Category Archives: HISTORY

Elvis in The Smithsonian

This is a post from 2009. It is one of the more serious efforts I have produced for ElvisBlog.   Hopefully, you will find it interesting to read as we continue to shelter-at-home.

 

Did you know you could find Elvis in the Smithsonian Institution?  You can, if you check out the National Portrait Gallery’s “Bravo” exhibition.  Here’s a group of Smithsonian visitors looking at the oil painting of Elvis that hangs there.

As with just about everything else involving Elvis, this brings up an interesting story.  The artist who painted the Elvis portrait is Ralph Wolfe Cowan, who, according to several websites, is considered the number one portrait painter in the world.  He has been recognized for painting more reigning monarchs and world leaders than any other painter in history.  His work includes portraits of four US Presidents: Kennedy, Johnson, Carter and Reagan.  So, the stature of the artist certainly had a lot to do with the National Portrait Gallery selecting this particular painting.

However, this is not the first painting Ralph Wolfe Cowan did of Elvis.  Back in 1962, Mr. Cowan was selected to open the first portrait-painting studio at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.  Elvis was staying nearby at the Aladdin Hotel when he learned about the studio.  He sought out Mr. Cowan and commissioned a portrait at a cost of $10,000.  (Editor’s note: $85,000 in today’s money) Mr. Cowan started sketching on a 48-inch round canvas the very first night.

However, Elvis was very impressed with the album cover titled Heavenly that Cowan had created for Johnny Mathis.  Elvis decided he wanted a similar full-length portrait of himself and asked Mr. Cowan to start over.

The result was a painting that is now familiar to all Elvis fans.  Elvis loved it.  According to Mr. Cowan, “Elvis came by and personally carried the four-foot by seven-foot painting across the street to his room at the Aladdin.” 

This painting now embellishes the main wall at the Graceland Trophy Room.  The prominent gold hue of the portrait is a great compliment to the display of hundreds of Elvis’ gold records.  Mr. Cowan’s full-length masterpiece was the only portrait Elvis ever allowed to hang in Graceland.  Over the years, Priscilla and others would refer to the painting as “Heavenly Elvis.”  Here’s an interesting piece of trivia:  During the 1999 Archives of Graceland auction of Elvis memorabilia at the MGM Grand, somebody paid $3,500 for the check that Elvis wrote to pay for the painting.

Mr. Cowan astutely saved his original round sketch.  He has said, “After Elvis died…I was able to restore and repair the circular Elvis portrait.  As you can see, I added the red shirt and blue sky to make it different from the Graceland painting… I’ve heard from clients who have seen the portrait hanging in the National Portrait Gallery that it gets great attention.”  Mr. Cowan has referred to this painting as “Loving Elvis.”

In 1969, Ralph Wolfe Cowan created a third Elvis painting he titled “Coming Home Elvis.”   It was also part of the Archives of Graceland auction and sold for $45,000.

 

Mr. Cowan has painted at least three other Elvis portraits, and they are now offered at the upcoming The Elvis Presley Collection presented by the auction firm Gotta-Have-Rock-and-Roll on March 16-25.  All have a minimum bid of $25,000 and are projected to bring $35-45,000.  There is “Praying Elvis” depicting him in the famous American Eagle jumpsuit.

 

Also “Hound Dog Christmas” where Elvis is in a Santa suit and holds a hound dog puppy.

 

Certainly the most unusual Ralph Wolfe Cowan portrait of Elvis is “Elvis Presley Pink Cadillac.”  The painting is framed by an actual car door painted pink.

 

So, check out www.gottahaverockandroll.com and put in your bid on an Elvis painting by the number one portrait painter in the world.  Or, if you don’t have $45,000 to spare, go to the National Portrait Gallery at the Smithsonian and see one there.

©  2009    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved 

 

Footnote # 1:  I was curious to see if Elvis’ portrait still hangs in the Bravo Exhibition at the Smithsonian.  Yes, it does.

View of the Bravo exhibition

 

Footnote #2:  The “Elvis in a Pink Cadillac” did not sell at the 2009 auction.  No one thought it was worth the $25,000 minimum bid. It showed up for auction again in 2012, this time called “Cruising Elvis,” perhaps because it was revealed the door actually came from a Ford Falcon. It had a minimum bid of $2,000. I think they could have sold it for more by offering just the painting and ditching the stupid pink car door.

What do you think?

A Look at Elvis’ First Weekend of Each New Year

I have a number of Elvis reference books I use when researching topics for new blog posts. Sometimes I just scroll through one to get an inspiration. That worked for me this week with ELVIS: Day by Day by Peter Guralnick and Ernst Jorgensen.

 

On a hunch, I said, “Let’s see what Elvis did on his first weekends of each new year.” I tutnrned out to be a good idea.

 

1955 – 01 Saturday:   Change in Manager

Elvis performed in a concert billed as the “Grand Prize Saturday Night Jamboree” in Houston, TX. That’s quite a name, but nothing notable occurred at the event. However, January 1, 1955 was the date Bob Neal’s contract to manage Elvis went into effect.

Scotty Moore was glad to turn it over to Neal, who he knew could do a better job. But you have to wonder how Neal let it slip away into the hands of Colonel Parker.

 

1956 – 01 Sunday: No More Concerts at High Schools

By now Elvis was part of a Grand Ole Opry package tour headlined by Hank Snow and featuring Webb Pierce. They performed that night at a concert in an auditorium in St. Louis.

However, the next night, Elvis teamed up with Johnny Cash for a concert in Charleston, MS. Elvis was billed as The King of Western Bop. I looked up Western Bop, and Wikipedia had nothing, but Google had this:

The significance of this concert is that it is the last time Elvis performed in a high school. He was had already appeared in larger venues, so this must have been contracted well before his popularity exploded, and Elvis was fulfilling the deal.

 

1957 – 04 Friday:   Pre-Induction Physical

Elvis drove his Cadillac Eldorado from Graceland to the Kennedy Veterans Hospital for his Army pre-induction physical. Then he left by train to New York for his third and final appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show two nights later.

The Memphis Draft Board held a press conference to announce that Elvis was classified 1A and he would be drafted in the next six to eight months. He wasn’t inducted until fourteen months later, so I guess Col. Parker did a good job negotiating some delays.

 

1958 – 03 Friday:   Side Show Medicine Pitch

Back in 2005. 101 Strings released an album of Elvis songs done in classical fashion.

However, the idea was originally brought to Col Parker on January 3, 1958, and he hated it. He had a brash response to the RCA executive that suggested it. Parker said it sounded like a “Side Show Medicine Pitch.” I guess a classical reworking of Elvis’ music was a better idea after he was dead.

 

1959 – 04 Sunday: The Dream

This new year found Elvis in the Army and stationed in Germany. The time difference between there and Memphis may not have mattered to Elvis as he called Col. Parker at 5 A.M. local time.

But Parker shook off his sleep and ended up talking to Elvis for an hour-long chat. Parker joked that the call interrupted a dream he was having about Elvis getting an early release. I know plenty of female Elvis fans dreamed about him, but I doubt the Colonel did.

 

1960 – 08 Friday:   Planning for Life After the Army.

There was nothing noted in the book for Elvis’ first weekend of 1960, but the second Friday, Elvis’ birthday on January 8, was very interesting.

Dick Clark had arranged to celebrate Elvis’ 25th birthday on American Bandstand by interviewing him by phone from Germany. It’s interesting that most of the conversation concerned up-coming plans for after Elvis returned home. This included a recording session (that resulted several singles and the album Elvis Is Back), his appearance on the Frank Sinatra TV show, and his next movie, G.I. Blues.

None of this would happen until late March or April, but obviously, Col. Parker had the deals already cut by early January.

Later in the day, Elvis hosted his own birthday party in Germany. The gang presented him a trophy with a wordy inscription.

“Elvis Presley: Most Valuable Player.
Bad Nauheim Sunday Afternoon Football Association, 1959.”

I tried to find a photo of this trophy, but apparently one does not exist.

 

1961 – 06 Friday:   King Karate

During the first week of 1961, Elvis was in Hollywood filming Wild In The Country. The cast and crew through him a birthday party two days before his 26th birthday.

In keeping alive the tradition of weirdly-titled awards, they gave Elvis a plaque saying:

“Happy Birthday, King Karate”

There is no photo to be found of it, either.

 

My reference book had nothing listed for the first weekends of 1962, 1963, 1965, and 1966, so we’ll skip them and move on.

 

1964 – 03 Friday:   Picking Out New Wardrobe Items.

The highlight of this weekend was apparently going to Lansky Bros. to shop for new clothes. Elvis’ visits to Lansky’s were frequent and continued over a long period of time.

 

1967 – 06 Friday:   Elvis Gets Into Horses

On this date, Elvis supervised the renovations of the Graceland barn to accommodate his recent horse purchases. He bought a registered palomino named Midget’s Vandy, that he promptly renamed Rising Sun.

Although Elvis also bought Midnight Sun for his father and a Tennessee walker named Traveler, he soon started calling the Graceland barn “The House of the Rising Sun.”

 

This was fun to do. We will return to this subject again someday and cover the last ten new years of Elvis’ life.  I hope there will be less about Col. Parker in them.  I’m not a big Col. Parker fan, but if he’s a factor on the date, I’ll have to write about him as well as Elvis.

 

© 2020 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

REMINDER:

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Elvis and the Ed Sullivan Shows

There was some interesting history leading up to Elvis’ appearances with Ed Sullivan, just the kind of stuff that makes a good blog article.

Early in 1956, as Elvis’ career took off, Ed Sullivan was not interested in booking Elvis on his show. Sullivan even stated to the press, “He is not my cup of tea.” So, when Col. Parker offered to book Elvis for $5,000, Sullivan turned it down.

Another reason for Sullivan’s rejection was the famous Bo Diddley incident that turned Sullivan against all rock & rollers. In November of ’55, two of the hottest songs in the country were “Sixteen Tons” by Tennessee Ernie Ford and “Bo Diddley” by Bo Diddley.

 

Sullivan booked both singers on the same show, but Ford had to cancel at the last minute. In a decision that seems totally bizarre, Sullivan thought the song was more important than the artist, and he pressed Bo Diddley to sing “Sixteen Tons” on the live show.

If you remember “Sixteen Tons” and the music of Bo Diddley, you know how ridiculous that notion was. Bo Diddley certainly must have thought so, but he was just starting out and needed the exposure. He didn’t fight with Sullivan’s producer. They printed up cue cards with the lyrics to “Sixteen Tons” for Diddley, and he did the song in rehearsal.

 

However, when it was show time, Diddley performed his own song. This enraged Sullivan, and he vowed to see that Diddley would never appear on TV again. Of course, this did not happen, but he was banned from ever appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show again (as were The Doors and comedian Jackie Mason in the 60s).

 

With Sullivan showing no interest in booking Elvis, Col. Parker cut a deal with Milton Berle for two shows at $5,000 each. Berle was finishing up his eight-year reign as the king of comedy on TV. Elvis’ second appearance on June 5, 1956, was Berle’s last show and, whether he planned it or not, Berle went out with a bang.

 

Elvis’ wild gyrations while singing “Hound Dog” totally freaked out the nation. Teenagers loved it, parents hated it, and newspapers across the nation condemned it with lines like this:

New York Journal American – “primitive physical movement difficult to describe in terms suitable for a family newspaper.”

New York Daily News – Elvis “gave an exhibition that was suggestive and vulgar, tinged with the kind of animalism that should be confined to dives and bordellos.”

San Francisco Chronicle – “in appalling taste.”

No doubt, this just reinforced Ed Sullivan’s determination to never have Elvis on his show. However, by then, Elvis was already signed to appear on The Steve Allen Show on July 1, 1956.

 

This was in the Sunday night slot directly opposite The Ed Sullivan Show. Because of all the outrage over “Hound Dog” three weeks earlier on the Berle show, Steve Allen thought about canceling Elvis’ appearance, but instead had him wear tails and a top hat and sing to a basset hound.

 

So how did Steve Allen with Elvis do in head-to-head competition with Ed Sullivan? Allen clobbered the king of Sunday night TV with 55% of the nation’s viewing audience. The ratings war went to Allen by a 20.2 to 14.8 margin.

 

 

Sullivan threw in the towel and negotiated with Col. Parker to get Elvis on his show. Parker knew he was holding all the cards and muscled $50,000 from Sullivan, an unheard of amount at the time. So, Sullivan who had passed on Elvis when the tab was $5,000, now had to shell out ten times that amount to get him later. At least it was for three shows.

 

Here’s a side thought. Eight months earlier RCA paid Sam Phillips $35,000 for Elvis’ recording contract, and now he was getting $50,000 for three TV shows. Did RCA get a good deal or what?

 

I have read several reviews and commentaries that express how important it was for Elvis’ career for him to appear on The Ed Sullivan Show. I beg to differ. By the date of the first show, Elvis already had three #1 hits. His first album, Elvis Presley, was a million-seller and the first rock & roll album to go to the top of the charts. He was already filming his first movie and was under contract for several more. His live shows were jam-packed with screaming girls, and hardly a day went by without stories and photos of Elvis appearing in newspapers and magazines.

 

For the first show, anyway, I think Ed Sullivan needed Elvis more than Elvis needed him. About all Sullivan did for Elvis was make him more acceptable to the parents of his adoring fans. At the end of Elvis’ third appearance, Sullivan came out and called him “a real fine, decent boy.”

Sullivan closed with, “We’ve never had a pleasanter experience on our show with a big name than we’ve had with you; you’re thoroughly all right.” That may have allowed the parents to breathe easier, but it had no notable impact on Elvis’ career, which was already cruising away in overdrive.

 

This promo and press ticket are from Elvis’ second appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show. Here are the three dates and the songs he performed at each:

Sept. 9, 1956

Don’t Be Cruel
Love Me Tender
Reddy Teddy
Hound Dog

Oct. 28, 1956

Don’t Be Cruel
Love Me Tender
Love Me
Hound Dog

Jan. 6, 1957

Hound Dog
Love me Tender
Heartbreak Hotel
Don’t Be Cruel
Too Much
When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again
Peace in the Valley

 

 

If you own this DVD set, you have watched all of Elvis’ performances in sequence. This cleared up the confusion in my mind about whether Ed Sullivan filmed Elvis from the waist up on all three shows or just the last one. Actually, Sullivan allowed full viewing of Elvis on just one song each on the first two shows.

 

The song Elvis performs above was “Ready Teddy,” and it is my favorite when I watch the shows on the video. Scotty rocks out on the instrumental bridge, and we get a full-shot view of Elvis doing some hot footwork. This is the Elvis I tuned in to see back in 1956, and my preference is no different today. I must admit that one of his moves looks like classic James Brown, but I don’t care. Elvis’ dancing was great and I wished it had lasted much longer.

 

The Jordanaires backed Elvis on every song and were constantly visible behind or beside him except for the tight shots of Elvis’ head. That’s fine, but all of the band together was not seen except on two songs. You could tell Scotty, DJ, and Bill were close by, so why the camera didn’t pan to them mystifies me.

I really love the Jordanairs, but I think they should have been off to the side, and the band should have been behind Elvis for more than two songs.

 

Aside from that little bit of quibbling, watching Elvis on the Ed Sullivan shows was a wonderful treat back when I watched them on my family’s 10” B&W TV… and it’s even better on that DVD above. Do yourself a favor and get a copy.

 

 

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

What It Was Like Discovering Elvis in 1956

Last week, frequent ElvisBlog commenter Katgirlblue wrote,

”Wow! You were a teenager in 1956?!! You actually witnessed the early explosion of rock ‘n roll and the Elvis revolution!? I can only imagine how great that must have been…. I’m so jealous.”

That reminded me I had written an article that touched on this subject in the Winter 1999 issue of Elvis International magazine.

Elvis International Article

 

The article went back to the year when I discovered Elvis. Of course, everybody discovered Elvis that year. He blasted into stardom and took us teenagers along for the ride.

However, 44 years later (back in 1999), I couldn’t remember exactly when I first connected with Elvis. So, I watched videos of all of Elvis’ 1956 TV appearances to find clues.

Elvis 56

It was pretty fun research to do, and it paid off. I was able to make an exact determination of my Elvis epiphany and wrote about it.

For this ElvisBlog post, I scanned the article, cut it up, and pasted it in sections. I stuck in relevant pictures to break up the long blocks of text. I hope you enjoy my personal Elvis story.

 

Joe Niagara

 

Elvis With Dorsey BrothersElvis with Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey

 

 

(Magazine format changed from 2-column to 3-column at this point)

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s an interesting endeavor for a writer to critique something he wrote twenty years ago.  I am disappointed in myself for for the double that year.  The folks at Elvis International didn’t catch it either.

As I read it today, this story seems to wander a bit. It starts out about the Artist of the Century, and then goes into my search to determine when I discovered Elvis. It was seeing him on the Milton Berle show, but then I continued to describe his appearances on the Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan shows. And finally, because Sullivan showed him from the waist up, I explained how Elvis used his eyes and hands to connect with us fans.

If I had been writing ElvisBlog back then, I would have had enough subjects for four different posts.

 

Anyway, in spite of the wandering narrative, I hope you enjoyed this.

 

 

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

Postscripts to Earlier ElvisBlog Articles

Vegas Meowvis Pawsley-T-shirt

Do you remember the t-shirt I panned because the cat Elvis looked like he had a broken neck? Well, it turns out you get something good if you crop the picture just right.

Incredible Cat Elvis

How difficult is the challenge to draw recognizable elements of both a cat and Elvis in one picture? To me, the artist totally pulled it off. Over the years, I have posted concert pictures showing the intensity of Elvis’ eyes while performing. These eyes here are more subtle, but they are good, half-looking over the iconic Elvis shades. Please note the lip snarl on the cat. I don’t know why anyone would want to create a Cat Elvis, but I am impressed by the results.

 

Memphis Grizzlie Blocking Elvis Taking a Basketball Shot

Just last week, I posted this picture of a Memphis Grizzlie blocking an Elvis’ shot. That bear would have a lot tougher time against this Elvis.

Dunking Elvises

Notice the angled trampoline and the double landing pads. I guess these guys do flips before dunking the basketball. Anybody know who they are?

 

2012 ElvisBlog post about Jailhouse Rock Image

It’s been seven years since I did this post showing a lot of variations folks had created from the most favored pose on the right.

Elvis and Rock & Roll

This is pretty cool. It connects Elvis with early Rock ‘n Roll. You’ve got the 50s diner floor tile and the old album on the wall. Well done.

 

Chubby Checker

Do you remember the post about Chubby Checker performing on the Graceland Soundstage on June 22? Well, check out what that has morphed to:

Fabulous 50s Weekend at Graceland

Fabulous 50s Weekend sounds great to somebody like me who actually lived through the 50s. My four years of high school ran from 1956 to 1960, so I was a teenager during those most wonderful years of early rock and roll. I would love to go to this weekend if I could.

Here is more detail on all the good stuff they’ve planned for the Fabulous 50s Weekend:

Fabulous 50's Weekend Events at Graceland.

Note where I’ve marked the Graceland Exhibition Center. Last week I was searching for this venue, and now it shows up here. Those are three good-sounding exhibits.

I told you I’ve been  searching for it on Graceland.com/news since February, and still no pictures of the Graceland Exhibition Center have showed up. Can’t be long now.

 

One more thought on the Fabulous 50s Weekend. Chubby Checker was not a 50s rocker. His song “The Twist” entered the Billboard Top 40 in August 1960. One month later I started college at Penn State. We did an incredible amount of twisting my freshman year. “The Twist” reached #1 and stayed on the charts for 15 weeks.

However, “The Twist” had a second life. According to Billboard:

“’The Twist’ was the only single to be No. 1 twice on the Hot 100, in two different chart runs. After topping the chart in 1960, the dance caught on with the older generation. Checker was invited to perform “The Twist” on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Oct. 22, 1961, prompting a re-release of the single and a full-page ad in Billboard that proclaimed, “‘The Twist’ dance rage explodes into the adult world!” The grown-ups bought enough copies to send the song back to No. 1 in early 1962.”

But, who cares if Chubby Checker is really a 60s rocker. He’s going to put on a great show at Graceland.

 

Mount Rockmore

The first Eye Candy post featured this design called Mt. Rockmore. From left to right, we have Elvis, John Lennon, Bob Marley, and Jimi Hendrix.

Tiki Gods of Rock

Some fool tried to do a different version on Tiki poles. And they did a horrible job on Elvis. Makes him look like a criminal.

Mount Hollywood by Renato Casaro

Elvis looks way better on this, called Mt. Hollywood. Actually, they all look pretty good.

 

Alternate Kid Galahad (Pugno Proibito) posters from Italy

Two weeks ago, I noted how this Italian poster for Kid Galahad made it seem like Charles Bronson, not Elvis, was the star of the movie. I said he must have been really popular in Italy in 1962 for them to manipulate things like they did on this poster.

Then I heard from regular reader cc rider who said, “The Italian poster is a release made in the 70s. Bronson was very famous in Italy after he made Sergio Leone‘s “Once Upon a Time in the West”, in 68.”

So, it seems they re-released Kid Galahad in Italy in the 70s to capitalize on his fame.

Kid Galahad Italian Poster Forbidden Fist

This is also an Italian poster for Kid Galahad, but it must be from 1962 because Elvis is clearly the lead character, and Charles Bronson has fifth billing. The movie’s title translates to Forbidden Fist.

Kid Galahad Spanish Poster - Floor of Canvas

Charles Bronson must have been hot in Spain, too, in the 70s. He still gets fifth billing, but his two pictures are much more the focus than the two of Elvis. The title translates to Floor of Canvas, which refers to a boxing ring, but that seems like a stupid title to me.

 

A screaming crowd of teenage girls are restrained by police outside an Elvis concert in 1956.

I posted this shot of a mob of Elvis fans two weeks ago. Regular reader Sandra Van Horne advised that the photo was on Scotty Moore’s website with this caption: “Stage Door Glimpse of Elvis Starts Riot – Aug. 3, 1956 Miami.” Sandra also sent the text of a Miami Daily News article that read:

“After the first Olympia Theater appearance of the shouting shake-dancer, known to teenagers as “The Pelvis,” a crowd estimated at 2,000 became hysterical, tried to break a police line in rush for the SE 2nd Avenue stage entrance when Presley was seen briefly at an upstairs fire escape door. Police, losing to waving fans later regained ground in a big push back to the sidewalk line at the barber pole (top right in photo). The street was blocked off. What’s all the fuss about? Fans wanted just a signature or sign from the vaudeville Valentino.”

I’m not crazy about the lame snake-dancer or vaudeville Valentino references. But the fan hysteria mentioned in the press report had another result as shown in this photo.

Elvis with Ripped Pants after 1956 Miami Concert

That’s right — the fans ripped off one leg of Elvis’ pants. Miami has been the home to another rock star and pants episode. It’s where Jim Morrison dropped his pants on stage and got in all kinds of trouble.

 

Thanks to cc rider and Sandra Van Horne for their help in making this post.

 

 

©  2019    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

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Some Elvis Pictures I’ve Never Seen Before – Part 11

I haven’t done this in three months, and my files are full of stuff to show you.

Elvis Performing on a Flat-bed Truck

This is obviously from the very early days. Elvis and the guys are performing on a flat-bed truck. I especially like the picnic table right in front. Elvis definitely paid his dues. Can anybody identify this show?

 

Elvis and the Teen Town Singers

I can’t say that I ever heard of the Teen Town Singers. But how could they miss with those cool hats?

 

Elvis and 7 Chicks

Here’s some nice artwork. I think it’s a Italian poster for an Elvis movie. Let’s see, there’s Elvis and seven girls in bikinis. Could it be Clambake or Spinout? No, Bagnino means lifeguard in Italian, so the movie had to be Fun in Acapulco.

 

Elvis on location in Florida with co-star Anne Helm from Follow That Dream.

This is Elvis with Anne Helm, his costar in Follow That Dream. You’ve probably read the same stuff I have that says there was some serious kissing between these two off screen.

 

Well It's 1 for the Money

Well It's 1 for the Money - Copy

This is clever.

 

Speaking of Blue Suede Shoes, how do you like this picture?

Elvis Presley Autographed Facsimile Signed Blue Suede Shoes Poster 24 x36

This is a 24 x36 poster with a wonderful shot of Elvis. That is a fabricated signature at the bottom.

 

Elvis Taking A Break - Flaming Star

Here is Elvis taking a break from filming Flaming Star. He’s got the Indian make-up on his face and neck, but the rest of his body looks pretty white.

 

Elvis with Fans in Las vegas

This is Elvis with fans in Las Vegas. How do you like that coat? How do you like that hairdo?

 

Elvis Disco

The Elvis Disco was alive and well in 2018.

All Visual – All Night – Elvis Presley – Done Right…. OK!!

 

1960-04-20 train to California - Elvis with Joe, Charlie and Sonny

This was taken on April 4, 1960 during a train ride to California. With Elvis are Joe, Charlie, and Sonny. Don’t they all look young?

 

Elvis Presley and Scotty Moore between shows in the UD Fieldhouse in Dayton - May 27, 1956.

If you’ve been reading ElvisBlog for a while, you know I’m a big fan of Scotty Moore. This is a nice candid shot of Elvis and Scotty working on a song backstage before a performance at the UD Fieldhouse in Dayton on May 27, 1956.

 

Elvis Performing on May 27, 1956

Here is another photo from that show. But check out this.

Scotty Moore and Elvis Floating in Space

I love this version for the way Scotty and Elvis are lifted off the background, and they just seem to be hovering in space while Scotty is playing guitar and Elvis is dancing. I think this is the best picture there is of the two of them together.

 

Elvis and Bobby Dick

The small print in parentheses says, “Bobby’s the short one.” He’s also the one with the worst last name. The kids back in high school must have given him a lot of grief about that.

 

Elvis Presley and Carolyn Jones . She holds a cup of tea.

It looks like Carolyn Jones was drinking a cup of tea when Elvis moved in on her. Do you think she spilled any? If that had been you Elvis was smooching, could you have kept from spilling the tea?

 

Elvis is the air - Blue hawaii

So what do you think? Is this Photoshopped or could Elvis actually jump that high?

 

May 26, 1955 - Elvis Presley with Jimmie Rodgers Snow on Elvis´ pink Cadillac Fleetwood in Meridian, Mississippi - Jimmie Rodgers Festival parade....

The website where I found this shot had this tagline:

May 26, 1955 – Elvis Presley with Jimmie Rodgers Snow on Elvis´ pink Cadillac Fleetwood in Meridian, Mississippi – Jimmie Rodgers Festival parade.

Jimmy Rodgers Snow was Hank Snow’s son. Elvis said he bought this pink Caddy for his mom, but she didn’t drive, so he obviously had other motivations. This looks like a pretty good use for the car to me.

 

A screaming crowd of teenage girls are restrained by police outside an Elvis concert in 1956.

The tagline for this photo said: “A screaming crowd of teenage girls are restrained by police outside an Elvis concert in 1956.” I wish there had been more information. It is a legit photo because you can see one girl holding up a picture of Elvis and a couple of folks are wearing those Elvis hats the Colonel sold at every concert. Can anybody identify where it occurred?

The photo certainly paints a graphic picture of the impact Elvis had with teenagers early in his career. Pretty impressive.

 

 

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

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A Belated Goodbye to George Klein

Yesterday I checked back with Graceland.com to see if the ticket prices for Elvis Week had been announced, but they weren’t. While there, I clicked on the News tab, and was surprised to learn that Elvis’ buddy George Klein had passed away. For those of you who have not read that post, here is what EPE had to say:

Graceland.com - Remembering George Klein

Nicely done. George Klein was one of the good guys. Unlike the others in Elvis’ Memphis Mafia, George was never on the payroll. He had his own career as a radio DJ. When he hung out with Elvis at Graceland or traveled to movie sets with him, George did it because they were buddies.

Elvis, Larry Geller, George Klein, Alan Fortas.

Elvis, Larry Geller, George Klein, Alan Fortas.

 

So, I did a search to see what I had written about George Klein on ElvisBlog over the years. He has been mentioned dozens of times, but I never wrote an article just about him. The closest I did was a funny story in a post about Elvis and Ann Margret. Here it is from August 28, 2005, just seven months after the blog was launched (and years before I started adding pictures).

Elvis and Ann-Margret ElvisBlog Post

Here is the rest of that article:

One night, during the filming of Viva Las Vegas in 1963, Elvis invited Ann-Margret over to his house. He specifically told all his buddies to disappear before she arrived, but Alan and George Klein asked if they could stay if they promised not to leave their rooms. Elvis agreed, but he should have known better.

After Ann-Margret had been there awhile, Alan and George snuck on to the patio and peeked into the den. According to Alan, “They were dancing and cuddling and talking, and George and I were going crazy.”

Then, Elvis left the room to get something and walked around to another part of the house. From this vantage point, he could see the two spies plain as day. When Alan and George realized they had been caught peeping, they panicked. George tried to run off and slammed right into the glass patio door, nearly breaking his nose.

 Alan Fortas, Lamar Fike, George Klein, and Elvis

Alan Fortas, Lamar Fike, George Klein, and Elvis

 

 

This is George Klein’s autobiography. The text above the big ELVIS is a quote by Priscilla, “You told your story with class, mister. Elvis would be proud.” I agree. This is not a tell-all of bad stuff about Elvis. If you haven’t read it, you should. My copy has a cover price of $29.95 on it, but you can get a copy for as low as $6 on Amazon. A great book at a low price.

The photo on the book’s cover was taken at George’s wedding to Barbara Little. Here are some other pictures of this event from my files.

Elvis at George Klein's Wedding 1970

I liked this one because Elvis is holding a gun to George’s head. Please note he does not have his finger on the trigger.

 

The Presleys and the Kleins

The Presleys and the Kleins. I have read often that Elvis didn’t smoke, but there are quite a few pictures around showing Elvis with a stogie in his mouth.

 

This photo is both good and bad. I like the shot of George and Barbara’s hands on their Certificate of Marriage. However, the certificate showed up for bid at auction a few years ago, probably because it had Elvis’ signature on it. Kind of sad.

 

1954 Humes High School Class Officers

As the press release said, George Klein and Elvis became friends at Humes High School. The above picture from their 1954  yearbook shows that George was senior class president.

 

George Klein Text about Elvis

George is not in this picture, but the text has an interesting quote from him.

 

Elvis Palbearers Jerry Schilling, Joe Esposito, George Klein, Lamar Fike, Billy Smith, Charlie Hodges, Gene Smith, and Dr. Nick

This shot had a caption identifying Elvis’ pallbearers as Jerry Schilling, Joe Esposito, George Klein, Lamar Fike, Billy Smith, Charlie Hodges, Gene Smith, and Dr. George Nichopoulos. I believe George is the second on the right. He had longer curly hair in 1977.

 

George Klein and Elvis 1957

The tag on this simply says 1957. Backstage at a concert? Or maybe on a movie set?

Speaking of movies, George Klein had bit parts in at least four Elvis movies.

George Klein in Elvis movies

 

Here are a few other photos of Elvis and George Klein.

George Klein and Elvis Leaning on Car

 

set of Speedway- Standing – Jerry Schilling, Marty Lacker, Larry Jost (sound department), Elvis, Don Sutton, and Richard Davis. Kneeling – George Klein and Joe Esposito

On the set of Speedway. George with Elvis, four Memphis Mafia buddies, a sound guy, and baseball pitcher Don Sutton (second from right).

 

Elvis on train to NY to embark on the SS Randall for Germany. The train stopped briefly in Memphis which is why George Klein is in the picture. Elvis is kissing a fan

This strange shot was taken in 1958 when Elvis was on the train to NY before embarking on the SS Randall for Germany. The train stopped briefly in Memphis which is why George Klein is in the picture. Elvis is kissing a fan.

 

Red West And George Klein with Elvis first guitar

Red West and George Klein with Elvis first guitar. This photo was taken just two years ago.

 

 

George Klein - Elvis Presley's Friend

 

Good bye, George Klein. We’ll miss you. Say hi to Elvis for us.

 

 

© 2019 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net
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Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

Some Elvis Pictures I’ve Never Seen Before – Part 9

Elvis Backstage at Maple Leaf Gardens ~ Toronto ~ April 2, 1957

This shot shows Elvis’ disdain for the pants of the famous Gold Lamé Suit. He is clowning around in them (and the gold shoes) on a prop dolly backstage at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto on April 2, 1957.

Look how baggy and stiff they are. No wonder Elvis didn’t like them.

 

Elvis at Arcade 1956

This is Elvis and his cousin Junior Smith at an arcade in 1956. He had an entourage of one back in the early days. In the later years, this room couldn’t have held all the guys hanging around Elvis.

 

Elvis wiith Diana Goodman in the back of his limo July 19, 1975

This is Elvis with Diana Goodman in the back of his limo on July 19, 1975. We can’t see any of the rings he surely was wearing, but check out the gold bracelet and the gold chain around his neck. That is some serious weight of gold. On the downside, it was time for Elvis to give this coat away to Charlie Hodge, or one of the other guys. He had definitely outgrown it.

 

 

Long White Fringe Suit...Elvis only wore one time. The fringe got all tangled up when he danced.

This is a jumpsuit Elvis wore only one time. His jumpsuits all had cool names like Black Butterfly, Inca Gold, or King of Spades. This one is simply referred to as ”the Long White Fringe Suit.” Elvis wouldn’t wear it again after the fringe got all tangled up when he danced.

I think the whole thing is pretty ugly, and I’m surprised Elvis even put it on. Anyway, the Long White Fringe Suit joined the baggy gold pants in the Elvis wardrobe rejects hall of fame.

 

oks like Charlie Hodge and Elvis are Dancing

All you good fans recognize this as Charlie Hodge on stage with Elvis. At first glance, they seem to be dancing together.

 

February 12, 1977 - Elvis Presley Palm Beach International Airport 3

This is Elvis during his best interpretation of Bo Diddley.

 

Bo Diddley

If you are too young to know about Bo Diddley, look him up. There’s a lot more to the Bo Diddley story than that square guitar.

 

Elvis Presley & Gene Vincent

Here’s Elvis with Gene Vincent. I loved all three of his hits, and wish he had made more. Gene Vincent is another early rocker with an interesting story. Look him up, too.

 

Elvis On stage at 68 Comeback Special

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the main three outfits Elvis wore in the ’68 Comeback Special. Here is a fourth one. It’s not up to the brilliance of the white (If I Can Dream) suit, the black leather outfit, and the burgundy gospel suit.

 

Young Lisa and Elton John

This is an interesting photo of young Lisa and Elton John. Compare it to one many years later.

 

Lisa and Elton John - Later

 

This is from Stay Away Joe, and there’s a lot of girls in that car with Elvis.

Elvis and Girls in Car in Stay Away Joe

 

But this is from real life.

Elvis in a Car with Three Girls

How about that look on his face? Elvis, you lucky dog.

 

 

© 2018 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

’68 Comeback Special – A Wardrobe Review

Celebrating the 68 SPECIAL 50TH ANNIVERSARY

When I realized that December 3, 2018 would be the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ incredible TV special, I knew I had to post an article to commemorate the occasion.

I also knew every other Elvis website and blog would be doing the same thing. I wanted to come up with something different, and I have. We are going to learn what a leading British fashion design journalist has to say about what Elvis wore on the show.

Zoey Goto regularly writes about fashion in Elle, Numero, GQ, and GQ Style. She gets to report from the front row of London Fashion Week. And she has written the delightful book Elvis Style, where we get all of the text to follow.

 

Burgundy Suit from the Gospel Sequence:

 

Elvis - 68 Comeback Gospel suit

You might expect this photo-essay to start with the Black Leather Outfit, but be patient. It’s coming up.

Elvis sang a three-song Gospel medley wearing this burgundy suit:

“Where Could I Go but to the Lord”
“Up Above My Head”
“Saved”

lvis - 68 Comeback Gospel Suit

Here is what my friend, Zoey Goto had to say about the Gospel suit. (I asked her to write it on just six days’ notice, and she really came through).

The burgundy suit is so very of its time – the earthy colour, the sheen of the fabric, the slim cut of the suit, and the exaggerated double breasted lapels all scream late 60s/early 70s menswear! Perhaps this is why the outfit is often overlooked when we think about the legendary ’68 Comeback Special. Because this style was so fashionable at that time, it now looks more dated than for example the leather suit, which was not such a part of the zeitgeist.

The most effective part of this outfit was the styling of the white shirt, with its elongated collars worn over the top of the suit jacket, teamed with the apache tie scarf, which really framed Elvis’ face. From the chest upwards he looks fantastic! However, in comparison to the white suit – which is roomier and has a nipped in waist – the tight, straight up-and-down cut of the burgundy suit is unforgiving. Yet Elvis is in such good shape physically, that he still manages to pull this outfit off with panache!

Elvis 68 Comeback Dancing in Gospel Outfit

 

Well done, Zoey. That was great. And the passages from your book coming next are even better.

 

The white suit she mentioned is this one.

White Double-Breasted Suit from the “If I Can Dream” Finale.

 

Elvis 68 Comeback White Suit in front of Big Red Letters

Again, here is Zoey Goto’s review:

Out of the darkness, Elvis steps forward, his white suit instantly illuminated under the stage lights. He clutches the microphone between his hands almost as if praying, while behind him the word ELVIS is emblazoned in red lights.

It is the grand finale of his ’68 Comeback Special television program, and Elvis is giving an emotional rendition of the song “If I Can Dream” wearing a white double-breasted frock coat with a deep, single vent flap running down the back of his jacket – a signature of traditional American tailoring – which also allows Elvis to move with ease and to throw his arms wide at the end of the performance.

Six buttons run down the centre of the jacket, white slanted front pockets and a nipped-in waist emphasize his broad shoulders. Although the double-breasted jacket can add inches to the torso, the slim-line Elvis with his 32” waist, carries it off with grace.

Elvis - 68 Comeback White Suit

His coordinated front pleated pants graze his ankles without a break, creating a pleasing line from the hip to his white leather ankle boots. To complete the look, Elvis wears a deep red scarf in the style of an Apache tie – an accessory that had become synonymous with Country & Western fashion, where a colourful scarf or hanky is secured at the neck with a scarf ring.

Elvis - 68 Comeback White Suit Closeup-

As a fashion statement, Elvis’ white suit is all about the Deep South. Stepping on stage, Elvis looks every inch the Southern plantation owner, a choice that initially seems incongruous, given that Elvis has borrowed so heavily from black music and is currently on stage singing a song about brothers walking hand in hand.

However, look at his costume again and it becomes a sartorial symbol of his success – Elvis has been elevated from his humble sharecropper origins to finally becoming the Big Boss Man, as he had been previously singing that evening. In essence, his outfit can be seen as a take on upward social mobility – one of the key factors of the American Dream, which Elvis had long been associated with.

Elvis 68 Comeback White Suit Standing

 

And now, the one you’ve been waiting for.

Legendary Black Leather Outfit:

 

Elvis - 68 Comeback Black Leather - Back

Earlier in the ’68 Comeback Special performance, Elvis had performed a medley of his earlier hits while wearing fitted black leather trousers and jacket, with a black low neck t-shirt underneath. The outfit was a nod to Elvis’ rebellious 1950s image, but this time a more aggressive, sexual presence was evident. Black leather had long been strongly associated with motorcycle gangs, as illustrated by Marlon Brando in The Wild One (1953).

Marlon Brando - The Wild One

In his youth, Elvis had admired James Dean, but back in the 1950s, Elvis’ own rockabilly image and flashy Lansky Brothers clothing belonged to a very different tribe of rebellion.

Aside from owning a couple of leather jackets, Elvis had never been a devoted leather wearer, but given the luxury of revisiting his youthful image, Elvis embellished and reinterpreted history. Up on stage, as Elvis gyrates his way through a string of nostalgic hits, he instantly acquires the toughness and potency that his leather outfit lends.

Elvis - 68 Comeback Black Leather - Lip Curl

Look carefully at Elvis’ leather outfit, though, and it differs considerably from Brando’ Perfecto motorcycle jacket. Rather than the traditional studded biker jacket, with zippers running across the torso and a belted waist, Elvis’ version is essentially a denim jacket shape, but made in leather. This was not accidental – the designer Bill Belew was at the time finding inspiration in the blue jean outfits that the kids on the street were wearing.

Knowing that Elvis avoided denim as he associated it with the poverty of his childhood, Belew decided to have a denim jacket and trousers traced and remade in black leather, adding a few touches such as a front seam running down the trousers and hand stitching the yoke.

Elvis - 68 Comeback Black Leather Seated

Here are some other tidbits Zoey Goto shares with the readers:

This outfit marks the first time Elvis wore the high, Napoleon-inspired collar, which later became a signature of his jumpsuits and was employed to frame his face.

Close Up of Elvis' Black Leather Suit

On each wrist is a leather cuff. Although leather cuffs had been worn by cowboys to protect their wrists for over a century, Elvis’ buckled cuffs looked more like precursor to the leather wristbands worn by the punks in the mid-seventies.

Elvis - 68 Comeback Reproduction Elvis Black Leather Cuffs

Reproduction

Elvis’ ’68 comeback Special jacket and trousers were made from cordovan leather, the thick hide of the rump of the horse which is usually only used to make shoes. Elvis became so sweat-drenched in this rugged material that he had to literally be peeled out of the costume at the end of the performance.

 

Zoey meshed her thoughts with those of Japanese-born designer Atsuko Kudo to sum it all up nicely:

We all dress for sex appeal and attention, and this look does that in a very big way – he was like a peacock. This was Elvis’ comeback performance, the pressure was on to make a big statement and to dress in a way that empowered him. This outfit did that.

Elvis - 68 Comeback Black Leather - Arms Raised

 

I am so thankful Zoey Goto went along with me repeating part of her wonderful book Elvis Style. I’ve covered parts of it twice before in ElvisBlog:

A Look at Elvis’ Taste in Hats

Elvis’ Fashion Legacy

 

But Elvis Style covers so much more than just Elvis’ wardrobe. As the back cover says,

“Zoey Goto investigates why Elvis was, and continues to be, an icon of style, focusing on his wonderfully expressive hairstyles, clothes, cars, and interiors.”

This is such a uniquely different Elvis book. I highly recommend you get a copy.

Elvis Style - Cover

 

 

 

©  2018    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland  are registered trademarks of  Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

Deeper Look at a Recent Elvis Auction Item

I started out to do my usual Elvis auction review on the November 3 Heritage Entertainment & Music Memorabilia Auction. However, I got stuck on the very first Elvis item – a handbill for his’ March 25, 1961, Pearl Harbor concert.

Pearl Harbor Concert Handbill - Front

 

[Just real quick for you newer Elvis fans that might know about the concert, it was to raise money toward the proposed memorial for the USS Arizona that was sunk by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. 1102 American seamen perished that day.]

 

I’ve looked at this handbill picture several times before, and one time I wished I knew how to Photoshop, so I could do an upgrade on it. Elvis did not wear those baggy gold pants at the Pearl Harbor concert. Just the gold coat.

Elvis at Pearl Harbor Concert

I wanted to take the handbill picture and Photoshop some black pants on Elvis – get him to look like he did when he performed. Then, I realized that the black pants wouldn’t show against the handbill’s black background. So, I gave up on the idea.

 

There were other things about this playbill I found interesting. It was obvious that Bill Black was no longer part of the Elvis band. DJ Fontana and Scotty Moore are listed in the marquee sign along with the Jordanaires.

All Star Cast on Pearl Harbor Concert Handbill -

 

By March 1961, Bill Black was into the third year of his career with Bill Black’s Combo. They were touring around the country playing hits like “Smokie – Part 2” and “White Silver Sands.”

Bill Black Combo 1962
Note that Bill Black has traded his stand-up bass for an electric one.

 

The man who replaced Bill Black in Elvis’ band for the Pearl Harbor show was Nashville session musician Bob Moore. The rest of the All-Star Cast referred to above was Floyd Cramer on piano, Hank Garland on rhythm guitar, and Boots Randolph on sax. All Stars indeed.

 

The back of the playbill featured three photos and lots of text.

Pearl Harbor Concert Handbill - Back

 

Here’s a better look at the three pictures.

USS Arizona War Memorial Rendering

This is the architect’s rendering of what the planned USS Arizona Memorial would look like.

 

USS Arizona Memorial Construction Sign

And here we have a picture of the sign on the site where the memorial would be built.

 

Col. Parker and Bigwigs Before Pearl Harbor concert

Col. Parker with the chairman of the memorial commission and the head Navy guy.

 

Another thing that struck me was the very brief narrative Heritage Auction’s website gave to this handbill, a significant collectible.

Elvis Presley Bloch Arena, Pearl Harbor Concert Handbill (The Pacific War Memorial Commission Proudly Presents, 1961). Very Rare. Double-sided, for a benefit show in Hawaii on Saturday March 25th. One side is printed in gold and black, showing a full-length image of Elvis wearing a gold suit, listing the support act as Minnie Pearl. Measures 9.25″ x 12.25″. In Very Good condition.

When I first read it, my thought was, “I wonder what Jeff Marren and Laura at Graceland Auctions would have to say, because they do such a great job on the narratives.” I inquired them, and found out they did have two tickets for the Pearl Harbor concert at auction last year. This is what they said then.

“Perhaps what endears Elvis Presley to his fans so much is the fact that it seemed like there was no end to his willingness to give. In December 1960 an editorial ran in an L.A. paper about the stalled efforts to complete the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial. This article was spotted by the Colonel, and Elvis answered the call to duty.

“A benefit concert was organized to raise $50,000 towards the completion of the memorial. On January 11, 1961, a press conference was held and it was announced that Elvis would perform this benefit concert on the condition that every penny from the concert must go to the fund.

“Having honorably served his country in the Armed Forces, Elvis held this memorial and the soldiers that perished near to his heart.

“Ticket prices ranged from $3 to $10 for reserved section seats, and $100 for the 100 reserved “ringside” seats—and Elvis was the first to buy a ticket.

“The concert was set for March 25, 1961, and 4,000 screaming fans, 15 songs and $54,000 later, Elvis left the building. As a result of the concert and the huge amount of media attention it garnered, public and private donations flooded in from all over the country. On May 30, 1962 (Memorial Day) the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial was dedicated.”

Perhaps it doesn’t matter, but I’d like to think wonderful background text like this might bring some higher bidding.  In fairness, the concert playbill went for $1,125 as presented, which is pretty impressive.

And I love this line about Elvis, “it seemed like there was no end to his willingness to give.” Elvis’ generosity is well documented, but this is the best description of it I have ever read.

 

$100 Ticket for Elvis Presley Pearl Harbor Concert

Here’s one of those $100 tickets. That’s almost $900 in today’s money. Note there were no assigned seats. It must have been like a special private party area where you just socialized until it was time to find a seat and settle down for the show.

 

There are three interesting things in the text on the back of the handbill.

Under the heading Symbol of Freedom, it said, “The benefit performance by Presley… is symbolic of a new generation of Americans who have not forgotten the price of freedom or how dearly it has been maintained.” That sounds like Elvis to me.

Congress had authorized construction of the memorial three years earlier, but fund raising had slowed down to a crawl. Prior to the concert, only $300,000 of the needed $500,000 had been raised. One of the commissioners worried that “today the Arizona is but a rusting tomb.” The Colonel and Elvis jumped in to turn that situation around.

Two days after the concert, Elvis started the filming for Blue Hawaii.

 

The USS Arizona's anchor

My wife went to Hawaii twenty years ago with girlfriends, and of course, they went to the USS Arizona Memorial.

 

USS Arizona War Memorial Finished

So she’s seen it, and I haven’t

 

People Entering the USS Arizona War Memorial.

My wife said it was a moving experience. I’m happy for her, but I’m a little jealous.

 

Photos and text used by permission, copyright 2018 GracelandAuctions.com

 

© 2018 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.