Elvis Presley performed at the Woodrow Wilson Junior High School auditorium on Friday November 25, 1955.
The following Monday, popular music would never be the same again.
A few days before, the negotiations for the contract that he would sign to Elvis Presley with RCA Records, giving the company control of the entire Elvis Presley catalog on Sun Records, as well as the right to produce new records.
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And when the Louisiana Hayride arrived in Port Arthur, Colonel Tom Parker was elated that his “boy” would finally be signed to the big record label.
Appearing on the bill with Elvis were his musicians, Scotty Moore and Bill Black; the singers Chelette Sisters (all from Port Arthur); and Link Davis, a Cajun musician.
Gordon Baxter, who was working for the KOLE radio station at the time, asked Hillbilly Cat how he wanted to be introduced.
“…singers like to be introduced in different ways, but when asked, Elvis didn’t say anything, like he didn’t hear me,” Baxter said.
“…he just ignored me, and when I asked him again, he turned around very slowly, pursed his lip, and said:
“…who needs you?”
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So the curtain went up slowly, no comment on Scotty and Bill.
“…came in cold,” Baxter recorded. “…and Elvis came out hunched over, dragging his guitar.
He seemed mean and insolent.
And, of course, the sold-out crowd went completely nuts.”
Baxter knew from that moment that something epic was happening to country music, to popular music, to all music.
I knew it would never be the same.
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Also, that was the last time Baxter played an Elvis Presley record for a while, “…there wouldn’t be his music on the radio because he was rude and insolent, he was everything a young man wouldn’t want to be,” Baxter said.
Baxter softened his stance a few years later, when Presley entered the army.
“…after he started his military service, I started listening to his records again,” Baxter said.
“…after the show, there was a riot backstage, people were freaking out everywhere,” he said.
“…Elvis stood on a chair, held up his arms like God, and of course everyone shut up.”
He said, ‘…everyone go home now, because we’ve got more women in the motel than we can handle.’
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After that night, Elvis Presley became an artist for RCA Records.
His first recording session for RCA was in January 1956, “Heartbreak Hotel” was released and the world fell at his feet.
Source: Various
Information provided by Elvis Shop Argentina
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