YANKEE BARHANOVICH, ELVIS
PRESLEY AND ALASKA INDIANS
Adam S. Eterovich
CFU 900
Elvis
grew up in Tupelo, Mississippi. Author Peter Guralnik, Ballatine Books, wrote Elvis
Day by Day in 1955. Elvis had just started and acquired an agent. Elvis'
new managerial contract with Bob Neal went into effect on January 1, 1955 with
a smiling picture of Elvis, Neal, and Sam Phillips that commemorates the
occasion appearing in various periodicals and fan magazines over the next
couple of months.
Yankee
Barhanovich pays Elvis $600.00 for three nights in Biloxi, Mississippi. The
Barhanovich Clan hails from the Island of Brac, Croatia; "business is
business, Elvis is worth all of six hundred dollars" states Barhanovich.
Elvis and Slavonians (Croatians)
On
Friday February 1955 at Jesuit High School, New Orleans, Louisiana, Elvis
appears with Ann Barhanovich-Raye, daughter of Biloxi promoter Yankie Barhanovich. He is late for an
appearance at radio station WWEZ to promote the show.
Sunday
26th, Slavonian Lodge, Biloxi, Mississippi.
Elvis, Scotty, and Bill open the new air-conditioned club to a sellout crowd.
Monday
27th, Airman's Club, Keesler Air Force Base, outside Biloxi. Local girl June
Juanico attends with a friend who saw the Slavonian
Lodge performance and has told June that Elvis Presley is "the most
gorgeous man I've ever seen in my life." Elvis picks June out of the crowd
and spends the rest of the evening with her.
Tuesday
28th, Airman's Club, Keesler Air Force Base. The group receives $600 for its
three nights in the Biloxi area. All shows are booked by Yankie Barhanovich, whom Elvis met in February
when he shared the bill with Barhanovich's daughter, Ann Raye, in New Orleans.
Ann recalls Elvis' mother, Gladys, being at Keesler to see at least one of the
shows.
Other Mississippi Bookings
Louisiana
Hayride, Municipal Auditorium, Shreveport. Elvis is introduced as the
"Memphis Flash" and described to the radio audience by announcer
Frank Page as wearing crocodile--skin shoes with pink socks. He performs
"That's All Right,"' "Hearts of Stone," "Blue Moon of
Kentucky," and "Fool, Fool, Fool." The bill includes rising
country star Johnny Horton, known as "The Singing Fisherman," who
will have a huge pop hit four years later with "The Battle of New
Orleans."
Junior
College Auditorium, Booneville, Mississippi (sponsored by the Kiwanis Club).
The Booneville Banner carries a front--page story declaring that "the
fastest rising country music star in the nation will be performing in his own
top--notch manner." Elvis visits local radio station WBIP for an interview
with DJ Lynn McDowell to support airplay of his records. Bob Neal writes to Ed
McLemore of the Big "U" Jamboree to let him know that Colonel Parker
will be doing bookings for him and Elvis, "just like MCA or William Morris
or any other agency." According to Neal, Parker is attempting to get a
booking at "one of the big resort hotels in Nevada and is
"negotiating a deal that is terrific, to say the least."
City
Auditorium. Clarksdale. Mississippi. Harry Kalcheim cables the Colonel that he
has set up the Godfrey audition for March 23, and should Elvis win first place,
he will appear on Godfrey's morning TV show for the following three weeks.
American
Legion Hall, Meridian, Mississippi. Elvis attends the third annual Jimmie
Rodgers Memorial Celebration honoring the universally acknowledged "Father
of Country Music" in his hometown. An afternoon barbecue attracts 10,000
people with Ernest Tubb, Hank Snow, and many other current country-and--western
stars in attendance, while the evenings shows are divided among five different
venues in town. "Music will be provided by Elvis Presley and his
orchestra" at the American Legion hall, according to the Meridian Star.
The September issue of Country Song Roundup reports that Elvis was called back
for encore after encore, performing "Baby Let's Play House,"
"I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone," "Milkcow Blues
Boogie," and "You're a Heartbreaker," among others.
Belden
High School Gym, Belden, Mississippi. DJ Bobby Ritter recalls that in order to
get into the building without being mobbed, Elvis has to crawl through a back
window, ripping the seat of his pants, which have to be held together with a
safety pin during his performance.
Fairgrounds,
Tupelo, Mississippi. Webb Pierce is the headliner on this new four-day tour set
up by Bob Neal in June and featuring Wanda Jackson, Bud Deckelman, the Miller
Sisters, and others. Also included is Charlie Feathers, a twenty- -three-
-year- -old incipient rockabilly recording for Sun subsidiary Flip. This is
Elvis' first performance in Tupelo since his appearance at age ten in the
singing competition at these same fairgrounds, and it is held before a crowd of
about 3,000.
Elvis
also buys a pink 1955 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty with a black top to replace the
Cadillac that has burned. A removable wooden roof rack is used for the band's
instruments.
Slavonian Croatian Association
The
Slavonian Benevolent Association is adjusting to the changes in society and
around its Myrtle Street lodge on Point Cadet, Biloxi, Mississippi. In the last
five years, 91 new members have joined, pushing the club's rolls to 302 strong.
If people are drifting away from their roots in the modern world, that trend
doesn't seem to be affecting the Slavonians (Croatians), who settled in Biloxi
over 150 years ago and were the driving force behind much of Biloxi's seafood
industry. The heritage that the members'
relatives brought from Dalmatia in Croatia appears to be the drawing card.
Casinos are just as eager to host their nightly activities. This year, the Beau
Rivage Casino hosted Wednesday's press conference, and Thursday's Stag Night.
The Slavonians have taken advantage of the casinos in the Point Cadet area. The
group rents the parking lot north of its building to the Isle of Capri for
employee parking. The club's boisterous meetings are as much a part of its
heritage as anything. "I don't know if you've ever had to conduct a
meeting with 60, 70 Slavonians in one hall at one time," President Kovacevich
explained. "If a stranger walked in, he'd think there's some kind of war
going on." He said all members get their say in the organization's
business. Parliamentarians may not recognize the structure, but they've
probably never seen a copy Robertovich's Rules of Order, either. Well, it
doesn't exist, apparently. Don Hammack, The Sun Herald, August 30, 2000
Yankee Barhanovich
F.
"Yankie" Barhanovich is a highly respected and well thought of civic
and business leader in the Biloxi, Mississippi area. He's a successful
insurance executive and a valuable member of the community. "Yankie"
didn't achieve his position by waiting for it. He proved that by hard work and
determination, an individual can end up at the top. F "Yankie"
Barhanovich was born in Biloxi, Mississippi, sixty-one year's ago. In 1938, he
started as a 23 year old agent with the American National Insurance Company of
Galveston, Texas. After fourteen short months he advanced to Assistant Manager,
and four years later was elevated to District Manager "Yankie" has
held the position of District Manager for 33 years. In addition,
"Yankie" won the company's President Trophy in 1968. His agency is
among the top fifteen in the Nation for the past 30 years and his is the
leading District office in the South Central Division, "Yankie"
Barhanovich Is a self-made man. He made it to the top. During his
Professional-career. "Yankie" found time to actively participate in
civic affairs. He has served as president or chairman of many organizations such
as the East Harrison County Lions Club and the Shrimp Bowl Classic. He also
acted as State Commissioner of the Amateur Softball Association for 10 years.
During his many years of community service, "Yankie" has received
various awards. These awards include the Biloxi Outstanding Junior and Senior
Citizen, 1970 Junior Chamber of Commerce Boss of the Year and the Distinguished
Service Award for his contributions to Amateur Football. He was inducted into
the National Football Foundation Hall of Fame in 1971. "Yankie" is
currently chairman of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Commission and former
President of the Mississippi Coast Chapter of the National Football Foundation.
Yankee was president of the Slavonian Society in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Secretary of the Haida Indian Tribe
Also
written as Barhanovich, the Baranovich clan originates from Sibenik in Dalmatia
and the Barhanovich clan from the Island of Brac, Dalmatia, Croatia.
Vincent
Baranovich’s activities were first discovered with a notice of mail at the Post
Office at Victoria, British Columbia in 1870; in 1871 he was fur trading in
Alaska. He also was associated with John Peratrovich who had married and Indian
princess in Alaska and had 29 children and three wives; other Croatian
associates were Tony Valensolo and Tony Markovich in Alaska.
Vincent
W. Baranovich was Secretary of the Haida Indian Tribe in 1938.
Anton
Baranovich was a 36 year old fisherman in 1880 at Clatsop, Oregon; the US
Census listed him as Italian. Andrew
Baranovich was a cook in 1900 in the Santa Clara Valley of California and Peter
Baranovich was a waiter in San Francisco in 1903.