www.elvis.com |
Marion Keisker MacInnes
A look at Elvis's Sun Records days, in this the 50th Anniversary
year, would not be complete without featuring another key person in
the beginning of Elvis's career - the late Marion Keisker.
Marion was a native Memphian, born there on September 23, 1917.
She made her radio debut in 1929 at the age of 12, appearing on
WREC's weekly children's hour "Wynken, Blynken & Nod." She graduated
from Southwestern College, majoring in English and Medieval French.
She married in 1939 and moved to Illinois where she lived until her
divorce in 1943. She and her son moved back to Memphis and she got a
secretarial job. By 1946, she joined radio station WREC, where she
became a popular radio personality with her daily "Kitty Kelly" talk
show. She wrote, produced and directed fourteen other programs as
well.
It was at WREC that Marion met and fell in love with Sam
Phillips. They worked closely together, broadcasting big bands from
the Peabody Hotel's Skyway Room. Marion also helped Sam set up and
operate his own recording studio on Union Avenue. They did all the
work themselves - laying the tile, painting the acoustic boards and
setting up the limited amount of equipment Sam had. The studio,
named The Memphis Recording Service, opened in January 1950 with
Marion working as office manager while still working part-time at
WREC to make ends meet. Marion was the organizer while Sam was the
creative force. She kept track of the musicians and contacted them
for sessions. She kept a log of the sessions, paid the musicians and
was contact person for the pressing plants and distributors.
It was Marion who first laid eyes on Elvis as he came shyly in
the door looking to self-record his voice for the very first time.
There was something about this boy that both she and Sam recognized.
She wrote next to his name "Good Ballad Singer - Hold".
By 1955, Marion resigned from WREC and helped Sam to develop his
idea of an "all girl" radio station. "WHER - 1000 Beautiful Watts"
started its seventeen-year run on October 29, 1955. It was the first
all-girl radio station in the world. All the announcers, sales
staff, management, record librarians, copy writers -
all the jobs were done by women.
Marion and Sam's relationship ended in 1957 and she joined the
U.S. Air Force. Elvis hadn't seen her since then when he looked up
at his March 1, 1960 "on his way home" press conference in Germany
and spotted her. Captain Marion (Keisker) MacInnes was stationed in
Germany. Elvis told her, "I don't know whether to kiss you or
salute!" She responded, "In that order." She was reprimanded by an
army captain for over-familiarity with a noncom. Elvis defended her
and said, ..."we wouldn't be having a press conference if it weren't
for this lady."
Elvis spotted her in another crowd in January 1971. It was at a
luncheon in Memphis honoring the U.S. Jaycees' Ten Outstanding Young
Men of America of 1970 - one of several activities leading up to an
evening awards banquet. Elvis was one of the ten. This time. he
grabbed Marion and took her to his table and introduced her to his
wife Priscilla and the guys in his entourage, telling them,
"...she's the one who made it all possible. Without her I wouldn't
even be here."
Marion lost a long battle with cancer and died on December 29,
1989. She had been a successful radio personality, actress and
military service person - a hard worker and innovator in her own
career endeavors. And, lest anyone forget, she was there the very
first day in the career of Elvis Presley.
ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES, INC.
P.O. Box 16508 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard Memphis, Tennessee
38186-0508 (901) 332-3322 (800) 238-2000 TDD/TYY: (901) 344-3146
Elvis, Elvis Presley, Elvis Week, Graceland, and Heartbreak
Hotel are Registered Trademarks with the USPTO.(C) 2000-2021 EPE,
Inc. |
