The one person I invited out to LA and to stay with me who just wouldn't was Ersel Hickey. Ersel remained true to New York. Johnny Rivers once said to me years later "Ersel was the first punk rocker."
Johnny Rivers came out to LA from New York to live and moved in with me. He was looking for a record contract and he worked his tail. Johnny stayed with me, and he stayed with a few other friends of his in the business, including Lindsey Crosby's, Bing's son.
He had a little sports car and we went all around in it. Johnny and me drove up to Elvis' that first house party I attended there. Elvis was making the movie "Flaming Star," at the time.
Elvis had a juke box on one end of the room and a record player on the other. The juke box usually was stocked with the latest Top 40. Parties at Elvis' were alive with personality and music.
Johnny Rivers was one of many talented people who made Elvis' parties special. Elvis entertained us. Cliff Gleaves was usually there on piano at Elvis' request. Johnny would strap on his guitar and go through a series of hit songs - other people's hit songs.
He was on his way to becoming Mr. Whisky A - Go-Go but not quite yet.
Jam sessions often erupted at these parties. And when it came to music at Elvis' the talents of Red West, who was one of Elvis' entourage, were part of those jams.
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