The Hazing of Larry Strickland

Larry Strickland is on the right. Graceland Ticket Pavilion, gospel concert, 8:30 a.m., January 7, 2012

Larry Strickland has a deep bass voice and was hired by the Stamps Quartet in 1974. The Stamps were not only a successful gospel group, but backup singers for Elvis Presley in the 70s. Elvis had idolized J.D. Sumner since he was a teenager. Sumner, I believe, holds the record for lowest note ever hit (lower than the lowest piano key). Presley, a baritone (with, granted, three octaves), was fascinated by low notes, in particular, and worked hard to expand his range. He could certainly sing high, but boy, did he want to sing low. J.D. Sumner not only sang at Elvis’ funeral, but he also sang at Gladys’ funeral in 1958. This is the regard that Elvis had for not only his voice, but for what it represented to him – spiritually. He felt closer to God listening to it. That’s why he loved having the Stamps around. Larry Strickland (married to Naomi Judd) tells this story about first meeting Elvis Presley after joining The Stamps.

I joined the Stamps in 1974. I got the call to come and audition and got the job. Prior to going to Vegas which was our first show and my first meeting with [Elvis] – we were out touring doing gospel shows, singing in auditoriums and churches, wherever the group was booked. And then we go to Vegas. So we’re in Vegas and first day there – Ed [Enoch]comes to me and says, “Listen, at 6 o’clock, we’ve got to go upstairs to the main ballroom at the Hilton, and we’re gonna have a rehearsal before we do the show.” So this was gonna be my first meeting. I look at Ed and say, “Ed, what do you all normally wear when you rehearse?” I mean, I’m green, I don’t know anything. He says “You’re fine, just wear what you got.” Well, what I had on, for whatever reason there was this fad going around where people were wearing, even girls, were wearing bib overalls. The farmer-type overalls, and they were the cool thing to do, so that’s what I was wearing, and I thought I was really hip and cool, you know? We finally get up to rehearsal and all the band, our group, and the Sweet Inspirations, and everybody’s there that’s connected with the show. I’m standing there, I’m scared to death, really, because I don’t know what to expect. Then in a few minutes, the double doors open – they come flying open – and in comes Elvis with three bodyguards on each side, and makes this huge entrance. And I’m going, Wow. It just blew me away. I’m standing there, amazed, and he’s going around the room speaking to everybody, hugging, “How ya doin'”, “Good to see you again” – because it had been several months. So I’m standing there with the Stamps, with Ed, and Elvis finally makes it around to where we are. And he grabs Ed and gives him a big ol’ hug, and I’m standing there watching that, and then Ed goes, “Want you to meet our new bass singer”, and he kind of nods at me. Then [Elvis] takes Ed – he’s still got his arm around Ed’s neck and he kind of pulls him over just about 3 feet away from me and says, where I can hear him, “Ed, where in the hell did you get the effin’ farmer?” I mean, just like that, and I heard every word of it. “Where did you get the effin’ farmer?” And then he goes around the rest of the room, pointing me out to everybody else. And of course he’s laughing, and everybody’s gonna laugh. I was the laughing stock of the entire tour, man. I mean, I felt about that big. I just knew that I was gonna be on the next plane out of there, that I had made such a bad impression. What I didn’t know, and what they failed to tell me, was that he actually hated overalls. When he was a kid, any of the pictures you see of him as a small kid, that’s what he’s wearing. And he vowed and declared that he would never wear jeans or overalls. If you think about it, you never saw him in any jeans or anything like that. A few days after that, we all went out to the airport one night after the show just to see his new plane. He had gotten this big plane, the Lisa Marie – so we were all sitting on the plane in the middle of the night, not going anywhere, just sitting. I’m up at the front, and Elvis was way back in the back where he had a big conference-like table. He’s sitting back in his chair. I don’t know, I guess he sensed that I was really not feeling well. And so then, in front of everybody, I can’t remember what he said, but he yelled up to the front of the plane, and said, “Hey, welcome, man, you’re doing a good job”. He really calmed the waters for me. From that point on, I began to settle in. But I’ll never forget that. I still have those overalls. I couldn’t throw them away. I want to keep these things for the nostalgia of it. But, man. Sure wish I’d have never worn ’em.

Somehow, I feel pretty sure that Elvis didn’t say “effin'”.

Interview in documentary: Elvis: Memories of the King