Elvis Presley | San Antonio | With Kay Wheeler and Fans | April 15, 1956

Elvis back stage at the Antonio concert. The photo was taken by Kay Wheeler who met Elvis for the first time.

According to Kay, she first heard Elvis sing on a live radio broadcast from the 'Big D Jamboree' in Dallas.

She was visiting her aunt at work at Radio Station KLIF in Dallas and telling a disc jockey who hadn't heard of Elvis that 'all the girls are just crazy about him ... why I've even thought about having a fan club for him!" Later on the air, the disc jockey, as a joke, announced her name and address as the Elvis Presley Fan club president. Almost immediately she started receiving large amounts of mail from girls wanting to join the club.

She wrote to Bob Neal who forwarded her letter to Colonel Parker and was answered by Colonel Parker's assistant, Carolyn Asmus, saying they had nothing set up regarding fan clubs for Elvis and that the Colonel said to go ahead and do whatever you want to do for an Elvis Presley Fan Club'. She also mentioned that Elvis was doing a show in San Antonio and if she wanted to go she could meet Elvis there.

[A strange way to become a president of an Elvis fan club, and we think relevant to our comments below.]

Elvis back stage at the Antonio concert. The photo was taken by Kay Wheeler who met Elvis for the first time.

Elvis Presley with Kay Wheeler : San Antonio : April 15, 1956.

Elvis Presley with Kay Wheeler : San Antonio : April 15, 1956.

So as stated above, kay founded The Nation's First & Largest Elvis Presley Fan Club, however from her own comments she can be considered also one of the first nutty fans. In her recent book, Growing up with the Memphis Flash. Tutti Frutti Productions, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 1994. 223 pp. , she states,

In Shreveport, Louisiana, after attending the Louisiana Hayride (December 1956) she went to see Elvis at his hotel and was directed into a bedroom by a member of the Memphis Mafia.

When she finally met Elvis he tried some 'hip grinding' with her. This was definitely not what she wanted and she was no longer mesmerised by him. In November 1957 Kay attended the Hollywood pre-conference and press showing of Jailhouse Rock. Elvis recognised her in the audience and acknowledged her with a greeting.

However in an interview with Joe Krein she states;

When I walked into Elvis' backstage dressing room in San Antonio [April 15, 1956] - he was a rockabilly rebel! He had on a blue satin shirt, a gaudy EP diamond ring - hair in a cool ducktail with sideburns. He was plumb dangerous! He turned to me and said in a strong, sensual voice with a heavy lidded grin on his face, 'So you're my fan club president. Honey, what do you want me to do?' He walked up to me - slid his hands down my sides and said, 'Is all this really you, Baby?' At that point, he started to kiss me. I flipped! Later, during his show, I was dancing in the wings on the stage. After it was over, Elvis made me show him my special 'rock & bop' bop steps that I did during his show. The early Elvis at that time was all you could imagine a rebel to be - he said anything he wanted to shock the news reporters. I was with Elvis on the rest of the Texas tour and on many occasions during the next 2 years. Elvis was wild and free in the beginning. I loved him for it ...

So we think it is a case on one for the money with dear ol' Kay.

The First Show

Elvis Presley on stage : The First Show : April 15, 1956.

The Second Show

Elvis Presley before the second show : April 15, 1956.

Elvis Presley with fans in an elevator after the show : April 15, 1956.

Elvis Presley with a fan after the show : April 15, 1956.

January 1956

= Elvis on TV | 1956 One incredible year !!!

Elvis Presley RCA's McGavock St Studio | January 10 and 11, April 14, 1956
1956 business contract signed by Colonel Parker and Elvis for The Elvis Presley Show
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | January 28, 1956

What is an Elvis Presley?

February

Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | February 4, 1956
Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black | February 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Backstage February 10, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show| February 11, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | February 18, 1956

March

Elvis Presley 1956 | March/June/July
Elvis Presley's 1956 Home | 1034 Audubon Drive, Memphis, TN

Elvis Presley The Lousinana Hayride | March 10, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | March 17, 1956
Elvis Presley singing and playing gospel music | March 17, 1956
Jimmy Dean and Elvis Presley on the Jimmy Dean WMAL-TV Show, March 23, 1956
Elvis Presley The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show | March 24, 1956

April

Elvis Presley The Milton Berle Show | April 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Arena | San Diego | April 4, 1956
Elvis Presley Wichita Falls, Texas | April 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Fair Park Coliseum, Lubbock, TX | April 10, 1956
Elvis Presley RCA's McGavock St Studio | January 10 and 11, April 14, 1956
Elvis Presley San Antonio | April 15, 1956
Elvis Gives Out With Crazy Cool Interview | April 17, 1956
Elvis thrilled Tulsa teens at fairgrounds April 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Oklahoma City | April 19, 1956
Elvis Presley April 20, 1956 | North Side Coliseum, Forth Worth
Elvis Presley, New Singing Find, Booked Into New Frontier | April 21, 1956
Elvis Presley at The New Frontier Hotel | From April 23, 1956
Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas Sun | April 26, 1956
Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas SUN | April 28, 1956

May

Review | Elvis Presley at The New Frontier | Las Vegas SUN | May 1, 1956
Letter to the editor | Las Vegas SUN | May 12, 1956
Elvis Presley Auditorium in St. Paul, Minnesota | May 13, 1956
Elvis Presley May 14, 1956 | LaCrosse Wisconsin
Elvis Presley May 15, 1956 | Ellis Auditorium
Elvis Presley Detroit, MI. Fox Theater May 25, 1956
Elvis Presley Columbus, Ohio | May 26, 1956
Elvis, Scotty, Bill and DJ performed two shows at the UD Fieldhouse in Dayton | May 27, 1956
Elvis Presley Dayton, Oh., as Elvis left for Memphis | May 28, 1956
Elvis greeting fans at Los Angeles Airport, 1956

June

Elvis Presley 1956 | March/ June/ July
Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley swap autographs, Memphis | June 1, 1956
Elvis Presley Arriving in Oakland | June 3, 1956
Elvis Presley In Concert | Oakland California | June 3, 1956
The Milton Berle Show Los Angeles | June 5, 1956
Elvis Presley June 7, 1956 | Long Beach Municipal Auditorium
Elvis Presley June 8, 1956
Elvis Presley | Wink Martindale Show | June 16, 1956
Elvis Presley Interview with Wink and Sandy Martindale
Elvis Presley and Red West at Elvis' 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 14, 1956
Vernon, Gladys and Elvis Presley sing at the piano | 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 17, 1956
Elvis Presley and Barbara Hearn | June 19, 1956 | Fairgrounds Amusement Park, Memphis
Elvis Presley and Barbara Hearn at Elvis' 1034 Audubon Drive House | June 19, 1956
Elvis Presley with Susan Hayward | June 28, 1956
Elvis Presley Mosque Theater, Richmond, Va | June 30, 1956

July

Elvis Presley 1956 | March | June | July
Elvis Presley Hudson Theater | New York City | Steve Allen Show | July 1, 1956
Elvis Presley RCA Studio One, Memphis, Tennessee | July 2, 1956
Elvis Presley On The Train to, Memphis, Tennessee | July 3, 1956
Elvis Presley Russwood Park, Memphis, Tennessee | July 4, 1956
Elvis Presley St. Joseph's Hospital Memphis Tennessee | July 5, 1956
Elvis Presley Ocean Springs, MS. | Thursday, July 12, 1956
Elvis performs with The Statesman Quartet at Ellis Auditorium | July 27, 1956
Elvis Presley Water Skiing | Biloxi July 31, 1956

August

Who The Hell Is Elvis Presley? By Leonard Bennett Cabaret, August 1956

Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Movie Set Photos
Elvis Presley Olympia Theater, Miami, Florida | August 3, 1956
Elvis Presley August 5, 1956 | Tampa Florida
Elvis Presley Florida Theatre St. Petersburg | August 7, 1956
Elvis Presley Jacksonville, FL. Florida Theater (3 shows per day) | August 10-11, 1956
Elvis Presley August 7, 1956 | Candid Photos
Elvis Presley at the Knickerbocker Hotel, Hollywood | August 18, 1956
Elvis Presley Love Me Tender Recording Sessions | August 24, 1956
Elvis Presley August 31, 1956 | On the set of Love Me Tender

September

Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show 1956-1957
Elvis Presley September 1-3, 1956 Recording Sessions
Elvis Presley First Appearance | The Ed Sullivan Show | September 9, 1956
Elvis Presley Asleep In Flight | Back To Memphis September 23, 1956
Elvis Presley September 26, 1956 | Tupelo, MS. Mississippi-Alabama Fairgrounds
Elvis Presley wearing the new 'Elvis Presley hat', backstage in Tupelo, September 26, 1956
Elvis Presley at the Mid-South Fair | Memphis September 29, 1956

October

Elvis Presley October 5, 1956
Elvis Presley Cotton Bowl, Dallas | October 11, 1956
Elvis Presley October 18, 1956
Elvis Presley October 19, 1956 | Assault Charge
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show Rehearsals | October 26-28, 1956
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | Dress Rehearsals | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | Press Conference | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley gets his Polio Shot | October 28, 1956
Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | October 28, 1956
Natalie Wood and Elvis Presley outside the Hotel Chisca | October 31, 1956

November

Elvis | Toledo | November 22, 1956
Elvis Presley Cleveland Arena, Ohio | November 23, 1956
Elvis Presley E.H. Crump Memorial Football Game | November 30, 1956

December

What is an Elvis Presley?
The Million Dollar Quartet (December 4, 1956)
Elvis Presley December 11, 1956 | Mobbed by fans in Memphis after running out of gas
Elvis Presley's Last Louisiana Hayride Performance | December 15, 1956
Elvis Presley Touch Football | Dave Wells Community Center | December 27, 1956

1957

Elvis Presley The Ed Sullivan Show | His third and final Appearance | January 6, 1957

Elvis Presley The King of Rock 'n' Roll

The Movies Of 1956

1956, Love Me Tender, Twentieth Century Fox

The Movies In Photos

Love Me Tender

CDs | DVDs | Books

Buy Elvis Presley CD, DVDs and Books at ...

Elvis Presley : Fair Park Coliseum and the Cotton Club Lubbock, TX : October 15, 1955
Elvis Presley : Fair Park Coliseum and the Cotton Club Lubbock, TX : June 3, 1955

DVDs

The Ed Sullivan Shows DVD Set
Elvis - The King Of Rock n Roll 30 Hit Performances And More DVD - 30 Songs

CDs

Elvis At SUN
Elvis Presley
Elvis
The Million Dollar Quartet

- References

For a full history of the Fair Park Coliseum and the Cotton Club Lubbock, TX see the Official Scotty Moore website page by clicking the above link.