A.J. Albertson This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. Fayetteville Online

   www.fayettevillenc.com/story.p - [Cached]

   Published on: 8/10/2002   Last Visited: 8/10/2002

   A.J. Albertson, a former North Carolina highway patrolman, was part of the security entourage around Elvis Presley when he performed in Fayetteville.
   ...
   A.J. Albertson had made plans to work the Presley concert booked for Fayetteville on Aug. 25, 1977.
   
   Never happened.
   
   The King was dead.
   
   Long live the King.
   
   ...
   Albertson, who was a state trooper at the time, worked security during what would be Presley's only visit to Fayetteville. About a week earlier, he had gotten the gig after getting a phone call from Jack Shands, the first manger of the arena and one of his friends:
   
   "He said, 'Would you like to be with Elvis?' I said, 'Are you crazy?"'
   
   Albertson was one of four or five local men, mainly law enforcement officers with the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office, hired as security guards for Elvis and his entourage.
   ...
   "Oh, Lord, Sirrrr," Albertson said. "A whole bunch."
   
   ...
   "I've done something that millions of people would have killed for," Albertson said.
   ...
   Albertson, who is now 59, discussed this brush with greatness over a breakfast of waffles, scrambled eggs and bacon at the Waffle House near the Cumberland County Crown Center.
   ...
   Albertson, who is originally from Chinquapin in Duplin County, spent 27 years with the N.C. Highway Patrol. He has lived in Fayetteville the past three decades, and works in sales for Beasley Broadcasting. For a couple of years, he could be heard doing traffic reports for a quartet of Beasley radio stations, including WKML and WZFX.
   
   He loved Elvis when he was growing up.
   
   He'll likely never forget the first time that he laid eyes on the man in person, once Elvis exited the elevator on the fourth floor of the Ramada Inn: "He was wearing a black pair of pants, a black shirt that looked like a silk shirt - the shirt was out - and what I've always said were John Conley's rose-colored glasses.
   
   "His first words: 'Hi guys, how you doin'?"'
   
   ...
   He did not," said Albertson. "He stayed in that particular hotel the whole time."
   
   ...
   "None of his people were demanding," Albertson recalled. "They were just so nice. She was probably the only one of the whole crowd who was not friendly."
   
   During his stay, Presley mostly remained in his room, Albertson said.
   ...
   As security, Albertson was told to keep them outside. "They'd do anything to get in there," he said. "We got pinched. Spit on. I got scratched. I got beer thrown on me."
   
   Much has been chronicled about Elvis' rampant drug use.
   ...
   Albertson paused for a second, smiled and said, "Let's don't go there." He did say that he never saw "any evidence" of drugs.
   
   "People talk about him being overweight and a bloated-type look. I didn't think so," he said.
   
   ...
   Years later, that same officer visited Graceland and returned to tell Albertson that his Cumberland County Sheriff's Department badge was on display.
   
   Though Albertson declined to offer Elvis his badge ("I ain't giving mine to nobody"), Presley signed a couple of photographs for the patrolman.
   ...
   One for Albertson. One for Albertson's daughter, Allison.
   
   According to Albertson, Elvis also gave him five neckerchiefs, the ones that he would use to wipe the sweat from his brow on stage before tossing them into the audience. "They're beautiful," he said. "I've turned down $500 apiece for those things."
   
   ...
   Elvis, Albertson said, was "wonderful."
   ...
   A.J. Albertson was there, too.