Elvis Presley image used by permission, Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

The King is gone, but he’s certainly not forgotten — especially in Memphis, where the city is gearing up for Elvis Week, the annual pilgrimage of fans marking the loss of a cultural icon.

This year’s Elvis Presley activities kick off Tuesday, Aug. 10, when an Elvis tribute artist (that’s a euphemism for Elvis impersonator) re-creates one of Presley’s first noteworthy concerts at a venue formerly known as the Overton Park Shell. It all wraps up Aug. 16 — the anniversary of Elvis’ 1977 death — with a concert at Graceland Mansion.

In between those bookends is a wealth of panel discussions, movie screenings and even a 5k run and walk. Naomi Judd’s husband, Larry Strickland, will take part in a performance during one event as a member of the Stamps Quartet. He was a part of the vocal group when it toured with Elvis during the 1970s.

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Vince Gill performs with Albert Lee at Eric Clapton's 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival. Photo courtesy of Erin Morris.

Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill, Emmylou Harris, Paul McCartney: several halls of fame are bursting with news about their programs or their members.

The Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame have new inductees on the way, the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum has a couple of fundraisers on the docket in Nashville and Los Angeles, and one Rock & Roll Hall of Fame member invoked the names of two Country Hall of Famers when he played next door to Nashville’s best-known museum.

Here’s a bundle of Hall of Fame-related music news:

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Tim Mcgraw performs at the Nightly Concerts at LP Field on Thursday, June 10 in Downtown Nashville during the 2010 CMA Music Festival. Photographer: John Russell / CMA.

With all the chatter about phony celebrities on Twitter, it’s easy to forget that there’s another entire realm of fakes: celebrity impersonators. The most famous, of course, are Elvis Presley impersonators, but a whole sub-industry exists in which people get paid for resembling the likes of Dolly Parton, Cher or George W. Bush.

There’s also a Tim McGraw impersonator — a guy in Michigan that the singer’s real-life keyboard player, Jeff McMahon, likes to call the “Timposter.” And Tim’s organization is embracing the fake. In fact, impersonator Lee Crites has Team McGraw’s total blessing as he prepares to run in the New York City Marathon in November to raise money for the Tug McGraw Foundation.

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Bill Monroe photo courtesy of www.myspace.com/williamsmithmonroe.

Bill Monroe, widely regarded as the father of bluegrass, may soon get the same sort of movie treatment that’s been given to Johnny Cash and Ray Charles.

Actor Peter Sarsgaard, known for his work in “Jarhead” and the new “Knight And Day,” is in the early stages of development in a film about the late mandolin player, according to The Wrap. Peter is apparently a big fan of Bill, who played a central role in creating and shaping the acoustic genre named after his band, the Blue Grass Boys.

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Michael Martin Murphey photo courtesy of LC Media.

“Good mornin’, America, how are ya?”

The words should be familiar — they kick off the chorus of the pop-and-country classic “City Of New Orleans” — and Michael Martin Murphey puts the train the song was named after to good use beginning this Fourth of July weekend. Starting Friday, Michael plays three straight days at the Fir Amphitheater, a mountain-top venue in Colorado that can only be accessed by riding the rails through La Veta Pass. And the train that fans take to reach the Fir is indeed the City of New Orleans, the same train Steve Goodman rode through Illinois when he was inspired to write his best-known song. “City Of New Orleans” became a pop hit in the early ‘70s for Arlo Guthrie and a No. 1 country hit for Willie Nelson in 1984.

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Vince Gill photo courtesy of UMG Nashville.

Vince Gill made his way to Chicago this weekend to take part in Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival, and he was surrounded by some pretty impressive players.

John Mayer, B.B. King, Steve Winwood, Jeff Beck and ZZ Top were all there, and Vince’s set found blended him with some very respected fellow musicians. Acoustic bluesman (and new Nashvillian) Keb’ Mo’ joined Vince along with Earl Klugh, a jazz guitarist who recorded with Chet Atkins; and Albert Lee, who appeared on Brad Paisley’s Grammy-winning “Cluster Pluck.” Vince also got an on-stage visit from former Elvis Presley sideman James Burton, whose collaboration on “Mystery Train” was one of the highlights of the day, according to The Chicago Tribune.

As if that weren’t enough, Sheryl Crow popped out to join Vince on a version of Clapton’s “Lay Down Sally,” Premier Guitar reported.

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Marty Stuart photo courtesy of The GreenRoom.

It’s a small, old-timey spot on Music Row, a boxy building that’s easily overlooked if you’re just driving by. But there’s a treasure trove of history at RCA Studio B in Nashville, and Marty Stuart used the joint on Wednesday to preview his Ghost Train album for a select group of media.

Studio B practically rings with history. The Everly Brothers, Skeeter Davis, Dolly Parton and Elvis Presley all recorded there. Marty’s first session, in October 1972, took place in the studio when he was a 13-year-old member of Lester Flatt’s band. And Marty’s wife, Connie Smith — who was among the guests Wednesday — recorded her first hit in the same place in 1964.

Marty stood in the back of the room — in the same general area where Elvis stood when he recorded “It’s Now Or Never” and “A Big Hunk O’ Love” — as he previewed the new CD, which required Marty to give a little extra effort to get the facility sounding right.

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Country Music Hall of Fame member Chet Atkins.

When Ferlin Husky and producer Billy Sherrill were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on Sunday, CMA Chairman Steve Moore called Hall membership “the highest honor in country music.” But the rewards don’t stop coming just because you’ve reached the pinnacle.

In fact, several members of the Hall of Fame — including Hank Williams, Willie Nelson and Chet Atkins — continue to be remembered for their impact on American culture.

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Love And Theft photo courtesy of Lyric Street Records.

Love And Theft can look back on the last 18 months with a lot of joy. Looking ahead, however, is requiring a little bit of faith.

The band — Eric Gunderson, Brian Bandas and Stephen Barker Liles — earned its first hit in 2009 through Carolwood Records, a sister label to the Disney-affiliated Lyric Street. “Runaway” led the guys to their Grand Ole Opry debut and the release of their first album, World Wide Open.  Martina McBride recorded their song, “Wrong Baby Wrong.” They also had a chance to make a cameo appearance on “American Idol,” to take part in a Kraft sweepstakes and to hit the road on Tim McGraw’s current Southern Voice Tour, which also features Lady Antebellum.

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Marty Stuart photo courtesy of the Greenroom PR.

Marty Stuart was barely 14 when he took part in a recording session for the first time, and he revisited his past rather appropriately in cutting the 14th studio album of his career, Ghost Train (The Studio B Sessions).

Due Aug. 24, the project combined Marty’s love for traditional country music with his appreciation of historic pieces of the genre’s past. He’s noted for his collection of old stage outfits and instruments, and RCA Studio B is one of the ultimate historic locations in Nashville. It was not only the site of Marty’s first session, with Country Music Hall of Famer Lester Flatt, but it also spawned such hits as Bobby Bare’s “Detroit City,” Dolly Parton’s “Coat Of Many Colors,” Skeeter Davis’ “The End Of The World” and Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome To-night?”

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