Don Robertson

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THERE'S ALWAYS ME
(Don Robertson)

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* Eddy Arnold * Elvis Presley single (POP charts) [Click to buy Elvis' Something For Everybody] * Ray Price (#30 Country charts) * Jim Reeves (#35 Country charts) * Don Robertson [Click to buy Don Robertson: And Then I Wrote...Songs For Elvis] * Dickie Rock (#l POP HIT in Ireland) * & others *

 quotes I had received a phone call from one of Elvis' assistants (don't remember who) who told me that Elvis had said he wanted to meet with me and I was invited to go over to Radio Recorders in Hollywood where he was doing some sessions When I got to Radio Recorders I was directed down a main hall toward the control room of the studio where he was working. A door was open to the studio and as I walked past I could see Elvis standing in front of a microphone. He was wearing a sea captain's hat and was looking very dapper. I continued to the control booth and was directed to a little lounge off to the side with a view of the studio. In a few minutes Elvis took a break and came in to the lounge and we shook hands and introduced ourselves. We talked for 15 or 20 minutes, trading brief autobiographies. I remember one phrase verbatim when he was talking about Sun Records and the secretary/assistant to Sam Phillips. Elvis said to me, "if it hadn't been for her I'd still be driving a truck." When he went back to work, the first thing he did was to walk up to his vocal mike and, looking at me with a mischievous smile on his face, sing a naughty version of the first few lines of THERE'S ALWAYS ME. During another break, Elvis invited me to come to his house after the session, along with the Jordanaires and some of the musicians.

That evening, at his house, he played me his recorded version of THERE'S ALWAYS ME — it was the first time I had heard it. There were lots of people in the room. He was rather secretive about his new unreleased recordings so we listened on headphones. Just before the recording reached the end, he said to me: "Listen to this ending." He was very proud of his semi-operatic delivery of the title line at the end, as well he should have been.

To my surprise, he knew all about my having originated Floyd Cramer's piano style and announced to the room that I was the one that had invented Floyd Cramer's 'slip-note' style. It makes me sad to think about it, because I never really told Elvis how good he made me feel. Nor did I ever tell him how much I appreciated his fine renditions of my songs. I guess I assumed he knew how good he was. But I wish now that I had put it into words. It taught me a lesson. Now, whenever an artist does an outstanding rendition of one of my songs I make sure I thank the artist [and, if possible, everyone else who worked on the record]. I don't believe that any of them, no matter how rich or famous, are immune to expressions of appreciation from the writer.quotes

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