is always a powerful reminder to me, of how each of us has the power to change the world and be a blessing to others. https://www.stjude.org/directory/t/danny-thomas-founder.html

It was his wish that children are treated here for catastrophic childhood cancer, while families never receive a bill so that they can focus on their sick child instead of medical bills.

This video below from 2021 shows what our experience is like. A runner sees us and starts weeping. The event is always bittersweet.

Lt. Robert Bedford Honored at 103 on Veterans Day

Lt. Robert Bedford, age 103, was honored with other area veterans at the 2022 West Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery Day Event Friday, Nov. 11, 2022, in Memphis, Tenn. Navy Lt. Bedford, is one of the few remaining World War II D-Day Veterans who is still alive. (Photo By Karen Pulfer Focht ©)

Robert Bedford as a younger man.

Thank you for your service Lt. Bedford and to all of our other brave veterans for fighting for our freedom and democracy.

Jerry Lee Lewis~The Last of the Million Dollar Quartet, Is Dead at 87~

© Copyright- No photos for reproduction without written permission.

One of the highlights of my photojournalism career has been covering Jerry Lee Lewis. Always a thrill, always unpredictable and always interesting. Jerry Lee made the rules and Jerry Lee always only did what he wanted to, when he wanted and for whom he wanted to.

Lewis was controversial and quirky. It took patience, dedication and perseverance to do the kind of documentary photography I wanted to do on him.

I was not even alive during his heyday. Most of my coverage of him was in the second half of his life. But the idea that I was documenting history was still omnipresent.

At times, Jerry Lee had a difficult life. He dealt with a lot of personal tragedy, he had a wild reputation, and had to overcome many personal problems.

As for my experience, he was always a gentleman, on occasion a flirt. He was often anxious to go watch his favorite TV show, Gunsmoke. Judge him as you like, Jerry Lee Lewis had a deep faith in God. He was raised with his double cousin televangelist Jimmy Lee Swaggart.

As a photojournalist, you get a front-row seat to life. I always prefer to be a fly on the wall. My style is real and raw, authentic and as spontaneous as possible.

Jerry Lee Lewis was one of the Million Dollar Quartet and the last of those men living. He was a contemporary of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins. He came up under Sun Records and Sam Phillips (he produced Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, and Howlin' Wolf and more) .

Where ever you go, all over the world, you can hear their music playing. They are still ever-present and relevant all these years later.

What struck me most about Jerry Lee is how much he loved to play piano. He was passionate about playing, always. He never seemed to tire of it. He’d even practice in his hotel room before a show.

He loved his fans and often invited them into his dressing room after the show.

His buddy, newsman Jim Kingsley, one of the original “Memphis Mafia”, would bring me down to the ranch and tell Jerry Lee to let me take photos of him. Jim was someone who could get Jerry Lee to do whatever he asked.

I was with Jerry Lee when he was a guest on Donald Trump’s yacht. I watched the IRS carry Jerry Lee’s piano out the door of his Mississippi ranch for back taxes. I was there with him and Dennis Quaid at parties around the filming of Great Balls of Fire. I witnessed him signing his name to open a name-sake club on Beale Street. I watched him perform at The New Daisy with Dr. Nick ( best known as Elvis Presley's personal physician) standing in the wings. I was there when he and his seventh wife Judith renewed their vows. I was at the garage sale where they were selling his Rolls Royce, some of his record collection and his cowboy boots. I was at many of his birthday parties, concerts, and even a recording session.

At home, he would often retreat to his bedroom which had a security guard door and bars on the windows.

My photos of him ran in newspapers and magazines all over the world.

He put a little extra sparkle in my life. He was living history. He was one of the people who put Memphis and Memphis music on the map.

He was an original, and a living legend.

He will be missed.

Found on a recent trip to Amsterdam

Hundreds of fans lined up early outside the Hernando Funeral Home to pay their respects to The Killer, Jerry Lee Lewis. Pictured are Band members Kenny Lovelace, J.M. Van Eaton, Sun Records Jerry Phillips, his children Jerry Lee Lewis the third and Lori Lewis Lancaster and family friend Kelly Chelette.

Nice Obit by Reuters who also used a couple of photos of mine from his recent anniversary party: https://www.reuters.com/lifestyle/rock-n-roll-pioneer-jerry-lee-lewis-has-died-age-87-2022-10-28/

The Memphis Commercial Appeal: https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/entertainment/music/2022/10/28/jerry-lee-lewis-dead-rock-n-roll-singer-country-music/3069727002/

Interesting story in the Los Angeles Times: https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2022-10-29/jerry-lee-lewis-myra-brown-williams-marriage-13-cousin

Rolling Stone ““Look, we’ve only got one life to live. We don’t have the promise of the next breath. I know what I am. I’m a rompin, stompin, piano-playin’ sonofabitch. A mean sonofabitch. But a great sonofabitch. A good person. Never hurt nobody unless they got in my way. I got a mean streak.… I gotta lay it open sometimes.”: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/jerry-lee-lewis-great-balls-of-fire-whole-lot-of-shakin-goin-on-myra-gale-brown-1234621001/

Desoto Times had an interesting interview with Myra Brown- http://m.desototimes.com/news/jerry-lee-lewis-was-canceled-after-marrying-13-year-old-cousin/article_28404220-5bb3-11ed-880a-33f0827e46a5.html

HERE ARE SOME LINKS TO OTHER PREVIOUS WORK

https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/tag/Jerry+Lee+Lewis+Wives

https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/tag/Jerry+Lee+Lewis+lll

https://www.karenpulferfocht.com/blog/2018/1/2/jerry-lee-lewis-brings-in-new-year-2017-2018

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-people-jerry-lee-lewis-idUSKBN2B304O

VIDEOS-

https://youtu.be/DYqc7x2CTJA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9spbbONets&t=29s

https://youtu.be/ZWoSdwuenqU

https://youtu.be/2AXRYbb3Ye0

An Evening with Elizabeth King: The Sacred Soul Queen of Memphis

ON THE SEASONED SIDE OF LIFE: Performance Highlights of Gospel Singer Elizabeth King at Crosstown, Memphis

Surrounded by amazing Memphis musicians, 78-year-old gospel singer Elizabeth King pours out her heart and soul while performing at Crosstown Arts in Memphis, Tennessee Aug. 27, 2022. She was accompanied by her daughters. King is experiencing a career resurgence after taking time out to raise 15 children. She has recently recorded on Bible & Tire Recording Company.

King tells the story of how she was “Touched by God” and how he changed her life forever.