Glen Campbell Forums

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Posting a couple of photos in memory of Elvis Presley, a great friend to Glen Campbell and admirer of Glen's music, who would have been 80 years old today, January 8th, 2015.

Below is a photo of Elvis Presley's Country Music Hall of Fame medallion or plaque which is displayed in the Hall of Fame Rotunda:

[Click once on image to enlarge the viewing window.]
From the Hall of Fame's/Museum's website:

This Hall of Fame Rotunda was designed to recognize Hall of Fame members in a style befitting the high honor of membership. Everyone recognized here is an equal. The members' plaques are placed randomly around the room-except for the newest members of the Hall of Fame, whose plaques can be found alongside Thomas Hart Benton's The Sources of Country Music. The room is round to ensure that every Hall of Fame member has a place of equal importance. -- http://countrymusichalloffame.org/Conte ... K4H-XtbhqE" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The pair of gold-framed "Neostyle Nautica" sunglasses pictured below was given to Glen Campbell by Elvis and was included in the "Rhinestone Cowboy" exhibition held at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2014. Glen probably looked so Elvis cool in these glasses!
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One of our members, Erik the Dane, asked me to post the following (wonderful!) stories on his behalf. I am honored to do so; these stories really bring back early times before rock and roll was known as rock and roll, and also provide a nice introduction to Erik, if you haven't "met" him here yet. Thank you, Eric!

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ELVIS 80 tomorrow – 8th January 2015
`My´ ELVIS STORY – almost 60 years ago in TEXAS!

My late friend Roy Stamps was behind a Elvis concert there in Gainesville, Texas back in 1955, April 14th, Owl Park.
Park name now Locke Field.

LITTLE MORE first about Roy, at this time back in 1955!
Roy says: “When I was in high school, a new music was infecting those around me.
The term "Rock & Roll" hadn´t been coined yet.
The official name, at that time, was "Race" music.
None of the record stores in Gainesville, Texas would stock this type of music, so when I got my drivers license in 1952, I would sneak off to Denton, 30 Miles to the South, and blow my weekly allowance for a couple of 78 RPM records by Big Joe Turner or The Midnighters.
By 1953, my first year in High School, I had a decent collection and was hauling my Silvertone Hi-Fi to the youth center for sock hops.
My Sunday school teacher was a man named Joe Lenord, who owned the local radio station, KGAF, a 500 Watt daytime station that sat on the biggest hill in the county, about a mile east of town.
Joe called me one day and asked if I had enough material to do an hour radio show from four to five each afternoon.
There was no pay involved, but I could have 20% of any advertising I sold.
I figured that, at least, I wouldn't have to buy any more records.
That really started my trip into radio, music, advertising and promotion”.

BACK to the ELVIS concert!
Roy wrote about the Elvis concert, that there was 231 paying people.
300 US dollars cost Elvis and his band.
They lost 108 US dollars.
Roy told that Joe also had a little record label, Lin Records.
Joe put up the money and I did the promotion for the show...
"That's Alright Momma" had just been released, but hadn't hit the charts at that time.
The truth is that it wasn't a big hit until after he had appeared on tv a few times.
Elvis sign a 78 RPM ex. of ”Blue Moon Of Kentucky” and ”That´s Alright Momma".
It was destroyed (the record) when Roy`s house burned in 1959.
Roy told me about this day: "Elvis was a well-mannered and shy young man at the time.
He mumbled when he talked and kept the level of his voice very low... quite a difference from what he did on stage.
Elvis didn't smoke or drink, so while I was interviewing him, Scotty Moore and Bill Black took his pink Caddy six miles across the Red River into Oklahoma where they enjoyed some beer at Johnny's B-29 Club.
They came back for the concert... but I drove Elvis over to my home, where my mother fed him a home-made supper".
Elvis said he would come back and play again for free, but that never happened.
Roy even inform me, about a lady Elvis was dating at this time, he told me her name, but Roy was always `A Gentleman`, and not wanted it `on air`, because she maybe `after all these years`, still are alive today.
Roy stop in May 1956 to promote concert and in September Roy moved to Fort Worth, Dallas.
Roy also drove with the President Kennedy's motorcade through Dallas city, the fateful day, November 22, 1963.
Roy Stamps was Willie Nelson`s best friend!
Roy sadly died late 2008.

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Roy also wrote this to me:

"Erik...
The pleasure works both ways...if I claim to know "Erik the Dane", it might get me backstage at a Jimmy Webb concert.
I'm a big fan of Mr. Webb!
The gentleman who ran Glen Campbell's publishing company, Ron Green, was a good friend of mine and through Ronnie, I met Glen Campbell and Jimmy years ago.
His song, "The Highwayman" was one of Mickey Newbury, Willie Nelson and my favourites".

Erik ADD: Can add for this few – ha!, who not know me, I am Jimmy Webbs # no. 1. fan.
BUT I have all years 2004-2014 been to The Mickey Newbury Gathering, mostly Austin, Texas, but two times, we even had the Gathering up there in `famous Elvis country back in 1955`, Gainesville, Texas.
Mickey Newbury (1940-2002) was as J.W. a music legend, and I am friend of the Newbury family, include M.N.s lovely mother Miss Mamie Newbury, around 93, who offen call me ´Darling!´ - fully understand that - HA!
Have many dear friends in this `Forum´ - and music friends of mine there, have been lucky have there songs Grammy Awards nominated, or have there song included, as dear Lynn Langham has, she co.-wrote the title track on the Emmylou Harris / Rodney Crowell duet album, who won Grammy Awards for best `Americana album´ last year.

Erik – Denmark!

Hi Dee,
Good to see so many interesting posts from long term and newer members. Its taking me ages to catch up.
I will always remember that when the Royal Festival Hall album was released, Glen wanted to include two of Elvis's songs on the album as a tribute to Elvis who had died in August 1977 in the period between the concert being recorded and the album being released. Glen sang "Teddy Bear" and "Loving you". Glen also made comments on the liner notes saying how sad he was to hear of Elvis's passing. It was a sad time all of us.I think both artists had great respect for each others talent and the humble beginnings both started from.

Let's shake, rattle and roll with the topic, Glen Campbell and Elvis Presley! Glen Campbell shared significant history, friendship and admiration for Elvis, the King of Rock and Roll.

Elvis Aaaron Presley would have been 80 years on January 8th, 2015. He passed away in 1977 at the too-young age of 42 years old. In Glen's autobiography, Rhinestone Cowboy, he wrote about Elvis:

"I was very impressed with Elvis. First impressions are the most lasting, and Elvis made his on the national consciousness in 1956 as a hip-swinging ambassador of rock "n" roll on The Ed Sullivan Show. So much attention was paid to Elvis's popularity and gyrations that his singing talent was often overlooked. He had tone, power, and range, and he combined all three to deliver a song with feeling. I think history will record Elvis Presley as one of America's great vocalists." - Glen Campbell

Glen, of course, was right about Elvis being one of America's great vocalists (although we can debate my opinion about this here). I found it very interesting that both Glen and Elvis had films released in theaters within months of each other. In August 2014, a remastered version of 'Elvis: That's the Way It Is,' was released in about 300 theaters across America, and it showed, among other things, Elvis's rapport with audiences and a close-up look of Elvis backstage rehearsing with his band, making a grand return to performing in Las Vegas. Glen's documentary was released in October 2014, and it also showed us Glen's rapport with fans when performing for audiences on the Goodbye Tour and television appearances. Also, just like Elvis's reissued film, we see Glen's backstage rehearsals with his band. Both films showed the high level of perfectionism and passion for music shared by Elvis and Glen. They were two of the most consummate performers of our time.

To kick off this thread...

Glen talks about Elvis Presley in this audio:



Can fans here share the details about Glen and Elvis's first meeting?

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