Memphis fans kicked off Elvis Week with a meet and greet Saturday at Marlowe's restaurant.

Linda Langley, who traveled to Memphis from Shelbyville, Mo., was one of the guests at the event, a fundraiser for the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County. She was in Elvis' June 21, 1977, televised concert on CBS.

When he sang, "Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear," the camera "zoomed in on me," Linda said. She remembered feeling uneasy while Elvis was holding her hand. She was afraid he thought she might be trying to pull off his horseshoe ring. But, Linda said, "He gave me that Elvis grin and winked at me."

People who knew the King also attended the get-together.

From Los Angeles, Kiara Geller, whose father, Larry Geller, was Elvis' spiritual adviser, was in town working on a documentary about his dad. Kiara last saw Elvis six months before he died.

"He was a very low-key, relaxed, laid-back guy," he said. "I never really saw him raise his temper or get crazy."

Louis Black, whose dad, Bill Black, was Elvis' bass player, said Elvis was "a good old boy" who didn't lose the "country kid" in him after he grew up. He was always respectful to the elders in the Black household, said Louis, who lives in Munford.

Louise Smith, a cousin of Elvis who lives in Southaven, described the type women the King liked: "If their toenails were not polished, he would not give them a second glance."

Sharon Parker was chairman.

Really big shoe

Ginger Morgan almost attended Paw Prints -- the Humane Society of Memphis & Shelby County's recent fundraiser at Temple Israel -- shoeless.

"As soon as I stepped in, the strap on my shoe broke," said Ginger, the organization's executive director.

One of the volunteers told her, "You're too important to go without shoes," and went to Payless Shoe Source and bought her another pair of shoes.

"Two for one," Ginger added.

Speaking of shoes, Tony Brown bid on a size 14 Adidas basketball shoe autographed by ex Memphis Grizzlies player Mike Miller. Tony, who played with the Seattle Seahawks from 2005 to 2007, put the shoe in his trophy room.

Michael and Maureen O'Neal were high bidders at $6,500 to be an honorary assistant coach at a nationally televised University of Memphis men's basketball game with coach John Calipari.

John, who attended the party, was high bidder on the next item: a Suzuki motorcycle.

Taste of West Memphis

Main Street West Memphis' 2008 Taste of the Town featured 15 vendors. In addition to fare from West Memphis restaurants and caterers, guests got a taste of Memphis too.

Everything from Shoney's strawberry pie to corn pudding from The Cupboard was found at the event Thursday at Holiday Inn. More than 400 attended.

Sticky Fingers Party Foods & Appetizers from West Memphis served turkey sausage and cheese, chopped barbecue chicken and strawberry brownies. Diana, Dee and Dantoinette Taylor manned the booth.

Shawn and Lana Danko, owners of Big Foot Lodge in Memphis, served nanaimo bars, a chocolaty Canadian treat that, according to Shawn, packs a powerful caffeine punch.

The Johnson Brothers -- Guy Venable and Steve Earnshaw -- performed. Saxophone player/flutist Hope Clayburn sat in with them for a bit before heading over to Cavallo's lounge in the Holiday Inn to perform her Thursday gig with Greg Lackey in The Dynamic Duo.

Contact Michael Donahue at 529-2797 or e-mail donahue@commercialappeal.com.