Along with a tradition of outstanding football, historic concerts and community events have made Ray Stadium special to Meridian residents.

Jimmie Rodgers died three years before the stadium was completed, but The Father of Country Music still managed to leave a mark at 'The Ray'.

Concerts have been held there as part of the Jimmie Rodgers Festival, including a performance by a then-unknown singer from north Mississippi.

"Elvis came here. He hitchhiked here from Tupelo and worked himself onto the stage and performed," said Charles Ray, III. "And it wasn't a year later before you started hearing the name Elvis Presley."

"My mother says I was three years old and they took me to see Elvis Presley there," said Fonda Rush.

"I think Dick Smith introduced him. And Elvis was on stage; he had his white shirt on with his collar turned up, blue jean jacket, had his guitar and he starting to sing. And I was sitting on the infield," said Bill John.

But this performance was before Elvis was 'The King'.

Bill John, who now works at the Jimmie Rodgers Museum, says he left the festival before Elvis even finished a song.

"But the next time I was in the record store in town there was a bunch of older, pretty girls and I made a mistake. I said, 'Hey, y'all, who are you talking about?' And they said Elvis Presley. And my only response was, 'Who?' You don't know Elvis Presley?! 'Oh yes! Yes! I know Elvis Presley!'"

Ray Stadium wasn't just a destination for big musical acts though. The community came together at the stadium for so many unique events, including the annual calf scramble, which residents brought up to me before I could even ask.

"My mother had younger brothers that were in school at Enterprise, and they would come and try to catch their calf to raise and show in the fall at the fairgrounds for 4-H," Rush said.

To hear more from Meridian residents about the historic events at Ray Stadium, tune into part two of this special series Tuesday night at 10 p.m., or Wednesday on Good Morning Meridian.

In Part 3, we'll have a look at the rich football history at Ray Stadium, and have interviews with a state championship winning coach, and former NFL star who says The Ray stacks up with some of the best home fields in the sport.