The Private Meeting Between Elvis And The Beatles That Would Forever Change Their Legacies
It's hard to believe that two of the biggest musical artists in history — Elvis Presley and The Beatles — only ever met once. Late on August 27, 1965, the Fab Four visited the King of Rock in his home at 525 Perugia Way in Bel Air, California. The mysterious background of the invitation and what really happened during their sitdown wasn't ever exposed, until now. Insiders are saying it was far from any typical social call, and that the encounter itself actually impacted both parties for the rest of their lives.
Setting up the event
At first, it seemed like a dream come true. The Beatles were on the U.S. leg of an international tour when they finally had a chance to meet Elvis. “Everything was quite secretive,” Priscilla Presley admitted later on. “Not a big deal was made about it because no one wanted it to get out to the press.”
Keeping things small
Reporters would have lost their minds trying to get pictures if the event was announced. "When I put the idea of meeting Elvis to John, Paul, George, and Ringo, they were initially put off by the fact that the press might be involved," said Tony Barrow, The Beatles' press officer who accompanied the band on their visit. But the offer was too tempting to ignore.
Dirty big publicity circus
"I remember George saying, 'If this is going to be another dirty big publicity circus, let's forget it.’ They did want to meet their rock 'n' roll idol, but not with a gang of reporters and photographers around to hassle them,” Tony explained. Both Elvis and The Beatles were wildly popular, though their careers were perhaps headed in different directions.
Acting up
Though his earlier music and films were still liked, Elvis was going through a slump. His '60s output saw him fighting to remain relevant, as he was so busy making cheesy movies that he barely had time to focus on his music. Presley had been the biggest star in the world, but he was quickly being eclipsed by the four lads from Liverpool.
