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Alpine High School Auditorium
Alpine, TX
Downtown Alpine, TX ca. 1940s
Postcard courtesy ebay
Once known as "The Roof Garden of Texas",
Alpine is located in the southwest part of the state not far from Big
Bend National Park and the border with Mexico. It is the home of Sul Ross State
University. It was settled in the late 1800s and by the 1950s'
had a population of about 5200. It has maintained a number less than
6000 since.
The High School at 704 W Sul Ross Ave. in Alpine, TX
ca.1950
courtesy 1950 El Ocotillo yearbook
On February 10, 1955, Elvis Scotty and Bill performed at the Alpine, TX High School Auditorium. The show was
a benefit for the Alpine chapter of the Future Farmers of America but was promoted by local KVLF DJ John
Nelson. Though Colonel Parker by this time had formally met with the boys, Bob Neal and Sam Phillips only days earlier in Memphis and had arranged to help with booking, this show had been in the works for over a month between Nelson and Neal and finally booked at the end
of January for the agreed sum of $250. Aside from any local acts
supplied to fill out the show the boys appeared alone and the house
provided the P.A.1
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The 1955 Future Farmers of America - Alpine
Chapter
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| Front row: Alan Turner, Marion Brooks. Second row: Walter Vick, Eddie Fowlkes, Billy Childers. Johnny Hardaway, Joe Ramos, Vaughn Musgrave, John Haglund, Charles McEntire, Tommy Bales, Denny Thomas, Noble
Shadix. Third row: David Ritter, Bobby Turner, John Votaw, Jimmie Markham, Mr. Aaron Jocoby, Mary Ella Vannoy, Joel Brown, Jim Skinner, Jeryl Walker, Isadora Salgado.
Not pictured: Jim Turner, Shirley Killion, Bill Hance, Bobby Chavarria, James Thomas. |
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courtesy 1955 El Ocotillo yearbook |
Ads in the local paper appeared on February 8th and 10th.
 Elvis Presley To Appear In High School Auditorium
Elvis Presley, the 20-year old fireball from the Louisiana Hayride, is coming to Alpine High School Auditorium, for a personal appearance on Thursday night February 10th at 8
O'Clock, and the good-looking youngster, who combines country music with bop in the fastest selling style available, will be sure to have the young 'un--from 9 to 90--with him all the way.
Presley, along with his musical sidekicks, Scotty Moore and Bill Black, came upon his career quite by accident a recording manager heard him making a personal record, and was so impressed that he signed him up to make records. The phenomenal success of "That's All Right Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" started a series of hits including "I don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine", "Good
Rockin' Tonight" and his latest release, "You're a Heartbreaker", and "Milk Cow Blues Boogie". Elvis also does a number of novel and rhythmic tunes on personal appearances, as well as nice ballads.
For a youngster catapulted from obscurity into a top ranking spot on the big Louisiana Hayride Show, Presley is remarkably pleasant and friendly, and always enjoys chatting with his many friends and fans. He's single, and has no serious interests of heart, devoting what time he has to spare form his busy schedule of personal appearances, to working on his car, and indulging in his hobby of collecting pink and black clothes.
Scotty Moore play's the gone guitar, and Bill Black thumps the bass, and enjoys telling a few yarns on the other boy's on the show.
The show is being given as a benefit for the F.F.A boy's of A.H.S.
Alpine Sul Ross Skyline - February 8,
1955 courtesy Elvis
in Concert
 Elvis Presley, Of Famed Louisiana Hayride, To Perform Here Feb. 10
Elvis Presley, the 20-year old fireball from the Louisiana Hayride, is coming to , will make a personal appearance in the Alpine High School Auditorium at 8 p. m. Thursday February 10.
The program is being held for the benefit of the Alpine High School FFA chapter. Tickets are now on sale.
Presley, along with his musical sidekicks, Scotty Moore and Bill Black, came upon his career quite by accident a recording manager heard him making a personal record, and was so impressed that he signed him up to make records. The phenomenal success of "That's All Right Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" started a series of hits including "I don't Care If the Sun Don't Shine", "Good
Rockin' Tonight" and his latest release, "You're a Heartbreaker", and "Milk Cow Blues Boogie". Elvis also does novel and rhythmic tunes
on his shows that he has not recorded.
For a youngster catapulted from obscurity into a top starring spot on the big Louisiana Hayride Show, Presley is remarkably pleasant and friendly, and always enjoys chatting with his many fans. He's single, and has no serious interests of heart, devoting what time he has to spare form his busy schedule of personal appearance--to working on his car, and indulging in his hobby of collecting pink and black clothes.
Scotty Moore play's the hot guitar, and Bill Black thumps the bass, and sometimes enjoys telling a few yarns on the other boys on the shows.
Alpine Avalanche - February 10, 1955
courtesy Elvis in
Concert
The Alpine HS Auditorium and stage ca. 1955
Photo courtesy 1955 El Ocotillo yearbook
The Alpine Texas High School Auditorium and stage ca.
1963
Photo courtesy 1963 El Ocotillo yearbook
According to Stanley Oberst, a frantic search began just prior to
show time by Nelson and the station manager Gene Hendryx for the boys who had
not yet arrived. Apparently they were delayed and broken down en route after a minor collision.1
Though Stanley's book said it was a Chevy, their car was likely the
Pontiac borrowed from Jim Ed and Maxine Brown's parents after Bill had
wrecked Elvis' Lincoln Cosmopolitan.2
Maxine Brown would later write that the boys kept the car longer than
expected and returned it without a word in fairly poor shape.3
The Motel Bien Venido ca. 1960s
Postcard photo by Peter
Koch
After the show Elvis was said to have dated the daughter
of the local banker whose petticoat he had autographed and Scotty
and Bill spent time with Nelson and his wife. The boys then reputedly stayed the
night at the Motel Bien Venido (which translates to "Welcome") on East Holland Avenue (US Highways 90 and 67) on the east side of town
before getting the car looked after and doing an interview at KVLF the
next day.1
Gene Hendryx in the studio at KVLF ca. 1960
Photo by Glenn Burgess, courtesy Big Bend, Bryan
Wildenthal Memorial Library, SRSU and Phantom
Productions
After that they headed North for dates in Carlsbad, NM.
According to KVLF's Gene Hendryx, they lost $30 on the show.4
The Motel Bien Venido (contemporary)
Photo courtesy TripAdvisor
The Motel is still in operation today but in 1972
a new High School was completed and the facility on W Sul Ross Ave.
became the Junior High School. It remained that until 1996 when a new
middle school was completed and it became the Administration building
for the Alpine Independent School
District. The Auditorium that Elvis performed in however, still
exists and is still in use.
The auditorium and
stage in the Alpine
ISD (former High School) that Elvis, Scotty and Bill performed on -
August 27, 2018
Photo © Anthony Ray Wright of West Texas
The auditorium and
stage in the Alpine
ISD (former High School) that Elvis, Scotty and Bill performed on -
August 27, 2018
Photo © Anthony Ray Wright of West Texas
The auditorium and
stage in the Alpine
ISD (former High School) that Elvis, Scotty and Bill performed on -
August 27, 2018
Photo © Anthony Ray Wright of West Texas
The Alpine ISD, former High School at 704 W Sul Ross Ave. in
Alpine, TX - Aug. 19, 2018
Photo © Anthony Ray Wright of West Texas
The Alpine ISD, former High School at 704 W Sul Ross Ave. in
Alpine, TX - Aug. 19, 2018
Photo © Anthony Ray Wright of West Texas
page added August 27, 2018
Special thanks to Anthony Ray Wright of
West Texas for the
photos and the inspiration to do this page.
1 according
to Elvis
in Texas: The Undiscovered King 1954-1958, by Stanley Oberst
2 according
to Meet Scotty, Bill and D.J., Memphis
Press-Scimitar - December 15, 1956
3
according to "Looking
Back To See" by Maxine Brown
4
according to Voice of the Last Frontier: KVLF 1240 by Gene
Hendryx, courtesy Legendary Locals of the Big Bend and Davis
Mountains, Texas by Jim Glendinning
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