All posts in category Uncategorized
Elvis – a new generation discovers
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on July 28, 2019
https://theelvisexpert.com/2019/07/28/elvis-a-new-generation-discovers/
Billy and Jo Smith two eternally loved by Elvis
Billy Smith and Elvis Presley were cousins. His firsthand witness to Elvis Presley, onstage and off, and the memories created are second to none. Billy was there for the majority of Elvis’ career and shared his life with Billy, and that of his beloved wife Jo, as well as confided in him. Trusted him. Loved him. And knew him on a basis that no one else came close to.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that you check out their YouTube site, that includes their two sons, which is Memphis Mafia Kid. Their recollections, intelligence, humor, and “down homeness” draws you in and never fails to educate and entertain.
I have the utmost respect for Billy and Jo. Always have. They are a priceless source when it comes to Elvis Presley let alone they are just good and respectable people, great parents, and soulmates.
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on June 8, 2019
https://theelvisexpert.com/2019/06/08/billy-and-jo-smith-two-eternally-loved-by-elvis/
Elvis and Gladys Mothers Day edition
Elvis was Gladys world.
Gladys was Elvis world.
Their relationship is legendary and yet they were two people with different life experiences. Different dreams. And yet their bond surpassed wealth, fame, and riches.
Elvis tried to jump into Gladys’ burial plot, on top of her casket, while crying uncontrollably saying “I’ve lost everything”. I’ll give it all up to be with you. I can’t go on without you Satin-in (his nickname for her since childhood). My God please bring her back.
When Elvis decided to record Momma liked the roses he was torn between, even these years after her passing, being incredibly sad and recording a remembrance song not only for him but for all others who lost their mothers. Though it was an emotional recording you can hear the love and respect he had and the words torn from his very soul.
Elvis sent flowers to her grave on a weekly basis. He visited her grave as much as possible and every time he knelt and cried. A heartbreaking cry. He confided, on one occasion as he rarely shared his loss, that what sustained him was his belief in God/Jesus and that there was an afterlife where he believed Gladys was. In a new body never to hurt again. Never to cry again. And always looking out for Elvis and being there with him.
Priscilla recalled that one time she went, without Elvis knowing, into the attic at Graceland and there were all of Gladys clothes neatly hung or folded. Her personal things. She could smell Gladys perfume. She saw how short in height she was. She went through her jewelry and fawned at the most expensive pieces knowing that she was embarrassed when she received them as she said “son you don’t need to spend so much on me” and “the best present you can give me is your time. that means more to me”. But Elvis had, since childhood, promised to provide for her. To buy her a house. To buy her a nice new car knowing she couldn’t drive and didn’t own a drivers license. To ensure she never again had to work backbreaking labor as she had most of her life.
In August of 1958, while Elvis was in the US Army, Gladys became very sick. Elvis immediately put in an emergency leave request. It was denied. He appealed in perform. He was denied. It was only after he threatened to go AWOL was his leave approved.
When Elvis made it to Gladys hospital room she perked up. Her color seemed to come back. Her voice was audible. Elvis never stopped holding her hand, kissing her, running his fingers through her hair, telling her how much he loved her, and refusing to leave her side.
There came a time after the doctor said it was fine and Vernon asked for the 50th time, that Elvis left the hospital room and went back to Graceland. Sadly, Gladys died before he could make it back to the hospital. To say he was devastated was an understatement.
Gladys died on August 14, 1958, at the age of 46 but Elvis was always told she was 4 years younger thus dying at age 42. Sadly, Elvis would die on the same month – the age he thought she was being 42 – and even the same week (i.e. August 16, 1977).
If you have your mother cherish her. Tell her you love her. Make amends with her. Spend time with her. As Elvis once said during an emotional exchange “if you don’t love your mother with all your heart it’s against God and human nature. Your mother should be the greatest love and you should let her know it every day. You should take care of her and provide for her. She gave you something you can never repay…life”.
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on May 10, 2019
https://theelvisexpert.com/2019/05/10/elvis-and-gladys-mothers-day-edition/
Elvis memories captured
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on April 24, 2019
https://theelvisexpert.com/2019/04/24/elvis-memories-captured/
Elvis candid rare unique and flat out cool
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on April 6, 2019
https://theelvisexpert.com/2019/04/06/elvis-candid-rare-unique-and-flat-out-cool/
Prayers to the family/loved ones of George Klein who died 2/5/2019
Per http://www.Elvis.com comes the heartbreaking news of the death, on February 5, 2019, of one of Elvis Presley’s oldest and most beloved friends George Klein. Our hearts, and prayers, go out to the family and loved ones of George Klein who by all accounts was a good man a great friend to Elvis, and a legend as a DJ in Memphis Tennessee. May he be in heaven along with his friend Elvis Presley.
Here are the details via http://www.Elvis.com the official and best Elvis Presley website in the world:
George Klein, the deep-voiced radio personality who became friends with Elvis Presley in high school and stayed close to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll throughout his career, has died. He was 83.
Marian Justice Cocke, Elvis Presley’s former personal nurse posted on her Facebook page the following message: ‘I regret to inform you that George Klein passed away just moments ago. At this time, I have no further information to pass on, however I will keep you informed ASAP.
Rest In Peace my dear fr iend ; I love you my dear friend
God Bless and TLC’.
Priscilla Presley, told The Associated Press that Klein died Tuesday at hospice in Memphis, Tennessee. Priscilla Presley said Klein had been suffering from illness, including pneumonia, for about two weeks. She said she had been in constant contact with Klein and Presley’s other close friends, including Jerry Schilling and Marian Justice Cocke, while Klein was ill.
George Klein and Elvis Presley.
Graceland posted: ‘Priscilla, Lisa and all of us with Elvis Presley Enterprises are deeply saddened that we have lost our dear friend George Klein. Elvis and George met at Humes High School in Memphis and formed a lifelong friendship. Elvis stood up as George’s best man at his wedding and George remained a close confidant throughout Elvis’ life. After Elvis’ passing, George continued as a great friend and supporter of Graceland, Lisa and Priscilla and continued to honor Elvis’ legacy through sharing stories and memories with fans around the world as a DJ on Elvis Radio at Graceland. Our hearts are with George’s family, friends and fans – as we celebrate his life and his important place in the history of Memphis music’.
Klein met Elvis Presley in 1948 at Humes High School in Memphis and they were close friends until the rock ‘n’ roll icon died in 1977. Klein was part of Presley’s entourage, known as the ‘Memphis Mafia’, and enjoyed telling stories about the times he and Presley spent together.
Elvis Presley and George Klein.
Priscilla Presley said her former husband liked Klein’s outgoing personality, his loyalty, and his sense of humor. She called their friendship a ‘guy’s thing’, with their own inside jokes and ‘their own language’. Elvis Presley used to affectionately call Klein ‘GK’.
‘Their friendship was golden, truly golden’, she said in a phone interview from Los Angeles on Tuesday night. ‘I don’t think I’ve ever heard George say anything bad about anybody’.
Presley served as Klein’s best man, and Klein was a pallbearer at Presley’s funeral. Klein appeared in his friend’s film, ‘Jailhouse Rock’. When Presley was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, Klein made the acceptance speech.
‘Personally, Elvis was a great friend to me’, Klein said in the speech. ‘You know, I never saw Elvis refuse an autograph. I never saw Elvis refuse a handshake. I never saw Elvis refuse to take a picture with anyone’.
Klein hosted a radio show featuring Presley’s music on Sirius XM. He had also hosted radio and television shows in Memphis dating to the 1960s. Klein was known throughout the city, speaking at charity events for no pay, Priscilla Presley said.
‘He has been an unbelievable ambassador for the city, for Graceland, for Elvis Presley and his family’, Calipari wrote.
In recent years, several friends of Elvis Presley — Scotty Moore, Red West, D.J. Fontana — have died. Priscilla Presley said she has thought about that, and calls it ‘a reality check’. ‘It hits home’, she said. ‘He’s the last of our history, in many ways’.
Also, Phl Arnold (the original Elvis blogmaster) has an interesting post about Elvis and George at his site http://www.ElvisBlog.net a website we highly recommend.
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on February 17, 2019
https://theelvisexpert.com/2019/02/17/prayers-to-the-family-loved-ones-of-george-klein-who-died-2-5-2019/
Elvis and cars the basics
WE HIGHLY RECOMMEND http://www.Elvis.com and their “Gates of Graceland” YouTube posts which is chocked full of rare facts, artifacts, etc. I have great respect for each of them. PLEASE do yourself a favor and subscribe to their channel and let others know about these wonderful endeavors.
Elvis Presley had a life-long love affair with motor cars. Beginning in the ’50s with Cadillac’s, including the Pink Cadillac that he eventually gave to his mother – probably the most famous car in the world – to a second hand Volkswagen and two BMW 507s in Germany. In the ’60s there were more Cadillac’s, Ford Lincoln’s and a Rolls Royce among many others. In the ’70s, again Elvis purchased Cadillac’s, a Mercedes-Benz 600, even a Ford T-Bird – but his most prized cars of the 1970s were his Stutz Blackhawk’s. Elvis was the first person to own a Stutz Blackhawk, and there can be no doubt his favorite car of the 1970s was his 1973 Stutz Blackhawk III.
Billy Smith: I remember when Elvis got his driver’s license. My daddy was working for Precision Tool. He was making fairly good money, and he had just bought a ’51 Chevrolet, with a sun visor and all. Elvis wanted to borrow it to take his driver’s test, and my daddy let him have it.
When he went to take his test, we all went. Elvis was sitting in the front with Daddy and Vernon. Very seldom did he ever say anything dirty in front of them. But a guy pulled out in front of daddy, and Elvis yelled, ‘Watch where you’re going, you son of a bitch!’ We were all shocked, you know. The car got real quiet. That year, Elvis won the Safe Driving Award at school.
Joe Esposito: Elvis had a lot of cars. The first thing that attracted him was the looks of the car. He didn’t care if it was a $5,000 car or a $50,000 car or what brand it was, although he was very partial to American-made cars. He really liked Cadillac’s and Lincolns, also some Chryslers. We bought a few foreign cars like the Rolls Royce because it was very prestigious and looked great, a Mercedes limousine and a Ferrari, but mostly his cars were American-made. He was very patriotic when it came to that.
If Elvis saw a car he liked in the window, he’d stop and buy it. That was basically it. If the dealership was closed and we knew the owner, we’d call and wake him up. We’d say, ‘Listen, Elvis wants to buy this car’. Naturally the guy would meet us there, because if he didn’t, Elvis would say, ‘Well, we’ll find someplace else’.
In early March, 1955 Elvis bought his first Pink Cadillac.
It was a pink and white 1954 Cadillac and provided transportation for Elvis and the Blue Moon Boys for about three months. The car went up in smoke when a brake lining caught fire, on the road between Hope and Texarkana, Ark. on June 5, 1955. ‘The first car I bought was the most beautiful car I’ve ever seen. It was second hand but I parked it outside my hotel the day I got it and stayed up all night just looking at it. The next day, it caught fire and burned up on the road…’ Elvis Presley
Take care and may God bless you always.
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on October 25, 2018
https://theelvisexpert.com/2018/10/25/elvis-and-cars-the-basics/
The edgy side of Elvis Presley
Elvis’ life, talents, styles, inflections, singing, etc. is like a kaleidoscope where each turn is beautiful, all are unique, and there are some…edges.
So here are some videos that support my assertations:
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on October 22, 2018
https://theelvisexpert.com/2018/10/22/the-edgy-side-of-elvis-presley/
Elvis Presley rare pictures 10/18 edition
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on October 17, 2018
https://theelvisexpert.com/2018/10/17/elvis-presley-rare-pictures-10-18-edition/
Good new for ElvisCollector.info 10/2018
WOW. What a week. What we need, what we need, is a change of habit (see what I did there? I used the words to the song “Change of Habit” and there is a great moving gif from Change of Habit directly above. Rebuild a website that took 15 years to build (thanks Microsoft 365) is taxing and I don’t mean the monetary type.
We have started to work on the site and are making great strides.
Worth noting is that the “www” is dropped (about time) and the site address is ElvisCollector.info NOT http://www.ElvisCollector.info. Yes less typing but still a great website which will only get better. Only get more content. Only get content you will only find on this website.
Updates to follow
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on October 5, 2018
https://theelvisexpert.com/2018/10/05/good-new-for-elviscollector-info-10-2018/
