JK: Stump what do you think of the everlasting popularity of Elvis Presley?
Stump: I think it’s crazy! Rick is a good friend of mine. He says, “Stump you did something there not too many people can say they did. Like Man! Wow! You’re one of the last drummers that played with him.” He did two songs that he never did after I played behind him.
JK: What songs? Do you remember?
Stump:Love Me Tender was one of them, I forgot the other. I was the last person to play them songs behind him. And I say, “Wow!” Larry London took my place. I was playing a show and my hand started to bleed, so I went to Elvis and said, “It was too much for me.” You play behind Elvis, its like two days’ work! He would just drain you. He was doing something all the time. And would never stop hardly. He would have Ronnie Tutt working so hard. I used to feel sorry for Ronnie.
JK: You saw a lot of shows. This is a little out of order; Stump was there a particular show that you liked the most? Was there something about a show that made it your favorite?
Stump:All the shows. I don’t have one favorite. I would not just get off work and just leave. I would stay and see his show. I know he used to clown, he would lay down on the floor and joke with the people. To me Elvis was a big kid. He enjoyed life, he liked to have fun. He used to give parties upstairs in the Crown Room. If somebody didn’t go he would ask you why you didn’t come. He would have important people up there; Rachel Welch, Sammy Davis . He didn’t say, “Hey you’re a musician, you can’t be around my people.” That’s why I respected him so much - he treated you like a human being. There’s something I would like to get out and off my chest.
JK: Sure, go ahead.
Stump: I heard years ago that Elvis said that all black people could shine his shoes. That’s what I hear from my people. They are wrong! Elvis would not say that. He wasn’t a prejudiced person; he was a good hearted person. You would have to get to know Elvis. Just because you did a recording session with him does not mean you got to know Elvis.
You play behind Elvis, its like two days’ work! He would just drain you. He was doing something all the time. And would never stop hardly. He would have Ronnie Tutt working so hard. I used to feel sorry for Ronnie.
JK: Stump was there a time, now this just may be TV, but was there a time when you all went to a hotel that would not let the Sweets stay at, so Elvis would not stay at it because of it? Was there ever a problem like that?
Stump: I don’t know about that. There was nothing like that when I was with him.
JK: OK it might be TV, you know how they make things.
Stump: Well maybe it was him just saying, as far as I know it did not happen. I know me and JD used to stay in trouble all the time. We would do stuff like this: We were playing Madison Square Garden. We had gotten off the bus. I hope I don’t get in trouble for this! But we used to get off the bus and direct traffic in New York City. Yeah! And the Police wanted to lock us up. Mr Diskin said, “You don’t want to do that to the Policemen.” But we were running late, so JD and me got off the bus to direct traffic. That sounds crazy to you but we used to do stuff like that.