Miscellaneous

Elvis’ second grandchild born [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 17 when I wrote this article back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #3, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Lisa Marie Presley gave birth to Elvis’ second grandchild and first grandson on October 21 in Tampa, Florida. The 7-pound, 8-ounce boy is the second child of Lisa and her husband, musician Danny Keough. Danielle, their first child, is now three. […] The baby was not named until almost a month after his birth. On November 19, the name was finally announced to the world: Benjamin Storm Keough. […]

As usual, the tabloids had a field day and made accusations that Lisa wants nothing to do with her father or his fans and intends that Benjamin never learn of his famous grandfather. […] Fans should remember to keep all of this in perspective – these same tabloids are responsible for thousands of bogus stories, including idiotic claims that Elvis is alive, various pieces of untrue trash about Elvis, and other memorable headlines, such as: “Aliens stole my face!”

Don’t be quick to draw conclusions based on this so-called “news.” We never believe the tabloids’ strange Elvis stories, so we certainly should not believe similar stories about his daughter. Lisa deserves the privacy Elvis was never given […].

Lisa, who is 24, lives with her husband in Los Angeles and there has been much speculation that she will soon follow in both of her parents’ footsteps and pursue an acting career. […] With Elvis as their grandfather, and a musician as their father, maybe Danielle and Benjamin will be the musical duo of the 21st century.

Volume I, Issue 2: Editor’s Corner [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 17 when I wrote this item back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #2, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

August 16, 1977: A date burned into the memory of almost every Elvis fan. But rather than dwell on the sadness of that day, fans have instead used it as an annual celebration of his many accomplishments.

This year, Elvis fans from across the world will brave the August heat of the South and converge on the city of Memphis to mark the fifteenth anniversary of his passing. Crowds are expected to surpass the enormous amount that made the tenth anniversary excursion in 1987, displaying once again Elvis’ great influence on so many people.

But even more fans across the world will be “celebrating” at their homes, rather than his. Each marking the day in his or her own special way.

1992 has already been an incredible year for Elvis fans. It has seen: The release of a new 1970s concert video and a 5 CD 1950s set, and the official commencement of a 1993 Elvis stamp.

35 years from now, when there are six or seven Elvis stamps and all audio and video material has been officially released, as fans mark the 50th anniversary they will look back at 1992 as a landmark year when a new dedication to quality Elvis releases began and Elvis finally began to receive some of the recognition he so justly deserved.

If you are one of the fortunate people going to Memphis to experience Elvis Week ’92, I would like to wish you a safe and wonderful trip. Although this is a new club, and thus limited to an extent, I have tried my best to make this a very special issue of The Elvis Beat to show my respect and admiration for Elvis. I hope you enjoy it.

Looking Back: 1982 [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 17 when I wrote this item back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #2, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

On June 7, 1982, Graceland opened its doors to the public for the first time. A decade later, over six million people have gone through the music gates and experienced the life of Elvis.

[The Elvis Beat newsletter] And the winner is. . .

/ TY

I was 17 when I wrote this article back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #2, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

“Here are the results. . . . It is the ‘young Elvis’ by a mile,” former US Postmaster General Anthony Frank announced on June 4 at Graceland in front of a huge crowd of Elvis fans.

In the month of April, over one million people voted for their “favorite” Elvis. The 50s Elvis defeated the 70s version by a wide 3-to-1 margin. The winning artwork was painted by Mark Stutzman of Maryland.

Also present at the ceremony was Priscilla Presley, who said, “I think that of all the awards and honors that he has received, and he has received many during his lifetime, I’m confident to say this would probably be the most special award for him. Elvis loved his fans very, very much, and I think that he would have just been totally overwhelmed by all of your support. And I think that having you celebrate here at Graceland would have been very special for him, too.”

The “Elvis Presley Postage Stamp Campaign” began in 1983 and was spearheaded by Ms. Pat Geiger of Vermont. She says that she voted for the 70s Elvis. “As Elvis grew older he got better looking and became a more polished performer. That’s the way I remember him,” she said. Nevertheless, she said she was “delirious” over the Elvis stamp anyway.

She also defended Elvis against critics who feel he doesn’t deserve a stamp. “They don’t honor people for their private lives,” she said. “If they did, a lot of them would never have gotten stamps – Ernest Hemingway and WC Fields are two examples. You honor these people for their accomplishments and the impact they made on the world. Elvis known by his first name all over the world. Only the name ‘Elvis’ appears on the stamp. It doesn’t say ‘Elvis Presley.'”

The stamp’s first day of issue will be January 8, the 58th anniversary of his birth. It will be available in single sheets of 40 stampes each for $11.60.

(Quotes obtained from ABC, CBS, CNN, and NBC news.)

Election Results

50s Elvis: 851,200 (75.4%)

70s Elvis: 277,723 (24.6%)

The winner is: ELVIS (100%)

Graceland is named a national historical landmark [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 16 when I wrote this article back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #1, the first issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Graceland was officially named a national historical landmark on November 7, 1991. This will be very beneficial to Elvis Presley Enterprises. The normal waiting period before a person’s home is named a national landmark is at least fifty years after the death of its famous resident. A special exception was made in Graceland’s case because of Elvis’ “high cultural influence.”

Elvis stamps unveiled [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 16 when I wrote this article back in 1992 for The Elvis Beat #1, the first issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

On February 24, at the Las Vegas Hilton in Nevada, the dream of millions of Elvis fans finally became reality. United States Postmaster General Anthony Frank, along with Milton Berle and Barbara Eden, officially unveiled two possible versions of an Elvis Presley stamp, one of which will become an official U.S. postage stamp.

The two stamp finalists were chosen from more than 50 entries, according to Frank. One is a circa-1950’s Elvis and the other is circa-1970’s. The public will be given the opportunity to select their favorite through the use of five million ballot cards which will be available at post offices in the month of April. The ballot cards must be mailed with the appropriate postage.

The winning stamp is expected to be announced in May at Graceland, and will be issued in 1993 as the first in a series of American music legends expected to be issued over several years. “He broke new ground,” said Frank, who went on to say that Elvis was the obvious choice to begin the series.

Elvis fans have been lobbying for this recognition for years. Pat Geiger of Vermont began the “Elvis Presley Postage Stamp Campaign” in 1983, and thought that having the stamp passed would be a “simple thing.” In 1987, the first year Elvis became eligible, she quickly found that it wouldn’t be that easy. But after the initial rejections, Elvis is finally to be honored six years later than she had planned.

The Elvis fans have won, and now it is up to the general public to pick their favorite Elvis.