{"id":4233,"date":"2025-11-05T02:23:36","date_gmt":"2025-11-05T02:23:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/?p=4233"},"modified":"2025-11-05T02:23:36","modified_gmt":"2025-11-05T02:23:36","slug":"when-elvis-was-asked-to-play-in-the-houston-astro-dome-he-was-asked-to-leave-his-black-girls-at-home-but-his-brilliant-reply-leaves-me-in-tears-check-comments-to-read-it-%f0%9f%91%87","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/?p=4233","title":{"rendered":"When Elvis was asked to play in the Houston Astro Dome, he was asked to leave his black girls at home. But his brilliant reply leaves me in tears \u2013 check comments to read it \ud83d\udc47\ud83c\udffb\ud83d\udc94"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Elvis Presley undoubtedly possessed one of the best vocal tones of all time. But he was a great humanitarian in addition to being a musician.<\/p>\n

Few musicians have used music\u2019s ability to unite people as effectively as Elvis Presley in a world where it can do just that. Beyond his iconic voice and riveting live performances, Elvis was a real equality pioneer who used his position to question social mores. The King of Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll received an unexpected ultimatum in 1970 as he was getting ready for a historic performance at the Houston Astrodome.<\/p>\n

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What followed would cement his reputation as a musical legend and a sympathetic partner in the struggle against racism.<\/p>\n

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Elvis Presley was scheduled to play in the Houston Astrodome in 1970. When \u201cThe Dome\u201d opened in 1965, it was a massive venue that served many purposes beyond just holding concerts.<\/p>\n

The concert was unique in a number of ways. The Houston Astrodome was selected by Elvis Presley\u2019s mysterious manager, Colonel Parker, as the first location for Elvis to perform outside of Las Vegas.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s interesting to note that The Sweet Inspirations\u2019 first performance outside of Las Vegas took place at the Houston Astrodome, which was also a pivotal point in their career.<\/p>\n

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Founded in the 1960s, the revolutionary African-American female vocal group The Sweet Inspirations is renowned for their strong performances and deep harmonies.<\/p>\n

An amazing opportunity to tour with Elvis Presley was presented to them in 1969. They initially found it hard to believe.<\/p>\n

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\u201cElvis Presley!\u201d I exclaimed. In an interview with AP in 1974, Myrna Smith, one of the three slim and attractive ladies in the group, said, \u201cWhat does he want us for?\u201d<\/p>\n

The band were worried that the Mississippi-born performer might not like their style of soul, blues, and rhythm & blues. Elvis primarily appealed to white people who were more familiar with rock and country music.<\/p>\n

Initial encounter<\/p>\n

But, as it happened, there was nothing to be concerned about. The chemistry between them was evident from the first time they met Elvis.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a wonderful person, and he doesn\u2019t care what color you are,\u201d Sylvia Shemwell said, adding, \u201cWe\u2019ve never had another doubt.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the Sweet Inspirations landed in Las Vegas for their 1969 engagement rehearsals, they met Elvis for the first time. Elvis was incredibly beautiful when they first met; he was well tanned and wearing a wonderful chocolate-colored suit.<\/p>\n

As if they were unaware, he walked over to them and said, \u201cHello, I\u2019m Elvis Presley.\u201d From then on, he constantly followed his sight of them with a tender kiss.<\/p>\n

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Born Emily Drinkard on September 30, 1933 in New Jersey. She founded The Sweet Inspirations in 1963. In 1969 The\u2026<\/p>\n

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Posted by\u00a0Blue Suede Connection<\/a>\u00a0on\u00a0Sunday, September 30, 2018<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

Presley reportedly desired The Sweet Inspirations because they were vibrant, alluring, and, most importantly, extraordinarily gifted. But not everyone shared the band\u2019s enthusiasm.<\/p>\n

According to lead vocalist Myrna Smith, Elvis was advised, \u201cWell, you can leave the black girls at home,\u201d when he made his Texas debut at the Astrodome. You are not required to bring them.<\/p>\n

For years, there has been a persistent allegation that Elvis was racist. A magazine published a lie about him in 1957, saying he had said something he had never spoken.<\/p>\n

This was only one of many falsehoods that have been spread over time, implying that the King of Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll harbored animosity for African Americans.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, I don\u2019t come if they don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n

In actuality, though, Elvis actively worked to promote racial harmony through the musicians he selected and his interactions with them. Elvis Presley\u2019s debut performance at the Houston Astrodome was part of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo schedule.<\/p>\n

Due to racial biases, the rodeo administrators controversially asked him to leave behind his African-American female backing group. But Elvis answered right away.<\/p>\n

They didn\u2019t need the black gals, so they sent out a message telling them to go. \u201cWell, if they don\u2019t come, I don\u2019t come,\u201d was Elvis\u2019 response. However, it truly irritated him. The communication had been sent by a single individual. This young blonde, who was his daughter, met us when we arrived and had to drive us around in a convertible. Elvis so always made sure he was compensated. \u201cAnd I want your daughter to drive them,\u201d he probably continued. However, we were unaware of it when it was occurring. Myrna Smith told interviewer David Adams, \u201cWe found out later,\u201d according to ElvisPresleyMusic.com.<\/p>\n

The fact that Elvis refused to desert his friends or allow bigotry to taint his performance said a lot about the kind of man he was.<\/p>\n

As promised, Elvis made sure the Sweet Inspirations were honored in addition to bringing them to the stage. This was more than just a show; it was a brave protest against racial discrimination and a proclamation of equality during a divisive period. They were more than just backup vocalists to Elvis; they were family.<\/p>\n

taken $1.2 million and left.<\/p>\n

The group members were perplexed by the enthusiastic welcome they received during the performance. Elvis Presley\u2019s team remained silent about what had transpired since nobody wanted to say anything that would offend them. Muyrna Smith and the band didn\u2019t find out until years later that Elvis had defended them and made sure they received the respect they were due.<\/p>\n

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Although the Astrodome wasn\u2019t really designed to host a concert like the one Elvis had promised, he gave it his all, and many who attended said the performance was lovely.<\/p>\n

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Elvis hosted a press conference for over 100 journalists at Astroworld following the last performance. He said he had a great time performing in the Astrodome and that it was a huge pleasure.<\/p>\n

Elvis wore black pants and a blue suede jacket with an Easy Rider motif when he left Astroworld. He walked away $1.2 million richer than he had been three days before, carrying an astonishing 20 luggage and three instruments. Elvis demonstrated that he was not only the King of Rock \u2018n\u2019 Roll but also a genuine gentleman who cared about others around him, so it wasn\u2019t just about the money.<\/p>\n

Myrna\u2019s unique recollection of Elvis<\/p>\n

Elvis truly had a unique bond with his African-American female supporting group members. Myrna Smith remembers a special time she spent with Elvis that encapsulates their close relationship and his warmth and charisma. The celebrity showed them his apartment when they first met in 1969. Laughter and the upbeat sounds of 45s spinning in the background created a relaxed vibe. When Elvis asked Myrna if she wanted to dance, she was surrounded by musicians and friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe record was a slow one. I replied, \u201cO.K.\u201d And as Elvis began dancing with me, I felt like just grabbing him and holding him because his entire body was shaking. I don\u2019t think he had ever danced with a black lady before. However, he was, you know, shy anyhow. But he was just a little lad when he was around all these girls, you know, and he was this macho lover, whatever. But, you know, that\u2019s what he was. I viewed him as a member of my family. \u201cHe\u2019s not in the family,\u201d my mother replied when he passed away and I was yelling. What are you crying about and what are you ending? He\u2019s like a brother to me since I love him. You have a brother already. She didn\u2019t comprehend back then, but now she does,\u201d Myrna said.<\/p>\n

Cause of death for Myrna Smith<\/p>\n

From 1969 to 1977, the Sweet Inspirations collaborated closely with Elvis, joining him on recording sessions, national tour dates, and Las Vegas performances.
\nThey performed with Elvis at almost a thousand shows.<\/p>\n

Together, their melodic voices enhanced his iconic sound to produce music that will never be forgotten. Interestingly, Myrna Smith also contributed to Elvis Presley\u2019s Graceland recordings in 1976, performing in the February and October\/November sessions.<\/p>\n

These partnerships resulted in two outstanding albums that demonstrated the group\u2019s soulful influence and Elvis Presley\u2019s own style. Myrna Smith tragically died yesterday from renal insufficiency in 2010. Her age was 69.<\/p>\n

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Did you previously hear this Elvis story? Although I doubt I had, I believe this story would be enjoyed by all of my friends. If you would like more people to know what a wonderful person Elvis was, then share this article on Facebook!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Elvis Presley undoubtedly possessed one of the best vocal tones of all time. But he was a great humanitarian in addition to being a musician. Few musicians have used music\u2019s … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4234,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4233","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=4233"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4233\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4235,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4233\/revisions\/4235"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/4234"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=4233"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=4233"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/realnewsz13.store\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=4233"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}