http://www.elvis-history-blog.com/elvis ... -1957.html
Sharing Memories of Seeing Elvis
On Stage in Spokane in 1957
“I loved this book. And with 95% of it being from newspaper reports before, during and after the concerts it doesn't rely on memories, instead on what people said right then. Not for those who want to know who Elvis' girlfriend was at the time but a book for those who want to know the effect of Elvis in 1957 on people and popular culture. Fascinating stuff.”
In 2008 Amazon.com printed the above brief review of my book, Elvis ’57: The Final Fifties Tours. I like it because in just a short paragraph it makes two very good points, not only about the book, but also about Elvis in 1957. First, when it comes to people who saw Elvis perform in the 1950s, fifty-year-old memories are often unreliable. Second, how people reacted to Elvis in 1957 is indeed “fascinating stuff.”
When I was doing research for the book, I gathered as much information about Elvis’ tours in 1957 as I could find. Since Elvis ’57 was published, however, much more about those concerts has come to my attention through various sources. Since it’s too late to include that material in my book, I’m passing newly discovered information about Elvis’ “final fifties tours” in this forum. So here’s some additional “fascinating stuff” about Elvis’s 1957, appearance in Spokane, Washington.
Here are the basics. After a two-day train trip from Memphis, Elvis arrived in Spokane late on the evening of August 29, 1957. The next night he opened his four-day, five-city Pacific Northwest tour with a concert in Spokane’s outdoor Memorial Stadium. After the show that evening, he caught a train to Vancouver, B.C., for an appearance there on August 31.
• A picture with Elvis—first seen 50 years later
In my book there is a photo of Elvis signing an autograph for a girl soon after his arrival at Spokane’s Great Northern station. That picture appeared, along with a excerpt from my book, in a local history magazine, Nostalgia, in August 2007. Soon Gaylene Moos Pope, who lives in Wenatchee, about 150 miles west of Spokane, contacted the magazine publisher. “What a shock to see the picture of Elvis signing an autograph for a young girl in your last issue.” Gaylene recalled being at the train station that night.
It seems in 1957 Gaylene and her sister went along when her father, who was the manager of a local Cadillac dealership, to the train station to pick up Elvis when he arrived. She described her encounter with Elvis as follows:
“Oh my gosh, he’s really coming right over to us. My heart was pounding. I just kept looking at him. His hair was dark black, shiny clean—not greasy. His complexion was beautiful (not greasy). And what a nice young man—a real gentleman! I finally mustered up the ability to ask for his autograph at which time he smiled at me, leaned over and kissed me on the cheek, took hold of my hand and nicely said, ‘I already signed your book dahlin’.' I embarrassingly looked down at my book, and sure enough, there was his autograph. He had actually taken the book out of my hand, signed it, and slipped it back into my hand without my realizing it.”
(You can read Gaylene’s full account of her encounter with Elvis in Spokane elsewhere on Elvis-History-Blog.com.)
• Teenager attended Elvis’ news conference
When teenager Karen Larson first heard Elvis was coming to Spokane, she wrote to Tom Diskin, Colonel Parker’s assistant, asking for a back stage pass. The day of Elvis’s show, Diskin called to tell Karen to report to the dressing room at the stadium to pick up her pass for the press conference that Elvis would hold there before going on stage. The following is an excerpt from her online account of her meeting with Elvis.
“Then it happened, the door opened, and in he came … My heart was pounding so hard I thought it would come right out of my chest. He sat up front on a desk and you could ask him questions … When the conference was over you could get autographs and have your picture taken with him. The shy person I was, kept bugging him for a picture and finally he put both hands on my cheeks, got right down in my face and said, ‘Honey, I ain’t got no picture,’ and kissed me on the cheek. Elvis was only 21 years old [actually 22], and the most handsome hunk you could ever hope to see. Those beautiful blue eyes and long lashes would make anybody’s blood go past the limit.”
• Memories of seeing Elvis in Spokane in 1957
Nostalgia magazine asked readers who had seen Elvis in Spokane in 1957 to send in their memories of the event. Following are a few of the responses that appeared in the magazine.
“Though Elvis performed on stage, separated from his fans by a dirt track, he would still cause a commotion. During his last song, he jumped onto the track and sang ‘Hound Dog,’ while kneeling in the dirt. After Elvis left the stadium I remember fans going wild. The girls jumped out of the stands and onto the dirt track. They were on their hands and knees, grabbing their hands full of dirt and throwing it in their purses and yelling and screaming. It was a madhouse. It was neat, so neat.” — Tom Jackson
“We arrived to find mobs of people, mostly teenage girls, crowded down front. It was so jam-packed that we couldn’t get to our seats … All of a sudden all the lights went out, and the stadium was completely dark. When the lights came on there he was: The King. Elvis! Then the screams really got loud. Elvis stood at the mike and would say a few words before launching into a song. The screams got louder, if that was even possible. I remember Elvis would just say something, twitch his leg or make some gesture to the crowd, and the girls would again go crazy. It was quite a sight—and a good concert when you could hear him.” —Paul and Charlotte Cooper
“That summer Elvis came to town for the first time. I was the ultimate fan and desperately wanted to go. A friend said she would trade days off with me, but then changed her mind. I burst into tears! My boss felt so sorry for me that he gave me the night off anyway. I had a date and we, like most everyone else, dressed in black to attend the concert.” — Sharon Carlton Brazington
“My wife had purchased the tickets and was somewhat taken up with him, in that era. I had heard his name mentioned, but didn’t know who he was or what the magnet was that attracted all the young ladies … We had good seats as I recall, and when Elvis came on the outdoor stage he started out quickly with all the wild gyrations for which he was already gaining popularity. His singing was great and he could have doubled as a contortionist, in my opinion. I found myself enjoying the performance.” — Richard “Dick” Reidburn
“My mother was a pantry cook at the Ridpath Hotel at that time and she was the only one in the kitchen when Elvis sent his eggs back. They were undercooked. So she slapped them on the grill till they were hard as a rock and sent them back. Apparently, that’s the way he liked them and there were no further complaints.” — David Wagner
“Elvis was very polite [at the press conference], addressing everyone as Sir or Madam. And he said two of his favorite singers were Bill Kenny of the Ink Spots and Dean Martin! If you play any records by these people you can certainly hear Elvis singing in that higher register and sliding some of the notes like Martin. Then someone asked what was the deal with the gold medallion around his neck. He said he liked it because it caught the spotlight and really shined. He was really something.” — KNEW disc jockey Bob Adkins (aka Addy Bobkins)
— Alan Hanson | © July 2009
Reader Comment: I was there in the stands at the Spokane stadium screaming with my girlfriend when Elvis performed. I think I was about 13 years old...too young to drive so my Dad took us out there & picked us up. It has remained a lifelong memory.....yup, I'm now 73 but will never forget Elvis in Spokane. — Carol (August 2017)
Reader Comment: My friend and I hitched a ride from Trail, B.C. (150 miles north of Spokane) to attend the 1957 Elvis concert at Memorial Stadium. We were separated from the stage by a dirt track, which everyone was grabbing handfuls of dirt following the show. Carol and I could not get a ride back to Trail, since it was so late, and had to call my mother to drive down to get us. We are both grounded to this day and we are now 75 years of age. What a wonderful experience. So the young people of today are no different than we were in 1957. — Bonnie (July 2017)
Reader Comment: In reference to the photo on your site labeled, “Gaylene Moos, 15, meets Elvis at the Spokane, Washington, train station on the evening of August 29, 1957,” the photo is not of Gaylene Moos. The photo is of my mother (she has an additional photo taken earlier in the day from the front wearing the same dress). Also, my mother was given an autographed copy of the photo. Several years ago, when a man from the Spokesman Review visited my mother, she talked about Elvis coming to Spokane, and her meeting him at the train station. Mom's neighbor was driving one of the cars at the train station. If Gaylene is anything like my mother, who was also 15 at the time, the memory of Elvis is one that is very cherished. If Gaylene wants to believe that she is the girl in the photo, that is fine. But, please do not identify the girl in the photo as Gaylene when it is not. — Anne (2018)
Reader Comment: I was there. Elvis came in a convertible, leaped out of it onto the "stage" which was a flat bed truck. He left the same way: very athletially. Over the loud speaker: ELVIS HAS LEFT THE STADIUM. Then we went to the Coliseum for a dance: the band from Portland was there playing LOUIE LOUIE. I was with Judy Olin and my brother got in a brief fight. A night to remember. — Dale (2023)
https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/listen ... 1957.shtml
Listening, seeing and touching Elvis when the King played Spokane's Memorial Stadium in August 1957
By: Ed Condran
Source: spokesman.com
November 1, 2024
Fans who experienced Elvis Presley perform at Memorial Stadium in August 1957 recall how the King looked and sounded as he gyrated across the stage at the peak of his career.
However, Jackie Allen remembers how Presley felt.
'His skin was so soft' Allen recalled. 'I remember touching his hand when he signed for me'.
Allen, 80, was photographed by a Spokane Chronicle photographer while she received an autograph from the rock and roll star.
'I was crying when I met him', Allen said while calling from her Spokane Valley home.
The North Central High School alum, class of 1960, was one of the few people at the Spokane train station when Presley arrived. A neighbor, who was hired to pick up Presley, told Allen about the emerging superstar's arrival.
'I was one of the few people there at the station the night before the concert because hardly anyone else knew about it', Allen said.
The following evening Allen, who lived across the street from Memorial Stadium, attended the show.
'I cried throughout the concert since I was so thrilled', Allen said. 'I still have the ticket stub from the show'.
Linda Chamberlain also has her ripped ticket from the event.
While cleaning out her mother's basement five years ago, Chamberlain discovered her lone memento from Presley's Spokane debut, on the night of Aug. 30, 1957, at Spokane Memorial Stadium (later known as Joe Albi Stadium).
'When I saw the ticket, I was like, 'Oh my God, are you kidding me?' ' Chamberlain said from her South Hill home. 'It was an experience I'll never forget. I was 10 years old and I knew how lucky I was to see Elvis'.
Chamberlain, 75, and her sister, Rita Joyce, 77, who grew up in Hillyard, experienced history thanks to their mother, Nicky Joyce, who was crazy about Elvis.
'My mom was 31 at the time of the concert and she thought Elvis was the greatest', Chamberlain said. 'She loved playing those early Elvis albums in our house. She and her friend decided to take my sister and I to the show since we were her cover. I was 10 and my sister was 12. Most parents at that time didn't like Elvis. I overheard my friend's parents say that he was the devil and he was just awful'.
Teenage girls, the overwhelming majority at Presley's Spokane debut, screamed and howled throughout the 16-song performance, Chamberlain said.
Linda Chamberlain kept this torn ticket of the 1957 Elvis concert at Memorial Stadium.
'I remember my mother got upset with the girls in front of us, who were out of control', Chamberlain recalled. 'They just screamed. She told them that she didn't pay for our tickets to hear them. She wanted to hear Elvis'.
Chamberlain and her sister wanted to see Elvis. Chamberlain repeatedly yanked at the binoculars around Rita's neck.
'My poor sister's memory from the show is me pulling on the binoculars', Chamberlain said. 'We weren't far from the stage, but we both just wanted to see Elvis as well as possible'.
Presley kicked off the show with Little Richard's 'Tutti Frutti'. The King followed with such classics as 'Don't Be Cruel', 'Heartbreak Hotel' and '(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear'.
'I loved every minute of the show, but my favorite was when Elvis played 'When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again', ' Chamberlain said. 'That's an amazing song'.
Give Chamberlain credit for going with the deep cut penned by Wiley Walker and Gene Sullivan. Presley, who was 22 and in his prime, altered the state of pop music and pop culture. The first rock and roll star was just a year removed from his initial hit when he played Memorial Stadium. His first two albums, 'Elvis' and 'Elvis Presley', each recorded and released in 1956, were pure, primal blasts of rockabilly.
Many music pundits believe that 1957 was Presley's peak as a singer and performer.
Presley's raw sensuality disturbed many adults and thrilled young women. It was a huge deal when Presley opened his four-day, five-city Pacific Northwest tour in Spokane.
'You wonder why Elvis played a show in our city, which didn't have a lot going on at the time', Chamberlain said. 'And we were so isolated'.
Nevertheless, Presley, his band, his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and his entourage embarked on a two-day train trip from Memphis to Spokane.
Presley played on a stage directly in the middle of the Memorial Stadium field. 'He was right on what would have been the 50-yard line', Chamberlain said.
According to Chamberlain, half of the stadium's concrete bleachers were empty.
'I'll never forget that people were seated on one side of the stadium', Chamberlain said. 'Nobody else was on the other side (of the venue)'.
What is burned into Chamberlain's memory is Presley's finale, 'Hound Dog'. During the performance the kid from Tupelo, Mississippi, leapt into the dirt track from the stage that separated him from his fans. Presley belted out 'Hound Dog', while in a gold lamé jacket, and fell to his knees in the dirt and sawdust.
'I'll never get that image out of my head, and as soon as 'Hound Dog' ended, Elvis jumped into a Cadillac and drove right out of the stadium', Chamberlain said. 'It all happened so fast. Girls jumped over the railing from the stands to the track and started putting sawdust and dirt from where Elvis jumped on into their purses. It was absolutely crazy'.
Not every young girl was as fortunate as Chamberlain and Joyce. Judith Holter, 77, who was a sixth grader growing up in West Central when Presley played Memorial Stadium, wanted to catch the King but didn't have the opportunity.
'I couldn't afford to go', Holter said while calling from Olympia. 'I wanted to see Elvis but we were a limited-income family'.
The tickets, which were $3.50, are the equivalent of $37 today.
'That's the way it went for me', Holter said. 'My father passed away and my mom was raising us. Elvis was such a thing. He was such a great singer. He was so attractive. But I never saw the show or any footage from it'.
Chamberlain has never witnessed film of the show either.
'I don't know if anything was shot', Chamberlain said. 'My regret is that I didn't bring my Brownie Instamatic. No one thought to bring a camera to the show. It's alright. I'll always have my memories of Elvis performing, and I still have my ticket stub after all of these years'.
Chamberlain and Allen each visited Graceland after Presley died in 1977, but neither saw the aging enigma when he performed at the Coliseum in 1976. 'I didn't want to spoil my memories of Elvis playing Memorial Stadium, so I didn't go to the Coliseum', Allen said. 'I still think about that show at Memorial Stadium, and I still love Elvis'.
Original artricle date: August 28, 2022
By Ed Condran | spokesman.com
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