Greensboro (1975)
To keep things chronologically in order, on July the 6th, 1975 is when I delivered Elvis the TCB ring, it is on display at Graceland. On July the 8th, we left on tour. Everything was normal until we got to Greensboro, North Carolina. During this show, July the 20th, Elvis told the Sweet Inspirations that they smell like catfish. Two of them walked off the stage. When they did, he said something smart to Kathy Westmoreland, and she walked off the stage. Then he popped off to J. D. Sumner and the Stans Quartet. It was like the whole band was breaking up right there in the middle of a concert. After the show, Elvis went back to the hotel and went to bed immediately.
We were called early to have our bags ready to leave the next day. Well, Elvis never left early, and we didn't believe he would that day either. So, we got on the bus to the airport, we figured we were going to be sitting at the airport for two or three hours waiting for Elvis. We were riding along in the bus and saw a frozen custard stand. We told the bus driver we wanted to stop and get an ice cream cone. The bus pulled over, and we went into the frozen custard place. Meanwhile, Elvis went by in his limo. We couldn't believe it, and we jumped on the bus to catch Elvis. When we got to the airport, Elvis was already on the plane. He was standing in the door of the plane and he said, "I told y'all to get out here and get this stuff loaded because I want to leave early. What are you doing eating ice cream cones?" He was really mad, and he was telling us all off. So when the plane left Greensboro for Asheville, he left us all standing on the runway. The only person he let on the plane was Dr. Nick.
Elvis flew the Lisa Marie to Asheville, got off, and sent it back for the rest of us. He was so mad, and we had to sit in Greensboro and wait for hours. When I arrived in Asheville, the first thing I heard was Elvis was looking for me. So, I went to the hotel and Elvis said, "I have made a big mess of my band, and I am apologizing to all these people." He said, "I want to buy the girls all something, let me see your case." So, he starting going through my case, and he bought almost everyone in the band a piece of jewelry. I didn't have enough jewelry with me, and I called my brother in Memphis who flew a private plane to Asheville and brought me more jewelry.
Elvis spent $137,616 that night, and he gave J. D. Sumner his big diamond ring I had just made him. (Not the TCB ring, another ring.) After the concert on July the 26th, we flew back to Memphis.