Greatest man in history, named Jesus, had no servants, yet they called him Master.

Had no degree, yet they called him Teacher. Had no medicines, yet they called him

Healer. He had no army, yet kings feared Him. He won no military battles, yet he

conquered the world. He committed no crime, yet they crucified Him...He was buried

in a tomb,conquered the grave & lives today! Hallelujah What a Savior!!

When Elvis Came to Town - a live theater production!

7:00 PM -
When: April 15–17, 2011

Elvis in Citrus County!
Elvis Presley and his entourage arrived in the humid Florida summer of 1961 to film his ninth movie "Follow that Dream". The sleepy county of Citrus woke up to actors, extras, screaming star stuck fans and a lot of fun. 50 years later, Follow that Dream-2011, the King Returns- in an original play/musical presented in the original 1912 Courthouse where the criticaly acclaimed courtroom scene was filmed in Inverness, Florida.


Where: Historic courthouse in
downtown Inverness, Florida (90
min. northwest of Disney World
and Universal; 60 min. from
Tampa Bay area; address: 1 Courthouse Square, Inverness, FL 34450

What: 3 shows, each starting at
7:00 p.m. with featured
appearances offstage by Elvis
tribute artists!

Why: All proceeds go to benefit
the Citrus County Historical
Society and its efforts to restore
and maintain the Citrus County
Courthouse and Historical
Museum.

For more information visit elvisinflorida.com or call 352-341-6436

Elvis Presley's Filming History on Florida's Nature Coast

Elvis Presley's Filming History on Florida's Nature Coast
from the website www.visitflorida.com


November 12, 2010

At the request of a reader, I've done some research on Elvis and the time he spent filming on Florida's Nature Coast. Of course, it wasn't called "Nature Coast" back then. Elvis filmed primarily in Yankeetown, which sits on the Withlacoochee River a few miles inland from the Gulf. This is what I learned after a bit of digging on www.inglisyankeetown.org:

"The Elvis Presley movie, "Follow that Dream," [was filmed] in our historic courthouse. When you visit Inverness, you will be struck by the beauty and quaintness of our historic "Courthouse Square" shopping district, the centerpiece of which is our stately Historic Courthouse... It was placed on the National Registry of Historic Places on April 2, 1992."

During the shooting, Elvis apparently stayed in Crystal River. From there, it was an easy drive to the locations that took him to Inverness, Yankeetown, Ocala and Tampa. Yankeetown has a marker commemorating the shoot, and it also named a highway after Elvis, the Follow That Dream Highway.


To get to the spot in Yankeetown where the fishing scenes from the movie were filmed back in 1961, you need to travel to the end of Highway 40 West at the Gulf of Mexico. There, at the bridge that goes over Bird Creek, you'll also see some of the most glorious sunsets in the entire state.

Like Elvis, many people before and after have followed their dream to Florida.

From My Friend Naz~ Inspiring

Inspiration for Christmas straight from Prison

I came across this letter from my cousin and thought it appropriate to share with you all to help you remember what the Christmas spirit is all about. Never lose hope, never give up. Santa lives within us all………

From my cousin:

I address this letter to the youth as well as to the young men and women in Rockaway who may be involved in any type of negative or delinquent life style. My name is Joey LaMarca, and I write this letter from my cell inside Attica Maximum Security Prison.

In 1996 I was involved in a crime that took place in Rockaway. I was arrested, found guilty, and now spend my days and nights regretting the ignorant past I once lived. I have now been incarcerated for the past seven years, and any light at the end of the tunnel remains years away.

My so-called reasons for committing my crime I now realize weren't reasons at all. I know this because the fact is there are no reasons or justification to commit criminal acts! I was living in a mind frame where I was concentrating on things such as my reputation instead of on the consequences of my actions.

I never thought about the individuals I hurt. I did things out of greed, out of ignorance, and from my misconception on what I thought life was about. The sad reality now for me is that I am told when I can eat, when I can sleep, when I can go outside, when I can make a phone call, what I can wear, and even what I'm permitted to say. The truth is I never dreamed imprisonment would happen to me. My family were very respected high ranking law enforcement. So, if it can happen to me, it can happen to you! Prison is a second by second assault on the soul, each day an echo of the day before, and at times I feel as if I'm choking in silent pain.

It is said that hindsight is 20/20, and when I reflect back on the choices I made I realize my enormous mistakes. I have learned that life is about educating yourself, building a family, being responsible, helping your neighbor, and really just trying to enjoy life in general.

It now has been fourteen (updated) years since I have seen the beach or the boardwalk. The Atlantic Ocean you are steps away from, I can only now dream of. I now realize I took many things for granted. If any of you reading this have a dream or a positive goal in life, GO FOR IT! When you talk about your goal it's a dream. When you plan for your goal, it becomes possible. But, when you go after that goal, when you become determined, that's when it becomes your reality! At this time I am living life as it is from a steel and cement cell, but all of you have the chance and the opportunity to live life as it should be. It's not only possible to have and achieve your dream, tell yourself it's necessary! I ask you to never let success go to your head, and never let failure go to your heart.

I would like to close with a short story. There is a tree called 'The Chinese Bamboo Tree.' When you plant the seed of this tree in the ground it takes five years of watering the seed everyday just for the tree to break free from the ground. But after it does break the ground, in just FIVE WEEKS it grows over 90 FEET TALL.

So for everyday for five years this man would water the same spot on his grass with no results. All his so-called friends and neighbors would call him crazy and stupid. But, after five year's of dedication and belief, and NEVER GIVING UP on the dream of his tree, one day it popped up! Then, five weeks later he had a beautiful Chinese Bamboo Tree in his front yard, which was over 90 feet tall! This man placed his favorite comfortable chair under the tree, and because of his dedication, hard work, and faith, he was able to sit back and relax.
The same so-called friends that called him crazy and stupid were stuck in the summer heat, but this man sat back in the shade. Yes, it takes hard work to reach certain goals in life, but if you do it right the rewards will last forever! I beg of you all, DO IT RIGHT! Take it from me, it's worth it!

I would like to thank my wife Kim and our friend Lauren for both being a positive inspiration in my life. My best to all of you out there. Stay safe, smart, happy, and healthy in all you do.

JOSEPH LAMARCA

DESCRIPTIVE PARAGRAGH

My favorite season of the year is fall. I mostly enjoy fall because the trees become colorful. The way the hues of the leaves blend together is like seeing a real life painting. It's a pretty site to see to wake up at sunrise. The morning dew blankets the already fallen leaves. The dew glistens and looks like shiney diamonds on the various colors of the leaves. Although I am an adult, I still like to run and tumble in a pile of raked leaves. It feels like a cushion to land on. I especialy like to play in a pile of oak tree leaves because it has a robust smell of coffee roasting on a campfire. It reminds me of the fun times when I was just a little country girl and life seemed much simplier.

Sam Phillips Deserves a United States Postage Stamp

Sam Phillips deserves a United States Postage Stamp because he was an honorable American icon. He demonstrated the courage to break racial barriers in music during the segregated 1950's of the South. Phillips discovered many well known talented artists. My favorite amongst them was Elvis Presley.

Phillips had a talented ear for sound. He heard what most seasoned record producers couldn't hear. Phillips was self-taught and was intune with the heart and soul of music. He didnt judge a person if they could carry tune, but he did critique the originality of the artists' style. He wasn't interested in doing things the same way. For example, country music was already king in Nashville. Electric Blues was already being done in Chicago. In his mind, the world didn't need another Frank Sinatra, Hank Williams Sr., or another Dinah Washington because the record companies were trying to mimic what was already being done with newer artists. He wanted his artists to create their own sound. He also wanted to bring various generes of music together so that it would appeal to both black and white people. He opened up the Memphis Recording Service, now known as Sun Studio, in 1950. The motto he used was "We create anything, anywhere, anytime."

Phillips accomplished his goal to bring black and white music together when he recorded Elvis Presley. Elvis had the negro feel in his voice in a white person's skin. Phillips didnt like that term 'race music,' which was used to describe the music listened to by only black people. On July 5, 1954, Rock n' Roll music was born with the recording of "That's Alright Mama." This was Presley's first big hit record. This breakthrough opened many doors for this new kind of music that brought forth many influential artists. It will be an honor for Phillips' birthtown in Florence, Alabama to host the official ceremony when the stamp is realized.

My Least Favorite Place

My Least Favorite Place

Riverbend Center for Mental Health in Florence is an uncomfortable place for me. It looks like a building from a horror film. There is also a strong, disgusting, and old odor inside, and the ringing phones aren't loud enough. Riverbend's purpose in the community is to assist people with mental disabilities, but the whole feel, smell and look of the facility defeats the purpose it is supposed to serve. Furthermore, it is difficult to see Riverbend as a helpful resource because of the look, smell, and the low-volumed telephones.

The first thing that is always noticeable about the facility is its odd shape and colors on the outside of the building. The faded, cream colored, cone shaped columns in the front and left side of the building looks like they were made by aliens. I am not sure what the shape of the building is. It comes close to a twisted hexagon. The bricks are light brown and vomit yellow color. Since Riverbend is a place for the mentally ill, it doesn't look inviting. It looks depressing. It should be more of an upbeat, cheerful and modernized building for these 'special' people who visit here. In addition, as you walk inside it, it appears to be a reality Twilight Zone.

The sight of Riverbend and the smell inside are equally dreadful. I always get dizzy, but mostly nauseous when I walk through the front foyer. The smell hits you in the face like a baseball bat; it's that bad! The facility is clean and thoroughly sanitized, but the building is so old and outdated it is difficult to tell. I am not making fun of people that have to go there; I am an outpatient client also. I am so fortunate that I have access to a daily shower and proper hygiene. Many people who go there are weird and appear to be homeless. They smell bad because of the lack of bathing and keeping their clothes clean. I feel bad for them, but it makes me uncomfortable to be around some of them. It makes me sad that Riverbend is owned by the state of Alabama. The state neglected to provide the financial support and other resources to make it a better place for the treatment of the various forms of depression. Regardless of their unlimited or limited hygiene procedures, the facility could reach out to more people if it weren't for the state.

The sounds in the building are not disturbing. People do not talk loud and the phones are soft sounding. When I have heard the phones ringing, I often wonder if someone will hear it. It may be a person in need of services. Sometimes the phones are unanswered because of the lack of employees to manage the calls. They have a radio in the ceiling speakers that isn't loud either. It plays Oldies Rock n' Roll music, which is one of my favorite genres. I never have heard of any complaints about the music. Even though the sounds you might hear at Riverbend aren't negative, the place for the most part is.

The sight and smell of the building makes me more depressed. More people would voluntarily seek services if it weren't for these negatives. Maybe this is why the doctors seem to prescribe strong doses of medication to keep some sanity in their patients when they have an appointment.

My Least Favorite Place

Riverbend Center for Mental Health in Florence is an uncomfortable place for me. It looks like a building from a horror film. There is also a strong, disgusting, and old odor inside, and the ringing phones aren't loud enough. Riverbend's purpose in the community is to assist people with mental disabilities, but the whole feel, smell and look of the facility defeats the purpose it is supposed to serve. Furthermore, it is difficult to see Riverbend as a helpful resource because of the look, smell, and the low-volumed telephones.

The first thing that is always noticeable about the facility is its odd shape and colors on the outside of the building. The faded, cream colored, cone shaped columns in the front and left side of the building looks like they were made by aliens. I am not sure what the shape of the building is. It comes close to a twisted hexagon. The bricks are light brown and vomit yellow color. Since Riverbend is a place for the mentally ill, it doesn't look inviting. It looks depressing. It should be more of an upbeat, cheerful and modernized building for these 'special' people who visit here. In addition, as you walk inside it, it appears to be a reality Twilight Zone.

The sight of Riverbend and the smell inside are equally dreadful. I always get dizzy, but mostly nauseous when I walk through the front foyer. The smell hits you in the face like a baseball bat; it's that bad! The facility is clean and thoroughly sanitized, but the building is so old and outdated it is difficult to tell. I am not making fun of people that have to go there; I am an outpatient client also. I am so fortunate that I have access to a daily shower and proper hygiene. Many people who go there are weird and appear to be homeless. They smell bad because of the lack of bathing and keeping their clothes clean. I feel bad for them, but it makes me uncomfortable to be around some of them. It makes me sad that Riverbend is owned by the state of Alabama. The state neglected to provide the financial support and other resources to make it a better place for the treatment of the various forms of depression. Regardless of their unlimited or limited hygiene procedures, the facility could reach out to more people if it weren't for the state.

The sounds in the building are not disturbing. People do not talk loud and the phones are soft sounding. When I have heard the phones ringing, I often wonder if someone will hear it. It may be a person in need of services. Sometimes the phones are unanswered because of the lack of employees to manage the calls. They have a radio in the ceiling speakers that isn't loud either. It plays Oldies Rock n' Roll music, which is one of my favorite genres. I never have heard of any complaints about the music. Even though the sounds you might hear at Riverbend aren't negative, the place for the most part is.

The sight and smell of the building makes me more depressed. More people would voluntarily seek services if it weren't for these negatives. Maybe this is why the doctors seem to prescribe strong doses of medication to keep some sanity in their patients when they have an appointment.

Vocational Field Article Summary

In "Public-Relations Professionals Hire Freelance Writers for a Host of Lucrative Assignments," Robert Bly states that PR writing is four times more profitable than journalism. The writer, who is called a ghostwriter, is paid more money per article and the writer will not spend a lot of time on their writing assignments. Ghostwriting is a unique term to describe a writer who gets no credit for their work. The ghostwriter isn't known to the company's editor. This writer is hired by a corporation or nonprofit agency. The majority of the PR work is done for trade and consumer magazines. There are seven types of PR writing: press releases, case studies, speeches, newsletters, how-to, selection guides, and consumer-awareness guides.

Bly contrasted the difference between public-relations and journalism to prove his point. He states that conventional journalism takes more time than public-relations writing. He gave a great explanation. In journalism, the writer is expected to do all the research and write the article. In contrast, the PR writer's job is simplified. The client who hires you will supply you with all the information to do your work. Another example to back up his point is that in journalism, the writer has to interview many people for one story. This is very time consuming. In PR writing, the client will give you access to SM E's, subject-matter experts, if additional information is needed for the article. SME's are told by the client to work with you; therefore, getting additional information will not be frustrating.

This article was interesting to me because I enjoy writing. Writing is my passion. After I graduate from Northwest-Shoals Community College, I will have an Associate of Arts degree in General Liberal Arts. From there, I will attend Roosevelt University, in Chicago, to pursue a Bachelor of Professional Studies degree in Communications. The area I want to focus on is public-relations. I learned a little more about the profession after I read this article. I am impressed that most companies don't use people from within their organization to do their PR work. When I first read the term, 'ghostwriter,' I immediately assumed that it was talking about writing stories on the paranormal.

An example that comes to mind about ghostwriting, are letters I get on occasion from Roosevelt University alumni members. It makes sense that a ghostwriter writes the letter for that person. For example, I have received letters from Anne Roosevelt (President Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's granddaughter), Roosevelt's president, Chuck Middleton, Congresswoman Melissa Bean and alumni who own well known companies. Last month, I received a letter from an executive who works with Quaker Oats. It makes sense why their signature is electronically signed too. I am sure that other new enrolled students have received the same letter. The only difference is, my name was printed on the envelope and letter.

These days, companies are doing everything that they can to cut costs. The cost of printing, paper and postage is not cheap. To achieve this, marketers are sending their newsletters out by email. Most colleges have stopped printing catalogs. Instead, you can access the entire catalog on the school's website. Many companies have done away with paper employment applications since they can utilize the cost-efficient way of accessing the applicant's information they submitted on the company's website.

I would recommend this article to anybody who needs brief information on how companies handle the bulk of their writing communications. Electronic marketing is the profession to choose for writers who have the passion I have for the art of putting words together that make a lasting impression on the reader. This article has inspired me to do more research in this line of work and how I can continue to improve my writing skills.

An Experience of Success That Revealed My Passion

An Experience of Success That Revealed My Passion



I have been an Elvis Presley fan since I was two years old. Growing up as one of his most dedicated fans I never imagined that I would become an Elvis fan club president, become friends with the Sam Phillips Family and become acquainted with several people who were close to Elvis. Furthermore, my dedicated involvement in the Elvis world showed me I have the natural ability and talent to coordinate and plan special events. This is not an easy thing to do; it requires what I call the "Three P's" of event management: patience, persistence and passion. In addition, my "Three P's" have given birth to the annual Sam Phillips Music Celebration that is held in Florence and a 2006 Commemorative United States Postal Cancellation of Sam's image. I have taken on a bigger role now as the coordinator for the Sam Phillips United States Postage Stamp Campaign, now in its fifth year. Sam Phillips, who was from Florence, was the man who discovered music greats such as Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, B.B. King, Rufus Thomas, Little Milton, Charlie Rich, Conway Twitty, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Burgess and the Pacers and several others. Sam is my hero, but Elvis is my American Idol.

I first discovered how natural I am in the event management and public-relations fields when I coordinated my first event. I will never forget it. It was on Friday, December 13, 2002. For some people, Friday the 13th is an unlucky day, but it wasn't for me. It was a rainy, blustery, cold day in Nashville, Tennessee. My co-workers at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop were my biggest fans; they were like family to me. When I asked my manager, we all affectionately called Big Dave, if I could host a book and CD signing with Scotty Moore (Elvis' first guitar player), D.J. Fontana (Elvis' first drummer) and country legend Ronnie McDowell (whose voice closely resembles Elvis), he, without hesitation said, "it will be a pleasure Liz!" During this time in my life, I was living in a bad marriage, I had low self-esteem, and I was empty; I didn't know what my purpose in life was. As soon as Big Dave gave me authorization to host this exciting event inside the little historic record shop located at 417 Broadway, my life looked upwards. There was a fire that ignited in me for the first time in my life. It was overwhelming, but it sure felt good! Coordinating and planning this event was not only an exciting thing for me, but it was very bold, I rarely did anything bold because of fear. Thus, this was the beginning for me to come out of the wall I built around me when I was a child.

The day of the event, as anyone can imagine, I was nervous. I really wanted this to be a magical day for me. I rarely did anything for myself. I felt I deserved it. I deserved to walk into a new open door of possibilities that would improve my life and make me a happier woman. Before I got to work, I stopped off at H.G. Hills Food Store in West Nashville for 3 cold Cokes and 3 bottles of cold water. I am not sure why I thought of this, but I felt this would be the considerate thing to do for my special guests. After all, they were donating their time. As soon as I clocked in at work, I remembered that I forgot my camera and voice recorder. This did not help my anxiety at all. Usually, one of my co-workers, Kelly keeps a camera on hand in case someone of importance comes in to visit. He didn't have it with him. I used to keep a disposable camera in my desk drawer, but forgot to replace the one I had. As I walked to mail order, Rick, who worked in my department, was at the coffee pot refilling his cup. He asked me if I wanted a cup and I said, "That would make me want to climb the ceiling. I already feel I could climb the wall." He laughed and said, "Why? What's wrong?" I replied, shaking a little, "I am so nervous I can't think! I thought I had everything together to bring with me today. I just realized I forgot my camera and voice recorder!" He chuckled and assured me that everything will be alright. He told me before I begin answering the phones, get me some water, sit down, and breathe. As Rick and I were talking, Big Dave was at his desk getting orders ready to be packaged. He was smiling as he was working. I know that he heard every word.

After I sat down, in his gentle, deep, northern accented voice, he said, "Lizzy, you will do fine. I believe in you." Big Dave always knew how to encourage the employees and to make them feel right at home. That is one of the reasons why we all loved him so much. Then, with the same smile on his face, Big Dave, printing a receipt for an order said, "If you want to Liz, you can go to my office to visit with Scotty. It will be comfortable and quiet up there." I had always wanted to sit in his big, leather, executive chair. I exclaimed, "Oh thank you so much Big Dave, thank you so much!" Laughing, he responded in his Elvis voice, with his right upper lip curled like Elvis, "Thank ya, thank ya very much!" That was so funny! Rick, who we affectionately called Hillbilly Rick, made me laugh even more, because he was laughing. His laugh was contagious. Laughter definitely is the best medicine!

I decided to take an early lunch break. Big Dave allowed me to take an hour. I still had a lot to do to get prepared. I decided I would chance getting soaked in the rain to walk up to Walgreen's to find me a voice recorder and disposable camera. I found a camera and a voice recorder, but I didn't have enough money to buy the voice recorder. Instead, I bought me a small notebook and a comfortable ink pen so I could take really good notes during my conversation with Scotty. After I got back to the shop, I went straight to the bathroom to dry off, fix my thick hair-sprayed curly blond hair, and to try to make myself look like I hadn't been through hell. The closer to time that Scotty was to arrive; I could not concentrate on my work, nor keep seated. I had to constantly walk around. Big Dave didn't say anything to me about it. When I would walk through the mail order department, all he would do was smile while he worked. When I finally made myself sit down to take a break, the back door bell rang. I was so nervous that I surprisingly could not hear it. Bill, our shipping guy exclaimed as he comes into the mail order room, "Liz, Scotty is here!" I took a big breath, put on my smile, composed myself, and walked into the shipping room. There he was, the man who was there with Elvis in the beginning. Here he was, the man whose guitar you hear clearly on such Elvis records like "Heartbreak Hotel," "Don't Be Cruel," "All Shook Up," "That's Alright (Mama)," "Hound Dog," and so many other famous Elvis songs too numerous to list. Scotty can be seen in three Elvis movies. He played guitar in the movies "Jailhouse Rock," "Loving You," and "King Creole." When I saw him, he appeared larger than life to me. I could not believe that I was seconds away from meeting the legendary Scotty Moore; this was reality!

I first shook hands with Gail Pollock, his personal and professional assistant. She hugged me and said, "Liz, don't be nervous. I understand why you are, but think of him as a regular guy." I never thought of it that way before; think of Scotty Moore as an everyday person. Doing this, I was able to put away the awkwardness, uneasy, and uncomfortable feelings I had about meeting a celebrity. I felt I had to be perfect and that this day had to be perfect. I learned my first important lesson that day. Celebrities are people too and they are not perfect. Since then, I don't get nervous around them; I treat them like I would want to be treated with no special favors. It is the courteous thing to do to show your special visitor hospitality, like you would an out of town family member or friend. You would want to make sure their accommodations are met and they will come back again. When I shook Scotty's hand and introduced myself to him, I thanked him for coming and that it means so much to me to finally get to meet him. He smiled and said, "Liz it is good to meet you too. I haven't been in this old record shop in more than 50 years." I was so glad that he said that, because I was blank. I did not know how to open up a conversation. I said, "Scotty, would you like to walk upstairs and see the shop before we sit down and talk?" He said, "Sure!"

Scotty, Gail and I walked upstairs to the store part of the shop. When we got up there, Scotty paused at the doorway, looked to his right and said, "There’s the stage. It hasn't changed a bit." Then he said, "It sure is clean in here. It wasn't this nice back then." Puzzled as to why he would say that, I asked him, "How did the store look 50 years ago?" With a slight grin he said, "It was dirty in here. Those old record bins and floor was dirty." Then I said, "The floor must have not been waxed back then." Scotty said, still looking around and making detailed observations, "it looked dull and wasn't as organized and clean. This old place looks great!" As we turned to walk into Big Dave's office, Scotty said, "You sure couldn't stir the people in there with a stick. It was so crowded up there." As we sat down, Bill come upstairs and asked Scotty if he would like to have some coffee. I thought in the back of my mind, "Liz, you idiot, you forgot to ask him that." Scotty said he would like it black. Then I realized, I forgot to bring my camera, notebook and pen upstairs. Feeling embarrassed, I didn't ask Bill to bring it up for me. Instead, I saw a sheet of white computer paper and an ink pen on Big Dave's desk. I figured that he wouldn't mind me using it.

I told Scotty that I am not going to ask him the same questions that people have asked him for years about Elvis. I told him that I wanted him to talk about what he wanted to. It didn't have to relate to Elvis. Looking to his left, he saw an Elvis clock on the wall. It had a picture of Elvis on it in his black leather suit holding an electric guitar. Scotty said, "That was the best time of my life. The guitar Elvis is holding in that picture was mine. He used it during the 68' Comeback Special. I don't know what happened to it. I don't remember." Bill came in, gave Scotty his coffee, smiled and winked at me for good luck and then closed the door. I asked Scotty about the 68' Special and why it was a special time for him. Without hesitation, sipping on his coffee, he sits up in his chair and shares memories that I didn't know. He said that this was the last time he saw and got to talk to Elvis. He also said that he, Elvis and DJ Fontana discussed back stage about reuniting and going on an overseas tour. Elvis' manager, Col. Tom Parker didn't allow Elvis to perform out of the country. The only performances he did do out of the States was in Canada. This was in the 50's at the very beginning of Elvis' career. Unfortunately, Col. Parker told Elvis he didn't want him to tour overseas. For years it has been rumored that the reason was because Col. Parker was not a legal United States citizen.

With only 15 more minutes till time for Scotty to join Ronnie and DJ in the store, I asked Scotty if seeing the inside of the store today brought back any memories of that night he, Elvis and Bill Black (Bill was their bass player) appeared on that little stage on the Ernest Tubb Midnight Jamboree. He said that it was such a long time ago that all he remembered was the store was so overcrowded with young people, there was so much noise from the screaming girls, and that Mr. Tubb was the nicest person to them in Nashville. I asked him, "Were there people from the Opry mean to y'all? How was he nice to y'all?" He said, still sipping on his steamy coffee, "The Opry performance was humiliating to Elvis. The audience didn't boo him off the stage like some books say. There simply wasn't any reaction from them. They were not sure what they just heard." In addition to Scotty describing being on stage on the legendary Grand Ole Opry, he commented on how rude Opry stars like Bill Monroe and Roy Acuff was to Elvis. They made fun of him and judged him. Scotty described what Elvis was wearing in detail. He also said that Bill Monroe didn't like Elvis recording his song, "Blue Moon of Kentucky." Nevertheless, Mr. Monroe later re-corded the song to a more up-tempo beat after he realized that Elvis made a hit out of it. When he re-recorded the song, Mr. Monroe sold more copies than the slower original version.

Scotty said that after the performance at the Opry, the three of them went out the back door and went into Tootsie's Orchard Lounge. "Bill had to let out some energy," said Scotty. "Bill got up on top of the counter with his bass and played like a wild man." Scotty laughed as he reminisced. He said that Bill was the clown of their group. Mr. Tubb got word that Elvis was across the street at Tootsie's. Elvis and The Blue Moon Boys, the three were called, were personally invited to make a guest appearance on Mr. Tubb's live radio show, The Midnight Jamboree. I asked Scotty, "What songs did y'all do?" Scotty chuckled and said, "The only ones we knew, "That's Alright (Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky." He said that their trip to Nashville turned out to not be as bad as they thought it would be after they got off the Opry stage. Never forgetting the kindness and generosity Mr. Tubb showed them, Elvis sent a box of chocolates to him every Christmas until 1976, the last year that Elvis lived.

Gail, Scotty and I spent nearly 45 minutes talking. Scotty did most of the talking and I listened. It was a pleasure to be allowed to spend this time with him. Most people who interview Scotty, have to go through many channels to get to do so. I didn't have to. The privilege was given to me by a dear friend who worked as Graceland's public-relations manager at the time. Her name was Patsy Andersen. If it weren't for Patsy, getting this event to happen with three busy and famous musicians would not have happened. Not only was it this first event I coordinated that inspired me to go into the career field I am preparing for, Patsy was the other source and would later become my mentor on how to do this kind of work. When Scotty walked back into the store, Ronnie and DJ were already there at the table speaking to fans and signing autographs. Before Scotty sat down, I shyly said to Gail, "Would you take our picture before the guys get really busy?" She said, "I would love to Liz!" Ronnie looked up at me, got up and gave me the biggest hug I have ever got from anybody. It was nice. I liked it. He thanked me for having him and the guys there. Gail, gathered the four of us together, took two pictures and then the guys went back to their seats to greet the fans.

When the end of my work day came, I was so exhausted. I felt liberated though. I felt validated and on top of the world. I made an important discovery that I wouldn't have realized and experienced if it weren't for Patsy, Big Dave, the support from my ET family and my spark for life. Since I felt adopted by my ET family, I know without a doubt, their support helped me the most get through this entire day. All of the frustrations, my sore feet, burning eyes and headache I had were worth it. I never knew until three years later that I would see Scotty and Ronnie again. I become an Elvis fan club president in 2003. My fan club, "Alabama Fans TCB for Elvis" became active in 2004. These two men have performed at some of my fan club benefit shows and they are in support of the Sam Phillips United States Postage Stamp. Life is full of surprises and I am so thankful that I was granted this surprise.