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One anchor display at Elvis Presley‘s Graceland home is the two airplanes parked just across the street from the mansion. One is a Lockheed Jet Star. The other is named after Elvis’ only daughter Lisa Marie Presley. Subsequently, they display Elvis’ celebrity and a time capsule of the early 1970s. Here’s what we know about the Lisa Marie, including how it came to be permanently parked at the home, when Elvis purchased it, and why he named it after his daughter.

How did Elvis Presley acquire the Lisa Marie airplane?

In April 1975, Elvis Presley made a startling purchase, his airplane. Per the Elvis Presley Graceland blog, the king of rock and roll bought the former Delta jet, a Convair 880.

He purchased the jet for $250,000. Later, Elvis named the plane after his daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who was seven then.

Slash Gear reported the Convair 880 was not the first plane Elvis wanted to purchase for his use. The first was a Boeing 707 jetliner.

However, the 707’s previous owner experienced legal troubles with the aircraft. Therefore Elvis backed out of purchasing the aircraft.

Elvis christened the Lisa Marie plane and had the name emblazoned on its left side, near its nose. However, on the tail, Elvis painted the TCB logo, which stood for “taking care of business in a flash.”

Elvis called the Lisa Marie airplane ‘flying Graceland’

After purchasing the aircraft, Elvis Presley outfitted it to his lavish tastes. He spent over three times what he paid for the plane, almost $800K, in renovations.

Elvis called the Lisa Marie airplane “flying Graceland,” reflecting his ornate decorating tastes. The enormous jet consists of two half-baths, a lounge area, a conference room, a sitting room, and a master bedroom.

The interior of the plane is decorated in jeweled tones. Blue, green, and gold are the primary hues Elvis wanted, and combined, they show off a rich, almost cocoon-like interior.

Of course, the king of rock and roll also insisted on a state-of-the-art (in 1975) sound system. Therefore, the Lisa Marie is outfitted with an 8-track stereo system, a sky-to-ground phone system, and other high-tech devices.

Elvis took his first official flight on the Lisa Marie in November 1975. The trip was to Las Vegas, where he performed at the International Hotel for two weeks, bringing his girlfriend Linda Thompson on the trip.

The Lisa Marie went on display at Graceland in 1984

A photograph of Elvis Presley and his daughter Lisa Marie Presley in his wallet.
A photograph of Elvis Presley and his daughter Lisa Marie Presley in his wallet | Zak Hussein/Corbis via Getty Images
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Elvis Presley’s Lisa Marie airplane went on display in 1984. This was two years after Graceland mansion was opened up for public tours.

One year after Elvis’ death, his father, Vernon Presley, sold the plane in 1978. In 1982, the newly formed Elvis Presley Enterprises worked with the plane’s owners, OKC partnership, to return the aircraft to Memphis, TN. It was housed then across the street from the infamous mansion.

In 2014, The Tennessean reported that a letter written by Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden claimed the company wanted to end the agreement and move the planes off the property by the end of April 2015.

Rolling Stone later reported in April 2015 that the planes would permanently stay as part of the display of Elvis Presley memorabilia at the home. “Graceland is pleased that an agreement has been reached for Elvis’ two airplanes, the Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II, to remain at Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis permanently,” the estate said in a statement.

All fans who purchase a ticket for the Elvis Experience Tour will have access to both the Lisa Marie and Lockheed Jet Star. Subsequently, fans can tour the mansion and have full access to Elvis Presley’s Memphis Entertainment Complex, housed on the same property as the planes.

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