July 14 - Becky Hartley Yancey Died

Becky Hartley Yancey, Elvis and Vernon's former private secretary died. R.I.P.

She knew Elvis a long time before she started to work for him and his father in 1962 and stopped in 1975. 

Becky attended Elvis' earliest appearances in Memphis and saw his rise to stardom firsthand. 

"When Dewey Phillips first played "That's All Right, Mama" on his WHBQ radio show "Red, Hot and Blue" was the first time that I heard Elvis. I hadn't seen him at the the time, but I fell in love with him though. You know, just his voice and all. I listened to "Red, Hot and Blue every night. The first time I saw Elvis was when he played at Katz Drug Store down Airways and Lamar - on a flat bed truck in 1954. I was 14 years old at the time."

"I saw Elvis at Overton Park Shell on June 1, 1956, I was 16 then. I still have the write up, the clippings from the paper. That was the Carl Perkins show and Elvis was backstage. I had gone with a girlfriend of mine and when I heard that Elvis was backstage, we climbed over the rail and went back there. There is a picture of Elvis and Carl Perkins exchanging autographs and I am standing by Elvis. You can barely see my face and I put my arm on his back." 

"I had been going up to Graceland a few times and one night I just happen to sit by Elvis downstairs in the TV room and I just looked at him and said, 'Elvis, Do you need a maid?' He said 'No, But I may need a secretary.' So, that's how I got the job. He didn't call me to tell me that I got the job, Alan Fortas did. He knew I knew Alan real well. I started working for him in 1962, I was 21 then."

She started working on her book 'My Life With Elvis' (with Cliff Linedecker) in 1975. When Elvis died, the released of the book was rushed up by St. Martin's Press. 

Read complete interview on >>> the Elvis Beat blog.

The Elvis Collector

Harry Carrigan published his 282-page hardcover book 'The Elvis Collector - An Introductory Guide To UK Film Memorabilia 1956-1977'. 

Synopsis: This is the first book on the subject of collectable film memorabilia produced in the U.K. by the film companies to promote the thirty-one scripted films and documentaries that Elvis starred in. 

With over 800 images including cinema posters, press and campaign books and front of house stills for each of the films, other memorabilia and a selection of relevant magazines, newspapers and books. 

Also, the soundtrack recording sessions, information on production and U.K. releases of each of the films, "For The First Time" - all the U.K. cinema release dates and the first known television screening dates. 

(Source: Facebook / The Elvis Shop London / Quotes from Don Wilson interview on The Elvis Beat)