
Me with the Elvis impersonators
What an absolute treat and honor to play on the ‘Huckabee’ show, with one of the greatest musicians alive today. Mr. James Burton is the former lead guitarist for Elvis Presley!
Today, Jan 8., is Elvis’s birthday. He’s been gone 31 years now. So last week’s show was a tribute to “The King”. On the show was James Burton, Rick Stanley (Elvis’s Stepbrother), as well as a couple of Elvis impersonators.
If you caught the show, “The Little Rockers” were honored to be able to play three tunes with the Hall of Famer: “Mystery Train”, “That’s Alright Mama” and “Love Me Tender”. Playing keyboards in back of Mr. Burton was an incredible learning experience. His solos alone are mesmerizing. But his graciousness in helping us to learn the chord progressions and last minute changes, taught us all more than a thing or two about what it takes to be a pro in the music business.
But while Governor Huckabee was handling the show in front of the cameras, between tunes some of us in the band (me and Bob Higgins, Guitar) got a rare treat to sit in the greenroom with Mr. Burton and Mr. Stanley. For about fifteen or twenty minutes we listened to James and Rick reminisce and swap stories about Elvis, and what it was like to be a part of “the King’s” inner circle.

Mike with Rick Stanley
James Burton was gracious enough to answer my questions about Pricilla, Elvis’ wife. He said she and Elvis were actually great friends, that that was their relationship from the beginning. He said she was 15 and he was 20 when they met overseas while Elvis served in the military. “But Elvis loved the girls”, he added, meaning the thousands who wanted to be close to him, and the several who were able to get beyond the floodlights. And that’s why the marriage eventually ended.
Rick Stanley said his older stepbrother was like a second dad to him… one that showered him with gifts and on occasion kept him out all night going to movies and restaurants. But for Rick, Elvis is the one that helped him find his faith. Rick talked to his step-brother only eight hours before he died, telling him about a woman who was praying for Rick because she felt he needed Jesus in his life. Rick said Elvis told him, ‘You know, she’s right.’ That’s the conversation that always sticks in his mind. Rick wrote about that and about his life with Elvis in a book called “The Touch of Two Kings: Growing Up at Graceland: a True Story” (Redemptive Arts Publishing 1986, 2008).

Me with Rick Stanley
Both James and Rick talked about how little the public knew about Elvis’s love of Gospel music. They said many times after the second shows in Vegas the King would love to retire to his suite with his entourage, and sing songs of the Old Rugged Cross. He’d sing the kind of ageless tunes that through the years gave comfort and strength to troubled souls… songs like “Amazing Grace”, “Turn Your Eyes to Jesus” and “Peace in the Valley”.
James Burton is one of the finest guitar pickers around, in both country and rock. And even though he’s played and recorded with some of the biggest names in music like Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and John Denver, he will go down in history as the man the King would look at on stage and say, “Play it James.”
Don’t miss ‘Huckabee’ this Saturday at 8p et, as Ann Coulter and Jerry Springer join Mike for an all new, explosive episode!