Description
Tommy Steele OBE (born Thomas William Hicks, 17 December 1936), is an English entertainer. Steele is widely regarded as Britain’s first teen idol and rock and roll star. He has hand signed this black and white promo photo to the front in black ink.
For many years it was thought that Elvis Presley had never set foot in England, and had only ever spent a few minutes on the tarmac at Prestwick Airport in Scotland where his military plane, en route to the United States after completing his army service in West Germany, stopped to re-fuel. However, on 21 April 2008, in a BBC Radio 2 interview with theatre impresario Bill Kenwright, it was claimed that Presley, then 23, had visited England for a day, after a phone conversation with Steele in London in 1958. According to Kenwright: “Elvis flew in for a day and Tommy showed him round London. He showed him the Houses of Parliament and spent the day with him”. Kenwright admitted on 22 April 2008 that he was not sure whether he should have told the story. Tommy Steele said: “It was two young men sharing the same love of their music. I swore never to divulge publicly what took place and I regret that it has found some way of getting into the light. I only hope he can forgive me.”
Press officers employed by Stagecoach, the company that owns Prestwick Airport, rapidly issued a statement requesting proof, photographic or otherwise, of the said meeting. Until such proof is provided, they will continue to describe their property Prestwick Airport as being the only place in Britain where Elvis Presley ever set foot, and will not be removing the marker, photographs and special lounge at their airport which relate to their claim.
Lamar Fike, a former member of the Memphis Mafia, who lived with Presley at the time, has posted a claim that it was he, not Presley, who visited London and Tommy Steele for a day in 1958.