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Rick Springfield is rock music royalty, but getting to meet Elvis Presley was a whole new level for the “Jessie’s Girl” singer. During a Good Morning America appearance on Wednesday, Oct. 29, Springfield looked back on the time he met the King of Rock and Roll on a plane many years ago, an experience he says was seriously divine. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade’s Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Rick Springfield Compares Elvis Presley to Jesus While chatting with GMA anchors Whit Johnson, Janai Norman and Rhiannon Ally on Wednesday, Springfield, 76, opened up about the impromptu run-in he had with Presley while on a plane headed to Australia in the early ’70s. Even though it was still “very exciting” at the time to meet Presley, Springfield said the encounter carries even more weight now. “In retrospect, it’s like, ‘Oh my god. I met Jesus,'” he asserted, garnering a laugh from the anchors and the studio audience. Sharing more about what it was like to meet the “Suspicious Minds” crooner, Springfield admitted that despite not being a “giant fan” of Presley at the time, the entire experience ended up being “pretty insane actually.” “He looked so awesome,” Springfield recalled. “He had jet-black hair. He was thin. He had this light blue suit on.” “His skin looked like—you could lick it,” he further quipped. Rick Springfield Reveals What He and Elvis Presley Talked About During Early ’70s Encounter As Springfield explained to the GMA anchors, he was able to strike up a conversation with Presley toward the end of the flight, and fortunately for him, the two musicians had something in common to talk about. “At the time I was managed by Steve Binder, who did the Elvis special. You know, the comeback special.” Springfield said, referring to Presley’s iconic TV concert special that aired on NBC in December 1968. The special famously revived the King’s music career after he spent several years making movies in Hollywood. Springfield said he was able to talk to Presley about Binder, insisting that the “Kentucky Rain” singer “got along great” with the producer and director. “They were very close toward the end,” Springfield added, before calling the entire experience with Presley just “incredible.”
