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News createt: 19-02-2010

Q & A With Bud Glass

1. Where did the idea for King's Ransom come from?

I have been collecting Elvis items for many years.  My partner Russ Howe has been doing the same.  We had no plans for a museum, we were simply collecting because of our love for Elvis, and the desire to own personal items that once belonged to him.  Over the years our individual collections became quite impressive if I do say so myself.  The more items we were able to acquire, the more we felt a feeling of obligation to share these items with the fans who would appreciate them as much as we do.  Elvis was more than just an entertainer. His influence on music, and culture is immeasurable.  When he landed on the scene in the early 1950's, he hit this world with such an impact, that the ripple effect is still being felt decades later. It will no doubt continue on indefinitely. 

Elvis Presley's profound influence on myself and Russ has lead to our tireless pursuit of items once belonging to him.  We consider our items true natural treasure, and we treat them as such.  Such treasure belongs in a place where it can be enjoyed by others, not locked away in our bank vaults.  Thus began THE KING'S RANSOM: PERSONAL TREASURES OF ELVIS PRESLEY.  It was initially Russ' idea. He came to me with it, and we built it together from the ground up.

2. How long have you been collecting Elvis memorabilia?

When I was a boy in the Chicago Suburbs in the 1960's and 70's, I was going through my parents record collection one day and found a 45 rpm record of 'All Shook Up' by Elvis Presley. I was immediately captivated, and played it over and over.  This record was the first item in what would later become my personal Elvis collection.  I became an instant fan, and started collecting memorabilia from that day on.  I was 13 years old when Elvis died, and I never had the opportunity to see him perform.  How horrible it is to be this big of a fan and to have never seen him, and to know I never will.  I realized that all I could do is to enjoy Elvis through the memories of others who did see him.  I started collecting live concerts on audio cassette tape.  This was the beginning of the techniques I developed to track people down who saw Elvis perform “live”, or just met him candidly. 

Long before home computers, the internet and unlimited long distance, I invested long hours of intense research to track people down, in hopes one of them had a recording of the show, a snapshot, or some super 8 home movie footage of Elvis.  When I was not working, I practically lived at the local library, where I regularly ordered microfiche of newspapers for the specific dates I requested on inter-library loan from all over the United States.  I waited for months for each new batch to arrive. Then, on a large, prehistoric microfiche machine, I would gather data of people who saw Elvis that were mentioned, or interviewed in stories and reviews of Elvis concerts in a particular town.  I then went home, and racked up an enormous long distance phone bill, calling everyone in that state with that name, until I found the person I was searching for.  It was tedious work, but it was all I had at the time.  From this, I eventually amassed the largest collection in the world of live Elvis concerts on audio tape.  This collection consists of over 900 performances, and this many years later, still provides me with a wealth of factual information about each performance that I use as reference material as I write my books and produce the documentaries released by my production company (Bud Glass Productions).

Bud Glass and the legendary JD Sumner. 

Over the years, I was fortunate enough to become friends with my boyhood hero, J.D. Sumner.  Eventually I became friends with many other Elvis friends, girlfriends, bodyguards, maids, co-stars, employees, musicians, background singers, etc.  Once I started my BEHIND THE IMAGE book and DVD series, these friendships lead to many invaluable interviews that document the private side of Elvis in my productions.  As everyone knows, Elvis was a very generous person, and gave so much away in the course of his lifetime.  I was able to acquire some Elvis personal items from many of these close Elvis associates, who received the items directly from Elvis himself.  This is where the memorabilia collection turned into the collecting of actual Elvis owned items, which I consider true artifacts.  As the years rolled on, I started collecting more and more, and then started actively searching for more historic Elvis owned items.  I searched every available avenue, including past acquaintances, and long forgotten people who briefly shared a small part of Elvis' life.  I would obtain whatever I could that I had proof once belonged to Elvis.  But as time went on, I started searching for key pieces in Elvis' life and career.  The collection today spans from Elvis’ childhood in Tupelo, to the 50's in Memphis, and through to the 70's.  It includes clothing, jewelry, personal wardrobe, movie wardrobe, several stage worn costumes and belts, personal items from his homes, guns and police items, and even the last car he ever purchased. 

Photos from Elvis Unlimited's visit to the King's Ransom.

3. As a collector, what is one of the items you acquired that you just couldn't wait to put on display to share with other fans?  

Probably the car.  I tried for the better part of 10 years to get this particular automobile, and when I was finally able to obtain it, I could not wait to share it with the fans. It has such great history. Elvis was known for giving away cars to friends, family and even total strangers.  As soon as he became famous, and could afford it, he started purchasing cars for himself and others.  I personally feel like to Elvis, they represented more than the obvious enjoyment of owning a brand new car.  To him, I feel cars represented the escape from the clutches of poverty that once held him and his family at its mercy for so many years.  It meant freedom, liberation and success.  If the people who ever received a car from Elvis ever thought about their gift from that perspective, I am sure the cars they received from him would have meant even a great deal more to them.

So after a lifetime of Elvis giving away cars, the 1977 Lincoln Mark V that is on display at the King's Ransom Museum, is the last one he ever purchased in his lifetime.  That makes this automobile a very significant piece of Elvis history that I am proud to own and share with the fans. 

Elvis' Library card originally acquired by Bud and Russ.

 4. Tell us about some of the items in the exhibit?

The King's Ransom Museum is proud to showcase so many unique items from Elvis' life and career. To name a few, we have the earliest known signature of Elvis in history, on a 7th grade library check-out card. Elvis was only a 12 year old boy in Tupelo at the time he signed it.  The blue jacket Elvis wore in the 1966 MGM film Spinout, Elvis' ornate gold gun that was custom hand engraved for Elvis, as well as other guns, badges, police lights and items from Elvis' police collection.  An x-ray of Elvis' chest... showing a unique inside look at the lungs that belted out the music that changed the world forever.  Several beautiful stage worn rings, including the famous massive blue topaz ring Elvis wore throughout his 1972 documentary, ELVIS ON TOUR.  He also wore this during his famous recording sessions for "Separate Ways" and "Always on My Mind".  Elvis’ custom trademark glasses, the famous red velvet bedspread from his bedroom at Graceland, many items from his personal wardrobe, including several trademark, high collar shirts with the ruffle cuffs that Elvis loved so much.

Diamond Joe and Linda having fun on Elvis' bed spread from Graceland.

The rare Black Leather fringe suit, that was donated by Elvis to the Jaycees in 1975.  It was custom made by Suzie Creamcheese for Linda Thompson, as a gift to Elvis.  Vernon Presley signed a notarized letter in 1975 stating that Elvis wore it on stage "one time only".  According to Linda Thompson.   It was too tight and hot for regular stage wear, so it then became a part of Elvis' personal wardrobe.  That makes this stage costume the most rare of all that Elvis ever wore.   We also have clothing items from the 50's through the 70’s, Elvis’ Zodiac macramé belt (with great photos of Elvis wearing it), a sweat suit from the 70's, and even Elvis’ personal Bible, that was on his nightstand when he passed away on August 16, 1977.  These are just some of the highlights.  There is so much more to see at our museum.

Elvis' personally worn suit, a gift from his former girlfriend, Linda Thompson. 

5. Which one is one that when people leave they seem the most impressed with?

 People seem very impressed with the entire collection as a whole.  They love that the descriptions of each item are so detailed, that it tells a story as you go through it.  They also love the fact that we have photos of Elvis wearing or using the item whenever possible. They comment regularly on how thrilling it is to be a plate of glass away from items Elvis actually wore.

In Berlin, Germany, people came to us in tears, saying they had never been able to leave their country and travel to America and see Graceland.  So for us to bring this exhibit to them was a thrill of a lifetime for many.  One man said that seeing our exhibit to him was second in his life to him witnessing the tearing down of the Berlin Wall.  We were very moved by their love for Elvis and amazement in our collection on display.  To us, owning it is only half the fun. Sharing it with others who love and respect is as much as we do, is the real pay-off for us.  Nothing brings us more joy. 

6. Of course, all of it means a lot to you, but which one is a favorite of yours?

It is hard to put your finger on just one item.  You have to really know the entire evolution of this collection, and know all the hard work and sacrifice that went into building it, before you can start to get an appreciation for what these items mean to me personally.  Each item has a unique history, both while Elvis owned it, then the chain of ownership from Elvis, down to us.  The stories on each item are fascinating.  One item that is one of my personal favorites, is the jeweled cross necklace.  In Monroe, Louisiana on March 7, 1974, before leaving the stage, Elvis tied a scarf around the neck of 5 year old Rhonda Boler. As Elvis started to leave the stage, two teenaged girls grabbed opposite ends of the scarf around Rhonda's neck and almost choked her trying to get it from her.  Elvis heard the commotion, stopped the show, and had little Rhonda brought up on the stage.  He took a jeweled cross necklace from around his neck, and placed it around her neck, kissed her on the cheek, and said, "This is yours baby, and no one can take it away from you".  Elvis directed the police to escort the family all the way home, to ensure his promise was kept.  Elvis loved that cross necklace, as evidenced by the fact that he had wore it so extensively.  There are loads of photos of him wearing it both on and off stage.  For him to give away one of his favorite jewelry items without even thinking twice about it, was part of what made Elvis, ELVIS. This loving gesture was so typical of Elvis.  The story has been documented in books, and even in the 1979 movie "Elvis" with Kurt Russell.  The other side of the story is the fact that I literally tried for the better part of 20 years to track down this little girl. When I finally found her (in 2008), I was thrilled to learn that she still owned the necklace.  I purchased it from her, and I am proud to say the necklace is now in the King's Ransom Museum.  Rhonda has expressed how pleased she is that the necklace is now being enjoyed by fans all over the world.  The necklace is a beautiful display item, but more importantly, it is just another great example of the true generosity and giving nature of Elvis Presley.  The complete story of the famous jeweled cross necklace, along with photos, video and the necklace itself is now on display for fans to enjoy.   Our Museum is more than just unique items in display cases. It is a virtual Elvis history lesson.

7. Personally I know you have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears ( so to speak) into sharing your collection with the world. And I think people don't realize all that goes on behind the scenes of making something like this possible. Do you care to comment on that?

We do this because we love Elvis, and sharing our collection brings us joy and satisfaction.  But you are correct, most people do not have a clue what all goes into such a production.  All the costs involved to insure everything, protect and police everything, and to advertise and let people know we are there.  Great care is taken to present each item in a professional fashion.  We work diligently to ensure the proper history, descriptions, photographs and relevant corresponding supportive material is provided to not only entertain, but educate.  Great care is taken to make sure items are protected from harmful lights, yet are sufficiently lit for proper display.  As items naturally age, they become brittle. Clothing fades, and ink on documents and signatures literally disappear if not properly protected.  These artifacts belong in cool, dark rooms that are climate controlled.  So the mere act of allowing them to be publicly displayed can easily destroy these items and rob them of their historic value.  We wear special gloves when handling the items, because the natural oils in your skin are harmful to such delicate artifacts.  Don't forget, some of these items are over sixty years old.  Every time we dress a mannequin, special care is taken, to ensure nothing is damaged. So the more we move the exhibit around, the better the chance to damage an item.  Realistically, we can only travel with this exhibit for so long before we are forced to put everything in a permanent location for fans to come and see.   We hope the fans will come see it when it is close to their hometown, before we are forced to stop touring with it altogether for the preservation and safety of the exhibit.  There is an admission fee, otherwise we could never finance the massive cost of displaying such a production.  Whenever any profit is made over and above the operating expense, the money goes right back into making the museum bigger and better for fans to enjoy as it continues to grow.  This is a labor of love for Russ and myself.  We work normal jobs like everyone else to support our families.  We are just fans ourselves, who enjoy great satisfaction and delight from sharing the rare and unique artifacts with those who truly appreciate them as we do . 

8. I think it is a very big accomplishment to have an Elvis exhibit on the strip in Las Vegas. And I think that says a lot for your collection. How do you feel about it?

We are so very pleased to have our King's Ransom Museum in Las Vegas.  Elvis did so much to put Las Vegas on the map.  It was big before Elvis, but no where near as big as it would become as a direct result of one single man...Elvis.  Before Elvis, fans came to see Sinatra, and the Rat Pack, and many others... but it was Elvis that brought an entirely new demographic to Vegas.  The younger audiences were not there before Elvis came, the international audiences from all over the world were not coming to Vegas before Elvis.   Elvis was good for industry in Vegas. He created jobs, as more workers were needed to meet the needs of a multitude of visitors when Elvis came to town.  It's hard to believe it, but the very economy of Vegas for many years was affected and influenced by a single man.  The influence Elvis had on Las Vegas can be witnessed in everything you see around you there.   For the King's Ransom  Museum to be in the town where Elvis set up court and ruled as king from 1969-1976 is nothing short of a dream come true for us.  We are truly honored to have been invited here.  We are humbled to now be a small part of Elvis' history in Las Vegas, as we strive to honor his memory and perpetuate his legacy.

Sonny West and John Wilkinson at the King's Ransom exhibit in Berlin.

9. In addition to Elvis' personal items, you also have some items from Sonny West, Elvis' bodyguard. Which most of the fans I talk to, think is pretty cool. Tell us how that came to be.

We have items from several of Elvis' friends, family members and associates in our exhibit.  As the history books are written about Elvis, they include other people, places and things that are interwoven into the fabric of each page of history.  Sonny West was Elvis' longtime friend and bodyguard.  He was an intricate part of Elvis life and career, and we have some of his items relating to Elvis in the exhibit, including Elvis' personal key to the Watergate Hotel in Washington, from his famous trip to visit President Nixon.  Sonny West was right there with Elvis and Nixon in the Oval Office on that historic visit, and Elvis’ original key came from Sonny.

(L to R) Russ Howe, John Wilkinson and Bud Glass.

We also have some interesting items of others  who were a part of the Elvis history, including Elvis’ Guitarist, John Wilkinson, backup singer J.D. Sumner, girlfriend Ginger Alden, and even the pilot of Elvis' private jet to name a few.  Although the exhibit is an Elvis exhibit, these other people were a part of Elvis' life and career.  We feel that adding these bonus items to the exhibit add more depth to the overall Elvis experience that we are sharing with the fans. 

Some people in the Elvis world try to wrongfully erase certain accounts or facts for the sake of their personal opinions or feelings and dislikes of certain people in the Elvis organization.  Elvis history has already been written, and it is not our place to erase it or tamper with it. Only to share it in it's truest form. You are correct; most fans think those items are pretty cool. 

10. Do you have any personal items from any other Elvis friend or family members?

 We have a nice display of Lisa Marie items, including a baby dress and hat and some of her toys. We also have a notebook where Lisa made a list of people she wanted invited to her birthday party, and those she DID NOT want to invite.  I also collect other celebrity worn items from many legends in rock and country music.  As an added bonus in the Elvis museum, we have a small section of items from celebrities who were friends with and shared a history with Elvis.  For example, we have items worn by Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis.  We take that opportunity to show the Elvis connection as we have a display of the legendary "Million Dollar Quartet"  session at Sun Studios in the 1950's with Elvis, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins.  We also have a few dresses from female friends of Elvis, like Legends; Dottie West, Jennie C. Riley, and Kitty Wells.  We also have complete outfits of legends Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr., along with photos and history of the Elvis connection with these celebrities on display.   I cant' tell you how many people come to us thrilled to have this added bonus in our exhibit.  And as always, it has significance in the life and career of Elvis Presley, or they would not be there.

Linda Thompson and Jimmy Velvet at the King's Ransom opening.

11. Jimmy Velvet who is the godfather of Elvis memorabilia is working with you now. How did that come to be? And what are Jimmy's thoughts on the exhibit?

Jimmy has been a friend for many years, and your words are well put, he is literally the godfather of Elvis artifacts.  He started the very first Elvis Museum in Memphis, not long after Elvis' death.

This was years before Graceland was open to the public, and fans were hungry to see all they could about Elvis on display.  He eventually added several more branches of his museum around the U.S., even one in Hawaii. 

He is retired from the museum business, but expressed great interest in working with The King's Ransom Museum when we needed him.  When the engagement in Vegas was confirmed, he was the natural perfect candidate for the job.  He is our curator and is doing a wonderful job.  The fans love him, and it is an added bonus for the people who go through the museum to talk to Jimmy, and hear his first hand stories of his friendship with Elvis and his family, which dates back to the 1950's.  Fans love to talk to him, get their photos made with him, and get an autographed photo of him with Elvis.

Elvis Unlimited's indepth interview with Jimmy Velvet, issue 37

Jimmy has told us that he is very impressed with the exhibit.  He says the fans who come through really love it.  In fact, he told me that recently a group of 40-50 fans from Belgium flew over to see the exhibit.

He said he walked through it with them, pointing things out to them. Jimmy said they all told him how much they LOVED it!  He said he knew before they even told him, because Jimmy could see their faces lit up with amazement as they went through it. This really brings me great joy, especially to see people flying in from all over the world to see the exhibit.  This just goes to show the incredible drawing power of Elvis and the continued love for him by his dedicated fans.

Bud with Linda Thompson at the opening of the King's Ransom Exhibit.

12. Your grand opening brought some big celebrities including Linda Thompson. Tell us about that.

 We had many of Elvis' friends and associates at the Grand Opening.  Included were: Cynthia Pepper (Elvis' co-star in Kissin Cousins), Darlene Tompkins (Elvis co-star from Blue Hawaii), Sonny West, Mindy Miller (Elvis' former girlfriend and Playboy Playmate), Joe Esposito, Martha Esposito, Sam Thompson, and of course Linda Thompson, as well as others.

(L to R) Sonny West, Bud Glass, Russ Howe, Sam Thompson, Linda Thompson, Shirly Dieu, Joe Esposito, Martha Esposito, Mindy Miller and Nereida Howe.

It was a great time.  Everyone was very supportive of our efforts and loved the Museum.  We even invited little Rhonda Boler (Williams) who Elvis gave the necklace to in 1974.  The press loved her, and she told her story of the necklace to all the television and newspaper reporters who where there snapping photos of us all like we were on the red carpet on Oscar night.  It was insane.  Linda was great... what a sweetheart.  She was so gracious, and the obvious center of attention to the photographers there.  She even posed for photos on the bed that was covered in the bedspread that she picked out for Elvis' bed at Graceland.  We have photos of her on the bed in 1974, and she looked up at the photos and struck the same pose on the bedspread in our museum, 35 years later!   It was all so surreal.    Linda told a great story about my black fringe stage suit that she had custom made for Elvis in the 70's.  The Elvis celebrities all walked through the exhibit, telling us their own personal stories of things they recognized that Elvis owned or wore.  It was such an honor to have them all there on our special VIP opening night at the Imperial Palace in Las Vegas.

Bud and Darlene Tompkins, Elvis' co-star in Blue Hawaii at the Vegas opening. 

13. I think your exhibit is important in Vegas because there are so many ETAs there, some good and some bad. And I think tourists will get to see the personal side of Elvis. What do you think?

 Well, we have been told by many that Vegas really needs this Elvis Museum, because Elvis is such a big part of Vegas history.  From what I understand, there are thousands of "Elvis'" walking around Vegas, because people expect to see it.....after all, you can't think of Vegas without thinking of Elvis.  But we were told by many of the residents there, as well as tourists, that something like The King's Ransom was really needed in Vegas, as so many people come there expecting to see more Elvis related attractions.  We are proud to be there.

14. You have some new editions to the exhibit, tell us about them.

We are proud to add more great items to the exhibit on a regular basis.  One of the newest additions I just acquired that will be added soon is a complete two-piece Indian suit worn by Elvis in 1975. It was one of four made by I.C. Costume for stage and casual wear, and we have several great photographs of Elvis wearing it, and fantastic letters from Gene Doucette who hand tailored the suit, as well as a copy his original sketch design that Elvis approved before Gene created it.

We also have several stage costumes, including the famous peacock stage belt (which came directly from Graceland in the 1999 Guernsey's auction).  Another new addition to the museum is the rare two-piece leather "Mermaid" suit, custom made by North Beach Leather for Elvis, complete with a traceable serial number inside the suit, registering it to Elvis.  Elvis wore this suit exclusively for his summer engagement in Las Vegas in 1974.  We have photos and film footage of Elvis wearing it on stage that will be displayed with it.  The unique thing about this suit is, just before a performance one evening, Elvis put the suit on right after receiving a vitamin B12 shot in his hip.  A few spots of blood stained the inside of the pants, meaning Elvis Presley's DNA is sealed inside the suit forever.  Also new to the exhibit will be the massive "ALOHA FROM HAWAII" squash blossom / turquoise and red coral necklace that Elvis wore extensively in 1972.  This magnificent necklace is most famous for being worn by Elvis at both Press Conferences to promote the "Aloha" Satellite special.  As most fans know, there were 2 press conferences; one at the Las Vegas Hilton on September 4, 1972, and the other on November 20, 1972, at the Hawaiian Village Hotel in Honolulu.  Both were filmed, and appear in several Elvis documentaries over the years.  We have several other great items being added to the exhibit in the near future as well.  Several of Elvis' credit cards, registration cards and receipts that all came directly from Graceland. Also some other VERY WELL KNOWN items that I will share the details with you about soon.

Elvis' Mermaid suit previously owned by Elvis' cousin, Jerry Presley.

15. A few of the items in your exhibit are on loan to you, how did it feel when people came and offered to display their items in your exhibit? I think that says a lot about your reputation.

 The fact of the matter is, Russ and I own everything in the entire collection, except for a very few number of items.  There are other exhibits out there, that are made up almost entirely from borrowed items, and that is fine…...  As long as all the pieces are legit items, it is all good.

There is no shame in showing a nice joint collection of items from several different sources.

In the case of The King’s Ransom Museum, except for a few items, we are proud to say we own the entire exhibit, and have taken most of our lifetimes to personally amass this collection.

 Several people have offered to loan an item for display.  Anything displayed in a museum such as ours, adds credibility and notoriety to the item.  And some items we have turned down, because we have to know for certain that the item is authentic before we risk our reputation displaying them.   

The few items we do have on loan from great friends like Steve and Ruth Shephard and Sandi Miller, are wonderful items and such a joy to be able to share with the fans. 

We are humbled that people have offered to loan items to the exhibit. It means the world to us that they would honor us with the loan of their rare treasure, especially since we have an intimate knowledge and appreciation of these items and know very well how precious they are.

These wonderful people have told us that they feel they deserve to be showcased in such an exhibit for the fans to enjoy.  Otherwise, the items would just be sitting in a safe somewhere, and enjoyed by no one.  As I mentioned before, this is the very reason we decided to put OUR items on display.  At the end of the day, it’s not what you have, but what you give back that counts in life.  Elvis set a great example of this very philosophy, and if it is good enough for Elvis, it is good enough for us!

16. What is your mission statement, if any with the King's Ransom Museum.  Or what would you like for people to take away from the experience?

 Elvis Aron Presley, the King of Rock and Roll, is the single most popular entertainment icon in the world. With new recordings still being released on a regular basis, as well as Elvis references and music appearing in some of Hollywood’s biggest films, it is evident that the Elvis phenomenon will go on indefinitely.

A new generation has embraced his music, re-mixed it and made it their own.  People of all ages are drawn to his Graceland home, longing to get a peek inside the man behind the image, by seeing the clothes he wore, the cars he drove, and the items he owned. The goal of THE KING’S RANSOM is preserving documenting Elvis history, and presenting it in an entertaining format that everyone around the world can enjoy.  That is our main objective.

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