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Hello and welcome, honey. My name is Bonnie Whitlock. I am 58 years
old and I live in central Arkansas with my husband Earl, who is more of a
Johnny Cash man but puts up with me. My grandson Wesley set up this page
for me on his computer and showed me how to type in the codes. So if
something looks funny, it's my fault and not his.
I have loved Elvis Presley since I was fifteen years old. It was September of 1956 and my aunt was the only one in the family with a television set, so we all went over on a Sunday night to watch him on Ed Sullivan. My daddy said "well, I never" and went out on the porch. I stayed right where I was. The next week I spent my babysitting money on "Don't Be Cruel" with "Hound Dog" on the other side, and I played it until my mother hid it. Earl and I went to see Blue Hawaii at the drive-in on our first date in 1961. I married him anyway. (Just teasing, Earl.) |
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His Life, the Short Version 1935 — Born January 8 in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi. His twin brother, Jesse Garon, did not live. 1948 — The family moves to Memphis. 1954 — Records "That's All Right" at Sun Records for Sam Phillips. 1956 — "Heartbreak Hotel," Ed Sullivan, and Love Me Tender. The whole world finds out. 1957 — Buys Graceland for his mama and daddy. 1958 — Drafted into the Army and sent to Germany. His mother, Gladys, dies that August. He never got over it. 1967 — Marries Priscilla in Las Vegas. 1968 — Lisa Marie is born in February. In December, the Comeback Special on NBC, in the black leather. Oh my. 1973 — Aloha from Hawaii, shown by satellite all over the world. 1977 — August 16. He was 42. 1982 — Graceland opens to the public. |
| I saw him in concert twice, both times in the seventies, and once was in Memphis in 1974, way up at the top of the Coliseum. He was a long way off and I didn't care one bit. I won't say much about August of 1977 except that I was standing at the kitchen sink when the radio said it, and I sat right down on the floor. Earl found me there when he came in from work. He didn't say a word. He just sat down on the floor beside me. |
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My Favorites Songs (only ten, or we'd be here all night) 1. "Love Me Tender" — the one I'd want played for me 2. "Don't Be Cruel" — my first record 3. "Can't Help Falling in Love" — he closed his shows with it 4. "If I Can Dream" — from the Comeback Special. Gives me chills every time. 5. "Suspicious Minds" 6. "How Great Thou Art" — his gospel singing was the real Elvis, I think. All three of his Grammys were for gospel records. 7. "Heartbreak Hotel" 8. "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" 9. "In the Ghetto" 10. "Blue Christmas" — every December, the first record on the stereo Movies Blue Hawaii (see above), Viva Las Vegas with Ann-Margret, King Creole, which I think is his best acting, and Jailhouse Rock for the dancing. |
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Earl and I finally went to Graceland! This August, for Elvis Week. Forty-three years after that Sunday night at my aunt's house. I wrote down everything. Read about our trip » |
