Letter from Jack Soden

June 22, 2004

Dear Elvis Fans:

It seems that over the last few weeks a number of you have become worried, confused and, in some instances, angry about things you have heard were said or done at Elvis Presley Enterprises. We have read many of the things that have been said and then repeated as fact over and over again on message boards and forums: things that supposedly were said by me, or members of our management team, in regard to Elvis fans, Fan Clubs and even the mission of Elvis Presley Enterprises.

I have been surprised, disappointed and hurt by many of the things I have read. I am surprised by the complete lack of truth in so many of the statements. I am disappointed that there are people who are so quick to embrace ugly rumor and innuendo and we have all been hurt by the implication that the dedicated hard work of scores and scores of devoted Graceland employees has gone, at least amongst some fans, apparently unrecognized and unappreciated.

I think this last point bothers me the most. Everyone at EPE and Graceland knows that our company, our responsibilities and our jobs exist because of the phenomenal Legacy of Elvis Presley and his millions of fans all over the world. Our company is comprised of dedicated, loyal, talented and incredibly hard-working people who give their all every day for a responsibility in which they invest immense amounts of time and in which they take tremendous personal pride.

Most of these people work behind the scenes. Their jobs are as varied and diverse as this great responsibility requires. They are archives and accounting, maintenance and marketing, conservation and creative, media management and merchandise, lawns and licensing, tours, security and shuttles. The list goes on and on. Only a relative handful of these hard-working people are charged with the responsibility of communicating with the fans and fan clubs but, believe me, the ones that are know that they represent a much larger dedicated team working behind the scenes.

Throughout Elvis' career, in the years immediately following his death, and ever since Graceland was opened to the public in June of 1982, the Elvis Fan Clubs have been an active and dynamic tribute to his lasting Legacy of music, love and generosity. The Fan Clubs were, are, and always will be the backbone of the "Elvis Phenomenon." Not only do the Fan Clubs spread the word and keep the flame alive but, in Elvis' name and memory, they raise thousands of dollars every year for a multitude of charities and causes all over the

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