His Majesty Elvis Draws Adoration In FW
by Cheryl Coggins
Fort Worth Press
June 1974

Nobody threw any panties on stage. And nobody managed to break through the wall of policemen to throw herself passionately at The King's feet.

But there was the expected bevy of bleached and carefully - coiffed blondes. And there were the lusty moans from the feminine portion of the audience as well as the mandatory shrieks every time The King would display his peculiar rhythmic talent with his hips.

The crowd at Saturday afternoon's Elvis Presley concert - the first of four Fort worth productions - was ecstatic with adoration for the idol. But they were also more mature than his crowd from the '50s, and, for the most part, they sat quietly while Elvis went through an hour packed with shortend versions of most of the BIG hits.

VERY LITTLE teeny bopper hysteria spiced the crowd reaction. Of course, three young ladies got into a small scuffle when Elvis tossed a scarf in their direction.

And the flash of cameras made it seem that Elvis was performing under strobe light rather than the lighting that was so carefully planned to accentuate the jewel-studed peacock strutting across the Big E's shirt.

Elvis wasn't the only one at the Tarrant County Convention Center who put on a show, however. Several women in the audience could probably have stolen the show with their own attire. Super low-rise pants with super rise tops displayed more navels than could probably be found in any given orange grove.

And this crowd of women didn't go the old part-your-hair-down-the-middle routine. Hair do's which obviously took the whole morning to prepare topped many of the King's followers.

THE $10-a-ticket crowd was filled with businessmen in conservative suits and white patent leather shoes. Wives in this section could be identified by their pant suits with pleasing tunic tops and dangling earrings. Most of the time these women would just chew their gum, keep their legs crossed and maintain that well-groomed look.

However, at times Elvis would execute one his famous jerks and a few of these ladies Woman's Club would certainly rescind their membership.

Keeping their cool until the very end, the ladies - and some of the gentlemen were finally allowed to rush to the stage and touch the hands of their million-dollar idol.

SOME MEMBERS of that more than 14,000 strong first audience came to wait in the 100-degree weather as early as noon Saturday. The show didn't start until 3, and Elvis wouldn't appear till 4, but this crowd wanted to be there in plenty of time.

Daddies in sweat-soaked shirts snapped picture after picture of their daughters clutching Elvis photos. Souvenir vendors lent a circus-like atmosphere to the throng of young and old awaiting the 39 year-old rock and roll king.

One man had brought daughter, grand-daughter and daughter-in-law from Lawton, Okla., and had paid $10 for each of their tickets. Another grandmotherly looking woman clutched a five-month old baby. They youthful-looking grandparent admitted to being the child's great-grandmother and introduced the baby's grandmother and mother. Dean Davis, the baby's great-grandmother, said she had passed her admiration for Elvis down through the generations. "I believe little Amy will be an Elvis fan, too," she said.

Courtesy Of Scott Hayward