Memories made still sweaty fresh

Some memories from those who were there:

“I do remember my parents having concerns about my attending. When their friends found out I was going, they let my mother and dad know they thought it a very bad idea. The things I might learn from watching Elvis would stick with me forever. They were right.

“I can still sing most of his songs and have watched my own children sing them and now my grandchildren are interested in his music. They absolutely cannot believe I heard Elvis in person. I went with Cathie Matthews, Susan Linebarger Sutton and Eleanor Cook. My parents felt more comfortable knowing I was with my dear friends, and they also felt those parents wouldn’t do anything that wasn’t in the best interest of their kids.

“There is no other memory (not counting marriage and childbirth) that compares with my night with Elvis. He sang only to me.” — Karen Giss Morrical,

Carmel, Ind.

“I studied the girls around me and did my best to imitate the screams with hands to my heart, and hair and arms waving in the air. I remember being embarrassed that I didn’t get what seemed so obvious to my peers. It makes me laugh today to remember that truly there was innocence in my lifetime and it’s my Elvis memory that brings me to treasure it.” — Edie Garland Barentine,

Texarkana

“When Elvis started singing, everyone, mostly girls, started screaming. So I joined in but did it to mimic them.

“After the concert, I went backstage and stood in line and got his autograph. He was covered in sweat and had long sideburns. He sat in a chair alone with a little table autographing his picture.” — Porter Briggs,

Little Rock

“I was more of a Pat Boone fan (loved his white bucks, which my husband still wears every summer), but I certainly became a big Elvis fan and had all his records during my high school years. For me, those were wonderful music years.” — Kaye Lenderman

Burton, Little Rock

“I was infected with his music.” — Trudy Levy Jacobson,

Little Rock

“My girlfriend and I left our seats and ran down to the stage but we weren’t alone. The guards had a tough time, even back then.” — Janis Fithen Railey,

Little Rock

“The show started with the Jordanaires to warm up the crowd and then the spotlight hit Elvis and he started singing, tossing his hair and swiveling his hips and the screaming began and never stopped the entire show. I was hanging over the balcony ... my friend Roger Lynn Brown was shimmying in the aisle in her strapless white sun dress.

“We were singing and raving about Elvis all the way home as Roger Lynn’s mom drove us back to Hot Springs. We thanked her over and over again and told her it was the most exciting thing we had ever done.” — Donna Groom Bartell,

North Little Rock

“I went with my friend Arthur Russel, who had a very sharp 1948 Plymouth.

“Elvis called a girl up out of the audience and introduced her as president of the Elvis Fan Club ... then he kissed her .... What a great artist Elvis was; we sure miss him. Katie, my wife of 48 years, has always been an Elvis fan. We go to Graceland often.”

— Charles Hunter, Searcy

“I had my hair in a ducktail. All I know is we screamed, hollered, rocked and had a great time.” — Marilyn Thomas Robison, Little Rock