Börje:
I had really decided to meet Elvis Presley once and for all. First it was a wish of a young boy. Later as a journalist, it became a challenge. The best chance was lost when he did his service in Germany and practically was available for his fans every day. But for at working call guy from Eskilstuna, Sweden, it was no way that you could go abroad. The first time, I had money enough to reach Hamburg in 1963 and by then Elvis was gone since a long time.

The following years was not funny for an Elvis fan with few good songs and movies with no point at all. At the time for “Harem holiday”, I gave up. What was Elvis doing? It was embarrassing.
The turning point came in December 1968, a comeback that showed that the king wasn´t finished at all. When the soundtrack was released, I couldn´t believe my eras. I surely played “Lawdy, miss Clawdy” 30 times in a row. My Elvis was back, as I wanted him!
The next message of joy was the return to the stage.

Now, the mission was to get enough money to an US trip, but for parents with two little kids it was hard times. Travelling to USA was expensive in those days, not like in the 90´s.

Finally, in 1973 the time was come for me and my wife Christina. Thanks for a low rate dollar, that my parents took care of our children and a few friends that borrowed us the last needed money.

We drove from NY to LA via Nashville, Memphis and Las Vegas. Klas Burling, who worked for RCA in Sweden, fixed two tickets for a show in the end of august. We couldn´t go there and miss Elvis, Could we?
I got a present to Elvis from the Swedish Elvis fan club. It was a piece of wood from and old sinken ship called “Wasa”, with a barometer on it. Unusual and unique. I also had a few pictures from my Elvis record collection, that was big, even then. On one picture, I had my 4 year old son Magnus. Standing in the middle of the collection. Should impress Elvis, I thought.

In Dallas, I bought Elvis first record at Sun, “That´s all right” for 40 dollars. For that sum of money, we could have got 6 nights at a motel, but of course, that record was worth every penny.

It was a long way through Texas, New Mexico and Arizona but lots of nice things to see. But it only felt like a support act. I was gonna to play a high game in Las Vegas. It was with high expectations we rolled into that strange city in the middle of the desert. We have three days to get a private talk with the living legend.

As soon as we checked into a cheap motel, we head off to Hilton. The whole place was very Elvis. Fans in the lobby and in the mighty gambling room. It´s no question about it: The king is in town!
My strategy was to get in touch with so many people in the Elvis world as possible. I started to call Joe Esposito. A secretary answered. I told them that I represented the Swedish fan club and I had a present for Elvis. I also told her about my collection. She promised to tell Joe and asked me to call again later. I waited for 2 hours. I called again, No news and soon Elvis will do a show that we hadn´t tickets to. I managed to talk a girl into selling us two tickets (how could she find them? The place was sold out a long time ago.)

Christina got very stressed and almost faint in the line to the showroom. Inside I bribed one waiter with 10 dollars, enough to get a table in the middle of the showroom.There´s a lot of people around the table but the spirit is high. Most of them are between 25-40 years old, all dressed very elegant. A woman with blue-grey coloured hair speaks a lot about the latest news in the gossip magazines, mostly about his divorce from Priscilla: ”He should have married Ann-Margret instead, what a beautiful couple!”

At midnight, the lights went down, but there´s not much applauses. Everybody knew that it wasn´t Elvis time yet. It was the Sweet Inspirations, doing two numbers. After that, it was time for Jackie Kahane. After him - silence! The audience was holding it´s breath…NOW!
My hands were sweating and I was both nervous and expectant. But if Elvis didn´t match my expectations? If I should be disappointed after all these years? In the darkness I could see two signs of blue light and read “Elvis now”. The letters grew while the music was coming louder and louder: “Also sprach Zarathustra”!
A white character walked on the stage and met a roaring crowd. With a blistering smile he raised his hand and waved. His charisma was enormous and he was in total command on stage. Elvis old pal, Charlie Hodge, gave him a guitar and he kicked off with CC Rider.

The show was as good as I had expected, but ended all too soon. Less than an hour. Still, we were totally exhausted. Elvis drained the strength out of his audience.

We moved to one of the bars. Some of Elvis´ musicians dropped by later: James Burton, John Wilkinson, Glen Hardin. I chatted with all of them and they were all very friendly. I gave Burton the picture of my son and my record collection. James: “Cool picture! I promise to give it to Elvis.”

Once again I phoned Joe Esposito and got the same answer as before from the secretary. Before bedtime, I called once again, just to show her that I wasn´t going to give up. In the morning, I continued to call. Still no news.

We went to Hilton again, strolled around, called the secretary a few times. I wrote one letter to Joe and one to Elvis. Suddenly I saw Vernon, playing some one-armed bandit. A few fans watched with respect. I went to him and did a presentation and told him that I had a present from the Swedish fan club. Vernon: I will give it to him.” I said: “Well, the fans of Sweden expect me to give it to Elvis personally, whenever it fits”. Vernon promised to ask Elvis. I called Joe Esposito. No news!

In the evening, it was time to go to the showroom again. 10 dollars to the waiter to get the same table as yesterday (to reach the stage, it would have cost 50 dollars!) The set list reminded of the one from yesterday, but Elvis was in a better mood. He did more songs and looked satisfied as he gave out the scarves.

“Fever” was one of the best moments. Elvis self irony was gone and it was 1956 again. The moves with the legs maked the girls crazy. For a moment, we could see the suggestive side of the original and dangerous Elvis. Another high point is “The first time ever I saw your face” and the audience is silent. But the jubilation of the evening was after “American trilogy”, but a few people from the south whistled angrily when Elvis sang “Disneyland” instead of “Dixieland”.

Then Elvis suddenly said: “What do you wanna hear now?” and the crowd roared back. At our table we asked for “One night” but a girl closer to the stage screams (in falsetto) for “Old shep”.
Elvis: “I can´t do Old shep here (embarrassed). He does “Help me make it through the night” instead.

A girl managed to get on the stage when Elvis sang “Can´t help falling in love” and the guards got her while she hysterically kissed Elvis. Elvis laughed. The girls on the front row screamed jealously.
The show is over and the house lights are up. It´s almost sad. Elvis doesn´t come closer to average people than this. It´s his curse. A prisoner in his own legend. Elvis musicians goes to the casino. At the same time Elvis takes the elevator to his suite.

At the same bar as yesterday, I asked James Burton if he had talked to Elvis. James: “I gave Elvis the picture and do you know what he said? “That guy should use his money to pay for his sons education, instead of buying all those Elvis records and other Elvis stuff.” Typically Elvis when he was in a good mood, but we hadn´t got any promises of a meeting.
Christina and I returned exhausted to our motel. It was hard to sleep. It was just one day left before we had to go. Before I fell asleep, I called Joe Esposito. No news from secretary.

The day after, I called Joe every hour, wrote one more letter to him and Elvis, talked to John Wilkinson. Nothing happened. In the afternoon, me and Christina went to a restaurant to have something to eat. In the middle of the meal, actually herring, almost in a Swedish way, a message comes from the speakers: “Telephone for Mr Lundberg!” First I didn´t get that it was for me. It was Tom Diskin: “I think it will happen tonight”. When, where how?

We were there one hour before the meeting. At eleven o´clock: No Diskin. At eleven and thirty: No Diskin. I asked a security guard if he had seen Diskin and he promised to pick him out in the crowd. Just before midnight he grabbed me: “There he is!” I went to Diskin, a small man with grey hair in a brown suite. Diskin: “Oh yeah. I will go backstage and have a check.” Elvis used to come down a quarter before midnight from his private suite (don´t try to go there. Two guards make sure that no one will enter that level.)

It´s getting hurry. Elvis will enter the stage soon. Vernon passes and recognizes us: “I will ask him now.” Suddenly, Diskin is back, smiling: “Did you think I´d forgotten you?”
He took us through guards and into a corridor that lead under the stage: “Wait here!”

I stood there with all my stuff and checked my watch over and over. Christina checked the camera over and over. No time for mistakes. You could hear some noise from the stage coming down.

Suddenly we could hear sounds from a door and voices. There was Elvis in a white jumpsuit. His face had some make up and he was a bit pale. Black hair. A little smile on his face. There were seven or eight persons following him. Joe followed him to us.

Elvis stretched his hand to us and greeted. He had two grand rings. “Pleased to meet you” I said. “Pleased to meet YOU, Elvis answered politely in a low voice. I gave him the present from the swedish fan club and explained what it was. He held it and checked it curiously. Elvis: “A special thing I understand. Thank everybody! I will read the instructions after the show." Börje: “You do know what we are waiting for in Europe?” Elvis: “I´m aware of that. I promise to come as soon as it´s possible. It will be a tour, absolutely!” That was the first time he raised his voice a bit, but he looked down the floor all the time. “He´s shy”, I thought amazed and remembered the two shows I had seen. “But on stage he is the king”.

I had put my single “That´s all right” on a chair. I asked for an autograph on the yellow Sun label. Elvis: “That record was the first thing I noticed when I walked into the room. You don´t see that one too often. It must be a real rarity, especially in Sweden?” I told him that it took me years to find it. Elvis: “I bet you on that”. Christina took picture after picture until Joe told her to stop. Joe: “You must be on some pictures with Elvis too. Give me the camera!” Esposito placed Elvis between us and asked Elvis to look at the camera and snapped a few shots.
Christina asked Elvis for an autograph on her chest. She had a nice black sweater with a picture of Elvis on it. Elvis beamed with pleasure and looked at us cunningly. He wrote with care on the sensitive part of the body.

People started to drag him: “It´s time! We can´t wait any longer! Jackie´s finished on stage!”
But Elvis wasn´t in a hurry. He calmly wrote two more autographs, before heading off to the elevator. I told him how much I loved the performances I did see and he thanked for that. Börje: What shall I tell your fans in Sweden?” Elvis: Tell them that I will come there, definitely” and it looked like he meant every word.

The sound of “Also sprach zarahustra” began. Tom Diskin seemed to read our minds: “Elvis has always been like that. Silent and reserved. A real gentleman! But on stage he is transformed. The music, the audience and the lights turns him on in some way. An incredible artist!”

Elvis was 38 when we met him. He was slim and looked fresh, perhaps a bit pale (the make up?). Afterwards, I have read about his increasing abuse of pills, which accelerated during this period of time. But neither me or Christina (a nurse) couldn´t see anything that looked like he had any problems with that kind of stuff. If somebody had told us by then, we´d probably laughed. Elvis looked like he would live forever, forever young. Four years later, he was dead.

Kind regards
Björn