Elvis .... I think he was ..... The Greatest

I watched part of a "spectacular" of his that Bill Gaither, for some reason, is promoting, and he was, an entertainer. I was never a big Elvis fan, have seen him in many movies, never saw him in person, but he had the "entertainer" thing down to an art.

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.

I dreamed of Elvis last night

I spent some time with Elvis Presley last night, in a dream. I am not an Elvis fan particularly, had not seen or read anything about him recently, but last night, in my dreams, he came walking across  a street, or an open space of some kind, and entered where I was living. My son, Brad, was with me at the time, EP came in, and sat down, in front of the window.

I have no idea why I dreamed about him, yet, there he was, his presence, sitting in a room with me, talking.

We talked some about music, he liked the Oak Ridge Boys, I remember looking all over the room for some records, or tapes, or something that I wanted him to hear, and I kept wanting someone, my wife or someone to come home, Elvis Presley is here, and I wanted others to know that.

We sat and talked, he mentioned that J.D. Sumner was one of his favorites, he liked JD. He didn't care for the music of today, or today's singers.

He was wearing a white suit, with a cape, and had sunglasses on, and his presence in that room, well, he talked, I heard him talk, it was a strange dream.

I don't recall ever dreaming and visiting with someone so famous. But, it was vivid, as I sit here this morning, I can still see him sitting in that chair, under that front window. I wonder why I dreamed of him, for no reason.