Category: Elvis Stuff

A few months ago, I was preparing to play bass guitar at a worship service at church.  Right before the service started, a man brought be a grocery sack containing a picture frame.  The service was just moments away from starting but I took time to peek at the contents of the bag.  Inside I found a photo of Elvis wearing a karate uniform.  There was another man in the picture, also wearing a karate uniform.  I considered that it might be the man that brought me the picture, but I thought he was too young to be him.  I hadn’t known this man very long and I still don’t know him that well.  He had been around me long enough to know that I go to Graceland every year for Elvis Week.  Later when I was showing the picture to friends, we noticed that he had written a note to me on that back of the frame that said “To Art, Because thou art strong”.  I didn’t get to talk to him about the picture until about a week later. 

A few years ago, my cousin Glenda sent me a message on Facebook asking for my address.  I gave it to her and a few days later, I received a large envelope from her in the mail.  The envelope contained a large 20-page souvenir photo album from an Elvis concert.  Glenda went to an Elvis show at the International Hotel in Las Vegas in 1969 or 1970.  Over the years, I have been given a variety of Elvis-related books.  Several of those books contain the same pictures that show up in this souvenir album.  This one is special to me for several reasons. It is an artifact from an actual Elvis performance. And not just any performance.  This is from an Elvis in Vegas show.  And it’s extra special because my cousin Glenda was there. I have met many people who have told me about seeing Elvis live, especially people who saw him in some his last concerts in Memphis.  Glenda is the only person I’ve ever met who has told me about their experience of seeing Elvis in Vegas.

Since I have been going to the Candlelight Vigil at Elvis Week every year since 2002, people have identified me more and more with Elvis.  I get occasional-Elvis related gifts for birthday and holidays.  Some people just see an inexpensive, unique Elvis related item and pick it up for me.  I have received Elvis books, cards, Pez dispensers, Barbie dolls and other toys.  While I appreciate the thought, I am really only a fair-weather Elvis fan.  On my very first trip to Graceland, my friend Terry declared that we were just Elvis Week fans.  That pretty much sums it up for me. So, I am limited on the amount of space I am willing to dedicate to store or display any Elvis related gifts.  I would rather dedicate display space to other things that I am more obsessed with. The Elvis stuff that I hang onto must be special in one way or another.