ROCKIN' Robin

Robin Rosaaen is an American treasure. Her Elvis archives, meticulously assembled over some 35 years, is the very best there is. Why? Because Elvis fans the world over trust her with their treasures--especially the photographs they took over the course of his lifetime. It could well be Elvis was the most photographed person on earth, but even so it's next to impossible to unearth photos that people haven't seen before. Hence, my interest in the fan photos.

It's because of Robin that ROCKIN' has individual photos and sets of photos that have never before been published. One fantastic example: the set of photos (page 95) from an unknown photographer, likely sporting a Brownie camera and standing on the sidewalk in a confluence of beach motels, taken spontaneously when Elvis and his cousins unexpectedly arrive--having driven the pink Cadillac and the new Mark II Lincoln down to Biloxi, MS, chasing a very special girlfriend, June Juanico.

In my photo, taken today at her archives, known as "All The King's Things," she's holding the original photo against the book's spread. Note that the book designer, Brent Rector, spent a lot of time with this photo to bring out all the details like the tree there at the entrance to Hoover Dam. Props to you, Brent!

Elvis knew Robin well. She went to most of his West Coast appearances, and he always recognized and honored her from the stage, draping scarves over his friend whom he called "Rockin' Robin."

I simply cannot thank Robin enough for her assistance--she's a dear friend and one of most rockin' people I've ever met. I'm going to do everything I can to get her a publisher so that the best of her tens of thousands of photos can find their way to your coffee table.