Clever Creations

In the Elvis World it is common knowledge that Bill Belew designed Elvis' jumpsuits. And yes, initially Belew did design Elvis' jumpsuits from 1969 onwards. However, from 1972 onwards Bill was in big demand and that was the moment that Gene Doucette came into the picture.

Bill would give Gene the blank suits and Gene would make the designs of the more elaborate suits for Elvis, such as the Aloha, Peacock, Tiger, American Eagle and Sundial suits.

And yes, Gene also created the custom made boxing robe that Elvis gifted to Muhammad Ali. Unfortunately, Gene received incorrect instructions for the order, which was supposed to be the "People's Champ". Gene Doucette worked quietly in the background and ultimately never met die man who took such delight in his clever creations.

Memories

Dave Hebler, a 10th degree Black Belt, served as one of Elvis' personal bodyguards and Kenpo instructor from 1972 to 1976. 

Recently he was back in Memphis for the FIRST time since Elvis' passing and he reminisced about his times with Elvis at the Memphian movie theatre and on the road:

The Memphian was a very important part of Elvis' life. I remember the Peter Sellers movies, he liked that. As far as protecting Elvis, using my skills was no easy task. Being Elvis' bodyguard was the worse job on the face of the planet! I mean, think about it: everywhere we went there were hundreds of love-starved women just doing their best to try to get next to Elvis. Being Elvis' bodyguard and personal karate instructor was a once in a life time experience, though I have such great memories of that time.

Francis Zambon

Mark James, born as Francis Zambon, is a well-known American songwriter, 5 years younger than Elvis, and hailing from Houston, TX. In High School he played the violin and accordion, but really fell in love with music when he picked up a guitar. He wrote songs and performed in clubs, changing his name to Mark James. He wanted to record his own songs himself and formed a band, The Mark James Trio, but he received only a minor hit.

Then Mark was drafted to serve in Vietnam. In 1968, after his discharge, he moved to Memphis to work as a staff songwriter for producer Chips Moman. In the same year he penned and recorded Suspicious Minds by himself but it failed to chart.

A year later Elvis picked this song at his American Sound Studio recordings and the rest is history. James had explained that the song related to his complex emotions around being married but being in love with his childhood sweetheart. He went on to write more than 300 songs in a career that spanned 7 decades.

All in all, Elvis recorded 5 of Mark's compositions:

1. Suspicious Minds

2. It's Only Love

3. Always On My Mind

4. Raised On Rock

5. Moody Blue

James' most successful composition is Always On My Mind. 300 Singers recorded it. Willie Nelson's cover made it a huge hit and Mark won 2 Grammy's. In 2015 Mark James entered The Songwriters Hall of Fame.

Was Elvis Interested?

The year 1959, Elvis' full year in Germany in the army, is more or less a "missing" year in Elvis history. We do not know that much about Elvis' life during this time frame. 

Take for example the story about a certain German actress, Vera Tschechowa - 18 years old at the time - who tried to meet Elvis when he was on field training exercises. That didn't work out, but Vera soon got a lucky break because she was hired to pose for publicity photos with Elvis for The March of Dimes campaign.

After their photoshoot Elvis and Vera posed for a formal portrait which appeared on the cover of the German magazine called Funk Illustrierte. During that day Elvis and Vera also visited the Frankfort Zoo, spending some quality time together.

After a while Vera visited Elvis in Bad Nauheim, and a few months later Elvis surprised her with a return visit that lasted 4 days. During this visit they frequented the Moulin Rouge and other night clubs in Munich.

Was Elvis interested in Vera? Who knows. To Vera, however, it was all priceless free publicity that she as a young and emerging actress was interested in.

The Next Step

The Ryman Auditorium, home to the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, TN, was built as a grand place of worship by Captain Thomas Ryan who first led a rather questionable life but later became a Christian.

After his passing in 1904, his namesake building eventually became one of the most legendary music venues in the world.

Fast forward to 1954. Elvis' first professional appearance is at the Overton Shell Park in Memphis. It goes well. He's a hit.

The next step is national attention via a try out at the Grand Ole Opry. It's a 300 km ride. To Elvis, Scotty and Bill the Ryman Auditorium is like a shrine. None of them has ever attended a show there and they wander around the dilapidated building in a daze, overwhelmed by the sense of history in the room.

Backstage, Elvis is insecure and scared stiff. He confesses to upcoming 20-year-old bass player Buddy Killen: They're going to hate me. If they'd just let me leave, I'd go right now. There are two more surprises for the band: Marion Keisker, supposed to be on duty at SUN, has left her post and driven all the way to appear backstage for support, plus Bill and Scotty's wives are in the front row.

Hank Snow introduces Elvis as "a new young and upcoming singer", but forget Elvis' name in the process! Elvis bounces out on stage the same way that he always does, as if he's just fallen off a fast-moving train, and does his one number. Scotty and Bill are more nervous than Elvis; to them it seems, there is nowhere to go but down from here, and they can sense by the polite, but tepid reception that this is exactly where they are going.

Elvis never performs on the Opry again but visits friends backstage at the Ryman in 1957.