Gone 45 years, see Elvis’ moment in NJ
Hard to believe it's been 45 years since we lost Elvis Presley on Aug. 16, 1977 at the age of 42.
Thanks to Baz Lermann's Elvis movie, which has been killer at the box office, there's been an Elvis resurgence.
Checking into Presley's New Jersey connection, I found the first interview he did when he returned to the United States after being stationed in Germany for 18 months.
The press conference took place on March 3, 1960, in Fort Dix. You can see it here and read more about it here.
It was a snowy day and among those in attendance were Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy and actress Tina Louise, who before she would become famous for her role as "Ginger" On Gilligan Island worked for Mutual radio.
According to elvispresleymusic.com, she asked Elvis if he was going to continue to use suggestive movements in his act to which he replied that there would be little change and that his movements were natural.
Other highlights of the presser were when Elvis talked about his movie career and how much it would mean to him to become a great actor. Elvis says his first picture post-Army was called "GI Blues" oddly enough but had nothing to do with his own military experience though the story does take place in Germany.
Asked if he ever thought of reenlisting, Elvis said he never thought about it but may someday write a book about his experiences. What were those experiences? He says he didn't go out much and just practiced singing.
When asked if 2 years of sobering Army life changed his mind about rock and roll, he chuckles.
"Sobering army life. No, it hasn't because I was in tanks for a long time you see and they rock n roll quite a bit."
The conversation moved to radio stations at the time considering cutting out rock n roll (some things never change) and what that could do to Presley's career. Elvis suffered through the question like most of those asked on this day and replied: "Actually the radio stations have been doing that for some time. They have their reasons, I could never criticize them for it. But if rock n roll as you said died out, then I as well as a lot of other people would have to try to do something else."
Elvis would go on to do so many other things as well as singing and acting. When you listen to the interview full of promise for the future and then see what was to come, it's so sad that a man of so much talent ended the way he did. But then again Elvis didn't really end did he?
We talk about him 45 years later and we will continue to talk about him. The King is dead, long live the King. His truth continues to march on.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.
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