ELVIS HAS LEFT THE BUILDING

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Prior to his passing, I used to enjoy listening to the George Klein radio program on Elvis Radio. 

Elvis and George attended high school together, and the latter went on to serve as his best friend during the decades which would follow. George was a member of what became known as "The Memphis Mafia," a group of former school friends, and musicians who might be described by the slightly negative term, "Hangers On."

Just yesterday, I was listening to a rerun of one of the late George Klein radio segments.

In this particular segment, Klein was interviewing another friend of Elvis, (the very much still with us) Tony Orlando. It seems Mr. Orlando was taking a much needed sabbatical in late 1977, and that Frank Sinatra had offered him the use of his 33rd floor penthouse suite in New York City. 

As he tells it, on the afternoon of August 16th of that year Tony experienced a premonition involving Elvis Presley. It was such a dark and ominous feeling, and an emotion which he had never known before. Elvis was in trouble. 

The singer quickly called the Crooner of all crooners who had lent him the apartment, and shared his concerns for "The King of Rock and Roll;" from which he procured Elvis' phone number.

By now, it was 6pm and Orlando dialed the number; again and again. No one answered. He finally gave up at 9pm, and decided on a different course of action.

Now, Orlando quickly dressed, walked out the penthouse door, got on the elevator, and stepped out into the busy traffic of 51st Street. From here, he walked two blocks, and through the massive doors of St. Patrick's Cathedral.

Stepping up to a massive rack of candles, he grabbed one, lit it, and found a place to kneel. He began to pray fervently for Elvis, Priscilla and Lisa Marie. Finally, after what seemed like hours, Orlando rose to his feet, and walked back to the hotel from whence he came.

Having just returned to Sinatra's penthouse suite, the phone rang. "Teddy Campbell," his agent, was on the line. 

"Tony, have you heard the news?"

(and)

"Elvis is DEAD!"

Orlando suddenly felt weak in the knees, and had to sit down. His friend, and perhaps the best known vocalist and actor of all time was gone.

As the interview with George Klein came to a conclusion, Tony Orlando says,

"We all have been allotted just so many days, and only God knows our beginning and our end. It was simply time for Elvis to join the One who knew him before he took his first breath, and gave him life."

Post-Script

Every time I listen to a rerun of this program which I have shared with you, and listen to this story, I am tempted to add my own post-script since I believe Tony Orlando's account is slightly incomplete.

For you see, while Mr. Orlando's statement is true as far as it goes, I am convinced that some people go on to their reward... years earlier than the original number of days, and months, and years they were allotted; simply due to their own bad choices. (I have known some).

Elvis joins the ranks of other notable figures, such as Whitney Houston, Karen Carpenter and Matthew Perry; along with multiplied millions of lesser known men and women throughout the ages.

Elvis had to be the most talented individual of our generation. However, I think he was as flawed as the rest of us.

by Bill McDonald, PhD