Memories of Elvis' 1955 show in Cape remain strong as Tribute to the King takes grandstand stage at SEMO District Fair

Ron Blankenship still remembers his encounter with Elvis Presley during the rock 'n' roll legend's 1955 concert in Cape Girardeau.

Blankenship and his cousin, Glenda, had ventured backstage before the concert when he met Presley. The then-20-year-old singer invited the youngsters for a post-concert visit.

"He took a liking to my cousin," Blankenship said. "Glenda gave Elvis our phone number, and Elvis would call every day for Glenda.

"She eventually grew tired of his calls and requested me to tell him she wasn't there," he said. "He eventually stopped calling."

Blankenship and his cousin were among 300 people who attended the "dance and stage show" at the Arena Building on July 20, 1955. Held almost a year to the day after Presley recorded his first song, the show also featured square and round dancing and other musical acts.

Fifty-three years after the concert, acts who performed with Presley throughout his musical career will pay homage to the deceased rock 'n' roll legend during tonight's SEMO District Fair tribute concert.

The Jordanaires and TCB Band members D.J. Fontana and Glen D. Harden — who knew Presley — are on the schedule. Vocalist Terry Mike Jeffrey will also perform some of Presley's songs. No Presley impersonators will appear during the concert.

Mike Ford, owner of Ford Entertainment that coordinates the show, said tickets for the 75-minute show still are available by calling 334-9250. Tickets purchased in advance include admission to the fair.

Pauline Semancik of Dutchtown plans to attend the concert with her sister, Phyllis, who lives in Tennessee. The two women were in their 20s when they saw Presley perform in Cape Girardeau.

"Elvis was so personable," said Semancik, who owns Presley memorabilia and all his movies and records. "He would just sit back and talk with us backstage.

"He stayed that way as the years passed," she said. "But when he died, it was like losing a member of the family."

Like Semancik, musician Wanda Jackson first developed a friendship with Presley in Cape Girardeau in 1955. They were introduced at the city's KTOC radio station and later appeared together on stage.

As the years passed, their friendship blossomed to the point where Presley gave Jackson his ring. She even devoted a Christmas album to Presley, which included a song about such memories as their concert in Cape Girardeau.

"When I met him, he was a young man hoping to have his dreams fulfilled," said Jackson, who is married to her husband and manager Wendell. "The moment I met him at the radio station I was smitten and very impressed.

"The last time I saw him was in 1964 and when I heard the news on the radio that he had suddenly died 13 years later, I was shocked," she said. "His life was taken too soon."

A Southeast Missourian article printed before the 1955 concert described Presley's music as a combination of "country music with modern-day bop." His hits at the time included "That's All Right, Mama," a song Presley recorded at the Memphis, Tenn.-based Sun Studio on July 5, 1954. It became his first hit and is ranked No. 112 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest songs of all time.

When he appeared in Cape Girardeau, Presley was touring with fellow members who appeared on "Louisiana Hayride," a weekly country music radio show based out of Shreveport, La. The Southeast Missourian called Presley "the fireball from the Louisiana Hayride" on the day of his performance. The following day the newspaper said his performance was "well received by the audience."

Four months after performing in Cape Girardeau, Presley signed his first contract with RCA Victor Records, the label on which he recorded for the rest of his life.

Though he died at the age of 42 on Aug. 16, 1977, Presley's influence continues to be felt, Semancik said.

"He's still very much loved by many in the world, including those of us who knew him when he was just starting out," she said. "We can't wait for the tribute concert to return to the location of an event we attended many years ago."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 137

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