Elvis Presley Interviews
Read all the latest interviews about Elvis Presley | The King of Rock 'n' Roll.
Elvis Presley's first cousin, Harold Loyd, reveals secrets of the King of Rock n' Roll
'Elvis is good to his family and he is good to his fans', Harold Loyd told this writer in 1992, some fifteen years after his first cousin died on August 16, 1977. 'He would love knowing that fans still come to Graceland. He loves his fans'. In May 1976, this reporter first met Loyd at the famous musical gates at the entrance of Presley's home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee. Besides being a loyal cousin to the King of Rock and Roll, Loyd was obviously a dedicated ambassador to the fans who came daily to visit the home. Loyd was generous with information and praise for Presley as he agreed to sit down at the Graceland gate guard shack for conversation and interviews each evening for a few days.
Interview with Susan Henning
Susan Henning was born in North Hollywood, raised in the San Fernando Valley, the blonde, tan, blue-eyed California girl epitomized the Healthy All American girl. She won 'Miss Teen USA' in 1965. Susan appeared in Elvis' movie, 'Live A Little, Love A Little' and says her all-time favorite was the 1968 'Elvis Special' where 'Elvis and I came together again igniting our chemistry to thrill the fans'.
Elvis Presley and Karate
Elvis was first exposed to Karate in 1958 after he was drafted into the Army and stationed in Germany. His first instructor was a German shotokan stylist named Juergen Seydel who taught Elvis at his off-base housing in Nauheim until 1958. One nice thing about the military was that you got thirty days of paid vacation (leave) each year. During his vacation in Paris he would take private lessons with Tetsugio Murakami, one of Japan's top shotokan stylists, who would help pioneer shotokan in Europe. On one occasion he spent nine straight days studying for several hours each day with Murakami.
Interview with Red West
Red West was born Robert Gene West in Memphis, Tennessee in 1936, the son of Lois and Newton Thomas West. He was a high school friend of Elvis Presley. An excellent athlete and former U.S. Marine, West played football for his high school and junior college teams and was a boxer in the Golden Gloves championships. It's said, as legend has it, that you rescued Elvis from being beaten up at Humes High when a group of boys wanted to cut his hair. What's the real story, and was that what happened? Red West: That is the real story.
Interview with Anita Mann
Anita Mann (born 1946 in Detroit, Michigan) is an Emmy-award winning choreographer, as well as a dancer and actress. Mann has been honored by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences as one of America's top five contemporary choreographers. She is also the recipient of five Emmy Awards and accolades from every corner of the industry. Mann began her career as one of the David Winters' dancers on TV shows such as Shindig!, The T.A.M.I. Show and Monte Carlo: C'est La Rose, a Grace Kelly documentary special. I think being a real person, I kind of go back to being out of place, out of step sometimes with the time. Like, being something so unique at a time in life. Makes you stand out more. Although probably he would stand out at any time.
Freddy Bienstock | Music Publishing and Elvis Presley
Although Freddy Bienstock is not a household name, he is famous to many as the music publisher and plugger for Elvis Presley. But still, even to Elvis fans, he is something of a mystery figure. We know about James Burton, Scotty Moore, Red West and Colonel Parker, but who can tell you much about Freddy Bienstock? And yet look in the index of any Elvis Presley biography and you will find references to him. He runs through Peter Guralnick's definitive biographies, and, quite clearly, he is an essential component in the Elvis story.
Interview with Sheila Ryan
Interview with Sheila Ryan who was was Elvis' girlfriend after Linda Thompson. Sheila was the Oct.'73 Playboy cover girl and married James Caan in '76 (divorced in '77). Elvis had qualities that no other human being has, had, will have. Some of them are so hard to describe because the charisma, the qualities that he had were almost not of this world, you know. They were, a lot of times, angelic. He knew things before I knew things. He knew things that I was feeling before I was feeling them.
James Burton Looks Back on Elvis Presley's Vegas Years
Elvis Presley's longtime guitarist looks back on his career rebirth in 1969. 'I hadn't actually met Elvis before I went to work with him', says the legendary guitarist James Burton, who'd already worked with a veritable who's who of rock stars when he picked up the phone one night in 1969 and found himself speaking to the King himself, Elvis Presley. 'I'd played the Louisiana Hayride around the time he came through when he was just starting out, but I didn't actually meet Elvis until 1969. He called me on the phone at my home in L.A., and I talked to him for two or three hours on the phone. He asked me if I'd be interested in going to Vegas and putting a band together for him. So I did'.
Singer & Musician Nick Bruno Shares Stories From His Years Working With Elvis
Nick Bruno is a multi-talented singer, musician, and record producer who has worked with many different artists throughout his impressive and lengthy career. In the early 70s, he joined J.D. Sumner & The Stamps which, at the time, was singing backup for Elvis Presley.
Chet Atkins talks about Elvis Presley
Could Elvis actually play guitar? He played pretty good, yeah. And he played piano and drums. The first sessions he'd come in and work. After that, when he got more confident, he'd come in and play drums a while, then guitar, then piano. Then he'd practice his karate and then send out for 85 White Cottage burgers and then he'd go to work around 11 o'clock at night. But he loved gospel music. Jake Hess had influenced him and Bill Monroe and Big Boy Crudup. The first time I ever heard him I thought, 'What in the hell is this?' I couldn't tell if he was black or bluegrass or gospel or what. Of course that was what made him what he was. He was so damn versatile he could sing anything.
Interview with Elvis Presley: October 28, 1957, Los Angeles
Interview with Elvis Presley just after the general press conference, but prior to his debut at the Pan-Pacific in Los Angeles. How do you write music if you don't read it? It's all a big hoax, honey. I never wrote a song in my life. I get one-third of the credit for recording it. It makes me look smarter than I am. I've never even had an idea for a song. Just once, maybe. When? I went to bed one night, had quite a dream, and woke up all shook up. I phoned a pal and told him about it. By morning, he had a new song, 'All Shook Up'.
Dixie Locke Remembers Elvis Presley
Dixie Locke was 15 years old when she spotted Elvis Presley at the First Assembly of God in Memphis. At 19, the future King of Rock had a start in his career thanks to a recent recording with Sun Records, but that didn't stop him from pursuing love. I had some very good, close friends at the high school. Friday or Saturday night, we'd go to the skating rink. We did that pretty regularly. I had seen Elvis at church. He had started coming to the church where I had been all my life, but we had not actually spoken to each other.
Interview with Hal Kanter Director of Loving You
Interview with Hal Kanter, screenwriter and director for the Elvis Presley movie Loving You. Previously Hal had written for variety shows, graduating to screenplays and specializing in comedies. He wrote for Bob Hope as well as the comedy team of Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. Over the years, Hal Kanter received six Emmy Award nominations, winning the last two for his writing on the annual Academy Awards telecast. He also wrote the script for Elvis Presley's 1961 hit film Blue Hawaii, which garnered him a 'Best Written American Musical' nomination from the Writers Guild of America.
Elvis Presley and Bill 'superfoot' Wallace
American martial arts man Bill 'Superfoot' Wallace who was Elvis Presley's bodyguard and personal trainer from 1974 until his death in 1977 recently talked about his times with the King and gave a rare glimpse of the man behind the legend. 'He was a wonderful person, a nice guy. It was fun working out with him too but you couldn't hit him too hard. You couldn't punch Elvis in the face but it was fun beating up his 'Memphis Mafia'.
Interview With Jan Shepard (Elvis' co-star in King Creole)
Can you tell me how you met Elvis? When you're assigned a film role, you have to go to the doctor, because of the insurance company. They have to make sure you don't have a bad heart, any of that nonsense. They made my appointment for me at the studio, so I was there and I had on a white shirt and these slacks my mother had made for me that were like wine coloured. I went in the office and I was waiting to be called in. In walks Elvis with two of his buddies. I looked at him and he looked at me and we started to laugh. His jacket was the identical material and colour of my slacks. He looked at me and he said, 'Honey, I'm either going to have to give you my jacket or you're going to have to give me your pants' ...
My dad interviewed Elvis Presley: Remembering the magical moment the king of rock 'n' roll touched down on UK soil
Ian Nelson was the only journalist to interview Elvis on UK soil when he landed at Prestwick Airport in 1960.When Elvis touched down on British soil in 1960, it was a momentous occasion. The rumour that Elvis was due to stop over at Prestwick Airport as he flew home from national service in Germany spread like wildfire and fans raced to see the world's biggest star in the flesh. Stepping off the plane in his military uniform and descending the stairs, Elvis hollered to the crowd below: 'Where am I?'
Elvis' Love For My Dying Child | 8-year-old Denise Sanchez 'On Tour' 1972
Many Elvis fans will know the story of Denise Sanchez, the 8-year-old fan from Santa Fe who we saw in an outtake from 'Elvis On Tour'. Denise had been battling cancer (Leukaemia) since the age of 6 and, like her mom was a huge Elvis fan. With the help of the local paper, her mom Trudi was able to get tickets for a concert in Albuquerque on April 19, 1972, and an opportunity to meet Elvis backstage before the show.
Interview with D.J. Fontana (April 2006) : 'I Tell You What, He Loved Gospel Music'
Eleven years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Elvis' first drummer D.J Fontana. I was working as a reporter at a radio station, when, one day in April, 2006, a press release caught my eye. It announced that Fontana was touring Sweden as part of a Swedish group called The Cadillac Band that would be playing my home town that very night. As my news editor didn't seem to understand the significance of this, I practically had to beg him to let me interview the drummer instead of doing the news piece he had in mind for me to do.
Interview with Rita Rogers
Elvis was gonna perform at the Armory and my friend and I, we were so excited to go and we went and everybody was screaming and all the girls and everything and then my friend wanted me to go back stage to get his autograph and I wouldn't go and she goes, 'Are you crazy?' and I go, 'I don't want to'. She goes, 'Why not?' I said, 'Because I'm gonna go to Hollywood and he is gonna be my friend' ... And she goes, 'You're crazy ...', because my name Aidieme, 'You're crazy Aidieme, you're never gonna be a movie star and you should go back. At least you get to see him in person'. And I wouldn't do it.
Interview with Lance LeGault
Interview with Lance LeGault. I had tried to get Harley bikes for Elvis. I called Harley Davidson up in Milwaukee and they did not even return my calls. So he ended up riding the little Honda 350, which was not Elvis. Elvis rode Harley Davidson motorcycles. And I rode motorcycles with Elvis a great deal.
Elvis kept following me! Mimi Roman and Elvis Presley
'Oh good, they didn't send me the photograph of me and Elvis to sign'. Mimi Roman is opening mail in the kitchen of her Connecticut home on an autumn afternoon. 'I get three or four fan letters a week and they all send me that picture of me and Elvis to autograph. I just hate that picture. I hate that dress I'm wearing and the bag I'm carrying. I just wish there were one other picture out there'.
The day no one wanted Elvis - but my grandfather
In January 1956, just before Elvis Presley became a national sensation, Papa Fred had an exclusive chat with him. By PJ Grisar. I knew that my grandfather interviewed Elvis. But until recently, that's about all I knew.
Elvis Presley with Yvonne Lime | Easter 1957
In 1957, Yvonne Lime was chosen to co-star with Elvis Presley in Loving You in which she played the role of Sally. Elvis and Yvonne developed more than a professional interest in one another - and they dated some during the filming. Yvonne spent Easter weekend 1957 with Elvis and his parents at Audubon Drive in Memphis and Elvis took her to see Graceland that was in the midst of renovation and the two posed for a series of photographs in front of the house.
An Interview with Mother Dolores Hart
Once an in-demand Hollywood actress, Dolores Hart shocked the entertainment industry when she gave up everything to become a cloistered Benedictine Roman Catholic nun. She left her career, broke off her engagement to Los Angeles businessman Don Robinson, and pursued her vocation as a nun.
Interview with Charlie Hodge
Charlie Hodge began his musical career at age 20 in a gospel quartet with Bill Gaither. He went on to be the lead singer for the Foggy River Boys. At 5'3", the guitarist had to stand on an empty Coke crate to reach the microphone. Elvis Presley first met Hodge backstage after the group performed in Memphis, Tennessee.
The Lost 1962 NME Article | Is Presley Making Too Many Films?
Original NME article from April 6, 1962 that mentions a projected Elvis Presley charity concert in Britain. Includes many rare images, including the ad that announces the concert that proves it just wasn't talk.
Interview with Scotty Moore August 1974
The pioneering guitar player reveals the seminal moments of his groundbreaking career in this incredible interview from the GP archives. Long before there was rock 'n' roll, Scotty Moore (1931-2016) was a rock 'n' roll guitar player. As Elvis Presley's first guitarist, every note the young man played - including such groundbreaking classics as 'Hound Dog,' 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Heartbreak Hotel' - was memorized by countless budding guitar players (many of whom have gone on to become legends themselves.) Moore was among the handful of musicians in the early '50s of whom it can be said, 'They invented rock 'n' roll'. The following interview extract originally appeared in the August 1974 issue of Guitar Player…
Unseen Video | Elvis passes through Fort Worth January 11, 1958
View a previously unseen video of Elvis Presley as he passes through Fort Worth TX on January 11, 1958. From KXAS-NBC 5 News Collection and was provided to UNT Digital Library by the UNT Libraries Special Collections.
Chips Moman - the missing man of Memphis music
Born in 1936 in LaGrange, Georgia, Chips Moman made his name as one of the architects of the Memphis Sound, an edgier style of soul music descended from Memphis' blues and rhythm and blues. Settling in Memphis in the late 1950s, he helped establish soulful Stax Records in 1958. Six years later, Moman and fellow producer Bob Crewe founded American Sound Studios. Both; the champions of the Memphis Sound.
Interview with Elvis Presley | The 1969 Press Conference | August 1, 1969
Interview with Elvis Presley - The 1969 Press Conference - August 1, 1969. 'Why have you waited so long to perform Live again?' 'Did you return to Live Performing because of the Phenomenal successes of Wales Singer Tom Jones and British Crooner Engelbert Humperdinck?'
Elvis in Europe: the NME interview with the King
In 1960, NME writer Derek Johnson jetted over to Germany for a chat with Sergeant Presley. Elvis Presley treated me to one of his smouldering, heavy-lidded glances, and the corner of his mouth curled into a faint smile. 'I don't know if I shall manage to get to the top again', he said. 'I only wish I did know. I hear that trends have changed, so it might be pretty difficult for me. But I'll tell you this - I'm gonna try hard'.
How Elvis Presley helped launch the career of Dionne Warwick
Singer, actor, television host and countless other job titles could be attributed to Dionne Warwick. The New Jersey-born musician reached a level of fame that can be considered legendary decades ago and has maintained that reputation ever since. It has not always been smooth sailing for Warwick, though, and it is possible she would not have reached her levels of stardom without the enterprising help of one Elvis Presley.
Behind The Scenes | Elvis: That's The Way It Is by Elaine Christan
Excerpt from the 400-page Hardcover Book 'And Then There Was Elvis | A Superfan's Adventures in the Elvis World'. Sanders did a very poor job of representing the fans. Like Jerry Hopkins, Denis Sanders just did not respect the fans. For example, there was that stupid clip he used of Sue with her cat; and that guy with those glasses - he admitted he wasn't much of an Elvis fan so why was he even in the film? And then there was the poor girl in the church. That was Mom's friend Linda. It was Sanders who wanted to film in her church and the minister agreed to let him. But Linda was horrified by the line of questioning Sanders pursued. He tried to get her to say - and in front of her minister no less - that she loved Elvis more than God. That is why she back peddled herself into a corner by saying she loved Elvis, but she didn't want to marry him. She loved him like a friend or a brother. I later heard that when Elvis saw the film at the studio he said, 'Why - What's wrong with me - Why wouldn't she want to marry me?' He was hurt by that, wondering why she would not ever think of him as someone who could be loved as a husband.
Interview with Anita Wood
Anita Marie Wood Brewer was a TV performer, recording artist and girlfriend to Elvis Presley. She later married NFL football player Johnny Brewer. Elvis Presley and Anita Wood met in 1957 and in the same year Elvis referred to Wood as his 'No. 1 Girl'. The two dated seriously for several years from 1957 to 1962. Anita signed a contract to work as an actress for Paramount Pictures but later gave it up for Elvis. While he was in the army, he sent her letters which he told her never to show anyone. Anita recorded for ABC-Paramount (1958); Sun (1961); and Santo (1963). She also worked on the Andy Williams TV Show (summer 1958) and is the uncredited vocalist with Williams on 'The Hawaiian Wedding Song (Ke Kali Nei Au)', a Top 15 hit in early 1959.
Interview with Anita Wood Part II
Interview with Anita Wood Part II. Anita talks about the death of Elvis' mother, Priscilla, Elvis' return from Germany, letters from Priscilla and breaking up with Elvis, the name similar to Lisa Marie they would have given their child if they had a girl and if a boy he was to be Elvis Presley Jr, the death of Elvis and much more.
Interview with Jerry Scheff
First time I met Elvis was at RCA recording studio in Los Angeles. And that was the first rehearsal that I had with him. James Burton called me and I had done an album with James and he remembered me, fortunately. So he called me and asked me if I wanted to do it. And I wasn't an Elvis fan. And I wasn't big on it. I wasn't gonna do it. But I wanted to go down and see what Elvis was like, you know.
Interview with Dr. Lester Hoffman | Elvis' Dentist
Interview with Elvis' dentist, Dr. Lester Hoffman who first met Elvis just after he had come back from Hawaii, from making Blue Hawaii. 'It was my day out of the office, the girl called me and said, There's a phone call, somebody said Elvis Presley needs a dentist'.
Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock & Roll | Elvis Presley Sun Records
Samuel Cornelius Phillips was born Jan. 5, 1923 in Florence, Alabama. He is better known to world as Sam Phillips - The Father of Rock 'n' Roll.
Interview with Glen D. Hardin
Interview with Glen D. Hardin. I Elvis him the first time when I went to an audition to play the Las Vegas show. I didn't go the first time in 1969. But I, after that, Larry Muhoberac, playing the piano before me, for reasons of his own, didn't want to go on the road anymore. Anyway, the boys in the band leaned on me and wanted to come and do it, so I went down for a little audition.
Interview with Bobby Wood
Interview with Bobby Wood. Working with Elvis was definitely one of the highlights of my career. I'll never forget those days. We just had a good time.
Interview: Elvis Presley co-star, Suzanna Leigh
Suzanna Leigh was the Kate Winslet of her day: a beautiful feted young British actress who made it big in Hollywood. In her heyday she starred opposite Elvis Presley and Tony Curtis and stepped out with Steve McQueen; her other beaux included Patrick Lichfield, Richard Harris and Michael Caine (for one night only - well, it was the Sixties, after all). She lived a champagne lifestyle, mixed with the beautiful people and drove a Rolls Royce. She was presented to the Queen at a Royal Command Performance. (HRH wanted only to hear about Elvis, she remembers.)
Cliff Richard on Elvis Presley: 'He sounded like he had secrets you needed to learn'
In an extract from his new memoir A Head Full of Music, Cliff Richard recalls his first encounter with the King – and how he fell for his music, style and way of being. That Saturday in May 1956, Norman Mitham, Terry Smart and I did the walk. We were planning to do the usual: hang out in the park, look in a couple of shops, have a cup of tea in a cafe, maybe call in at Marsden's to listen to a new single or two. And then, outside the newsagent's, Aspland's, we saw the parked car.
Lowell Hays: Elvis' Jeweller Remembers The King
I grew up in Memphis with Elvis but did not meet Elvis until 1969. I was born into the jewelry business which my father had established in 1937. The night I met Elvis he was shooting at a target on the side of his dad's office. It was raining, and Elvis was wearing a full-length ranch mink coat. Over the period of that year, I got to know Elvis. We went to movies, and football games together. In December 1969, he called me on Christmas Eve and wanted to do his Christmas shopping at around 10:00 or 11:00 at night. I took my briefcase to the Memphian Theatre, a movie house in Memphis where I met Elvis. He sat down, went through my jewelry briefcase and very carefully selected pieces of jewelry for friends, family, his aunt and his dad. From then on I was Elvis' jeweler. He invited me to go on the tours with him, with one requirement that I bring along a case full of jewelry. He loved to give gifts to people he met along the way. Elvis bought a small garnet cross from me. He had it with him when we were in Jackson, Mississippi at a concert, and someone told him about a little boy who was dying. It was a Make-A-Wish Foundation request, and he wanted to see Elvis. So, Elvis agreed, and we took the limo to the hospital where the little boy was staying. Elvis visited with him awhile and then gave him that very cross I had made for Elvis.
Jordanaire, Ray Walker evokes sizzling Nashville nights with Elvis and Jerry Reed
The only original Jordanaire still standing, genial bass extraordinaire Ray Walker (born March 19, 1934) has experienced an astronomical 60-year career in show business, adding a nuanced low backing vocal to definitive hit singles by Elvis Presley, Rick Nelson (e.g. 'Poor Little Fool' and 'Travelin' Man'), and Patsy Cline. In fact, Walker's debut recording session with the King of Rock 'n' Roll in June 1958 yielded a million selling record - '(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I'. By 1969 the renowned country-gospel quartet was singing harmonies on roughly 80 percent of the songs recorded in Nashville, performing on over 30,000 total studio recordings.
Interview with Loanne Parker (About Elvis Presley and 'The Colonel')
The following is an interview with Col. Tom Parker's widow, Loanne Parker. There were absolutely no restrictions on the questions that we were able to ask of Mrs. Parker, and in this interview Loanne and Joanna spend considerable time discussing the various myths and stories surrounding the Colonel.
Interview with Ronnie Tutt
As if any introduction is required. Ronnie Tutt was a regular member of Elvis' TCB band from July 1969 until June 1977. He started playing drums in his last year of college in 1955, appearing on stage the same night as Elvis that year, in the shows house band.
Egil 'Bud' Krogh - Tell me about Elvis' visit to the White House
It was December 21, 1970. I got a call from Dwight Chapin, who was one of my best friends on the White House staff. And he said, 'The King is here'. And I said, 'King who?' I looked at the President's schedule and said, 'There aren't any kings on the president's schedule'. He said, 'No, not just any two-bit king, the real king. The King of Rock--Elvis.
Interview with Dolores Fuller
Dolores Fuller is best known (downright famous, in fact) for her 40-years-past career as an actress, her mid-'50s relationship with director Edward D. Wood Jr., and the three movies that she made with him. By the end of the 1950s, she'd started her own record company, Dee Records, and one of the talents that she discovered was a New York-born singer/guitarist named John Ramistella, who later became Johnny Rivers. Later on, her ability as a songwriter manifested itself through the intervention of her friend, producer Hal Wallis; Fuller had wanted to get an acting role in the Elvis Presley movie Blue Hawaii, which Wallis was producing, but instead he put her in touch with Hill & Range, the publisher that provided Presley with songs. Fuller went into a collaborative partnership with composer Ben Weisman and got one song, 'Rock-A-Hula Baby', into 'Blue Hawaii'.
Ronnie Milsap talks about recording with Elvis Presley
Upon setting up shop in Memphis in the late 1960s, Ronnie Milsap joined forces with super-producer Chips Moman, and by decade's end, was tickling the ivories for none other than Elvis Presley. 'Oh, I was given total (artistic) freedom (on Kentucky Rain)', Milsap recalled. 'The only suggestion I got from Elvis was that he wanted to hear thunder roll on the piano. He basically said, 'Play what you feel'.
Interview with Actress Marianna Hill
After accepting the Paramount contract, actress Marianna Hill found herself cast as the second female lead in the Elvis Presley vehicle, 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style' (1966). Often cast as ethnic types, Hill now found herself playing Hawaiian nightclub singer Lani Kaimana, one of several women who Presley's character romances while manipulating them to help his helicopter charter business. Hill relished the opportunity to work more closely with Presley. After briefly working with him on 'Roustabout', it was not until she did 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style' that she really had an opportunity to get to know him.
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Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD
Never before have we seen an Elvis Presley concert from the 1950's with sound. Until Now! The DVD Contains recently discovered unreleased film of Elvis performing 6 songs, including Heartbreak Hotel and Don't Be Cruel, live in Tupelo Mississippi 1956. Included we see a live performance of the elusive Long Tall Sally seen here for the first time ever. + Plus Bonus DVD Audio.
This is an excellent release no fan should be without it.
The 'parade' footage is good to see as it puts you in the right context with color and b&w footage. The interviews of Elvis' Parents are well worth hearing too. The afternoon show footage is wonderful and electrifying : Here is Elvis in his prime rocking and rolling in front of 11.000 people. Highly recommended.
Tupelo's Own Elvis Presley DVD Video with Sound.
