The one I was watching was a "spectacular," to say the least. Gigantic band, backup singers galore, including, J. D. Sumner, the big tall old bass singer from The Stamps Quartet. JD was one of Elvis's favorites, The picture here is old JD and the ring that Elvin gave him. As each song ended, hundreds of people stood and took pictures, it was amazing. I just never realized how "big" he really was. And, as the song says, he did it his way.
In retrospect, I think he was the "biggest" star of my lifetime. I doubt that he had many "private" moments in his life. He could not go to a store and shop, or leave his house, without drawing a crowd. His "quiet" moments were at a premium. I wonder if he ever saw a movie in a theatre, or had a nice quiet meal in a restaurant.Of his own doing, he went too soon. I remember hearing Rex Humbard, the evangelist who did his funeral, mention that on the way to the cemetery, there were throngs of people, and one man, near the end before they entered was standing there, next to his Harley, a big old weather beaten biker, brought his hand to his forehead, as a "salute" to Elvis.
