Interview with George Klein

The story is that a national TV crew once started interviewing George Klein and told him to use his regular voice, not his radio voice.

Klein was baffled.

'This is my regular voice', he announced in those full, rounded tones that carry so crisply over the airwaves.

In fact, Klein is always behind the microphone, even if there isn't one. Whether broadcasting his Elvis Hour on radio, emceeing an event or in a one-on-one chat, he's 'on'.

It's an easy confidence he's possessed since being out front at Humes High School. 'I became class president, editor of the yearbook and newspaper'.

There, in 1948, he met Elvis Presley which, putting it mildly, set the course of his life. 'He was a good but not a great friend. He said I was nice to him'. After high school, when Klein went into broadcasting and Elvis started performing, their interests converged and their friendship deepened.

The number of longtime friends and associates of Elvis is dwindling. Klein is still in Memphis, still accessible, and remains steadfast to Elvis' memory. Klein is also among the few insiders who haven't written a book.

And why not?

'I held off because so many books were out there. Jerry Schilling, Richard Davis and me are the only ones with no book yet'.

Klein lives a comfortable suburban existence in Cordova. On the walls of his small office are proclamations, awards and appreciations from the Epilepsy Foundation of West Tennessee, the Arthritis Foundation, March of Dimes and United Cerebral Palsy of the Mid-South.

The numerous books on his shelves include The Idiot's Guide to Football and Memphis 1948-1958 from Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. He also has Careless Love by Peter Guralnick, which does not imply approval of the Elvis biography although it's widely regarded as one of the best. 'It's boring. He quoted me too much', declared Klein. 'I gave him too much information'. (For the record, Klein likes Elvis, a 1971 biography by Jerry Hopkins, 'the best writer on Elvis'.)

At age 68 -- he and Elvis were both born in 1935 -- he's working a full load. His main job is as executive host at Horseshoe Casino, where he's been for more than eight years. He tends to the high rollers and handles presentations for the casino. He also keeps busy with Elvis-related duties. He's close to Elvis Presley Enterprises and Priscilla Presley, and works with them on occasional events. He'll even lead a personal tour of Graceland if pressed. He did it once for singer Tom Jones. 'But my price is high. When I go to Graceland now, about twice a year, I don't really like it because I get nostalgic and sentimental'.

Klein started in the radio business in 1957 with WHBQ. He's been in it ever since. Even now he's host of the syndicated George Klein's Original Elvis Hour, a program of Elvis tunes and anecdotes. Locally it's heard Sunday nights on KTRQ-FM 102.3 out of Wynne, Ark.

Thanks to that show, Klein says, 'I probably listen to more Elvis than anybody'.

His durability and popularity are reflected in what people say about him.

Kang Rhee, karate master who taught Elvis for four years, was a big fan of Klein's Talent Party TV show, which aired during the 1960s and '70s. When Klein first brought Elvis to the karate studio, Rhee said, 'I was more excited to see George than Elvis'.

D. J. Fontana, drummer for Elvis for 14 years: 'He's always on the ball and gets things done. A nice guy to be around'.

Elvis intimate Jerry Schilling: 'There are no barriers to the love for GK in this city'.

Red West, another Elvis friend and associate: 'His Talent Party did a lot for local musicians and made it possible for local bands to be exposed. He helped a lot of people'.

Gordon Stoker, tenor with the Jordanaires: 'A true friend to the music business and Elvis'.

It's not a complete lovefest. Probably nobody could be in the public eye as long as Klein and have known as many people as he has without some mutterings. Marty Lacker, a friend and associate of Elvis, says a feature story on Klein is 'a waste of print'. But he refuses further comment and says any issues he has with Klein are irrelevant to Elvis. Who is, always, the main event.

As Klein puts it: 'There never has been and never will be another man like Elvis Presley'.

Interview with George Klein - Spin Magazine

What are you up to these days?

George Klein: In addition to some freelance radio and TV work, my full time job is as the host and public relations guy with a casino down here in Mississippi.

Have you done many interviews about Elvis?

Klein: Quite a few. Mainly in August, when Elvis passed away, and in January, his birthday. I do anywhere from 7 or 8 to 20 of them a year.

How does it feel to be so close to such a legend?

Klein: It feels great. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. If I had it to do over again, I'd do everything the same.

Where did you first meet Elvis?

Klein: Elvis and I went to school together. [Starting] in the 8th grade [when] he moved to Memphis. We were in the exact same class all the way through high school. And I wanted to be a disc jockey and he wanted to be a singer so we had something in common.

What was your first impression of him?

Klein: We had a music class together. Elvis asked if it would be all right to bring his guitar to class and sing. Of course there were some raised eyebrows because it wasn't fashionable to do that. To bring a guitar to class and sing. It was really an uncool thing to do. And so, the teacher said yes and Elvis brought his guitar the next week and she let him get up in front of the class and sing two country songs. I was really taken aback because nobody in the class could sing and nobody could play a guitar for sure, and here was this guy coming out of nowhere, 12 years old, getting in front of the class and singing. So he left a lasting impression. I was in awe of him because of his talent.

Elvis was quoted as saying that you were one of the few people in school that were nice to him. Why were others mean?

Klein: That's true. He had long hair in high school, and it wasn't fashionable to have long hair because the 'in' thing was the athletes who wore the shorter hair. He took some rough kidding about his hair. He was like a velvet hammer. He would wear unusual clothing to school. Where we were all wearing jeans and t-shirts or sport shirts he would wear a pair of black trousers with a white stripe down the side. Or he would wear a jacket with the collar turned up, and he just kind of stood out. He had his own style which I think was very important to his career later on. So he took quite a bit a kidding because of that, but he was good-natured about it and he didn't want to fight or argue back. He just laughed and smiled and went about his way. But I never kidded him and he never forgot that. He never held a grudge but at the same token he never forgot who wasn't friendly to him.

Did you know right then when he got up and sang those two country songs that he was going to be someone special?

Klein: Not really. But he was kind of something special in my eyes because, like I said, I was impressed that he could play a guitar sing and I couldn't do either.

What's been the highlight of your professional career?

Klein: It was when I first got my first TV show. That was a personal thing. But, when they started the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the CEO at Graceland and Priscilla Presley asked me to go to New York and accept Elvis' [induction] award and make a speech for him. It was at the Waldorf Astoria, 12 years ago, and these were the first 10 inductees. It was Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke, Fats Domino. Elvis was the last one to receive the award and I went up in that big ballroom at the Waldorf and Julian Lennon and Sean Lennon presented me Elvis' award. And then I made a speech. That was quite an honor.

What was the highlight of Elvis' career?

Klein: I would say probably making it on to The Ed Sullivan Show. That was a big deal. And also making his first movie. A dream come true for him. Elvis wanted to be an actor in addition to being a singer. He thought he could take it to another level. And back in those days TV wasn't [like] it is now, and the big wide movie screen was bigger than life. Elvis felt that if he could make it into the motion pictures it would really shoot him to the top, which it did.

What do you think in the end it was that destoyed him?

Klein: The fact that he was bored. He didn't take care of himself health-wise. His weight would fluctuate. And the fact that he let the prescription medication get out of hand. A combination of all that. He had achieved almost everything except an Academy Award and I think, if Colonel Parker had let him take that role in A Star Is Born, that he would have lost weight, he would have gotten back in shape and would have gotten excited about movies again.

Was Colonel Parker really the only other person that had any control over Elvis?

Klein: He had a lot of control. Elvis was very disappointed but he didn't want to show it. He said, 'Colonel Parker has been my manager all of these years and he's done a pretty good job on my career, so I gotta go with his advice'. But it was a mistake. Colonel Parker made a lot of mistakes. One of the big mistakes was not letting Elvis make A Star Is Born.

Have you had any visits from Elvis lately?

Klein: Everyday.

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