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JK: Yes please!
BB: We were in the studio doing our first album with him in Hollywood, at the RCA Victor studios. I was so new, we had done one tour with him and went directly into the studio. We had done a bunch of songs and it was like 2 o'clock in the morning. He brought this song out and started singing it . Charlie Hodge had told us, "If Elvis looks at you and points, it means he wants you to do something special for him." So if it was Burton, it was a guitar lead or Ronnie on the drums, maybe a little extra beat. So he was singing that song alone and he had the microphone in his hand. Normally people recording don't do, but he liked to do it that way. He is almost in a Karate stance and he's singing, "Hunka hunka burning love," and he pointed at me! I didn't know what to do so i just went, "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," (laughing) trying to break the ice. I just couldn't believe he pointed at me! So when I did, he did it once himself and he liked it. So they said, "Let's put that on the record." It took us about 3 hours to get that perfected on the record the way he wanted it. By the time we got it done i could hardly talk! It was about six when we finally got it done.
JK: What did you think of Graceland?
BB: I thought it was awesome! The pool room was my favorite room in Graceland. The room with all the draperies and the room next to that with the three tv's. Those rooms I thought were amazing for their time. I enjoyed playing pool down there with James Burton or Red and Sonny West or John Wilkinson. We had a lot of fun with that table.
JK: Did you put the hole in the top of that table?
BB: No I didn't! I'm not a very good pool player but I didn't put the hole in the top. (laughing)
JK: When he was getting on in years ,did you see that Elvis wasn't doing well?
BB: I left a year before he died. I was called into the ministry, so i left in June 1976, and he was in perfect health and seemed to be doing well. That year and a half after I left he seemed to go downhill very suddenly. I don't know what caused that .The last show I did with him was at the Omni in Atlanta, Georgia. He did great; he looked at acted great.
JK: Did you ever talk to Elvis about religion?
BB: I didn't personally, I didn't really have the opportunity to talk to him one-on-one. He talked to the whole group at times about his feelings and what he believed. It seemed like he was searching for something at the end of his life? He was reading all these different religious books. He did mention some of those books to us on occasions, but not very much . I'm a Christian and a minister for the last 30 years, I don't tolerate other forms of religion very well. I respect the people that believe in those things but I don't talk to them about it. When Elvis did, I just stayed out of the conversation. I let him say what he felt, he would say things but I believe in his heart Elvis was a Christian. I will always believe that, and he just read to enhance his education.
JK: What do you think of the everlasting popularity of Elvis Presley?
BB: I think it's marvelous and I think it should be and I'm glad that I have the opportunity to share it . I didn't envision it when I was very young. Its just unbelievable to me .
JK: Well, Mr. Baise, I thank you very much for doing this for me Sir.
BB: Well, you're welcome and I hope that you have a great day and you're site stays doing well.
For great Elvis memorabilia check out Joe Kreins...