Honolulu, January 14, 1973

Honolulu, January 14, 1973

At 12.30 am Elvis wrote history with the first world-wide telecasted concert ever. Millions of people in over 40 countries saw Elvis' live concert from Hawaii.

The total earnings of the concert, being$ 75,000 were donated to the Kui Lee Cancer Fund. The original estimate had only been $ 25,000.

The telecast, Aloha from Hawaii, would be watched by more than 1 billion people, worldwide.

The show was the most expensive entertainment special, up to that time, with costs of $ 2,5 million.

Following the show, as soon as the audience had left the building, Elvis recorded 5 songs on stage, to be included in the American version of the special. The special would be aired in the U.S.A. on April 4, 1973.





At the end of the show, Elvis removed this cape and hurled it into the audience. It was caught by Mr. Bruce Sprinks, a reporter of the Honolulu Advisor. The cape is now on display at Graceland.

Elvis’ Bodyguard

WKRG NEWS
By Jere Hough
January 6, 2008

Jessie Taylor is a gifted artist...and one of his favorite subjects is Elvis Presley. He has many drawings of "The King." He knows a lot about him, too...such as, very early in his career, Elvis was a natural blonde.

Jesse Taylor was a student in Pritchard and explains, "He had blonde hair when he went to Vigor High School, and the Principal, Mr. MacPhearson, and Mr. Faulk would not let him entertain because they said he was vulgar. I have a picture of him leaving, and his hair is just as blond as it could be."
But most of us only ever saw Presley with dark hair.
"Elvis said he dyed his hair because his Mama's hair was black," recalls Taylor.

A few year's later, after service in Viet Nam as a Navy Seal, Taylor was part of Presley's security whenever he came to the Mobile area.
Elvis let him have the guitar pick from one of the Mobile performances. On another night, Presley gave him money.
Taylor quotes the famous singer, "'That ain't no money,' when I told him what I was making, so he gave me a $50 bill and I said, 'Sign it.'"

Over the years, Elvis signed many pictures that Taylor took. There are lots of signed records and posters and some costume items...a scarf that both Elvis and his father signed. Taylor even has Presley's original Social Security Card.

Elvis was known to give away valuable things on the spur of the moment...that's the source of Taylor's diamond ring...Elvis took it off his own finger and handed it to him.
Taylor comments, "Elvis had a big heart. He was a very nice man."

On one visit to Mobile, a woman called about her very sick child at Mobile General (now USA Hopsital). She asked if Elvis could sing something to her child over the phone...she was told it couldn't be done. But that afternoon...
Taylor picks up the story. "We loaded up, went to the Mobile General, and they had all the children put all over the floors, around the child's room, and he sung, and sung, and sung, and when he left, it was really nice...he left the mother a check to help pay for the doctor bills."

At the Magee Farm Museum in Kushla, on Highway 45, Jessie Taylor is displaying his many mementos of Elvis this coming Saturday and Sunday, the 10th and 11th of January. There is a $10 charge for adults and teenagers. For more information call (251) 675-1863

Here to download video interview: http://www.wkrg.com/news/video_download/22377

Article Source: http://www.wkrg.com/countyroad5/article/elvis_bodyguard/22377

Collector finds wiggle room among kings of memorabilia

theage.com.au
Alyssa Braithwaite
January 7, 2009



AFTER years as one of the highest paid entertainers in the country, retired Yellow Wiggle Greg Page has revealed what he's been spending his money on: Elvis memorabilia.

Page has been outed as the fourth-biggest collector of Elvis Presley memorabilia in the world, the number one collector being Graceland, Presley's mansion.

He became a "passionate and diligent" collector after visiting the home of "the King" four years ago, and he's lending the items to the council of Parkes, in NSW, to establish a permanent Elvis museum in the town.

Visitors to Parkes' annual Elvis Festival, which starts today, will be the first to glimpse the King's Castle collection.

"It was always my goal to put it on display," Page said. "It was just a matter of working out a way to be able to do it. There's no point in me being custodian of all these items if people can't see them and enjoy them."

Among the items in the King's Castle are the first management contract signed between Elvis and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, the original blueprints for Graceland, two pairs of Elvis' trademark Aviator sunglasses, Elvis and Priscilla's marriage certificate, and one of only two gold lame suits made for Elvis by Nudie of Hollywood (Nudie Cohn).

Page's favourite item is a two-piece leather suit Elvis wore on stage in 1974, and he's trying to get his hands on one of those white rhinestone-studded jumpsuits. The collection is said to be worth more than $1 million, but Page said he could not put a value on it.

"I think from my point of view the value is in being able to tell the story of the life of Elvis and share that with people," he said.

Page donned the yellow skivvy as part of The Wiggles until late 2006 when he retired due to poor health.

Article Source: http://www.theage.com.au/national/collector-finds-wiggle-room-among-kings-of-memorabilia-20090107-7c0y.html

DJ George Klein in wreck

Escapes with minor injuries

January 7, 2008
Desototimes.com
ROBERT LEE LONG
Community Editor

LAKE CORMORANT -Legendary Memphis disc jockey George Klein, a longtime friend and associate of entertainer Elvis Presley, was involved in a one-car accident at U.S. 61and Mississippi Highway 3 about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

According to Mississippi Highway Patrol Sgt. Leslie White, Klein was traveling southbound along U.S. Highway 61 when he lost control of his vehicle and the vehicle rolled over.

White said the highway was slick from recent heavy rainfall at the time of the accident.

His vehicle hydroplaned, causing Klein to lose control.

Klein was transported to Methodist University Hospital in Memphis where he was later treated and released.

Klein later told friends he suffered from soreness and bruises but did not suffer major injuries from the accident.

"Luckily, no broken bones," Klein told the Associated Press. "I spent the whole day at Methodist Central. But I'm really banged up. My back is horribly hurting," Klein said Tuesday evening. "I could've been killed." Klein said he was heading toward Tunica when his car struck a puddle of water, sending him off the road.

Klein, who first met Presley in 1948 when the two attended Humes High School in Memphis together, hosts an hour-long retrospective of Elvis and music from the 50s and 60s on WHBQ.

Presley who died at his Graceland mansion in 1977, would have turned 74 Thursday.

A native Mississippian, Presley was born in Tupelo on Jan. 8, 1935.

Article Source: http://www.desototimes.com/articles/2009/01/07/news/doc4963e6bca6063066771034.txt