Elvis Presley interview with Gord Atkinson in Ottawa, Canada

Gord: Elvis, is this the first time you've been to Canada? Elvis: Yes, it's my first trip to Canada. Gord: Though it's too soon for any impressions, do you have any? Elvis: No. Yes. Well, I do. I was in Toronto last night (Maple Leaf Gardens concert) and I was very much surprised by how wonderful the people are. How friendly, you know, in this part of the country. Gord: They have certainly been waiting for you for a long, long time. Elvis: I have been wanting to come up here. In fact, when I started looking at the tour, I said: "By all means. I want to go to Canada." About a year ago, I tried to get them to book a tour up here but I wasn't well enough known. A year and a half ago, everybody didn't know me well enough. Gord: Sounds almost unbelievable. Elvis: So they figured I wouldn't make enough money. Gord: No doubt about that now. Elvis, you've certainly even topped the popularity Frank Sinatra had in his heyday. This may seem like a foolish question for a Presley fan to ask - it seems like an obvious answer - but have you, yourself, given any thought to what it is about you that has made you the phenomenal show business personality that you are? Elvis: I sure have, only I don't like to figure it out because I'm afraid if I find out what it is, I might lose it. So I just keep guessing myself. Gord: You just recently built a home? Elvis: Well, I didn't build it, I just bought it. It's an estate (Graceland). It's about ten miles from where I live now (Audubon Drive). We had to have a larger place because I have accumulated so much junk in the last two years, I just don't know where to put it. Gord: Will you be living with your parents? Elvis: Yes. Gord: You are an only child, aren't you? Elvis: Yes, sir. Gord: Do you have a girlfriend, may I ask?  Elvis: I don't have special girl. I mean, when I'm home I date a few different girls in Memphis, but I don't have a particular one. Gord: Have you given any thought to the fact that some day you might meet a certain someone and decide that you'd like to get married? Elvis: I probably will. Gord: Do you think this would hurt your popularity? Elvis: It probably will. I have no plans for marriage soon. I haven't met anybody yet. Gord: What about your singing style? Would you say that you are an outgrowth of country music, or the pop field? Or a combination of both? Elvis: I guess I kind of like 'em both - more rock and roll than anything else. Rock and roll is actually, you see, what put me over. Gord: There are many people waiting to talk to you and I want to thank you so much. I have something here to present to you. It's a scroll from our program, called Campus Corner. It is a show that is presented each Saturday. It's a teenage show, if you can imagine. We had a popularity poll, with the boys and girls on the station voting. And for the past year and a half you have been number one. Elvis: Oh, that's great. Thank you very much. Gord: Elvis, I wonder if you'd like to say something to all those fans right now? Elvis: I would like to tell them how I deeply appreciate this. I guess I've gotten more mail from Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal than any other place. I've gotten more fan mail from right around this area than I have from anywhere in the United States. Gord: That's wonderful. Elvis: I am not telling that to you [just] because I am here, but it is very true. That is one of the reasons why I always wanted to come up here, because I've gotten more letters from Canada than I can count. Gord: That should make your fans here very happy. It has been a sincere pleasure talking to you, Elvis Presley. Elvis: Thank you very much.