Elvis Tribute Artists Radio

Elvis Tribute Artists Radio

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Kathy Westmoreland, “the little girl with the beautiful high voice,” was one of the last people to speak to Charlie Hodge when he called her on the telephone from his hospital bed in Knoxville, Tennessee.  Kathy reports that she is grateful they had that last 30 minutes to laugh and talk and remember some of the crazy things they did in the “Elvis years.”

Kathy has written a passage about Charlie Hodge which has already been widely circulated throughout the internet.  Entitled “Behind Every Great Man is a Great Man,” it can be seen at  www.kathywestmoreland.us.  

Kathy Westmoreland  writes, in part:

Terry Blackwood and the Imperials worked with Elvis and Charlie in the ‘70's. I last saw Terry and Charlie together at Elvis Expo 2004 in Las Vegas and remember after the wonderful Sunday morning gospel performance by the Imperials, seeing Charlie Hodge with a huge smile on his face, being the first in the crowded room to stand up and give the Imperials a standing ovation.

“I knew Charlie very well as we worked together for several years with Elvis. He was always a fun loving, happy guy that made you smile. He had a joke for every situation and made everyone laugh. I can say he really enjoyed himself and his work with Elvis and the Imperials. He will be missed and I know the fans will miss him too. I pray for God's peace and strength for the family at this sad time.” Terry Blackwood/The Imperials

 On that fateful day , August 16 th, 1977, Vernon Presley asked me to go to the mortuary and prepare Elvis' hair. Charlie asked if he could accompany me. He felt I needed the support.  Man, was he right!  I'm so glad he offered and went with me.

If there's one thing or quality that I remember most about Charlie it's his humor. He kept us in stitches. Whenever Elvis was feeling down, Charlie was always there, with a joke, or some kind of witticism to elevate Elvis' mood.

I feel blessed that I had this opportunity to talk to Charlie so close to the end, and to tell him that I loved him. “ Larry Geller

Larry Geller was Elvis’ hairstylist and spiritual advisor.    Larry last spoke to Charlie two days before he died, when Charlie called him on the telephone.

“Charlie and I were friends since the sixties. In fact we both attended The American School of Religion together. At the time, it was based in the Los Angeles area, and whenever we came here to make a film with Elvis, we went to classes in the evenings. This went on for several years. We both loved Rev. Jean Allen, in fact we brought Elvis to her home once. He also enjoyed her wisdom and teachings.  Charlie not only was attuned to Elvis musically, but he was open and receptive to Elvis own spiritual quest.

“Charlie was an extension of Elvis and without Charlie, Elvis would not have achieved
the greatness he did. The talent was there...Charlie brought it out of him, not only with understanding, but by adding his great talents to Elvis' ...his vocal, instrumental, and vast knowledge of every aspect of ‘show business,’  and knowledge of multiple genres/feels and styles of music.

It was Charlie who (having had his own group and tv/radio show in the fifties ---the Foggy River Boys) understood the artist in Elvis, who taught Elvis how to pace a show. When he recorded duets with Elvis, one could not tell the voices apart. He matched Elvis so perfectly. He taught Elvis just what song would work where in order to raise the excitement of an audience, then to control the audience by doing a number that would
calm things down.  If there had been no Charlie, who never, never let Elvis down...not once, there would not have been the Elvis who touched all of our lives. Elvis probably would have been heard, but certainly not developed his gifts to such extraordinary heights had Charlie not been his best friend.“

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