The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 49

1 3CC0MICS SECTION 2GC0MING UP 5C HOROSCOPE ThlTENNESSEAN WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 1988 Is Elvis alive? Why, of course not! ROBERTS. ROBERT K.OERMANN Staff Writer Gospel music legend J.D. Sumner is pretty angry about all this "Elvis is alive" business. He ought to be: He buried The King of Rock 'n' Roll 1 1 years ago. "I went to the casket; I felt him; 1 held his hand," recalled the Gospel Music Hall of Famer yesterday on Music Row.

"I helped color in the gray in his hair with black mascara when he was laying in his coffin. I know he's dead as sure as my mother is dead." As the leader of the Stamps quar tet, Sumner toured with Presley for seven years in the 1970s. The Memphis native knew Presley from age 14 until the time of his death in 1977. "Elvis was like part of my family. I went crazy when he died.

Aftei going through the loss and the grieving, to have somebody tell you he's not dead- well how would you feel? "It made me mad." "It," to be specific, is a book called Is Elvis Alive? by Gail Brewer-Giorgio. It poses "unanswered questions" about Presley's death, all of which Sumner dismisses with contempt "I don't believe the woman is that intelligent. "This just brings her a certain amount of notoriety. She's become a so-called celebrity, sellin her book and signin autographs." Yesterday's USA Today newspa per fueled the controversy by publishing an article and map of alleged "sightings" of Presley this year in a Michigan laundromat, Burger King and supermarket; a Georgia hotel a Texas carnival; a New York bar and other spots. "If anybody knows what Elvis looked like and acted like, it's me, states Sumner.

"And I buried the man." The renowned quartet singer, billed as "the world's lowest bass voice," is noted in the gospel com munity for his outspoken nature and forthright character. Sumner first rose to fame when he joined the Blackwood Brothers Quartet in 1954. Gladys Presley, Elvis' mother, was devoted to the Music Row, longtime Presley associate Sumner lashed out at people who are saying Elvis is alive. Gospel great J.D. Sumner provides some bass singing harmony for Elvis Presley in this early-1970s photo.

Yesterday on "We were ready to leave from Nashville to the concert in Portland, Maine," Sumner recalls of Aug. 16, 1977. "We heard at the airport that the tour was cancelled. On the way home from the airport we heard on the radio that he had died. "I got in a limousine that Elvis had just given me and headed for Memphis.

When I got to Graceland and saw the crowd outside, I knew it was true. "I tried to console Vernon. He said, 'Will you handle the funeral for I said, 'I'd be glad to." Sumner chose the songs, picked the singers, contacted evangelist Rex Humbard and directed the neral. Joe Esposito handled the financial end of the production. "I said to Joe the other day, 'What is there to discuss? We know he's dead.

"I read that interview that this woman Giorgio gave in The Ten-nessean; I went out to that bookstore in the mall to see if she had enough guts to face me. And she did not She ignored me. "I said, 'It's a damn and when I told her who I was she went into a shell. "Elvis' casket was leak-proof and he's in six tons of cement at Graceland." Presley's funeral was Aug. 18, 1977.

He was buried next to his mother at a cemetery three miles from Graceland. On Oct 2, 1977, both were reburied in the Meditation Garden at Graceland. "There are people out there who if you put a flea and a monkey together and built a religion around it they'd give money. I feel bad about people who are taken in and believe this malarky. "It's an asinine way to make a buck." Sumner plans to release a recitation cassette to set the record straight for fans tomorrow in Memphis during Elvis Presley Week activities.

OERMANN BE Elvis tidbits help feed the legend Here it is, folks, the first totally Elvis "Music Row" column. I can't help it there were just too much juicy Presley tidbits lying around to let them go to waste. Besides, it's Elvis International Tribute Week in Memphis, the one time each year that our sister Tennessee music city outshines us. The rarest Elvis record, perhaps the most valuable record of all time, has been found. The record collector magazine Goldmine announced in a copyrighted story in this month's issue that Florida TWA pilot Ed Leek has the one-of-a-kind 10-inch acetate of My HappinessThat's When Your Heartaches Begin that 18-year-old Presley recorded as a present for his mother's birthday in 1953.

It is universally acknowledged as The King's first preserved vocal. Leek was Elvis' high school buddy. He's retiring this year and contacted Goldmine to find a buyer for his long-held "nest egg." One expert estimates its worth as perhaps $500,000. Sun Records, the label that launched Elvis, as well as Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Charlie Rich, Carl Perkins and Conway witty, is now a public company. Music City magnate Shelby Singleton is offering stock shareholder informa-' tion to anyone who writes for it The Sun address is 3106 Belmont Nashville, Tena 37211 On August 1, Cincinnati's WCVG-AM became the nation's first all-Elvis radio station.

The "Elvis Special!" issue of Goldmine reports that the for mat includes 30 commercial-free i minutes of Elvis an hour, interviews with people who knew Elvis, Elvis news flashes and snippets of early Elvis interviews. The station plans to broadcast every Elvis song ever recorded, 652 in all. The first one aired was Heartbreak Hotel. Prior to the switch, WCVG was Cin cinnati's lowest-rated radio station. Sales of Presley records exceeded the billion mark worldwide last year.

RCA Records plans to market CDonly versions of the Presley LPs His Hand In Mine, How Great Thou Art, Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas and Elvis 50 Worldwide Gold Hits during the Christmas season this year. In the meantime little Marvenco Records is getting into the act After a protracted 10-year legal battle with RCA over the rights, the small company is marketing what it claims is the earliest Elvis live recording. Elvis The Beginning is from a March, 1955 concert in Houston recorded by KPRC radio. It will be available through Elvis fan clubs for $24.95 on pink vinyl. Marvenco is at 1 1 1 Deer-wood Place, San Ramon, Calif.

94583. One more Presley product The coolest of all the Elvis videos is out It's called Elvis '56 and it is the only way you can get your hands on The Dorsey Brothers' Stage Show Presley network TV debut the famous Milton Berle Hound Dog performance, the infamous mockery of the same song on Steve Allen and of course the legendary Ed Sullivan Show moments that created an international sensation. Levon Helm narrates the detailed 1955-57 chronology of Presley's career and the video also includes rare silent footage and many historic stills. Media Home Entertainment is marketing this hour-long tape For last Sunday's Elvis Week Sunday edition, Memphis' Commer cial Appeal polled 16 music critics for a consensus on what were the greatest Elvis LP and single. The Sun Sessions won hands down for best album, garnering all but four votes.

I picked Suspicious Minds as favorite single, as did Billboard's Debbie Holley. Other choices included All ShookUp.Don'tBeCruelHound Dog, Burning Love, You're a Heart-breaker, Heartbreak Hotel, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Milfecow Blues Train and Baby Let's Play House. The poll was conducted by the Commercial Appeal's Ron Wynn. A'A act's sound; it was her favorite musical ensemble and Presley, himself, once aspired to be a member. "When she died in 1958 Elvis chartered a plane to bring us to sing at her funeral.

We were supposed to sing three songs, but Elvis requested 12 while we were there. I remember Elvis fell over the coffin, crying and laying there trying to get to his mother. We arranged to have him bur ied in the same type of coffin. It cost $15,000 and was flown in from Oklahoma City. It was a very heavy casket, made of solid copper." Sumner was placed in charge of the funeral by Elvis' father Vernon Presley.

niversary. More than 70 stands of flowers, many shaped like guitars or hearts, lined a small walk to Presley's grave and 4,000 tourists and fans were expected to tour Graceland during the day. Organizers of a nine-day Presley celebration called "Elvis International Tribute Week" said the fans were upset by a newly published book called Is Elvis Alive? which has set off a nationwide wave of jokes, gags and speculation. Todd Morgan, a spokesman for Graceland, said the faithful find the book offensive, but Karen Loper, an Elvis fan club leader from Houston, Texas, said many fans plan to simply ignore it Lots of memories, but no Elvis, at the graveside WOODY BAIRD Associated Press Writer MEMPHIS- If Elvis was around, he didn't show himself, and the faith ul who weathered highs in the upper 90s to visit his grave came away with their usual glow Tuesday on the 1 1th anniversary of the singer's death. "This is the next best thing we're going to get to seeing Elvis," said Graham Knowles, an Elvis Presley fan from Leeds, England.

"It's too simple to say we just liked his music. It's much more than that," Knowles said. "It's more of a respect and admiratioa He's admired as a human being." Presley died of heart disease Aug. 16, 1977, at his Memphis residence called Graceland, and hundreds of fans return each year to mark the an "In the fan club newsletters I've read, everybody is putting it down and laughing about it" she said. But Gene Carothers, an Elvis-look alike fan from Gnadenhutten, Ohio, said he was keeping on guard just in case Presley did show up.

"You never know," Carothers said. The anniversary crowd, though about equal in size to previous years, was noticeably smaller than last year's 10th anniversary, which drew record numbers of believers, reporters and photographers. Tours of foreign fans also were smaller, said Bill Burk, who publishes a local Elvis magazine and helps arrange visits for groups from abroad. Last year, the group from Great Britain had 1,100 members, while 200 ries point that out 82 of all sexual abuse is perpetrated by relatives or friends of the family, not by strangers or day-care workers. The hard, cold truth is that our children are in more danger from Uncle Bill or good old Harry, who's been coming over for years and sometimes drinks too much, than they are from total strangers.

"I'd know if anyone messed with Carolyn. She doesn't keep secrets; she'd tell me. Some kids might not tell their parents, but she would." But most children don't tell. They've been frightened into silence by the abuser, or are afraid they are somehow at fault or are just too embarrassed or worried that their par Silence cannot protect our children eludes musical shows, a memorial, trivia contest a foot race and other events. More than 35,000 people were expected to tour Graceland durinp the tribute week.

The highlight of the celebration is a candlelight graveside procession beginning on the night of the 15th and running into the early hours of the 16th. Monday night's vigil attracted a crowd estimated by Memphis police at 3,000, while Graceland estimates for previous processions have run from 5,000 to 10,000. The lesser Elvis week events often serve as buildups to the graveside vigil, but since the 1 6th fell on a Tuesday this year, the vigil was held on Monday. abuse child at any time. It is not perpetrated by dirty old men, but by folks just like us in families just like ours in neighborhoods where we live.

We can tell our children often that it's ALWAYS OK to say no to touching that doesn't feel right to them, and that it's important to tell us about it too. They deserve our protection. They need to know that they have it even if the abuse is mild, even if it comes from a relative or neighbor or friend of the family. We can stop trying to ignore this issue and start dropping by the sitter's house or day-care center frequently I Turn to PAGE 2G, Column 4 the NBC Monday Night Movie. Fox said its Sunday night lineup was No.

1 among women aged 18-34. Unfortunately for Fox, it is now little more than a Sunday night network, and a money-losing network at that In June, owner Rupert Murdoch said he was committed indefinitely to supporting the network, despite losses of $80 million last year. N1K1 w-i scon came from Japan and 45 came from France, Burk said. This year's British group had 190 participants, the Japanese tour had 13 and the French had "All the indications are from the people who are staying with us that the next big year will be the 15th anniversary," Burk said. Graceland draws 600,000 visitors a year and 3,500 to 4,000 tourists are marched through the house on any typical summer day.

The single-day record for attendance is 4,700, which was set over the Fourth of July weekend. The death anniversary draws a crowd more heavily weighted than usual with Elvis fans, however, and Graceland managers organize and promote the tribute week, which in- from sexual ents will be upset with them. Or they survive by blanking out the incident and wondering all their lives why they are the way they are. We are only just beginning to tell the secret the estimated one in four of us who were sexually abused as children. We can't undo what was done to us no one can but we are, at least acknowledging that it happened.

We can stop passing on the myths about this crime, as well: that it's most often perpetrated by strangers; that children somehow "ask for that it won't happen if we refuse to believe it can't that it can't happen to OUR child. Sexual abuse can happen to any 886,000 homes with televisioa Cheers on NBC was the top-rated show, followed by The Cosby Show, A Different World and Night Court on NBQ CBS 60 Minutes and Murder, She Wrote, LA Lawon NBC, a special Tuesday night showing of Full House on ABC and a tie between Circus of the Stars on CBS and mood Vows: The Story of a Mafia Wife on jPIay NIKI SCOTT Universal Press Syndicate The thought sickens us. The possibility that our children could be sexually abused by the people we trust terrifies us. But no parent can ignore the issue. "I look at my daughter's day-care centers differently, now that all those stories have been on the news.

I think of it at least once a day. And I don't want to think about it" But an estimated one in three girls and one in seven boys will be sexually molested before they reach 18 years of age. We must think about this issue even though it sickens us. "I wish the media would stop talking about it! I've got enough to worry NBC wins (again), but Fox begins to make its presence known about I don't want to lie awake at night thinking about my daughter being mauled by one of the teachers in her day-care center." But although it can happen in a day-care center recent news sto in the list for the week ending Aug. 1 4, but it beats dead last where the Fox programs started out Fox's Married with Children had a 7.4 rating on Sunday for 54th place; 21 Jump Street had a 5.8 and 65th place; The Garry Shandling Show had a 5.2 and 66th place; The Tracey Ullman Show placed 69th with a 4.2; and Duet was 71st at 2.8.

NEW YORK (AP) It was the same old thing at the top of the A.C Nielsen Co. ratings last week NBC was on top but something foxy is stirring at the bottom of the list. The Fox network posted its highest Sunday night ratings ever with a 5.6 average, led by America's Most Wanted with a best-ever rating of 7.9. That was good for only 47th place NBC won the week its eighth week in a row and 4 1 for 47 this season by placing five of its Thursday night shows in the top 10. NBC had an average rating of 1 1.5, followed by CBS at 10.5 and ABC at 9.4.

For the 47 weeks of the season, NBC leads with a 1 4.7 average, followed by CBS at 114 and ABC at 12.3. Each rating point represents 2G IWhat's Coming Up, helps kids say 'no', 6G;.