ELVIS AT THE PIANO. JUNE 29, 1956.

REHEARSALS FOR THE STEVE ALLEN SHOW.

When Alfred Wertheimer arrived at the midtown Manhattan loft, to photograph Elvis‘ rehearsal for NBC’s The Steve Allen Show, Elvis was in a corner of the studio, deep in himself, playing and singing, very intimately, his beloved gospel music on a beautiful upright piano.

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It was Friday, June 29, 1956.

With him was his cousin Junior Smith, also a companion and bodyguard, who at this time always accompanied him and diligently watched over him.

Elvis, when he wanted to be alone with himself , always preferred to play music, to make people gather in silence and not interrupt his concentration.

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The next day they would leave for an evening of concerts in Richmond, Virginia, at the Mosque Theater, and then return again the next day to New York City to perform on The Steve Allen Show at the Hudson Theater on July 1, 1956.

“I took approximately 2500 photographs of Elvis.

Many were taken throughout 1956, and then I met him again on September 22, 1958, the day he left at the Brooklyn embarkation port for Germany…. In all, I had eight days of working with Elvis. Many people feel that I captured more of the essence of Elvis than anyone else. The only thing I wanted Elvis to do was to be himself. Everyone else had something they wanted him to do“.

Alfred Wertheimer

Photos: Alfred Wertheimer.