Rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley has been dead for almost three decades, his dedicated fans in Maine have kept the “King’s” spirit alive.

Presley only made one appearance in Maine, in Augusta, but despite that, the legendary singer still has a strong following here.

Those fans have kept Presley’s memory alive by playing his music, organizing fan clubs based in Maine that have attracted members from all over the world and decorating their homes with all manner of memorabilia. Some fans are even still holding tickets for a concert that, tragically, Elvis was never able to perform.

Rita Casey of Gorham has a pair of those tickets stashed safely away in a bank vault. The ducats were for two performances Presley had scheduled for Aug. 17 and 18, 1977 in Portland.

News that Presley would perform in Portland created a stir. When she first heard it, Dot Gonyea of South Portland rushed right to the box office. She waited for two days and slept on the sidewalk. “I was second in line,” Gonyea said.

Casey paid $15 each for her two tickets. The concerts never happened because Presley died at age 42 on Aug. 16, 1977, the day before he was to appear at the Cumberland County Civic Center. Next week marks the 29th anniversary of Presley’s death.

Those tickets from the cancelled Maine shows are now highly sought after by collectors. In fact, a single $15 ticket for the Aug. 17 concert recently sold for over $300 on eBay.

Gonyea bought 10 tickets for family members and friends. She still has her ticket. “It’s a keepsake,” Gonyea said. “I had front row center for Portland.”

She said collectors would love to get their hands on her ticket. “They’re certainly not going to get it,” Gonyea said. “Some say name your price.”

Casey still remembers where she was when she learned the “King” had passed away. She said her mom called her at work, breaking the bad news that Presley had died. “I didn’t believe it,” Casey said.

Gonyea is president of the True Fans for Elvis Fan Club and Casey is a member. Gonyea said the fan club, which is sanctioned by Graceland, has members from all over New England as well as members from Europe and Japan. The club does charitable work in Presley’s name and has raised more than $100,000.

“We’re pretty proud of it,” Gonyea said.

Both Casey and Gonyea saw Presley perform in his only Maine appearance on May 24, 1977 at the Augusta Civic Center, a concert that is commemorated by a plaque at the entrance to the arena.

Casey described Presley as tall. “He was a big man,” Casey recalled.

She sat so close to the stage in Augusta that she could see Presley sweat during the performance. “I can’t believe you’re not passing out,” Casey said friends told her. “It was a beautiful concert.”

During the show, Gonyea repeatedly left her seat to get near the stage but bodyguards prevented her. “It was electric in the audience,” Gonyea said. “It was fabulous, wonderful.”

During Presley’s finale, she made a final effort to get to the stage and succeeded. She said she was a few feet away when he sang his last song, “Can’t Help falling in Love.”

Despite the thousands of screaming fans in attendance, Gonyea said she believed her idol was making a connection just with her during the song. “I thought he was looking at me,” she said. “I had fallen in love with him when I was 12.”

Casey was also an Elvis fan from an early age, though she had some parental resistance at first. When she was a child, Casey’s mom didn’t want her to watch Presley when he first was on TV, though she later changed her mind and allowed her to watch. Ironically, Casey’s mom later traveled to Las Vegas to see Presley perform.

Casey and Gonyea have both toured Presley’s home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tenn., where he died.

Presley was divorced in the early 1970s and it was widely believed he suffered from personal problems, including allegations of drug use. But Casey doesn’t believe Presley was on drugs. “I know he didn’t drink,” she said. “As God is my witness, I don’t believe he was on drugs.”

Casey said a cousin of Presley gave her a tour of Graceland. “I had goose bumps,” she recalled upon seeing the mansion first when it was lit up at night.

Gonyea has been to Graceland 15 times and Casey four times. Casey said Presley had horses at Graceland and a pink Cadillac.

Casey’s home is filled with Presley memorabilia. She has Elvis dolls, plates, posters, postcards and lampshades. “I’ve got boxes,” she said. Reminiscent of two early Presley hits, a pair of blue suede shoes decorates the base of a lamp and she has a stuffed hound dog. “Every time he opened his mouth he got a gold record,” Casey said.

Casey’s knowledge of Elvis-related trivia is extensive. She said she knows that one of Presley’s favorite foods was grilled peanut butter and banana sandwiches. She said another Presley favorite was lobster, which she believes he ordered during a stay in a Portland hotel earlier in 1977.

Casey also has a photo of Presley’s plane that had “Lisa Marie,” his daughter’s name on it. “What a plane, what a lifestyle,” Casey said.

However, despite all of the Elvis memorabilia in the house, Casey’s husband, Richard Casey, said he doesn’t share his wife’s affection for Presley. He said he is a fan of Fats Domino and Little Richard.

Elvis fans cherish ‘King’s’ memory