Don’t step on her Elvis Presley shoes:

She’s been a FANatic since she was 12

Elvis Presley hit the music scene in 1954 when he was only 19 years old, with his hit, “Heartbreak Hotel.” It was only two years later when Carol Gagnard of Spring Bayou, saw him perform on the Ed Sullivan show on TV. She was just 12-years old and the black and white TV was brand new. It was instant fandom for young Carol.

“I loved his music,” she said, “and he was so handsome. Mama let us watch, she liked him too.”

Thus began years of following Elvis, which began with buying a 45 rpm record every time a new song came out.

“We’d ride our bikes to John’s Record Shop, which was in the old Avoyelles Journal building,” she explained.

The “we” is Carol’s sisters, Cheryl and Lana, who also were big fans of Elvis.

The records were never just for collecting, the sisters played them and danced to them and played them some more.

“Mama taught us to jitterbug and dance,” she explained.

They played them so much when I asked Carol if they might have any value, she laughed and said, “Well, they were pretty well used.”
A 45 record cost “around 25 cents,” she said, “and we had to work for it.” Fortunately, their grandparents lived next door so the girls could pick a sack of cotton and “earn a nickel.” There was also the option to pick pecans when in season. Whatever it was they did to earn money, they did it because they wanted that new record.

“I also have most of his albums,” Carol added.

In 1956 Elvis starred in his first movie, “Love Me Tender” along with female lead, Debra Paget.

“Whenever one of his movies came out it would show at the Bailey Theater on the courthouse square. O’Dell’s Grocery, a mom and pop, was next door so we’d go get some penny candy to take into the theater.”

Elvis always wanted to make a serious movie and move away from the cookie cutter romantic musical movies.

“He really wanted to play the male lead in “A Star is Born,” opposite Barbra Streisand but his manager Col. Parker knew she would get top billing so he refused because he always wanted Elvis to have top billing.”

Carol believes Col. Parker was good for Elvis.

“He made Elvis and Elvis made money.”
The first time Carol saw Elvis in person was 1974 when he performed in Monroe.

“I was married at the time and we went with another couple. The tickets cost $10 a person and we got good seats on the floor, 15th or 16th row.”

Carol really, really wanted to be one of those crazy Elvis fans and “jump and dance around but I didn’t, well, you know, my husband Steve was there.”
Carol said that Elvis was “awesome” in that concert, which lasted an hour. And true to form, when he was whisked away with all his bodyguards to a waiting car, the announcer said over the PA system, “Elvis has left the building.”
According to Carol, who has read all about her favorite performer with the initials E.P., “Elvis liked being Elvis Presley. He was humble and very giving. His favorite music was Gospel and he always wanted to be a Gospel singer.”
The second and last time she saw Elvis in person, was in Baton Rouge at LSU. It was 1975.

“He came to Alexandria but he was bloated and sickly,” Carol remembered. “I didn’t want to go and see him like that.”
The performance in Alex was two months before he died Aug. 16, 1977 at the age of 42.
“I was working as a teacher’s aid when I heard he had died, it made me sad, very sad.”

Carol’s Elvis memorabilia collection includes: - books written about him - newspaper articles - Elvis earrings - the record and album collection - an Elvis throw - photograph - and best of all Elvis Presley tennis shoes she bought in Branson. “A suitcase full,” she described.

In 1985 Carol visited Elvis’ home, Graceland, in south Memphis.
Just a bit of history about the famous home that has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
It was built in 1939 and named for the owners’ Aunt Grace. Elvis bought it in 1957 and invited his parents and grandmother to live at Graceland with him.
Gladys raised chickens there and his father, Vernon, raised hogs. The donkeys were in the swimming pool until a fence could be built.

“They were humble, country folks,” Carol commented, “and he took care of them. He always wanted family with him, he always wanted people around him.”

On her trips to Branson, Carol makes sure she includes a concert by an Elvis personator, Dean Zee.

“It’s like seeing a young Elvis, he sings just like him. If I close my eyes and listen I can’t tell the difference.”
The magic and power of technology provides Carol with a way to see Elvis every day. “I just watch him on YouTube.”

Carol Gagnard displays some Elvis memories including her Elvis tennis shoes.