Mike Freeman

Since 1991 Mike has offered books and guided tours about the life of Elvis Presley. He co-wrote, with Cindy Hazen, The Best of Elvis in 1992, and Memphis Elvis Style in 1997. For eight years they owned and lived in the first home Elvis purchased at 1034 Audubon Drive, Memphis. In 2007 Mike helped create three DVDS; Elvis’ Memphis and Beyond Elvis’ Memphis with Artsmagic, UK and Elvis: Return to Tupelo with Michael Rose Productions. This is Judy Palmer’s book. It is a book written by an Elvis fan for Elvis fans. So many fans want to know “What was he like?” Judy answers this question by sharing her experiences with you. From her stories I am impressed by this thought; small gestures matter. He said “Thank you” for a photograph or a scrapbook. When he could, he shared a joke or small talk with his fans. He was patient and kind. He somehow made them all feel significant. Elvis lives on today, not only because of the big moments in his career; but also that endearing quality of his character. The heart of Judy’s book is her concert photos. Many fans took countless number of photos of Elvis performing. After 1970 Judy taught herself to photograph in natural light so she wouldn’t get caught by the showroom security. She was now free from the limitations of flash photography. She always sat close to the stage. Her new skill and proximity to Elvis gave her a point of view most amateur photographers did not have. She was able to capture his mood on stage without disturbing him. Her photos were highly prized from the beginning, other fans immediately wanted copies for themselves. Judy quickly moved from trading copies to selling prints. As she attended more shows, she mailed written descriptions of what she saw and price lists for reprints. She gained a reputation as one of the finest amateur photographers of Elvis. She created a “brand name,” an identity for herself among Elvis fans. Judy chose the photographs and the stories for this book. I edited only for clarity, not for content. It is also important that she chose what not to include. Such is her desire to protect Elvis that she will not publish an image, or a story that she considers unflattering. Both Judy and I hope you enjoy this tribute to Elvis by people who loved Elvis. Please borrow these ebooks by Judy Palmer and myself on the Kindle Owners' Lending Library. If you like the ebooks, then you can buy them or tell a friend about them. Last year I created the ebooks for the first time. Now I have improved the format so her photographs will appear sharper and download properly on your ebook reader.