In June 1972, Elvis Presley took over Madison Square Garden for four sold-out concerts in three days, his first full-scale live shows in New York City. More than 80,000 people saw him that weekend, and recordings of the performances would later be released as two live albums, Elvis: As Recorded at Madison Square Garden and An Afternoon in the Garden. Among the thousands who packed the arena on 10th June was Marjorie Fossa of New Jersey, a devoted fan who’d been waiting since the 1950s to see her idol in concert. Two days later, still on a high, she wrote him a letter.
June 12. 1972
Dear Elvis,
ALAS, AT LONG LAST I FINALLY SAW YOU IN CONCERT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN.
I AM NOW ON CLOUD 9,000.
I cannot eat, sleep, drive or function at all. I have been a devout fan and admirer of you since the first day you hit the scene in the fifties. I have never liked music by anyone else. I have lost lots of boyfriends through high school (only because they were all jealous of you). I have spent all of my allowance on your records. I worked three part-time jobs in school just so that I could continue buying all of your music and anything else that I could get my hands on. I was in high school through the fifties, was later married in 1960 (to a soldier no less) and believe it or not he does look a lot like you, but not nearly as handsome. I have traveled all over in hopes of seeing you someday (I never gave up). I lived in Washington, DC, Virginia, Oklahoma, and now in NJ. When I heard you were appearing at the Garden, I immediately arranged to take a day off work in order to go to the city and get as many tickets as I could. You see, all of my friends are also fans of yours. (I wouldn’t think of having any other friends of course). Needless to say our tickets for seats were all the way up to the sky, but I purchased a pair of high-powered binoculars so that I could see you as close as possible. Girls were being dragged and/or carried out by the NYC PD, the day was the most exciting day of my life (more so than my wedding day).
Incidentally, my husband accompanied me to your concert and he did not care that much for you UNTIL HE SAW YOU AT THE GARDEN and now he is a great fan also and even admitted to me that I have great taste. Before he would not allow me to play your records while he was home. I always had to wait for him to leave so I could play your music. This did not make me happy and I threatened to divorce him if he didn’t straighten out and let me have a life too.
I returned to my job today. A big surprise was waiting for me. I had worked for this crummy building contractor for one year and he did not mind my taking a day off, but the idea that I had gone to get tickets to see you. I am so furious that I hope he can’t find another secretary to replace me. But in the end result IT WAS WORTH LOSING FIFTY JOBS. I love you more than life itself and I can’t wait to see you in concert again. Keep coming to NYC. When my husband sat there and watched the Garden fill up to capacity, he decided that you had to be great for so many followers to be there admiring you and screaming and yelling.
I LOVE YOU FOR WHAT YOU ARE AND THE WAY YOU PLEASE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE THE WORLD OVER, NOT FOR WHO YOU ARE. When I was young I used to dream of being Mrs. Presley, like all other teenage girls I suppose. YOU have made the greatest impact on people and the music business, not only rock ’n’ roll, I enjoy every song that you sing. You have a magnetism like no other. I will close for now. I hope you never stop singing, you truly make this world a better place, there should be more in it like you, but there could never be another to replace you, I’ll spend my whole life through “LOVING YOU.”
Your #1 Fan
Marjorie Fossa
Montclair, New Jersey
Many thanks to Dwayne Rogers for sharing this letter from his personal collection of Elvia memorabilia.
Kind of a scary letter. But a bit less so when you read this. https://obituaries.claremoreprogress.com/obituary/marjorie-fossa-1034465506
Such a lovely letter, thank you for posting. It’s nice to read something real and true and loving.