2nd July 1956, Monday

[Graeme]

Day number 7847Site Date Map

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What a recording session! I've broken down the photographs into sections that may or may not have any relevance to each other as far as chronological time frames go. Outside in daylight, followed by intent listening on the floor to playback so I figured listening to Hound Dog, a break drinking, playing the slapping of the back of the guitar for Don't Be Cruel, then listening or siting down less intently and more comfortably on a chair, singing at the mic without guitar many in color (Could have been Hound Dog) but I've placed them at the end of the session for
Anyway You Want Me (That's How I Will Be), then the holding of acetates, then shots outside in the dark meeting the postal workers.

Before all that, Frank M. Folsom, Vice President of RCA Records wants to have a meet and greet photo op.

Fans Dixie & Sue

Fans Dixie & Sue

Dixie and Sue were two fans that appeared outside the RCA Victor Studio I building, on 24th street in New York City, where they asked Al Wertheimer, photographer whether he would deliver their petition poster to Elvis in the recording Studio. Wertheimer complied.

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[Alan]

"I wasn’t all that impressed with him, as a singer," said Gordon Stoker.
"I mean,I kind of got a kick out of 'Don't Be Cruel, I was entertained,so to speak,but then with 'Anyway You Want Me,' all of a sudden I took an entirely different attitude,the feeling that he had on that particular sound made the hair on my arm come up.I said to the guys, 'Hey, men, this guy can sing!* "
It was 9:00 by the time the session was over,and the studio was deserted.The guys were talking about going home by train the next morning; they were going to be playing that Milk Fund benefit at the ballpark in town, and then they were going to have the rest of the month off, their first extended break in six months. Everybody was looking forward to it, and Junior was laughing his evil little laugh, his hooded eyes regarding his famous cousin with what seemed like only thinly veiled jealousy.Steve Sholes had some songs he wanted Elvis to hear,but Elvis said he'd have to take them home with him if he was going to get a chance to listen to them at all.Anyway,he'd want acetates of the three songs they'd recorded that day — he wanted to learn the songs exactly the way they'd recorded them so he could do them that way in his shows. Sure, Sholes said, a little reluctantly, he'd get a package over to the hotel in the morning.
There were still some fans waiting outside when they came out of the studio, and Elvis patiently signed autographs while the others waited. By now The Steve Allen Show seemed like a million years ago, and the verdict was long since in. Allen had trounced Ed Sullivan in the ratings, the reviews were no more kind toward the stationary Elvis than they had been toward the gyrating one ("A cowed kid," declared the Journal-American,
"it was plain he couldn't sing or act a lick"), and Sullivan had publicly reiterated that he would not have the singer on his show at any price ("He is not my cup of tea") while privately he had already been in touch with the Colonel. "Hey, Elvis, we gotta get back to the hotel," said Junior. Elvis got into the car. It had been a long day, and now he was hungry again.—THE RISE OF ELVIS PRESLEY