50s | Army | 60s | 70s | Video | Interviews | Elvis News | LMP | Pictures | Elvis Presley Biography
Elvis Presley News: delivered by email 
News Feed SMS
Elvis Presley : Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, FL : July 31, 1955
 |
|---|
| Elvis Presley LP |
 |
| Click to view larger image |
Elvis, Scotty and Bill performed at Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, Florida on four occasions, the first on May 8, 1955 just five days before their appearance in Jacksonville where at the conclusion of the performance, Elvis announces to a good portion of the audience of 14,000: 'Girls, I'll see you backstage'. The response was a full--scale riot, with fans pursuing Elvis into the dressing room and tearing off his clothes and shoes. In the opinion of the Colonel's advance man, Oscar Davis, this was the point at which Colonel Parker was irrevocably sold on the growth potential of Elvis Presley.
During their second appearance at the Armory on July 31, 1955 the Colonel Parker hired local photographer William V. 'Red' Robertson to shoot a series of photos. One, commonly referred to as the 'Tonsil' photo, in a cropped version would later be used as the cover of Elvis' first Elvis Presley LP from RCA in 1956 and used extensively in newspaper and print to promote future shows. It also became a famous Hatch show promotional print. (Below)
By the time of their final two appearances at the Armory on February 19 and August 5, 1956, each of which followed recent television appearances 
(The Dorsey Bros. Stage Show and The Steve Allen Show), they had gone from supporting act to headliner. DJ Fontana was now a regular member of the band and performed there with them also.
Robertson Or Popsie?
Resolving this apparent historical stalemate as to who took the famous photos, took a few phone calls, e-mails and faxes. But the facts are in.
'We were wrong', Guralnick says. Guralnick and Jorgensen relied on a credit line from the back cover of Presley's first album that reads 'Photos: Popsie'. Guralnick says they didn't know at the time what Robertson & Fresh was, and they could find no documents that would have disproved the Popsie credit.
Joe Tunzi, a music archivist and author of 20 books about Elvis, is adamant about the source of the photo: 'Forget about Popsie. Popsie did not take that photo'. Tunzi, who runs JAT Publishing in Chicago, says the credit line refers only to a series of four shots that were used on the album's back cover, not to the vibrant black-and-white cover photo. Though the photo used on the album cover has no imprint, Tunzi says it clearly fits into the sequence of shots by Robertson & Fresh.
Jorgensen agrees. 'You're right about the photos', Jorgensen wrote when contacted for this article. 'Robertson/Fresh took the front - Popsie the rest'. Read full story - Forever Elvis in Tampa.
Scotty Moore and Elvis at Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, FL July 31, 1955
The Poster
January 1955
Alvis Presley : January 5, 1955
Elvis Presley on The Louisiana Hayride : January 22, 1955
Tyler : January 25, 1955
Backstage : Gilmer : January 26, 1955
Elvis Presley : January 29, 1955 The Louisiana Hayride
February
Sun Studios : February 3, 1955 : Elvis, Scotty and Bill
Elvis Presley : February 6, 1955 : Memphis. Overton Park Shell
Radio promotion for February 23, 1955 Appearance
Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley : February 13, 1955 : Lubbock, Tx. Fair Park Coliseum
February 26, 1955 : Ad for Cleveland Concert on this date
March
Elvis, Scotty and Bill at Coley's Truck Stop in Dermott, AR : March 25, 1955
April
Bill Black, Royce Hanson Jr. and Elvis Presley : Gladewater High School : April 30, 1955
May
Elvis Presley : May 13, 1955 : Elvis with Mae Boren Axton
Elvis with Jimmie Rodgers Snow in the parade : Meridian, Mississippi : May 26, 1955
Elvis Presley : Texarkana, AR : Friday, May 27, 1955
June
Elvis Presley : Fair Park Coliseum Lubbock, TX : June 3, 1955
Elvis Presley : June 5, 1954 : Elvis Presley's Burnt out Cadillac
Elvis Presley : Big D Jamboree : Dallas, Texas. Sportarium : June 18, 1955
Scotty Moore, Elvis Presley & Bill Black : Beaumont Texas : June 21, 1955
July
Elvis Presley : July 4, 1955 : Hodges Park : De Leon
Elvis Presley : Water Skiing : McKellar Lake : July 1955 
Elvis Presley : July 15, 1955 : Joy Drive-In Theatre : Minden, LA
Elvis Presley : July 28 & 29, 1955 : Jacksonville, FL. Gator Stadium Baseball Park
Elvis Presley : Fort Homer W. Hesterly Armory, Tampa, FL : July 31, 1955
August
Elvis Presley : Bryan, Tx., Aug 23, 1955
September
Elvis Presley and friends, backstage : Clarksdale, MS. City Auditorium : September 8, 1955
Gilmer : September 26, 1955
October
Elvis Presley : The Cotton Club Lubbock, TX : October 15, 1955
Elvis Presley : October 18, 1955
Elvis Presley : Cleveland : October 19, 1955
Elvis Presley : Cleveland, Ohio : October 20, 1955
December
Elvis Presley : New York : December 1, 1955
Elvis Presley : Swifton, AR : December 9, 1955
Scotty, Bill and Elvis onstage (in the ring) at Ellis Auditorium : Dec 19, 1955
CDs
The Complete Louisiana Hayride Archives 1954-1956
Greatest Live Hits of the 50’s CD From MRS
Elvis At SUN
Books
The Elvis Files Volume 1 : 1953-1956
The Rock 'N Roll Years : My Wish Came True : 1954-56
Elvis Presley: The Family Album Book
|
We love Elvis Presley !!!!!!!! : So ... Stop, look and listen baby that's our philosophy ... First thing in the morning, last thing at night ... look, stare everywhere and see everything inside ... Stop, look and listen! |
