Butch Brewer has been an Elvis Presley fan ever since he first heard the King of Rock ’n’ Roll’s voice. In 1956, Brewer, like millions of teenagers, became a lifelong fan listening to Presley’s four No. 1 hit records: “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Me Tender” and “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.”

Brewer has been an Elvis fan for 61 years. So Aug. 16 wasn’t out of the ordinary for him.  He listened to the Elvis Channel on satellite radio and watched Presley star in movies on television. But Aug. 16, 1977 was no typical day for Elvis fans. The 42-year-old music icon died.

Forty years ago, Brewer thought he was going to see “The King” in concert. In May 1977, he along with two friends waited in line for about 20 hours to purchase tickets to Presley’s first Maine show. Brewer along with David Norton and Charlie Begin arrived at the Augusta Civic Center around 1 p.m. the day before tickets went on sale.

For Brewer, Norton and Begin, standing in line was an all-night affair. They stayed up and listened while others played guitars and sang. They also had conversations with the other Elvis fans in line.

“It was a lot of fun. Nobody slept. We all stayed up, had a few beers, and had a real good time,” he said.

When the box office opened at 9 a.m. the next morning, the trio still had about eight people ahead of them. But the line behind them extended into the parking lot and down the adjacent Augusta Civic Center road.

“I looked back and the line extended so far I couldn’t see the end,” he said.

But Brewer never did see Presley in concert even though he bought tickets for two shows. Brewer, a fisherman, along with Begin missed the Augusta show because a sardine carrier unexpectedly arrived the day of the Augusta concert. Norton purchased tickets on the Brewers’ behalf for the Cumberland County Civic Center concert scheduled in August, but Presley died the day before his scheduled  performance.

Mary Brewer went to the Augusta show along with David and Sanny Norton and Betty Begin. She believes Butch was better off missing Presley’s only Maine performance. Three months prior to his death, Mary described Presley’s Augusta performance as anything but royal.

“I tried to explain that he wouldn’t want to have seen Elvis this way,” Mary said. “He was fat and out of it. He couldn’t remember the words and had people feed him the lyrics and joked about it. It really looked like the end for him that night, and as it turned out, it was.”

Butch learned of Presley’s death the day before the Portland concert. He was fishing when he heard a radio report of Presley’s death.

“I still would have liked to seen him,” he said. “I always liked the way he sang. I liked his movies, too. I still watch them and  have a bunch on my DVR,” he said.

Mary believes the Portland concert would have been a lot like the one in Augusta. She was amazed at how women in their 30s, 40s and 50s carried on during the Augusta performance. “I thought to myself during the concert what is the matter with you people?  You’re not teenagers, you’re adults. They were just screaming throughout the show, but not me. I didn’t think much of how he looked or sang that night,” Mary said.

The Brewers still have the stub from the Augusta concert and unused ticket from Portland. They know the souvenirs from Presley’s last Maine show and his last scheduled performance are in the house, but not sure where. Butch thinks they be may mixed in with his collection of baseball or auto racing cards or in some book.