Springfield Musician Who Played With Elvis Loses Battle with Cancer

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- A Springfield musician who shared the stage with Elvis Presley has passed away.

John Richard Wilkinson, 67, lost his battle with cancer Friday, January 11. He died in his Springfield home where he was surrounded by family and friends.

The guitarist played with The King for the last ten years of the Presley's life.

KOLR10 Flashback: Springfield MO Man Reflects On Career Playing Guitar For Elvis

Wilkinson was born on July 3, 1945. He grew up in Springfield, where he attended GreenwoodLaboratorySchool.

John was drawn to music very early. At the age of 10, he famously snuck into Elvis Presley's dressing room before a show at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield.

"My actual words were, 'He can't play guitar worth a damn," Wilkinson told KOLR10 News in 2010. "He said, 'You think you can play better than me boy?' I said 'Oh, I know I can.'"

Elvis was amused and impressed and predicted they would meet again -- which they did. After playing in a high school band with his classmates called, "The Coachmen," John went on to make a name for himself as a folk and country singer and guitar player.

He traveled around the country playing with such groups as The Kingston Trio, The Goodtime Singers, Greenwood County Singers, and The New Christy Minstrels. John and Elvis met again in 1968, when the King of Rock 'n' Roll invited John to join his band.

John played more than 1,200 shows as Elvis' rhythm guitar player, right up until The King's death in 1977. After that he played less music, and made a living in retail and airline services management.

A serious stroke in 1989 left him unable to play the guitar. Nevertheless, for several years after that, he traveled the U.S. and Europe, appearing with the old TCB band and others, singing and paying tribute to Elvis.

Cremation and a private graveside service will be conducted by Gorman-Scharpf. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, or the charity of donor's choice.

Source: http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext?nxd_id=752992

scott walker restaurant week type 2 diabetes occupy congress juan williams victor martinez alcatraz