Elvis Blog – Post #21
DATELINE: Memphis, Tennessee
Remembering Thursday 16 August 2012
Elvis Week
ELVIS QUOTE:
“The people were looking for something different and I came along just in time. I was lucky.”
ELVIS TRIVIA:
Was Elvis’s black Stutz Blackhawk a piston car or motorcycle?
ELVIS HISTORY:
Tuesday 17 August 1954
The ads for Dewey Phillips’ show at the Hippodrome on 28 August 1954 were posted. Elvis (presumably) attended. It featured rhythm and blues music. Times were listed as “7 pm for whites and 10 pm for colored.” The stars were Roy Hamilton, the Drifters, Faye Adams, LaVern Baker, the Spaniels, The Counts, and Big Maybelle. By all accounts, The Drifters, Roy Hamilton, and Lavern Baker had a strong influence on Elvis for years.
MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE:
Thursday 16 August 2012, 10 am to noon
Elvis Week
We went to the “Meet and Greet the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artists” at the Hard Rock Café 315 Beale Street. We heard there would be finger food and were amazed to find a wonderful full-out buffet. We were able to talk to Victor Trevino, Jr., Ted Torres, Kevin Mills, Bobby Simpkins, and many more. They were all gracious. Jayme got her scarf autographed by 20 of the 24 ETAs there and gave it to Marlene, later (Marlene was still in the hospital). Jerome Jackson, who won the Tampa Florida Contest ‘12, was charming as always, as was Charlie Nieshio from Kobe Japan. At the end, we were surprised to see Cody Slaughter and he was amazing. We had to hurry to get to the New Daisy Theatre to see the fantastic Bill Cherry at 1pm. Then of course we had to shop and go to dinner before the sold-out 35th Anniversary Concert. I had imagined it would be a repeat of the 25th Anniversary show, but it was completely different and just as wonderful. Beautiful Lisa Marie shared some personal videos and Pricilla, looking terrific, added some insight into Elvis’s life. It was an amazing evening. Cody Slaughter channeled Elvis leaving the little birth house to go on to bigger things.
The next concert at the New Daisy Theatre on Beale was supposed to start at 11pm, but they were generous and held the start of the show (by three Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artists) until the crowd came over from the Anniversary show. Bill Cherry UETA ‘09, Brandon Bennett UETA ‘08 (star of the Million Dollar Quartet in Chicago), and Justin Shandor UETA ’10, made us glad they held the curtain for us. They were awesome. Brandon just gets better and better and he started off great. It is obvious he’s just going to get sexier and better looking as he continues to perform. You may ask how is that possible? He was already perfect.
We finally met up with Rhea Edenfield, Faye and James Calhoun, and others. Rhea looked like a movie star in a sheer midriff little black dress, and the shampoo she used on her long black hair made her even funnier than usual.
TRIVIA ANSWER:
A car