On January 28, 1976, Elvis Presley canceled a scheduled recording session at Graceland to attend the funeral of his friend, Denver Police Detective Eugene Kennedy, in Denver, Colorado. Kennedy, the brother of Elvis’s close friend Captain Jerry Kennedy, had tragically taken his own life.
To show his respect and ensure he did not draw media attention away from the grieving family, Elvis went above and beyond during the services. He dressed in a specially tailored Denver Police captain’s dress uniform, gifted to him by Police Chief Art Dill, allowing him to blend in quietly with the fellow officers in attendance.
Elvis arranged for his backup gospel group, J.D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet, to travel to Denver and perform at the funeral service. He generously paid for the entire funeral expenses out of his own pocket.
Elvis held an official rank as an Honorary Captain with the Denver Police Department. He formed a lifelong bond with the department after they handled his concert security in 1970. He frequently supported the force, even donating funds to build a gymnasium at the old District 2 police station. Today, several of his personal police badges, uniforms, and equipment are preserved on display at Graceland.
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