Fan Stories .....

[Merry]

The fan story of: Judy Fielstra 63 years young


It was 1956 & I was a 15 year old student in my bedroom getting ready
for school. I had my radio on & was just half-listening to it when
suddenly I heard this VOICE come through the speakers. The thrill I
felt right then was something I had never experienced before & I just
had to find out who that VOICE belonged to. After school that day, I
called the radio station to ask who was singing that song that I had
heard that morning~~~ I think the song was "Don't Be Cruel"~~~ & the
DJ told me that he had been getting others calls from people asking
the same question. He then told me that the song was sung by a man
named Elvis Presley. I remember thinking "that's a really funny name,
but I still want to know more about him & hear that VOICE again!"
Some time later, I found out that this "VOICE" with the "funny name"
was going to be on TV.... on Sunday night.... on Ed Sullivan Show.....
8 pm. My family always attended Sunday night church services & I told
my parents that we needed to hurry right home after the service so I
could see the Ed Sullivan show. We usually watched that show anyway so they wondered why I was so anxious to see it this night. I told them
because Elvis Presley was going to be on it. My Mom said, "Who? That's
a funny name!" Well, "funny name" or not, we hurried home from church
& I plopped my self down on the floor inches away from the TV set.

After not too patiently waiting, Ed Sullivan finally announced,
"Here's Elvis Presley!" & he bounded out on to the stage & launched
into his first song. I was just mesmerized! His VOICE thrilled me just
like the first time I had heard it & now I was seeing what the VOICE
looked like! It was like "frosting on the cake!" My Mom said,"Is that
the guy you wanted to see~~ the guy with the funny name?" My answer a
simple "Yup!" as I inched closer to the TV. I heard my Mom tell me to
"get back from the TV~~~ you're too close." I couldn't move~~ in fact
I inched even closer. It was like I was frozen! She repeated her plea,
but I ignored her. I heard her say to my Dad, "What's wrong with
her?!" Again, my Mom said, "Judy, get back away from that TV! You're
going to ruin your eyes!" Apparently she wasn't so concerned about
WHAT I was seeing~~~ she was more concerned about my vision!


That was 48 years ago now, & the "VOICE with the funny name" is still
a big part of my life & always will be.

By the way~~~ I need to wear glasses for my vision. Maybe my Mom was right! LOL
Judy Fielstra

[Merry]

Elvis fan story of: Rockin' Robin Rosaaen, 57 years, California, USA

My experiences in the wonderful world of the legendary performances of Elvis Aaron Presley began in Las Vegas and had their humble beginnings
in February of 1970. I was sharing an apartment with a friend and co-
worker while living in Los Gatos, California when we decided to make
the journey to The International Hotel to see for ourselves what was
rumored to be a magnificent spectacle. We piled into a MG Midget
convertible and set out on what would become for me a life changing
adventure! We stayed at a cheap motel and existed on hamburgers that
were 5 for a $1.00 in those days, just so we could save money. The
financial sacrifices turned out to be well worth the effort. That
night at the show, we were seated three tiers back for the stage and
across from a family who had made their Elvis journey all the way from
France!

Elvis Presley took the stage resplendent in a black two piece outfit,
like a mythical figure from a waking dream. Our eyes were transfixed
on his every move and gesture, while our ears were filled with a
magical sound the likes of which we has never experienced before in
out lives. The velvety echoes of his indescribable voice are etched in
my memory forever! Unable to let go of this mystical evening, we
immediately proceeded after the show upon a souvenir-buying spree to
attempt to capture, in tangible form, some physical remembrance of
this glorious night. The following morning found us with an elegant Elvis hangover, so we proceeded back to The International Hotel where
we took photographs of the marquee?my parting words to that beautiful,
beckoning image before me was "Elvis: I'll Be Back!" And back I came
seventy-one more times. Not only to Las Vegas, but to see Elvis
perform at The Sahara Tahoe, Oakland Coliseum and wherever I could see
this unique and gifted performer. This was the beginning of a six and
a half-year affair of the heart with the "King of Rock' n ' Roll".


With each new concert attendance, I became a little more educated in
methods of obtaining closer proximity to the object of my desire. Over
time, I even became familiar to him.

In the early seventies I worked for European Health Spa, one of our
promotions at the time included a slogan, which read, "I Want Your
Body". Over the next few years, I had numerous opportunities to offer
buttons, T-shirts and bumper stickers to Elvis with this suggestive
phrase written prominently upon them. In turn, I was rewarded with his
scarves and priceless kisses! On one evening in February of 1974 while
sitting in the front of yet another unforgettable concert, Elvis
sauntered over to my direction during the "Love Me tender" song and
saw the bumper sticker which I presumptuously displayed. His
expression said, "Who, me?" as I motioned him to come over my way. He
reached down and took the sticker and chuckled, showed it to the
audience, than turned back to me and said, "You got it, Baby!"

My thoughts were, "I'd love to have it, but what am I gonna do with it
in front of all these people?" I took the white sweat drenched scarf
he offered me and ran my hand through his hair as we exchanged what I
refer to now as The Kiss!

Three or four songs passed when suddenly Elvis turned to me and with a
pointed finger aimed squarely in my direction and said "Rockin'
Robin". The band did a double take because the slated song was Polk
Salad Annie, which was already under way.

Around the same time I was became close friends with some associates
of Colonel Tom Parker and The Elvis Presley Show. An opportunity arose
where we were invited by a member of The Stamps Quartet to visit Elvis
in his suite after the show. Imagine my excitement as I put my camera
in my purse, envisioning myself in "idol" conversation with the King
of Rock'n'Roll. As luck would have it, another famous blue eyed singer
happened to be in attendance that night and was scheduled to see Elvis
after his performance. This last minute development caused an
unexpected predicament for the already overtaxed security personnel.
They deemed it unwise to allow an excessive number of people backstage
under the circumstances. To my eternal regret my short-lived dream of
meeting Elvis face to face was dashed, however unintentionally, by
Frank Sinatra.

One of my fondest memories of these years is the now infamous "squirt
gun" incident. I attended three more shows when Elvis was performing
at The Sahara Tahoe hotel in May of 1976. Being that I did not want to
attend the dinner show, I instead went to the Midnight performances.
While in a mischievous mood, I decided to pull a fast one on the king
this one night. I secretly supplied some fellow concert goers with five
squirt guns and kept the sixth one for myself. These I had purchased
that afternoon at a local supermarket... I presented Elvis with a
larger gun without his knowing that the "Elvis Posse" had him
surrounded. During the show, Elvis gleefully opened fire (or in this
case, water) on JD Sumner and members of The Stamps Quartet. He then
stepped, unsuspectingly, back to the center of the stage and as he
took hold of his microphone he was barraged with a steady hail of
liquid crossfire. The trigger-happy assailants did not stop until Elvis was suitably drenched from head ! to toe. He loved every minute
of it! The following night, Elvis mentioned the "shootout" saying
"Ladies and Gentlemen, you should have been here last night, it was
like a Gunfight at the OK Corral, I was almost electrocuted!" (Only
kidding there folks)... This incident is included in more detail
within Ed Parker's book, Inside Elvis on pages 64 & 65.

December of 1976 I attended three more concerts at the Las Vegas
Hilton hotel where I received a couple more scarves and tender kisses.
I never dreamed then that this would be the last time I would see Elvis perform.

If only there were time machines. If only we could travel back to some
of those wonderful nights. Such as the nights Elvis would say, "We're
gonna party!" and then he would proceed to play non stop for two and a
half hours, taking requests from his audience and just entertaining
everyone to his best. If only we could witness a time when famous
stars would be sprinkled through the crowd like their counterparts in
the heavens and the feeling in the air was somehow more intense and
vibrant than today in Las Vegas You might see Mama Cass sitting on the
stage with binoculars just starring at Elvis or Ann-Margret in all her
red-haired glory enjoying the show with the rest of the adoring
throng. Yes, if only there were time machines than people who never
got a chance to see Elvis "live" could hear gospel music the likes of
which they'd never heard delivered with a passion unmatched before or
since. They might then hear a patriotic number that would swell their
hearts with pride and possibly fill their eyes with tears this I saw
when he sang America or Bridge Over Troubled Water. Elvis had the
potential to be a great religious leader had be chosen to do so with
his passion for understanding the greater powers that be. He had that
kind of a compelling effect on people. Had he summoned the masses for
a gathering, he might have suddenly found himself in the midst of a
march 10 million strong!

Thanks to Elvis it has been my pleasure to meet many wonderful people
through the years and go places that I never would have dreamed of
without Elvis playing a major part in my journeys. People who can
relate to my experiences of seeing Elvis live and enjoying his music
my entire life along with others who either never had the chance or
became fans after August 16th, 1977. An example of the latter is
someone who called me one evening to discuss my book, "All The King's
Things". She was hesitant at first and very concerned about being an
imposition. Although she hadn't been an Elvis fan during his lifetime,
she was definitely one now and extremely determined to make up for
lost time.

I cannot express in mere language what it has meant to me to be in Elvis' world and to have him in mine. There was nothing like
receiving a "Nice to see you again!" and to be recognized in that sea
of endless faces each night. I have met people I would have never met,
been places I would have never been, and had great experiences I would
never had were it not for Elvis Aaron Presley.

Always for Elvis,
Rockin' Robin Rosaaen
"All The King's Things"
101 Glen Eyrie Avenue
Suite # 202
San Jose, California 95125-3107
USA