(This article highlights David Rubello, who has his very own “Elvis Room." Photos by Maria Allard.)
The King and His Castle
Welcome to the “Jailhouse Rock,” guaranteed to leave you “All Shook Up.”
St. Clair Shores, Michigan, resident David Rubello has turned an upstairs bonus room of his home into an Elvis Presley shrine that pays tribute to the late superstar.
With his butter-smooth voice, greased pompadour and lip curl, Elvis Presley became a music idol in the 1950s. He sang and swiveled his hips into the hearts of millions, and his popularity only grew. Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, was the mansion in which the entertainer lived. While Elvis had the “Jungle Room,” Rubello has the “Elvis Room.”
The 500-square foot Elvis Room has artifacts that mark the extraordinary life of the legendary singer who died Aug. 16, 1977 reportedly of heart disease at age 42. Had he lived, the Mississippi native would have turned 86 years old this month on Jan. 8.
Just about every form of Elvis memorabilia — from the offbeat to the conventional — adorns the Elvis Room’s nooks and crannies. The collection includes countless photos, coffee mugs, lamps, plates, newspaper articles, pillows, a miniature Graceland replica, shelves of books, and much more.
“It’s my love for Elvis Presley, my love for American history,” Rubello, 58, said. “It was a project putting it together. People sometimes think you’re strange because you’ve got an Elvis room. Maybe they’re a little right. But I have fun with it. That’s what it’s all about.”
Rubello has about 500 pieces of Elvis collectibles in the spacious room. There’s gold lamé suit Elvis, black leather Elvis, white jumpsuit Elvis, movie star Elvis. Framed posters decorate the walls, dolls are placed throughout and stacks of vinyl albums and CDs are in full view. A bust of the King himself is front and center on a coffee table, and there’s even a set of “Blue Suede Shoes” salt and pepper shakers. It’s as if Elvis never left the building.
“I tried to include all walks of his life,” Rubello said. “I got the Army. I got the start of his career. I got Vegas.”
The Elvis Room is cozy and welcoming, and full of good, retro vibes. The comfortable oversized couch is the ideal way to stretch out and watch Elvis movies or videos. The famed singer’s music can be heard through attached speakers. Rubello spends time in the room every few days. He said his favorite memento is the Elvis on Velvet painting.
“People always connect to Elvis. Whatever country you’re in, you say the name Elvis and they know who he is,” Rubello said. “He became this lightning bolt. He brought all kinds of music together. He brought all kinds of people together. Everyone loves his music all across the world.”
Rubello finds Elvis merchandise in different ways, including at flea markets, garage sales, the now-closed Gibraltar Trade Center in Mount Clemens, and the annual Michigan ElvisFest in Ypsilanti, Michigan. You “Can’t Help Falling In Love” with Rubello’s treasures.
“I look for stuff that’s unique. Everyone that comes in here likes it. It’s a great place to chill out,” Rubello said. “It’s a quiet place to read, watch some TV, stay out of your wife’s hair. It’s like the Meditation Garden at Graceland. I think it would inspire people. Maybe they can come up here and feel something.”
“Heartbreak Hotel,” “It’s Now Or Never,” “Love Me Tender,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” and “Suspicious Minds” are among a slew of the music icon’s chart-toppers. Rubello thinks a lot of young bands of today would have recorded with Elvis.
“People never saw anything like it in their lives,” Rubello said when Elvis burst onto the scene. “He was everything. He had the voice. He had a great sound. He could move. He was good looking. He had charm. He had personality. He had rhythm. He had an ability to connect to people.”
Rubello first began listening to Elvis as a teenager in the 1970s. His friend owned a live-in-concert record that got a lot of use.
“We used to play it to death in his basement,” Rubello recalled. “It had all these great tunes. We thought he was cool. I knew his top hits and stuff. Then I started to delve into the not-so-well tunes and more of the ‘B’ cuts.”
Rubello learned of Elvis' death through a newspaper article. (This was long before the internet and 24-hour cable news channels.)
“I was going into 10th grade in 1977. We used to play football. We had two practices in the summertime. We used to come home in between sessions and have lunch at my friend Matt’s house,” the Elvis fan said. “I remember he had the ‘Detroit Free Press.’ He picked it up off the porch and brought it in. That’s how I found out he was dead. We were, like, shocked.”
If Rubello had to pick a favorite Elvis movie, it would be “Loving You.”
“One of my favorite fast songs would be ‘Moody Blue.’ It’s like a disco song,” according to Rubello. “My favorite slow song, ‘I Was The One.’”
In the late 1990s, Rubello and his wife visited Graceland for the first time. The second time they visited the famed landmark was during Elvis Week, a trip Rubello will never forget.
"I was able to meet his drummer D.J. Fontana," said Rubello, who also met Elvis photographer Alfred Wertheimer.
Rubello would like to have a get-together inside the Elvis Room once the COVID-19 pandemic is over.
“It’s an open invitation.”
Just remember to wear your “Blue Suede Shoes,” especially if you’re a “Hound Dog.”
In Harmony, Maria Allard
