THE TRUTH

(Los Angeles) February 18, 1999 - Rock and roll veteran Johnny Rivers responded today to references about him in the new book "Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley" by noted rock and roll author/critic Peter Guralnick. Rivers stated he's "outraged" that the book insinuates he intentionally released his first hit single "Memphis" as an attempt to steal the song from his friend Elvis Presley. He also stated the author placed events out of sequence and excluded information relevant to his close personal relationship with Elvis in later years.

"Elvis and I were friends for years and I am personally offended and outraged that Peter Guralnick has joined the ranks of writers who have tried to profit from Elvis' downfall by taking a cheap shot with information that was not accurate. I was there, Peter Guralnick wasn't," said Rivers. "My producer Lou Adler chose "Memphis" to be released, not me, only after the album, Johnny Rivers Live at the Whisky a Go Go, had been released FIRST and was a success before any single was released. When my version of "Memphis," became successful, bar bands all over the country (including my own) had been playing it for years and I was an unknown, struggling musician, not some hot recording artist who raced out to cut it, as the book implied."

Legendary producer Lou Adler commented, "I read the book and it is wrong. At that time Johnny let me make the decisions. When we cut Johnny's first live "Whisky" album, I didn't know he had heard any cover recording by Elvis. Johnny didn't even have a record deal when the album was cut. The deal came several months later." Rivers says around June 1963 he and Elvis jammed on the tune together and Elvis played him his own cover of "Memphis" at least a year prior to the release of the Whisky a Go Go album in May of '64

"Elvis recorded 'Memphis' twice but never released it prior to the release of my version over a year later." "If Elvis had wanted to release it, he had plenty of time. I would have never intentionally released a single because Elvis was thinking about it. Who in their right mind would have intentionally gone up against the biggest rock and roll star of that time," said Rivers.

In Careless Love, Guralnick states that once Elvis heard Johnny cut the tune "he didn't want to see Johnny anymore." Rivers says he saw Elvis several times for many years after the 1964 Whisky a Go Go album launched his string of chart hits. "I was always Elvis' friend, even his personal guest at many shows for years at the International Hotel in Las Vegas including his opening in 1969. He gave me his personal table, brought me and my guests backstage, and on more than one occasion, introduced me to his audience and had me take a bow. Does that sound like someone who 'didn't want to see me' anymore?"

Larry Geller, (See Larry Geller's personal letter to Rivers on 2/3/99 below.) Elvis' former hairdresser and spiritual advisor, who is also mentioned throughout the book, said, "What Peter Guralnick wrote is inaccurate. I was around Elvis in 1964 and never heard him say anything about Johnny and the song 'Memphis'. Elvis loved Johnny and respected him." In the early '70s Geller was among those who accompanied Johnny to see Elvis in Las Vegas.

Elvis' lead guitarist James Burton, who with Elvis' permission in the 1970 toured and recorded with Rivers, said, "In the nine years I worked with Elvis he never said anything negative in any way about Johnny. He only spoke highly of him. He even introduced Johnny when he attended our opening show at the International Hotel in 1969. I even remember playing the song "Memphis" with Elvis and there was never a mention from him of Johnny 'stealing' the song."

Due to his admiration of "Last Train To Memphis," Guralnick's book on Elvis' early years, Rivers says he trusted Guralnick and granted the author a lengthy personal interview at his Los Angeles home. However, Rivers says Guralnick chose to portray his relationship with Elvis and release of the song "Memphis" by paraphrasing non-credible sources and using vile language to describe the thoughts of the supposed "gang" around him towards Rivers. Also Guralnick himself stated that Rivers had "appropriated" the song.

"I brought Guralnick into my home as a friend and told him many positive stories for hours about my relationship with Elvis (playing music, telling jokes and interesting stories) and he chose to believe people who were not even around when I was with Elvis, use shocking words to sensationalize the story, and then buried my side of the story as a footnote in the back of the book. The least he could have done was call me before he went to print and give me a chance to further state what really happened," said Rivers.

LETTER TO JOHNNY RIVERS FROM LARRY GELLER DATED FEBRUARY 3, 1999

Dear Johnny,

I've been disturbed recently by some misinformation that has been floating around concerning your relationship with Elvis. There have been over 800 books written about Elvis, and to my knowledge, only two recent publications say anything negative about you. In both cases, the information came from disgruntled or jealous former associates of Elvis who have made their living since his passing by spreading nasty rumors about others, often including Elvis himself. I just want to set the record straight.

As you know Johnny, I was with Elvis for many years starting in 1964, both as his personal hairdresser and, even more importantly, as his close friend and confidant. We had countless conversations about a wide range of subjects and people over the years and I can assure you that he admired you as a performer and liked you as a person. Elvis was a very private individual and counted very few people as his friend; certainly he viewed you as one of them. You and I together were with him on several occasions and his feelings were evident.

As to the allegation that he was upset or angry that you had recorded "Memphis" before he had a chance to do so, that's nonsense. Elvis was delighted at your success; he considered you a major creative talent in the industry, both as a performer and as a songwriter.

Warm regards,
Larry