That Historical event happened in California, Friday, August 27th 1965.
The Beatles arrived at Elvis’ home on 565 Perugia Way, Bel Air, around 10.00 p.m.
At the house was Elvis, Priscilla, Joe Esposito, his wife and a bunch of the guy's girlfriends and wives.
Elvis and Priscilla met them at the door. After greeting them, They took them to the living room where there were members of the Memphis Mafia, Brian Epstein, Neil Aspinall, Mal Evans and Tony Barrow.
The room was large and circular. A huge color television was on in the middle of the room with the sound off, while a record player was playing the latest hit tunes.
They all just sat there and looked at Elvis. They didn't know what to say. It was really quiet with a degree of nervousness. That's when Elvis got up off the couch and said, "Look guys," "if you're just going to sit there and stare at me, I'm going to bed." He smiled, everyone laughed. “Let's talk and relax” he went on.
Ringo began to look through Elvis’ record collection while Brian and Colonel Parker began to chat. One of Elvis's staff brought drinks.
Elvis suggested that they sing and play together. Three guitars were brought over, including an electric bass.
John played rhythm and Elvis was on bass. "Now here’s how I play bass", he said to Paul, "Not too good, but I’m practicing!" Paul played piano and George played guitar.
It was a few minutes before George joined in. He was busy looking over his instrument.
Paul said, " You’re coming along very well there on the old bass. Keep up the rehearsals and me and Mr. Epstein will make you a star".
Cilla Black's hit You're My World was the first song they got off together.
John said, "This beats talking, doesn't it".
At last, they had found a way of communicating through music. Only Ringo looked a bit disappointed. He could only watch them and drum on the side of his chair. Elvis noticed that so at one point he turned to Ringo and said, "Too bad we left the drums in Memphis".
Then they talked about the thing they all knew best, entertaining and the experiences they'd all had on tour and various topics including cars, songwriting, films and records.
The Beatles left around 2.00 a.m. John said later that Elvis had been a great host.
Colonel Parker had given each of them a boxful of Elvis records.
As they were about to leave, Paul invited Elvis and the guys to come up to the place where they were staying the following night (the Benedict Canyon). "Well, I'll see," Elvis replied. "I don't know if I can make it or not. But thanks all the same." Elvis smiled and they shook hands but he didn’t make it.
On that meeting, Ringo later said, "Fantastic. He was just like one of us, none of the old Hollywood show-off thing".
John said that It was Elvis's sense of humor that stuck in his mind.
The Beatles as a band never met him again.
George visited Elvis backstage at Madison Square Garden in June 1972 while Ringo did backstage at one of his Las Vegas shows.
Sources of information: Copyright: Bill Harry,(The Beatles Encyclopedia), published by Virgin Publications and Copyright 2002 The Estate of John Lennon.
