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Bruce parents let him stay up late to watch the last of the so-called 'trilogy' of the famous Elvis Presley television appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show. Elvis's first two appearances had been during 1956, this performance was the infamous 'from the waist-up only' broadcast, when he performed a medley of "Hound Dog", "Love Me Tender", and "Heartbreak Hotel", and a full version of "Don't Be Cruel" as a first set, and a second set of "Too Much" and "When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again". For Presley's final set he sang "Peace In The Valley". Bruce tells his parents he wants a guitar like Elvis's and, within a few weeks, his mother rents a small, semi-toy acoustic (no amp) from Diehl's Music on South Street in Freehold. However, other than posing in the mirror, Bruce loses interest in trying to learn how to play, finding it too difficult and unable to fit his hand around the fret board. It will take a several more years before that interest is truly ignited. The day the guitar is returned Bruce makes his first public performance in front of an audience of six or so friends in his backyard, banging on the guitar and shouting nonsense, to the amusement of those watching.
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