Sunday, 30 December 2007
Grapevine Opry presents Elvis show
The Grapevine Opry presents the show "Happy Birthday, Elvis: Elvis – Through the Years" at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5, 2008 at the Palace Theatre, 300 S. Main St. Grapevine, TX. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children ages 12 and under. Senior citizen discounts are available. For information or to buy tickets, call 817-481-8733. Visit www.gvopry.com
Stop! Look and Listen!
To some of the best ETA's
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lgbjcurx5A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq16jtnI3DY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvPMo1nSMVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqcwPB1uLvE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYfsWVQEBoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSx8bVX82Jo
PinkCaddyEntertainment.com is the leading internet site used to both locate and book the best Elvis Presley Tribute Artists in the world. Within our site you can view videos and read background information to determine which of our great talents would suit your event best. Be sure to view our Events page for upcoming events that our ETA's will be performing at in/or near your hometown. Let us save you time, money and effort while also giving you the quality and confidence that your special event deserves. By prequalifying all of our performers and holding them to our own exceptionally high standards as true Elvis Presley fans, we do all of the research for you. Be sure to sign up for the Official Pink Caddy Entertainment Newsletter to become a part of the Pink Caddy family and stay on top of all events in the Elvis Tribute Artist World. Pink Caddy Entertainment brings you Trent Carlini, "The Dream King". For booking information worldwide and more about Trent and other great Elvis Tribute Artists visit http://www.pinkcaddyentertainment.com/
Join us at "The Elvis Lounge" in Garden Grove, CA for our monthly event which always features various outstanding Pink Caddy Entertainment performers from around the country!! For Reservations call (714)638-3790!!
CLICK TO ENLARGE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2lgbjcurx5A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lq16jtnI3DY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvPMo1nSMVs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqcwPB1uLvE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYfsWVQEBoU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSx8bVX82Jo
PinkCaddyEntertainment.com is the leading internet site used to both locate and book the best Elvis Presley Tribute Artists in the world. Within our site you can view videos and read background information to determine which of our great talents would suit your event best. Be sure to view our Events page for upcoming events that our ETA's will be performing at in/or near your hometown. Let us save you time, money and effort while also giving you the quality and confidence that your special event deserves. By prequalifying all of our performers and holding them to our own exceptionally high standards as true Elvis Presley fans, we do all of the research for you. Be sure to sign up for the Official Pink Caddy Entertainment Newsletter to become a part of the Pink Caddy family and stay on top of all events in the Elvis Tribute Artist World. Pink Caddy Entertainment brings you Trent Carlini, "The Dream King". For booking information worldwide and more about Trent and other great Elvis Tribute Artists visit http://www.pinkcaddyentertainment.com/
Join us at "The Elvis Lounge" in Garden Grove, CA for our monthly event which always features various outstanding Pink Caddy Entertainment performers from around the country!! For Reservations call (714)638-3790!!
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Saturday, 29 December 2007
LICENSE AGREEMENT Between ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES, INC. and FX LUXURY REALTY LLC
Elvis fans may find this "Legal Agreement" of interest:
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410402/000095012307013632/y38161a1exv10w8.htm
http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1410402/000095012307013632/y38161a1exv10w8.htm
Friday, 28 December 2007
Minnesota man enjoys regional following as Elvis impersonator
Friday, December 28 2007
By Käri Knutson Lee Newspapers
CHATFIELD, Minn. — Elvis used to have a mustache. Well, at least Brad Boice’s first incarnation of the King did.
About three years ago, he dressed up as Elvis for the Chatfield Fireman’s Talent Show. He wore a wig and made his first bedazzled outfit from his father-in-law’s old suit.
“I did it as a joke,” Boice said.
But Elvis had a way of following Boice. He and some friends went to an Elvis impersonator show in Stewartville, Minn. One friend was unimpressed by the two Elvis wannabes and encouraged Boice to get up and sing. The other two had jumpsuits, but Boice had his voice.
“I ended up getting a better reaction,” Boice said.
Boice, 44, saw it as an opportunity to get back into music. The Harmony, Minn., native had sung with hard rock band Gemini from 1979 to 1987. Gemini would throw in a little Elvis between songs by Ratt and Mötley Crüe.
After he got married and had kids, it was harder to find time for music. He tried disc jockeying at weddings, but it wasn’t the same.
Boice always has loved music. He has sung with his church choir and played tuba with the Chatfield Brass Band. Growing up, he saved his money for a pair of headphones so he could rock out while raking hay.
These days, Boice concentrates on Elvis. He watches old concert footage to capture the King’s signature moves. He listens to old recordings, trying to emulate his voice. He reads books to try to learn about the man so many love.
In September, Boice won the Larry Hass Spirit of Elvis Fan Appreciation Award at the Elvis Explosion in La Crosse.
Boice has done well in many contests. At a contest in Las Vegas he won a replica of a diamond ring Elvis used to wear. He came in second at a Mall of America contest last year.
Boice doesn’t take himself too seriously, though.
“There are guys who think they are Elvis,” Boice said. “I don’t want to be like him. He’s dead already.”
His wife, Julann, loves watching him perform. But what she’s really proud of is the more than $11,000 Boice’s shows have helped raise for Camp Jornada, a camp for kids battling cancer.
“That’s worth more than anything,” she said.
By day, Boice is public works director for the city of Eyota, Minn. He makes sure the streets are plowed and the water is working.
He hasn’t gotten around to creating a Web site for himself. He hasn’t needed to. Fans have put up dozens of performance clips on YouTube.
While Elvis had the Memphis Mafia, Boice has the Minnesota Mafia, a group of mainly female fans from the Faribault, Minn., area.
He also has a fan club in Winona, Minn., that made him T-shirts, one of which now adorns a cardboard cutout of the King in Boice’s basement.
Recently, he got a Christmas card from a woman in Anoka, Minn., who saw him perform at the Mall of America. He’s grown somewhat used to signing autographs and having people call him Elvis. When he visited Graceland with his wife, a fan insisted on getting a picture with him.
“I don’t get it,” Boice said. “I’m not Elvis. It’s just weird.”
But he’s grateful for the fans and for the chance to get back into performing. He does dream of one day performing as himself.
For now, he’s happy that people see him as the King.
“I tell everybody I have to do as much as I can before my hair falls out,” Boice said.
How long will he be the King?
“Until I start looking like old Elvis.”
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2maecy
By Käri Knutson Lee Newspapers
CHATFIELD, Minn. — Elvis used to have a mustache. Well, at least Brad Boice’s first incarnation of the King did.
About three years ago, he dressed up as Elvis for the Chatfield Fireman’s Talent Show. He wore a wig and made his first bedazzled outfit from his father-in-law’s old suit.
“I did it as a joke,” Boice said.
But Elvis had a way of following Boice. He and some friends went to an Elvis impersonator show in Stewartville, Minn. One friend was unimpressed by the two Elvis wannabes and encouraged Boice to get up and sing. The other two had jumpsuits, but Boice had his voice.
“I ended up getting a better reaction,” Boice said.
Boice, 44, saw it as an opportunity to get back into music. The Harmony, Minn., native had sung with hard rock band Gemini from 1979 to 1987. Gemini would throw in a little Elvis between songs by Ratt and Mötley Crüe.
After he got married and had kids, it was harder to find time for music. He tried disc jockeying at weddings, but it wasn’t the same.
Boice always has loved music. He has sung with his church choir and played tuba with the Chatfield Brass Band. Growing up, he saved his money for a pair of headphones so he could rock out while raking hay.
These days, Boice concentrates on Elvis. He watches old concert footage to capture the King’s signature moves. He listens to old recordings, trying to emulate his voice. He reads books to try to learn about the man so many love.
In September, Boice won the Larry Hass Spirit of Elvis Fan Appreciation Award at the Elvis Explosion in La Crosse.
Boice has done well in many contests. At a contest in Las Vegas he won a replica of a diamond ring Elvis used to wear. He came in second at a Mall of America contest last year.
Boice doesn’t take himself too seriously, though.
“There are guys who think they are Elvis,” Boice said. “I don’t want to be like him. He’s dead already.”
His wife, Julann, loves watching him perform. But what she’s really proud of is the more than $11,000 Boice’s shows have helped raise for Camp Jornada, a camp for kids battling cancer.
“That’s worth more than anything,” she said.
By day, Boice is public works director for the city of Eyota, Minn. He makes sure the streets are plowed and the water is working.
He hasn’t gotten around to creating a Web site for himself. He hasn’t needed to. Fans have put up dozens of performance clips on YouTube.
While Elvis had the Memphis Mafia, Boice has the Minnesota Mafia, a group of mainly female fans from the Faribault, Minn., area.
He also has a fan club in Winona, Minn., that made him T-shirts, one of which now adorns a cardboard cutout of the King in Boice’s basement.
Recently, he got a Christmas card from a woman in Anoka, Minn., who saw him perform at the Mall of America. He’s grown somewhat used to signing autographs and having people call him Elvis. When he visited Graceland with his wife, a fan insisted on getting a picture with him.
“I don’t get it,” Boice said. “I’m not Elvis. It’s just weird.”
But he’s grateful for the fans and for the chance to get back into performing. He does dream of one day performing as himself.
For now, he’s happy that people see him as the King.
“I tell everybody I have to do as much as I can before my hair falls out,” Boice said.
How long will he be the King?
“Until I start looking like old Elvis.”
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2maecy
Thursday, 27 December 2007
Rockin' New Year's Eve with The King
You can experience all the festiveness of New Year's Eve by spending the evening at the theater.
For the sixth year, the Barn Dinner Theatre has interrupted its regular holiday show to announce that Elvis is back in the building. Former police officer Stephen Freeman, now a full-time tribute artist, will sing a revue of Elvis Presley hits, as well as some of his beloved holiday tunes.
One of the popular features of Freeman's shows is that he takes requests, so the evenings always have a freshness and an element of surprise.
The singer says he constantly hears stories from audience members about how Elvis touched their lives. Allowing them to relive a moment from their past is one of the most rewarding aspects of his job, he says. The New Year's Eve event begins with dinner. Freeman takes the stage at 8 p.m. After the show, the stage rises so everyone can dance. There's also a champagne toast at midnight, followed by a breakfast buffet.
When: Dinner served 6-7:30 p.m.; performance begins at 8 p.m.
Where: Barn Dinner Theatre, 120 Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro NC
Tickets: $90
Information: 336-292-2211; www.barndinner.com
For the sixth year, the Barn Dinner Theatre has interrupted its regular holiday show to announce that Elvis is back in the building. Former police officer Stephen Freeman, now a full-time tribute artist, will sing a revue of Elvis Presley hits, as well as some of his beloved holiday tunes.
One of the popular features of Freeman's shows is that he takes requests, so the evenings always have a freshness and an element of surprise.
The singer says he constantly hears stories from audience members about how Elvis touched their lives. Allowing them to relive a moment from their past is one of the most rewarding aspects of his job, he says. The New Year's Eve event begins with dinner. Freeman takes the stage at 8 p.m. After the show, the stage rises so everyone can dance. There's also a champagne toast at midnight, followed by a breakfast buffet.
When: Dinner served 6-7:30 p.m.; performance begins at 8 p.m.
Where: Barn Dinner Theatre, 120 Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro NC
Tickets: $90
Information: 336-292-2211; www.barndinner.com
ULTIMATE TRIBUTE SHOW
ULTIMATE TRIBUTE SHOW: Starring World Champion Elvis tribute artist, Roy LeBlanc, along with Roy Orbison, Rod Stewart, Buddy Holly and Johnny Cash, dancing, party favours, midnight champagne; Monday, December 31st 2007 in Canada Building, Western Fair Grounds, London Ontario CANADA; tickets: $93 per person available in person at Guest Relations, first floor Raceway lobby or by calling 519-432-6600.
Elvis will be in the building
Enjoy a night of great music and nostalgia with a tribute to the sounds of the '50s and '60s and The King. The Osceola Center for the Arts presents "Elvis: A Concert Experience" featuring tribute artist Jim Jinelli at 2 p.m. Jan. 6.
The 21/2-hour concert will open with a '50s and '60s singing ensemble, break for intermission and close with more than 30 of Elvis' most memorable melodies during his concert tour years from 1969 to 1977. Part of the tribute will celebrate Elvis' birthday on Jan. 8.
Tickets for $15 can be purchased by contacting the center at 407-846-6257. Or go to elvisconcert.com, click on show schedule, and purchase tickets online. The center is a mile east of Florida's Turnpike exit off U.S. Highway 192 between Kissimmee and St. Cloud.
The 21/2-hour concert will open with a '50s and '60s singing ensemble, break for intermission and close with more than 30 of Elvis' most memorable melodies during his concert tour years from 1969 to 1977. Part of the tribute will celebrate Elvis' birthday on Jan. 8.
Tickets for $15 can be purchased by contacting the center at 407-846-6257. Or go to elvisconcert.com, click on show schedule, and purchase tickets online. The center is a mile east of Florida's Turnpike exit off U.S. Highway 192 between Kissimmee and St. Cloud.
Have a 'Blue' New Year's Eve
Nobody does music like The King.
OK, make that, nobody does music like a really great King impersonator.
We're talking about Jackson-based Tony Poma, who has even impressed even Las Vegas audiences with his very real Elvis impersonations. Catch Poma's Elvis tribute at Eagle Eye Grand Ballroom in East Lansing on New Year's Eve.
Daren Ferden of Lansing and Mark Schairer of Holt are promoting the show.
Ferden says Poma has a huge passion for playing the part of The King.
"He wears the costumes, plays the role very well and I feel like I'm back in the '60s when I watch him perform," Ferden said.
The evening will include dancing, a champagne toast at midnight, complimentary snacks and prizes. Legend the Band will also be there, playing dance music from the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s. Sweet!
"Legend the Band is pretty much a show in itself," Ferden said. "They narrate, crack jokes and give out prizes. So having both Tony Poma and Legend the Band together will be double the fun."
• Show details: New Year's Eve with The King (Elvis impersonator Tony Poma), Legend the Band, doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. Monday, Eagle Eye Grand Garden Ballroom, 15101 Chandler Road, East Lansing,MI $50 per couple, $30 for singles, advance tickets at Eagle Eye Pro Shop, P.S. Nails, Top Flight Financial and Trackside Bar, or call 517-282-1577 or 517-230-2313.
OK, make that, nobody does music like a really great King impersonator.
We're talking about Jackson-based Tony Poma, who has even impressed even Las Vegas audiences with his very real Elvis impersonations. Catch Poma's Elvis tribute at Eagle Eye Grand Ballroom in East Lansing on New Year's Eve.
Daren Ferden of Lansing and Mark Schairer of Holt are promoting the show.
Ferden says Poma has a huge passion for playing the part of The King.
"He wears the costumes, plays the role very well and I feel like I'm back in the '60s when I watch him perform," Ferden said.
The evening will include dancing, a champagne toast at midnight, complimentary snacks and prizes. Legend the Band will also be there, playing dance music from the '50s, '60s, '70s and '80s. Sweet!
"Legend the Band is pretty much a show in itself," Ferden said. "They narrate, crack jokes and give out prizes. So having both Tony Poma and Legend the Band together will be double the fun."
• Show details: New Year's Eve with The King (Elvis impersonator Tony Poma), Legend the Band, doors open at 8 p.m., show at 9 p.m. Monday, Eagle Eye Grand Garden Ballroom, 15101 Chandler Road, East Lansing,MI $50 per couple, $30 for singles, advance tickets at Eagle Eye Pro Shop, P.S. Nails, Top Flight Financial and Trackside Bar, or call 517-282-1577 or 517-230-2313.
Elvis Birthday Tribute Show - Saturday January 12, 2008
CLICK TO ENLARGE
Fred Wolfe will be performing a special tribute show at the Last Lap Cafe in Westland, Michigan, on January 12, 2008, to honor what would have been Elvis' 73rd birthday on January 8th. Since Elvis passed away in August 1977, the music world has seen many styles of music, songs, bands and singing artists, but Elvis was, always has been, still is, and always will be the King of Rock and Roll. Come join us to celebrate the birth of one of the greatest men in music history.
Show time is 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $10.00 each. Advance reservations-ticket purchases are strongly advised as there is always a full house when Fred performs at the Last Lap. (Fred's last two shows at the Last Lap were sold out prior to the show dates.) Please note, a reservation-ticket purchase guarantees you will be admitted for the show, but it does not guarantee you a specific seat. Tickets are on sale now. For reservations and to buy tickets call (734) 266-9420 and ask for Shari or Ron. All ages welcome.
Location: The Last Lap Cafe is located at 27758 Warren Road in Westland, Michigan, approximately 3 miles South of I-96 between Inkster and Middlebelt.
Get Map to the Last Lap Cafe: http://preview.tinyurl.com/37535e
Visit the Fred Wolfe Fan Club Website for other show dates, great pictures, videos and interesting tidbits about Fred. >>>> FREDWOLFEFANS.COM
Elvis Presley Enterprises Announces Second Annual Official Elvis Tribute Artist Contest
MEMPHIS, Tenn., Dec 27, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE: 36.28, +0.28, +0.77%) announced today that due to the huge worldwide response and overwhelming success of this year's search, it is launching the second annual "Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest(TM: 107.87, -1.00, -0.91%)" for 2008. As with 2007, contestants will be selected at existing Elvis tribute artist contests, along with fairs, festivals and other venues holding new contests. Licensed festivals from Australia to New York have confirmed to hold preliminary contests so far, with more to follow. The qualifying rounds and finals will be held in Memphis during Elvis Week in Memphis, August 9 through 17, 2008.
"The worldwide response to the first annual competition was astounding. The contest exceeded all of our expectations," stated Paul Jankowski, Chief Marketing Officer for EPE. "Both the original and the growing new generation of Elvis fans discovered yet another way to celebrate Elvis' on-going contribution to the world of entertainment. We applaud the quality of contestants and again congratulate the winner, Shawn Klush."
"To be named The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist by Elvis Presley Enterprises was one of the most meaningful experiences in my life," stated Klush. "I am greatly humbled and honored to have received such an accolade. I just love doing what I do. I do it for Elvis and his fans." The 38-year-old was selected in the "Viva Las Franklin" preliminary contest in Franklin, TN. Since winning the title he has traveled internationally for performances and appeared on several national television programs.
Judges will be looking for the "best representation of the Elvis legacy" in talent, appearance, performance, stage presence and each contestant's overall tribute to Elvis. The best overall performer will be named the "2008 Elvis Tribute Artist of the Year."
For the 2007 competitions, 24 preliminary contests were held from Norway to New Zealand to Canada and California. For 2008, confirmed preliminary events include Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia; Arnold, Missouri; Windsor, Ontario, Canada; Lake George, New York; Tupelo, Mississippi; Penticton, British Columbia, Canada; the Boston area in Arlington, Massachusetts; and Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
For additional information on the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and Elvis Week please visit http://www.elvis.com/ or email Ultimate@elvis.com .
About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE: 36.28, +0.28, +0.77%) is based in Memphis, Tennessee with additional offices in Los Angeles, California. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit www.Elvis.com. EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (www.CKX.com), a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market(R: 47.39, -0.59, -1.22%) under the ticker symbol "CKXE."
SOURCE: Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
David Beckwith, 323-845-9836
Copyright Business Wire 2007
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2tnvau
"The worldwide response to the first annual competition was astounding. The contest exceeded all of our expectations," stated Paul Jankowski, Chief Marketing Officer for EPE. "Both the original and the growing new generation of Elvis fans discovered yet another way to celebrate Elvis' on-going contribution to the world of entertainment. We applaud the quality of contestants and again congratulate the winner, Shawn Klush."
"To be named The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist by Elvis Presley Enterprises was one of the most meaningful experiences in my life," stated Klush. "I am greatly humbled and honored to have received such an accolade. I just love doing what I do. I do it for Elvis and his fans." The 38-year-old was selected in the "Viva Las Franklin" preliminary contest in Franklin, TN. Since winning the title he has traveled internationally for performances and appeared on several national television programs.
Judges will be looking for the "best representation of the Elvis legacy" in talent, appearance, performance, stage presence and each contestant's overall tribute to Elvis. The best overall performer will be named the "2008 Elvis Tribute Artist of the Year."
For the 2007 competitions, 24 preliminary contests were held from Norway to New Zealand to Canada and California. For 2008, confirmed preliminary events include Coolangatta, Queensland, Australia; Arnold, Missouri; Windsor, Ontario, Canada; Lake George, New York; Tupelo, Mississippi; Penticton, British Columbia, Canada; the Boston area in Arlington, Massachusetts; and Collingwood, Ontario, Canada.
For additional information on the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and Elvis Week please visit http://www.elvis.com/ or email Ultimate@elvis.com .
About Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE: 36.28, +0.28, +0.77%) is based in Memphis, Tennessee with additional offices in Los Angeles, California. In addition to Graceland and its related attractions in Memphis, including the Heartbreak Hotel, EPE is aggressively involved in a worldwide licensing program, merchandising, music publishing, and television, film, video and Internet projects. For more information on EPE and Graceland, visit www.Elvis.com. EPE is a subsidiary of CKX, Inc. (www.CKX.com), a publicly traded company listed on the NASDAQ National Market(R: 47.39, -0.59, -1.22%) under the ticker symbol "CKXE."
SOURCE: Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.
David Beckwith, 323-845-9836
Copyright Business Wire 2007
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2tnvau
The Ronnie Sando Interview
December 26, 2007 - Former Walled Lake resident Joe "Ronnie" Sando, 69, is now a gold-record singer, an author, and an elected Pennsylvania state constable. After serving in the military, Sando record his famous "Rockin' on the Moon" song, which went gold and propelled him into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame. His music career lead him to Walled Lake, where his mother owned a beauty shop, in the 1960s. Sando toured with "The Tommy Durdan Band" and "The Chuck Mann Quartet," which was managed by Ted White, Aretha Franklin's former husband. He's recently penned a book about a mine rescue, after being part of one, and now enjoys life in Beaver Meadows, a quiet Pennsylvania town.
SCN: You've been inducted into the Rockabilly Hall of Fame due to your talents in that genre. What exactly does it mean to play "rockabilly?" During the 1960s while you were living in Walled Lake and singing in Detroit. Was there a strong rockabilly presence in Motown? What are some memorable stories from your days as a rocker in Detroit?
Sando: Rockabilly, to me, was the birth of rock 'n' roll. I started singing rockabilly back in the early '50s, back when I was just a young boy. In fact, I was the first rockabilly singer in the Hazleton Pennsylvania area. And rockabilly, to me, was, back in those days, Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash — and to me, rockabilly was the transition from the big band era. It took blues, and put an up-tempo beat to it, and that was the birth of rock 'n' roll.
It started back in the days of — I'm one of the pioneers.
I lived in Walled Lake with my mother. I went out there to further my music career, and I started singing in the clubs, the bars, on Walled Lake itself. Back then, country was the big music in the Walled Lake area. Country and rockabilly were pretty close. And the fact that Elvis and Johnny Cash and those guys were singing it, it kind of sold pretty well on the lake, in the clubs and bars I sang at. Whatever band was playing that needed a singer, I sang with them. I played bass guitar at the time. If they needed a bass player, I would sing and play with them, and I sang a little bit of country along with that.
One night, a colored gentleman came in, and the waitress came up to the stage and she said that he wanted to talk to me when we took a break. So I said sure, and when we took a break, I went down and I went over to him. He introduced himself; his name was Johnny Griffiths. At the time, I didn't know who he was. And he said, "How long have you been up here?" and I said, "I just moved up here from Pennsylvania." And he said, "I've been listening to you, and you don't fit this kind of music and the band you're playing with here." He said, "Would you like to come down to Detroit?" and Detroit was the place back then, with Motown starting out, and the whole nine yards. I said, "Sure, I'd like to come down," and he said "Come down to this office, and call Monday morning. I'll meet you at this office," and he gave me the address. Little did I know back then that Johnny Griffiths had a jazz trio, the Johnny Griffiths Jazz Trio, which I found out at a later point.
So that Monday I went down to Detroit. My stepfather took me down, because I didn't know my way around. And when the receptionist took me back into the office, this gentleman was sitting on a couch, and there were three or four colored people in there. They were very well dressed. And I looked at them, and I said, "You look familiar. I think I know you." And he stood up, and he said, "Hi, my name is Marvin Gaye."
So there's Marvin sitting there, and then Johnny introduced me to Ted White, who was Aretha Franklin's husband ... And Harvey Fuqua, the vice president of Motown Records, was there, and a guy by the name of Little Jenkins, who was partners in this theatrical agency that Ted and Harvey and Little Jenkins were all involved in (was there). They said to me, "Johnny told (us) all about you. We've got to hear you." So they said, "Can you come down to Detroit tomorrow, and sing with the band?" and I said "Sure." That evening I sat in with a group called the Chuck Mann Quartet. Well, it was the Chuck Mann Trio at the time. And it was in a club called the Blue Castle.
So I went (to Detroit), and I brought my bass and everything, and I sang a few songs on the one set, and then I went down, and talked to Ted. And people were asking me to go back up and sing again. And Ted told them, "In due time, you'll hear him sing." So, we set up another appointment, and I went down to his office, and he had Chuck there. And he said, "I'm going to put you with Chuck's band." Myself and the drummer were white, and the other two, Chuck and the guitar player, were colored. And he put me with the Chuck Mann Trio. We were going to call it the Chuck Mann Quartet, and then they changed the name to Chuck Mann and the So-and-Sos. And I started playing around Detroit with that group. In fact, I don't know if you're familiar, but the big clubs back then were The 20 Grand, and The Club Vernor, which was in like the Harlem of Detroit. I mean, there was a gigantic club. And we ended up in The Club Vernor playing, which was the second biggest club back in Detroit at the time.
And that's when the racial riots hit, and I couldn't play ... for months. I just sat around and couldn't play, because of the riots going on. I mean, you know, they were burning Detroit at the time. So finally, I said to Ted White, look, I've got to leave. I've got to go; I can't survive here.
So I came back to Pennsylvania, and that's how I left Detroit and the Walled Lake area.
SCN: Being a Hall of Famer can't come easily. What inspired you to follow that musical dream? Who are your big influences? Which song of yours is your favorite, and why? Is there a music project that you are most proud of?
Sando: I think a lot of musicians make this mistake, a lot of up-and-coming kids, that whatever's selling at the time, they want to sing. And if jazz is doing great in their area, they'll just switch to jazz; or if country comes in, they'll go to country. Well, I stayed with rockabilly. I started with, well, let's just use the target date of 1951. I wrote my first song in 1956, which was "Rockin' on the Moon," which I just got a gold record for in 2006. That's when I got inducted into the International Rockabilly Hall of Fame. But I think the longevity of the type of music you play is the key to the whole thing. There's also an element of luck involved. But if you have talent in the type of music you play, and stay with that type of music, it will surface. Someone will recognize it.
That would be the advice I'd have for these younger musicians: Take one type of music and stay with it. A lot of them want to play with their head, not their heart, and if you're playing with your head — if you do it as a business, and you're making money playing nightclubs, you'll stay strictly a nightclub act. You'll never go anywhere.
My influences were Bob Ferguson and Elvis.
I have two (songs) that are my favorites. "Rockin' on the Moon," which went gold, and I wrote a rockabilly song — I have it on an album I recorded with the former Elvis Presley Band, with the likes of D.J. Fontana. I played with them, you know, after Elvis died. We put the former Elvis Presley band and the Jordaneers together, and I recorded with them, and them toured with the former Elvis Presley Band. I have a song that's called "Your Daddy's Coming Home," and I have a record company now that's interested in putting it on a British rockabilly revival album, with the likes of Peter Noone and Big Al Cooper. They want me to cut maybe four more songs. But they're definitely going to use that song. And the reason they're going to use it ... every time I sing this song, the promoters say, they haven't seen a phenomenon with a song like that since Elvis, where the people — the girls and older women — get crazy. They scream and holler.
I think the project that I'm most proud of is the fact that 10 years after Elvis' death, Charlie Hodge; D.J. Fontana; a guy I'm sure you've heard of, Elmer Fudpucker — he was a big country comedian, he worked for all the big acts, and opened for Jerry Lee and Elvis — they thought enough of me to put Elvis Presley's former band and the Jordaneers behind me and I recorded a four-song album and a 10-song album, and I toured and did concerts with them. At these shows, they used to call me second best, and to be second best under somebody like Elvis is a proud day.
SCN: You wrote "The Famous Sheppton Mine Rescue: The Untold Story: The Blood and Sweat of the Rescue Team," which Publish America has put online and made available at Amzonbooks.com. It's the story of rescuing two miners trapped deep in the Earth. You were involved with the rescue effort and have said the experience changed you. How so? What are the parallels from the Sheppton story to today's more recent mine emergencies and rescues, if any?
Sando: If you look at that online, there's like 50-some book distributors selling that worldwide. They bought the rights to another manuscript, and in 2008 they're going to put that out. It's called "My Life Under the Cloud of Elvis." It's my musical biography. But I call it "My Life Under the Cloud of Elvis" because he came into my life when I was a struggling rockabilly singer, and everybody said, "You sound too much like Elvis." So as long as he was alive, it kept me down. But my whole life, if you look at it, was like a road map. And Fontana and Charlie Hodge and those guys said, "Your destiny was, when he died, to be with his band," because it always came up in my life, it was like a road map, and the whole book is about that, my life under the cloud of Elvis. I mean, how can a young kid ... when I put out my first record, "Rockin' on the Moon," the reason the record companies shelved it is because they said "You sound too much like Elvis. He's top of the charts, and we can't take a chance on you." And all through my life, that went on. And here, I end up with his fans, years after his death. I have one of his original jumpsuits that Charlie Hodge gave me.
(The Sheppton Mine disaster) happened in 1963. That's after I came back from Detroit and was back here (in Pennsylvania) playing with rock bands. I went to work for a coal company, because I'm a third-generation coal miner. And I was working for a surface mine company as a welder, and these miners got buried in a mine cave-in. Back in those days, if you couldn't get down through the shaft they originally went in, you couldn't get at them, they used to declare them dead, and that was it.
Somebody come up with the idea to drill a bore hole, and we were the first in the history of mine rescue to ever drill a bore hole and pull two miners out and save their lives. To me, it was a miracle rescue, and to me the greatest mine rescue that ever happened. It set the precedent for modern day rescues; that's how they do it today, and we went there in 1963, and were the first to do it. And you know, to be the first to save lives that they had given up for dead, to me, is a miracle, and God had to be involved. I always thought that was a real strong thing. And actually ... the rescue team never got credit. And I had to put that book out, in honor of that rescue team. Most of the guys are dead; there's only two of us living. And I wanted to put that out, to tell what we did ... to make that rescue work, because nobody ever did it before.
It made my outlook on life different. I believe there is something — I can't say what. I'm not going to get involved in evolution or God or any of that, but I felt a presence there that I never experienced before, and I can still think about it — there was just a presence there, other than us there. To pull off a rescue like that — and everything went perfect — it couldn't have been planned any better. Someone was there, guiding that thing, and it gave me a different outlook on life. I started believing in something. I think there is a Hereafter, and I think we're going to meet somebody someday.
There are parallels (between that rescue and) today's recent mining rescues. The one that just happened at that mine out in Utah, that's a parallel of the (Sheppton Mine) rescue. Last year, out in West Virginia, they rescued nine miners. They pulled them up through a bore hole. They use the same process (we used at the Sheppton Mine). They drill a hole into where they think the miners are, and they make contact, and drill the hole a lot bigger, and pull them out.
Back in the 1960s, after we did that (Sheppton Mine) rescue, there was a little girl in a well in Texas. They couldn't get down to rescue her. There was a very small hole, and she was lodged in the bottom. So they brought a drill in, and drilled a hole right next to her, lowered a guy down the bore hole, tunneled over and got that little girl, and pulled her up that bore hole. There was a documentary done about it, and the end of the documentary, at the end of the credits, it said something like "Thanks to a bunch of coal miners in Sheppton, Pennsylvania, the first to ever drill a hole and rescue someone trapped under the Earth, that made this rescue possible."
SCN: You're a Pennsylvania state constable, or an elected peace officer for that state with full deputizing and arrest powers. How did you make the jump from music and writing to politics and law enforcement? How long have you been in that position? In some small way, is this a chance to pay homage to one of your heroes, Elvis Presley, who was also interested in law enforcement? Any other political aspirations?
Sando: Well, off and on through my career, as a struggling musician, I had to work, so I really didn't want to spend my life working with coal, because of black lung and the different things that could happen to you. So, I went into law enforcement. I got schooling as a law enforcement officer. I was a police chief at one time. I was an assistant county detective, I was a deputy sheriff. Constable up here is an elected office, and we have Title 18 arrest powers, but we mostly serve for the lower judicial courts. We don't do any traffic work. We really don't go out looking, as law enforcement officers, to make arrests. Our main function is to serve the warrants for the lower courts.
You could say (I might have been inspired by Elvis.) I respected that he liked that. He really felt strong about that. I used to sit and talk to Hodge a lot. We'd talk about a lot of different things. And Elvis, according to what Charlie (Hodge) told me, he was a great guy. Towards the end, I started liking the guy. In the beginning, he ruined my career, and I didn't have too many fond things to say about him. But towards the end, I really got to talk to the people who were close to him, and he was really a great guy.
No, no, no, (I have no other political aspirations). Right now, I'm settling in close to my music, and in fact, I'm negotiating with an outfit in Branson, Mo. They're going to do a national showcase, it's going to be called the Branson Country Music Showcase, and I'm negotiating with them to open 10 shows in Branson, because of my Hall of Fame induction and the records I have selling all over the world. My name's getting out there.
SCN: You were and still are, it seems, quite a big hit in Eastern Europe. Some reports even say your "Rockin' on the Moon" song is a popular ring-tone in Norway. Any chance for a revival tour? Have you been contacted about such action? Would you do it?
Sando: This is, I think, going to tie in with that British record label that wants me to go on their label. I'm sure they have things in mind, you know, for Europe. They have a big rockabilly festival in Barcelona, Spain, every year, and I think it's around September. I've been contacted by them and look forward to going this year, and appearing at it.
Sure, I would (do an Eastern Europe tour.) I want to do something in the United States, too. Between the book and music, I want to do something to help underprivileged kids. I have a son that got hurt in a motorcycle accident. He's in a wheelchair, paralyzed, and I know what it is (to deal with that.) I want to do something to help kids that need medical help.
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/3xr29k
Wednesday, 26 December 2007
Legendary Pinup & Trick Golfer Jeanne Carmen Dies at 77
Article Date: 12/26/2007
By Ann Turner B-
movie queen and legendary blonde bombshell pinup Jeanne Carmen died on Thursday after a battle with lymphoma. A 1950's Hollywood party girl and model, Carmen was known for claiming to be a close confidant of Marilynn Monroe—long rumored to have had lesbian affairs—and a lover of such famous celebrities as Clark Gable, Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley.
Born in Paragould, Ark., Jeanne Laverne Carmen was often labeled as the "little country girl" who ran away from home when she was 13 to pursue stardom in New York. A gorgeous platinum blonde, Carmen landed an off-Broadway job as a burlesque dancer and later modeled as a pinup. At 18, Carmen picked up skills as a trick golfer from trick shot master Jack Redmond and claims she used her golfing skills to hustle pro golfers with Las Vegas mobster Johnny Roselli, according to the Associated Press.
Eventually Carmen transitioned into acting in a variety of low-budget films, earning the title of "Queen of the B Movies," according to MSNBC.com. "I was just a little country girl that wanted to be a movie star," Carmen said in a 1996 interview with The Orange County Register. Carmen appeared in such movies as Guns Don't Argue, The Three Outlaws and The Monster of Piedras Blancas.
During her time as an actress and model in Hollywood, Carmen claimed she had affairs with such luminaries as Frank Sinatra, John F. Kennedy, Bob Hope, Clark Gable and Elvis Presley. She also claimed to have become close friends with Marilyn Monroe and did not believe Monroe committed suicide. According to MSNBC.com, Carmen's son Brandon James claims she fled Hollywood after Monroe's death out of fear for her own life.
Carmen's rise to stardom has been profiled by The Golf Channel and the E! True Hollywood Story. A Hollywood biopic about Carmen's life is reportedly in the works, with starlets Kate Bosworth and Scarlett Johansson rumored to be in line to play the lead. Christina Aguilera was also supposedly under consideration for the role, but declined to participate after she became pregnant, according to ContactMusic.com. The movie is based on Carmen's son Brandon James' biography The Wild, Wild Life of Jeanne Carmen.
Carmen died on Thursday after a battle with lymphoma in her Orange County home. She is survived by her son Brandon James, daughters Melinda Belli and Kellee Jade Campo and three grandchildren.
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/3bwmdc
Celebrate the king for a great cause
Tony Downer's 15-year infatuation with the King of Rock 'n' Roll will pay dividends this Sunday (Dec. 30) for the Alzheimer Society of Peterborough and Area.
The 26-year-old Peterborough resident, afflicted with cerebral palsy but in very fine voice, will pay musical tribute to Elvis Presley via a 7 p.m. show at St. Alphonsus' Parish Hall, Frank and Ford streets, Peterborough Ontario CANADA Tickets cost $5, $7 at the door. Call 705-745-8119 for advance tickets.
Downer explains he created this fundraiser because he's always been inspired by the kindness Presley showered on strangers, friends and family. "It's the right thing to do...helping other people," he explains.
On Sunday, he'll perform a number of Presley's most popular hit songs.
Sponsoring the show are Centre Stage Performing Arts, St. Alphonsus' Church, Midnight In Chicago and Elyse Bruce.
The 26-year-old Peterborough resident, afflicted with cerebral palsy but in very fine voice, will pay musical tribute to Elvis Presley via a 7 p.m. show at St. Alphonsus' Parish Hall, Frank and Ford streets, Peterborough Ontario CANADA Tickets cost $5, $7 at the door. Call 705-745-8119 for advance tickets.
Downer explains he created this fundraiser because he's always been inspired by the kindness Presley showered on strangers, friends and family. "It's the right thing to do...helping other people," he explains.
On Sunday, he'll perform a number of Presley's most popular hit songs.
Sponsoring the show are Centre Stage Performing Arts, St. Alphonsus' Church, Midnight In Chicago and Elyse Bruce.
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Imperials Bookings for Elvis Fan Events in 2008
The Imperials have asked us to let Elvis fan club leaders and event organizers know that they are now planning their appearance schedule for 2008. They look forward to opportunities to perform for Elvis fans throughout the year. Booking contact information is on their Web site www.theimperials.us.
Article Source: http://elvis.com/news/full_story.asp?id=1373
Article Source: http://elvis.com/news/full_story.asp?id=1373
Monday, 24 December 2007
Rockin' in Texarkana Arkansas New Years Eve
A week from tonight at the Park Place Restaurant, 2905 Arkansas Boulevard, Texarkana, Arkansas Butch Dicus - The King of Hearts will bring in the New Year with four hours of the King of Rock and Roll. Lots of music for dance; both fast and slow, lots of fun for everyone and lots of food and drink.
For reservations, call the Park Place Restaurant at 1-870-772-2201.
Times for the New Years Eve party is from 8:00 p.m. to midnight. Instead of the New Years Eve ball falling from the ceiling, we will watch Butch drop to the floor after another record breaking year of 190 appearances.
For reservations, call the Park Place Restaurant at 1-870-772-2201.
Times for the New Years Eve party is from 8:00 p.m. to midnight. Instead of the New Years Eve ball falling from the ceiling, we will watch Butch drop to the floor after another record breaking year of 190 appearances.
Elvis Fans & Lovers of Rock and Roll
If you love Elvis and are a fan of the Oldies and Rock 'n' Roll music, this is the show you don't want to miss...
Marcus Wells starring as Elvis
Joan Minnery starring as Janis Joplin
Jeffrey Harding starring as Buddy Holly
Billy BJ Minnery starring as Jimi Hendrix
Jessica Townson starring as Grace Slick
Dave Griffin saluting the Rolling Stones
Craig Peeling saluting Led Zeppelin
Tyler Wilson saluting the Band
Tommyknockers saluting Pink Floyd
Entire Cast saluting THE BEATLES
All on stage together, for the first time, with a live band, saluting the Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll!
Remember When Music Mattered...Imagine a concert that was able to bring together Elvis, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Stones, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Grace Slick, the Band, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Supertramp, AC/DC and of course Led Zeppelin; all together on stage rocking out and creating musical mastery and havoc!!!
Imagine No More...It's Happening...It's Here...and It's Ready to Rip...
Classics IN Concert ~ A Multi-Media Showcase of the Evolution of Rock Music.
Featuring performances by: Jeffrey Harding, Craig Peeling, Marcus Wells, Billy Minnery, Tyler Wilson, Dave Griffin, Jessica Townson, Alicia Skoretz & Joan Minnery; backed up by the Tommyknockers band; Tom Dorschner, John Slawek, Kevin Barrie & Mike LaPointe.
Classics IN Concert ~ Debut Performance
Saturday February 9th
Army, Navy & Airforce Club,
645 Colborne Street, Brantford ON CANADA
Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm
$10.00/person. All Ages Welcome. Cash Bar.
The production will feature hits from the Early Years of Rock ’n’ Roll, the British Invasion, the Psychedelic Era, Classic Rock, Vintage Metal & Prog Rock. Audiences will also be treated to an electrifying multi-media presentation unifying all eras through music and the visual arts.
Classics IN Concert unites a cast of Brantford Superstars in a musical production that will ROCK your face off.
For more information please contact the CIC hotline:
Mike LaPointe @ (519)754-8383 (Director)
Joan Minnery @ (519) 752-1694 (Producer)
CIC ~ Music that changed the world and helped shape generations!!!
Marcus Wells starring as Elvis
Joan Minnery starring as Janis Joplin
Jeffrey Harding starring as Buddy Holly
Billy BJ Minnery starring as Jimi Hendrix
Jessica Townson starring as Grace Slick
Dave Griffin saluting the Rolling Stones
Craig Peeling saluting Led Zeppelin
Tyler Wilson saluting the Band
Tommyknockers saluting Pink Floyd
Entire Cast saluting THE BEATLES
All on stage together, for the first time, with a live band, saluting the Evolution of Rock 'n' Roll!
Remember When Music Mattered...Imagine a concert that was able to bring together Elvis, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Stones, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Grace Slick, the Band, Pink Floyd, Deep Purple, Supertramp, AC/DC and of course Led Zeppelin; all together on stage rocking out and creating musical mastery and havoc!!!
Imagine No More...It's Happening...It's Here...and It's Ready to Rip...
Classics IN Concert ~ A Multi-Media Showcase of the Evolution of Rock Music.
Featuring performances by: Jeffrey Harding, Craig Peeling, Marcus Wells, Billy Minnery, Tyler Wilson, Dave Griffin, Jessica Townson, Alicia Skoretz & Joan Minnery; backed up by the Tommyknockers band; Tom Dorschner, John Slawek, Kevin Barrie & Mike LaPointe.
Classics IN Concert ~ Debut Performance
Saturday February 9th
Army, Navy & Airforce Club,
645 Colborne Street, Brantford ON CANADA
Doors at 7pm, Show at 8pm
$10.00/person. All Ages Welcome. Cash Bar.
The production will feature hits from the Early Years of Rock ’n’ Roll, the British Invasion, the Psychedelic Era, Classic Rock, Vintage Metal & Prog Rock. Audiences will also be treated to an electrifying multi-media presentation unifying all eras through music and the visual arts.
Classics IN Concert unites a cast of Brantford Superstars in a musical production that will ROCK your face off.
For more information please contact the CIC hotline:
Mike LaPointe @ (519)754-8383 (Director)
Joan Minnery @ (519) 752-1694 (Producer)
CIC ~ Music that changed the world and helped shape generations!!!
Great New Year Gift for your loved One
Please Join Shon on January 5, 2008
3rd Annual Birthday Bash
Shon Carroll 2004 Collingwood Champion/ Jay Zanier 2007 Collingwood Champion
Backed Up by Geri & The Coasters
Steven Pelleriti 10x Youth Champion , Wayne Curtis Spirit of Elvis Award Winner
St George Banquet Hall
665 King St N, Waterloo
Money raised will be given once again to RiskWatch
Tickets $30.00 Includes light Buffet
Show 8:00pm - 11:30pm
Raffles & 50/50 Draw
Contact 519-894-4383
Email tammy22@sympatico.ca
This event was sold out last year get your tickets early
This is an event for all ages
3rd Annual Birthday Bash
Shon Carroll 2004 Collingwood Champion/ Jay Zanier 2007 Collingwood Champion
Backed Up by Geri & The Coasters
Steven Pelleriti 10x Youth Champion , Wayne Curtis Spirit of Elvis Award Winner
St George Banquet Hall
665 King St N, Waterloo
Money raised will be given once again to RiskWatch
Tickets $30.00 Includes light Buffet
Show 8:00pm - 11:30pm
Raffles & 50/50 Draw
Contact 519-894-4383
Email tammy22@sympatico.ca
This event was sold out last year get your tickets early
This is an event for all ages
"(AP) La. art museum having a merry blue Christmas with Elvis"
By JANET McCONNAUGHEY
The Associated Press
They've got a blue Christmas with Elvis.
But a merry one.
Elvis Presley _ dead since 1977 _ is still pulling 'em in. At a city-owned museum in northeast Louisiana, he's the main attraction for the holidays.
Through Feb. 24, the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, La., is showing photographs of Presley's last appearance at the Louisiana Hayride _ the country music show at which an announcer is purported to have been the first to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building" _ and local artists' interpretations of the King of Rock 'n Roll.
"Attendance has been...
... great. It's a fun show, and one that's real easy to bring the family to," said Evelyn Pell, curator of exhibitions and collections at the Masur (pronounced "MASS'-er"). "All ages can enjoy this, because everyone knows who Elvis is."
The museum is decorated in blue, celebrating Presley's depressive holiday favorite, "Blue Christmas." Wreaths outside include blue ribbons and blue and silver balls, and the halls are decked with blue lights and blue and silver decorations.
The photographs are black and white, taken by staffers for Shreveport's daily newspapers at a Dec. 15, 1956, benefit set up as part of Col. Tom Parker's $10,000 buyout of Presley's $200-a-week contract with the Hayride. Parker, Presley's manager, already had signed bigger deals for Elvis: a $40,000 recording contract, a seven-year movie contract and television appearances.
The late Langston McEachern of The Times and Jack Barham of The Shreveport Journal, an afternoon paper which folded in 1991, were friends and competitors.
"The Times was on one side of the building, the Journal on the other," Barham recalls. "We'd go on assignment together. We'd be in real competition until one of our cameras didn't work or ran out of film, and we'd swap."
Barham, who kept the rights to any negatives the paper didn't use, met Presley while covering another performer on the Hayride, a live country music show broadcast on KWKH-AM radio.
"I was going behind the curtain to get different angles to shoot. There was a kid lying down between the curtains there, with a guitar," he recalled. "I stepped over him twice. I said, `Who the hell are you?' He said, 'I'm Elvis Presley, sir.'"
They became friends. When Presley was in town, he'd call Barham and invite him out for drinks.
One of McEachern's photographs shows Presley in 1954, the year his first two singles were released. "He's wearing a suit and bow-tie, and his band is in Western cowboy gear," Pell said. "He looks really timid. Like he's nervous."
The Hayride benefit performance came at the end of a year that began with the release of Presley's breakout hit "Heartbreak Hotel." Presley had two singles in 1954 and seven in 1955. Then in 1956 he went on to 21 records, 10 of them extended play records with two songs to a side, and his first two long-playing albums, with six songs per side.
The 3,200 seats in the show's usual home, the Municipal Auditorium, weren't enough so Elvis sang before 10,000 people at the State Fair Grounds.
Fans paid $2 in advance, $2.50 at the door. Presley signed autographs backstage for polio victims in iron lungs. Proceeds benefited the YMCA.
On stage, he showed off the sneer and gyrations that made parents fear for their daughters.
"There's some really great shots of him on his knees, on stage _ the heart of the performance you think of when you think of Elvis performing," Pell said.
The next day, The Times described the event as "one of the finest displays of mass hysteria in Shreveport history."
"The gyrating rotary troubadour was seldom if ever heard by an audience, screaming every time he moved," it reported.
The photographs came to light six years ago, when the Meadows Museum at Centenary College in Shreveport was preparing an exhibit of Jay Leviton's photographs of Presley's 1956 tour.
Diane Dufilho, director of the Meadows Museum, said she was directed to the Times and Journal photographers by someone who recalled their photos.
McEachern "had all these negatives in a shoebox," Dufilho said.
For the Masur's other exhibit, Pell said, "We chose artists in the area to bring people we knew could bring us quality artwork and creative artwork."
Many are portraits, but there's an oil pastel of lips _ the Elvis sneer, the Elvis smile, and so on _ with titles of Presley hits, by Linda Snider Ward. The portraits include a mosaic, by Staci Mendaries, of bits of broken records.
There's also a photograph by Camille Jungman, an art history instructor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, of a beauty parlor owner standing next to her portrait of Elvis on velvet, hanging next to a "story about how she got to meet Elvis was young, and he smelled so good and was so handsome. There's this great respect and love for him," Pell said.
And yes, she said, "We have one velvet Elvis. In every show, I guess you have to have one."
The painting on purple velvet, by Randy Jolly, includes rhinestones on the King's painted white jumpsuit.
The shows have brought in a number of people who might not come to more traditional exhibits.
"We've had a lot of Elvis fans; we've had people who remember the Louisiana Hayride, listening as they grew up, a lot who want to tell you their Elvis story," Pell said. "Or they have the name of someone they knew who went to high school with Elvis we ought to call for their story."
___
On the Net: http://www.ci.monroe.la.us/masurmuseum.php
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2o6hsg
The Associated Press
They've got a blue Christmas with Elvis.
But a merry one.
Elvis Presley _ dead since 1977 _ is still pulling 'em in. At a city-owned museum in northeast Louisiana, he's the main attraction for the holidays.
Through Feb. 24, the Masur Museum of Art in Monroe, La., is showing photographs of Presley's last appearance at the Louisiana Hayride _ the country music show at which an announcer is purported to have been the first to say, "Ladies and gentlemen, Elvis has left the building" _ and local artists' interpretations of the King of Rock 'n Roll.
"Attendance has been...
... great. It's a fun show, and one that's real easy to bring the family to," said Evelyn Pell, curator of exhibitions and collections at the Masur (pronounced "MASS'-er"). "All ages can enjoy this, because everyone knows who Elvis is."
The museum is decorated in blue, celebrating Presley's depressive holiday favorite, "Blue Christmas." Wreaths outside include blue ribbons and blue and silver balls, and the halls are decked with blue lights and blue and silver decorations.
The photographs are black and white, taken by staffers for Shreveport's daily newspapers at a Dec. 15, 1956, benefit set up as part of Col. Tom Parker's $10,000 buyout of Presley's $200-a-week contract with the Hayride. Parker, Presley's manager, already had signed bigger deals for Elvis: a $40,000 recording contract, a seven-year movie contract and television appearances.
The late Langston McEachern of The Times and Jack Barham of The Shreveport Journal, an afternoon paper which folded in 1991, were friends and competitors.
"The Times was on one side of the building, the Journal on the other," Barham recalls. "We'd go on assignment together. We'd be in real competition until one of our cameras didn't work or ran out of film, and we'd swap."
Barham, who kept the rights to any negatives the paper didn't use, met Presley while covering another performer on the Hayride, a live country music show broadcast on KWKH-AM radio.
"I was going behind the curtain to get different angles to shoot. There was a kid lying down between the curtains there, with a guitar," he recalled. "I stepped over him twice. I said, `Who the hell are you?' He said, 'I'm Elvis Presley, sir.'"
They became friends. When Presley was in town, he'd call Barham and invite him out for drinks.
One of McEachern's photographs shows Presley in 1954, the year his first two singles were released. "He's wearing a suit and bow-tie, and his band is in Western cowboy gear," Pell said. "He looks really timid. Like he's nervous."
The Hayride benefit performance came at the end of a year that began with the release of Presley's breakout hit "Heartbreak Hotel." Presley had two singles in 1954 and seven in 1955. Then in 1956 he went on to 21 records, 10 of them extended play records with two songs to a side, and his first two long-playing albums, with six songs per side.
The 3,200 seats in the show's usual home, the Municipal Auditorium, weren't enough so Elvis sang before 10,000 people at the State Fair Grounds.
Fans paid $2 in advance, $2.50 at the door. Presley signed autographs backstage for polio victims in iron lungs. Proceeds benefited the YMCA.
On stage, he showed off the sneer and gyrations that made parents fear for their daughters.
"There's some really great shots of him on his knees, on stage _ the heart of the performance you think of when you think of Elvis performing," Pell said.
The next day, The Times described the event as "one of the finest displays of mass hysteria in Shreveport history."
"The gyrating rotary troubadour was seldom if ever heard by an audience, screaming every time he moved," it reported.
The photographs came to light six years ago, when the Meadows Museum at Centenary College in Shreveport was preparing an exhibit of Jay Leviton's photographs of Presley's 1956 tour.
Diane Dufilho, director of the Meadows Museum, said she was directed to the Times and Journal photographers by someone who recalled their photos.
McEachern "had all these negatives in a shoebox," Dufilho said.
For the Masur's other exhibit, Pell said, "We chose artists in the area to bring people we knew could bring us quality artwork and creative artwork."
Many are portraits, but there's an oil pastel of lips _ the Elvis sneer, the Elvis smile, and so on _ with titles of Presley hits, by Linda Snider Ward. The portraits include a mosaic, by Staci Mendaries, of bits of broken records.
There's also a photograph by Camille Jungman, an art history instructor at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, of a beauty parlor owner standing next to her portrait of Elvis on velvet, hanging next to a "story about how she got to meet Elvis was young, and he smelled so good and was so handsome. There's this great respect and love for him," Pell said.
And yes, she said, "We have one velvet Elvis. In every show, I guess you have to have one."
The painting on purple velvet, by Randy Jolly, includes rhinestones on the King's painted white jumpsuit.
The shows have brought in a number of people who might not come to more traditional exhibits.
"We've had a lot of Elvis fans; we've had people who remember the Louisiana Hayride, listening as they grew up, a lot who want to tell you their Elvis story," Pell said. "Or they have the name of someone they knew who went to high school with Elvis we ought to call for their story."
___
On the Net: http://www.ci.monroe.la.us/masurmuseum.php
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2o6hsg
Saturday, 22 December 2007
Original Graceland life-size nativity scene for sale on eBay
MEMPHIS, Tennessee · December 21, 2007 /PRNewswire/ — The original life-size Nativity scene created for Elvis Presley's Graceland in 1965 is now for sale on eBay.
Currently owned by Les Birchfield and Med Phipps of Memphis, the Nativity scene was handmade by Phipps' late father and Memphis artist Hardy Phipps. Elvis' father Vernon Presley contracted with the artist to provide the annual Christmas scene and paid $1,140 for the first year's rental on Dec. 8, 1965.
The hand-painted fiberglass Nativity scene served as the backdrop for Elvis and Priscilla's 1965 photo Christmas card. The stable is a three-piece structure comprised of the roof and two supporting side pieces measuring approximately 15 feet wide. The nine figurines included in the Nativity scene are Mother Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in a manger, three kneeling wise men, one standing shepherd, one angel and one calf's head.
The angel that hung above the Holy Family was removed from the scene shortly after its debut because Elvis thought the figurine to be too shapely and inappropriate for a religious representation.
As a young man, Med Phipps helped his father Hardy assemble the scene on the grounds of Graceland each year and said the set brought much joy to Elvis and his fans.
Later, Hardy Phipps was hired to make a replica of the original Nativity scene from the original molds to replace the existing set. The replica, which currently stands on the front grounds of Graceland during this Christmas season, cost $60,000.
For more information about the Nativity scene, visit ebay.com – item number 320198705095 or contact Birchfield at 901.276.0340 or email at ireckon@comcast.net.
Click to view the Elvis Graceland Nativity Scene on Ebay http://preview.tinyurl.com/3a2wpl
Article Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/elvisnativityauction/31237
Currently owned by Les Birchfield and Med Phipps of Memphis, the Nativity scene was handmade by Phipps' late father and Memphis artist Hardy Phipps. Elvis' father Vernon Presley contracted with the artist to provide the annual Christmas scene and paid $1,140 for the first year's rental on Dec. 8, 1965.
The hand-painted fiberglass Nativity scene served as the backdrop for Elvis and Priscilla's 1965 photo Christmas card. The stable is a three-piece structure comprised of the roof and two supporting side pieces measuring approximately 15 feet wide. The nine figurines included in the Nativity scene are Mother Mary, Joseph, baby Jesus in a manger, three kneeling wise men, one standing shepherd, one angel and one calf's head.
The angel that hung above the Holy Family was removed from the scene shortly after its debut because Elvis thought the figurine to be too shapely and inappropriate for a religious representation.
As a young man, Med Phipps helped his father Hardy assemble the scene on the grounds of Graceland each year and said the set brought much joy to Elvis and his fans.
Later, Hardy Phipps was hired to make a replica of the original Nativity scene from the original molds to replace the existing set. The replica, which currently stands on the front grounds of Graceland during this Christmas season, cost $60,000.
For more information about the Nativity scene, visit ebay.com – item number 320198705095 or contact Birchfield at 901.276.0340 or email at ireckon@comcast.net.
Click to view the Elvis Graceland Nativity Scene on Ebay http://preview.tinyurl.com/3a2wpl
Article Source: http://www.prnewswire.com/mnr/elvisnativityauction/31237
'Dear Ole Humes - The Humes High Class of 1953' book
'Dear Ole Humes - The Humes High Class of 1953' book published: EIN has received this delightful self-published book recalling stories and comments from Elvis' friends and school colleagues. Although this has been locally printed, mainly for Humes classmates, the 160-page book is well worth investigating for people interested in Elvis' very early years. As the editor/author Rose Howell - Klimek notes in the inscription,"The idea of doing a book about the Humes Class of 1953 came to me when I was taking a creative writing class at the University of Memphis and became a goal after I took a statistics class at the University of Tennessee.
Although our class is known for having Elvis as a member, it actually was full of special people. During the 50th Class Reunion in October 2003, we had fun talking about the good old days. But, we also realized that out of a class of about 200, more than 50 members were deceased and many more couldn't be located. It became apparent eye needed to rite down our memories soon, or they would be lost forever."
Of course while many students had little to do with Elvis a surprising number tell some wonderful tales. While they are all "small" high-school stories it is their innocence and honesty that makes them so delightful.
For instance from classmate Ann Billie Banks, - "I thought of when the English class read MacBeth. Miss Jennie Allensworth assigned the part of Macbeth to Elvis Presley, who promptly said, "Aw, Miss Jenny, you know I can't read." Of course, you know who was assigned Lady MacBeth. I was embarrassed about the part and the words I had to read. Nevertheless, we both survived it. Elvis was much better in his role than I was. There was another Elvis memory about 10 years after graduation. I took a group of junior cheerleaders, including my sister Donna, to Graceland. Elvis came out on the porch to greet us, and the cheerleaders did their "Elvis shake" (the old Humes High shake) for him. I had my annual, and he asked to borrow it. When he returned it, he wrote, "To Billie Ann, Many Thanks, from Elvis Presley." when asked, I coyly smile and never tell why he was thanking me."
Of course this book was compiled for the Humes High School families themselves and not for Elvis fans - but perhaps that is what makes it all the more honest and interesting to read.
EIN will publish a full review of this book in the New Year -if any readers have an interest in getting a copy of the book, send an email to Humes53rose@aol.com and put in the subject heading "I am interested in getting a copy of your Humes High School book".
Note all monies received for the book will go toward the cost of printing and to charities only. Elvis would approve, in fact I could only think of what fun Elvis would have had reading all these little memories.
(News, Source; EIN/Gansky)
Thursday, 20 December 2007
Tribute Wigs
Here is an excellent company in Toronto Canada that has "Tribute Wigs", particularly Elvis Tribute wigs.
One of the customers on the site in a video is the well known "Doug Church".
Check this site out:
http://www.newrootsonline.com/main.php?site=tribute&menuID=10
One of the customers on the site in a video is the well known "Doug Church".
Check this site out:
http://www.newrootsonline.com/main.php?site=tribute&menuID=10
Last day of concert tour -- June 26th, 1977 --
Elvis sings his last live music ever in his last concert at the 26 June 1977 in the (now demolished) Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, in front of 20.000 persons.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwIHWILW-c
This video is absolutely amazing... I listened to it several times over, it brought me to tears.
Charmaine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwIHWILW-c
This video is absolutely amazing... I listened to it several times over, it brought me to tears.
Charmaine
Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Might take a hound dog to recover King's photo
LOST AND FOUND
December 18, 2007
December 18, 2007
Ah, Elvis. Although I've never been a true fan, there's certainly no denying his appeal.
To my untrained ears, it always seemed the King mumbled and snarled his way through his repertoire. However, upon occasion his golden voice shimmered through the cracks in his rockabilly persona. He was a versatile singer who could hit tenor high B as easily as baritone low G -- quite an accomplishment -- or so I hear.
Don't believe me? Just take a listen to "It's Now or Never", a ballad so powerful it gives me literal goose bumps. (By gosh, maybe I'm a bigger Elvis fan than I thought.)
Living legend
The reason I'm reminiscing about Elvis is due to an interesting call Tuesday from Suzie Bailey , of Crest Hill. You see, Bailey once owned a coveted autographed photo of Elvis.
Bailey called to tell me that she lost the autograph during a move from New Lenox to Crest Hill four years ago. The photo, she said, was more precious to her than even her pearl-white Cadillac Escalade.
You see, Bailey earned the autograph -- signed by the hand of the King -- following his Oct. 14, 1976 at the Chicago Stadium. Elvis fans know that Elvis lived only the 10 months and two days following this concert.
Though I'm no expert, ala Sotheby, the value of an authentic autographed photo of Elvis Presley has to be right up there with the crown jewels, right?
How she did it
So, how did Bailey manage to snag an autograph from a living legend?
"My friend Donna had scoped out the stadium the weekend before the concert and we both got there early enough the day of the concert to see the equipment arrive," Bailey said. "After the show, we had a pretty good idea of where Elvis might come out, and we hightailed it over."
And so, unfortunately, did hundreds of other fans. But, Bailey, who describes herself as a "human pit bull terrier," pushed and shoved and nosed her way to stand before the King, who was surrounded by a half dozen burly "mobster types."
"Donna and I yelled the loudest. 'We love you! Oh, please give us your autograph!'" Bailey said, with barely contained glee. "And it probably didn't hurt that we wore very tight, very low-cut blouses either. I was good-looking in those days."
Remembering The King
Imagine, if you will, the one and only Elvis Presley, in the flesh, smiling at both women, halting his entourage, and taking the time to scrawl, "Love You! Elvis!" across a photo from his movie "Jail House Rock" in big blue letters.
"Only a few people managed to get an autograph. One minute Elvis was there, and the next he was gone as if he had never existed," Bailey said. "I was high on that moment for months."
What about the show -- one of Elvis's last on this planet?
"Oh my lord, I can still close my eyes and hear him singing 'Love Me Tender,'" Bailey said. "He was wearing that white suit, and in photos I didn't like it, but seeing him in person, he looked like a king, he really did."
Aug. 16, 1977
After the earth-shattering announcement of Elvis's death on Aug. 16, 1977, Bailey cradled the autographed picture to her heart and wailed.
"I cried for weeks because I had actually seen this man, our hands had touched when he gave me the picture back," Bailey said. "I love him as much today as I did back then and losing that picture has put me in a real funk."
More than anything, Bailey would like to have her treasured photo back. She has no idea where or how she might have lost it, and hopes that someone, somewhere may have it.
"Maybe, and I'm hoping against hope, someone out there found it, and I'd be willing to pay to get it back," Bailey said. "It's not something that could ever be replaced, not in a million years."
Seeking Candace Deal
Cyndi of RoSal's on U.S. 30 in Joliet dropped me a line last week:
"About a week ago a guest dropped an ID card outside and has not returned for it, " she wrote, "Her name is Candice L. Deal of Crest Hill, and it is her state ID."
A little girl also left behind a black and pink makeup kit.
Sterling earring
I also got a note from Judy Olson , of Joliet, on behalf of a neighbor, Evelyn Motyka .
"I am writing to you on behalf of my deaf neighbor, Evelyn Motyka. She is 80 years old and attended a Christmas party for deaf people Dec. 5 at the Republic Center in Joliet," Olson wrote. "She lost a sterling silver earring that was a gift from her older sister for a birthday and she is now devastated that she lost one of them."
The earring is a half sphere, approximately the size of a quarter with tiny balls around its edge.
Italian gold necklace
Sister Marlene Ambrose called me Wednesday for help in finding the gold chain she lost Dec. 10. The chain is made in Italy and is probably 18-karat gold with a T cross.
For information about the Lost and Found program, call (815) 729-6016 or e-mail rpanieri@scn1.com
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/2vz5qr
Monday, 17 December 2007
Elvis mesmerises four-year-old
By LEANNE WARR - Western Leader Tuesday, 18 December 2007
Ashiya Inglis has always been a big Elvis Presley fan. She is always the first one up to dance whenever one of his songs comes on the radio.
But the Green Bay resident wasn’t even thought of when Elvis was in his heyday – she’s only four.
Ashiya, who shares her birthday with the king of rock ‘n’ roll, got her first taste of Elvis music at just one week old when her parents and grandparents took her to the annual Elvis in the Park Festival in Henderson.
The family is planning to head to the event again on January 13 at Cranwell Park from 11am to 5pm.
The free day includes entertainment, Elvis impersonators and food.
Ashiya’s grandmother Robina Thomas has been a fan since she was 14 and had pictures all over her walls.
She saw all her idol’s movies and bought all his records.
She now has a room full of Elvis memorabilia.
"My kids were brought up on him," she says.
Mrs Thomas would often dance to the music but doesn’t play it very often.
In 2002, on the 25th anniversary of the singer’s death, she went to his home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee.
A documentary about the visit aired on television.
Although daughter Shannon isn’t as big a fan, she supports her mum by looking out for memorabilia her mum doesn’t have.
Mrs Thomas says Ashiya loves watching the performers at Elvis in the Park but is not old enough to realise the Elvis she sees is not the real thing.
She says the subject hasn’t been forced on the little girl. "We don’t make a big deal about it."
Ashiya’s favourite tunes are Teddy Bear and Little Sister.
Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935 to a poor sharecropper Vernon and his wife Gladys.
A memorial at Cranwell Park was erected eight years ago by the Memories of Elvis Fan Club.
Article Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/sundaystartimes/auckland/4327314a6497.html
Autographed Poster up for Bid >>> from Sandi Pichon
My fan club is auctioning off a small Jailhouse Rock poster, dated August 2007, signed by Sonny West, Cynthia Pepper, Charles Stone, Dick Grob, Sam Thompson, Loanne Parker (Col's widow) and me. (photo attached)Proceeds will go to St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis. Bidding opens now and opening bid is $20. If you would like to bid on this poster, send me an email to spichon@charter.net with the word Bid in the subject line. Winner pays $5.60 priority shipping. Bidding will close at midnight Central time on Thursday Dec 21. If the high bidder uses paypal, the poster will be shipped on Friday Dec 22. If he or she prefers to send a money order the poster will be shipped once funds are received. This would make an excellent addition to your collection or a perfect gift. This auction is open to other clubs, not just ours, so bid high and bid often!!
from Sandi Pichon
email address spichon@charter.net
Joyce Caulder always has room for the King
Nomee Landis
LAURINBURG — Joyce Caulder carries a burnin’ love for Elvis, even after all these years.
Elvis has been dead for three decades, but Caulder’s passion still smolders. She is a mature woman with six children, 21 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren, but she still gets a little giggly when she talks about the man who rocked the world.
Like so many of her generation, Caulder first saw Elvis on the “Ed Sullivan Show” in the 1950s.
“From that day on, I simply fell in love with Elvis Presley,” she said.
Something indescribable about him captivated her. He was unique. He was good-looking. He was charming.
Her devotion is complete. Elvis still reigns in her heart. And her house.
He even serenades her each time her cell phone rings.
It’s not hard to miss Caulder’s house. She lives on “Elvis Presley Boulevard.” Well, not really, but she has a sign in her driveway that says so.
Step inside her tidy house, and Elvis lives in the details: in the magnets on her refrigerator, in the photos on her coffee mugs.
And since it is Christmas time, he holds the place of honor in her living room, too. Sure, there’s a life-sized photo of him hanging on the front door, but look closer at the Christmas tree.
It’s decorated with Elvis, for Elvis.
He loved red birds; there are red birds.
He loved doves; there are doves.
He loved riding his white horse at his Memphis home, Graceland; there he is, in plastic, on horseback.
Push the button on one of the jukebox ornaments, and you’ll hear the words to “Blue Christmas.” Push the button on another, and he’s singing “I’ll Be Home for Christmas.”
Atop the tree, in the place usually reserved for an angel, rests a star — in the pop culture sense of the word. A boxed keepsake Elvis, Barbie doll-sized, in black leather — just like he wore for his 1968 comeback performance — looks down over the room.
Caulder admits she usually puts the angel up there. She just couldn’t resist.
Four decades ago
Caulder has been collecting Elvis memorabilia since 1968, when her soldier husband was stationed in Mainz, Germany. She worked at the Army post exchange, and there were leftover souvenirs from that comeback show.
Caulder bought eight bubble gum records. They resemble little albums, smaller than a baseball card. They’re still wrapped in the original plastic, and the bubble gum’s still in them.
Those and hundreds of other Elvis trinkets and collectibles are displayed in a bedroom that Caulder refers to fondly as Elvis’ bedroom.
First, there’s the Elvis bedspread with matching pillows. The Elvis lamps. And the Elvis phone, which plays a rockin’ rendition of “Hound Dog” each time a call comes through.
There are Elvis pictures, posters and albums, Elvis movies, stamps and handbags, Elvis blankets, bears and an umbrella.
If she’s home, you’ll likely hear Elvis singing in one room or another.
You name it, Caulder’s got it, if it has anything to do with Elvis. That doesn’t mean she’s through shopping, though.
Her children and grandchildren still buy her Elvis stuff. She’s expecting a few new things for Christmas.
Pretty soon, the folks who make Elvis memorabilia will release a new statue that holds all of the Elvis CDs.
“I’ve already got my order in,” Caulder said.
Her favorite song is “Love Me Tender.” Her favorite Elvis movie is “Girls, Girls, Girls.”
To her, he will always be the King of Rock & Roll.
Article Source: http://www.fayobserver.com/article?id=280677
Sunday, 16 December 2007
A little less distribution for Elvis
By Lars Brandle, Billboard
Dec 17, 2007
LONDON -- U.K. distributor Cargo Records has pulled the plug on an Elvis Presley release after Sony BMG Music Entertainment in the U.K. threatened legal action, sources said.
In one of the clearest signs of Sony BMG's tough policy on enforcing the copyright of its vintage Presley works -- even though some sound recordings have become part of the public domain -- the music major put pressure on Cargo to withdraw "New York: RCA Studio 1: The Complete Sessions." Sony BMG disputed that a handful of outtakes on the album, which was released by Memphis Recording Service, were public domain.
Cargo now won't touch the Memphis release, and the CD has no support from traditional retail outlets. An executive with the distributor, who declined to be identified, described a letter from Sony BMG as a "warning." "To save us the risk of legal action, we decided we wouldn't distribute the item," the Cargo executive said.
The release is still featured on the Cargo Records Web site, but the purchase function has been disabled.
Memphis Recording Service director Joseph Pirzada said in an interview that he responded on behalf of Cargo on three occasions since the letter was received five or six weeks ago but heard nothing in response.
"I've not received a letter, an e-mail or any telephone calls," he said. "I told Sony BMG they were wrong, and that the outtakes on the CD were recorded before June 1, 1957. Which means it is in the public domain."
He added, "I'm not worried and I haven't been worried" and noted that his company has continued to sell the product. But he admits Sony BMG's action had "thrown a spanner in the works."
A Sony BMG spokesman declined to comment in depth on the issue, other than to confirm "that we are in correspondence with them" on the matter. The spokesman added, "it is our policy to keep close scrutiny on any third parties who are thinking of releasing Elvis recordings assuming them to be in the public domain when they may in fact not be."
Memphis Recording Service became headline news in the summer when its Presley release, "My Baby Left Me," entered the Official U.K. Singles Charts at No. 19, becoming the first out-of-copyright recording to be a U.K. Top 40 hit. The song was originally recorded by Presley in 1956 and thus entered the public domain on Jan. 1, 2007.
Despite furious lobbying from the music industry, the U.K. government recently backed the Gowers Review, which recommended the copyright term for sound recordings should remain at 50 years.
Lars Brandle is global news editor at Billboard.
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/34j7tf
Dec 17, 2007
LONDON -- U.K. distributor Cargo Records has pulled the plug on an Elvis Presley release after Sony BMG Music Entertainment in the U.K. threatened legal action, sources said.
In one of the clearest signs of Sony BMG's tough policy on enforcing the copyright of its vintage Presley works -- even though some sound recordings have become part of the public domain -- the music major put pressure on Cargo to withdraw "New York: RCA Studio 1: The Complete Sessions." Sony BMG disputed that a handful of outtakes on the album, which was released by Memphis Recording Service, were public domain.
Cargo now won't touch the Memphis release, and the CD has no support from traditional retail outlets. An executive with the distributor, who declined to be identified, described a letter from Sony BMG as a "warning." "To save us the risk of legal action, we decided we wouldn't distribute the item," the Cargo executive said.
The release is still featured on the Cargo Records Web site, but the purchase function has been disabled.
Memphis Recording Service director Joseph Pirzada said in an interview that he responded on behalf of Cargo on three occasions since the letter was received five or six weeks ago but heard nothing in response.
"I've not received a letter, an e-mail or any telephone calls," he said. "I told Sony BMG they were wrong, and that the outtakes on the CD were recorded before June 1, 1957. Which means it is in the public domain."
He added, "I'm not worried and I haven't been worried" and noted that his company has continued to sell the product. But he admits Sony BMG's action had "thrown a spanner in the works."
A Sony BMG spokesman declined to comment in depth on the issue, other than to confirm "that we are in correspondence with them" on the matter. The spokesman added, "it is our policy to keep close scrutiny on any third parties who are thinking of releasing Elvis recordings assuming them to be in the public domain when they may in fact not be."
Memphis Recording Service became headline news in the summer when its Presley release, "My Baby Left Me," entered the Official U.K. Singles Charts at No. 19, becoming the first out-of-copyright recording to be a U.K. Top 40 hit. The song was originally recorded by Presley in 1956 and thus entered the public domain on Jan. 1, 2007.
Despite furious lobbying from the music industry, the U.K. government recently backed the Gowers Review, which recommended the copyright term for sound recordings should remain at 50 years.
Lars Brandle is global news editor at Billboard.
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/34j7tf
John Wilkinson has asked ElvisMatters to inform the fans about his medical condition.>>>received thru elvis2001.net
John Wilkinson has asked ElvisMatters to inform the fans about his medical condition. As you may have read John was taken to the hospital for surgery. With John’s permission, we can now give you more details. John was diagnosed with colon-cancer. During surgery two weeks ago, the doctors took away his colon, and a tumor. In order to be 100% sure that all the cancer cells are removed, John starts with chemotherapy later this month. In the meantime, he’s home to rest and recuperate.
Given the circumstances, John has cancelled all performances for the next 14 months –maybe longer, if necessary. But John told us that, if he feels better after that period of time, he will be ‘available’ to the fans once again. To quote John: “I will not give up on the fans, for as long as I may live.” What his plans include after his sabbatical, is unsure. What matters now, is that he takes the rest he needs and deserves, and prepares himself for the chemotherapy that begins right after Christmas.
Just like it was before the surgery, we keep in close contact with John, and if there are developments, we will post the news – needless to say after checking with John first, or – like now – on his request. John will be kept informed on what’s happening in the Elvis world, but he’ll be ‘watching’ instead of ‘participating’.
Get well-cards for John are, of course, still very welcome at this address:
John Wilkinson / ElvisMatters
140 Postelarenweg
2400 Mol
Belgium.
ElvisMatters will deliver the cards to John personally in Springfield, MO in three weeks time.
Given the circumstances, John has cancelled all performances for the next 14 months –maybe longer, if necessary. But John told us that, if he feels better after that period of time, he will be ‘available’ to the fans once again. To quote John: “I will not give up on the fans, for as long as I may live.” What his plans include after his sabbatical, is unsure. What matters now, is that he takes the rest he needs and deserves, and prepares himself for the chemotherapy that begins right after Christmas.
Just like it was before the surgery, we keep in close contact with John, and if there are developments, we will post the news – needless to say after checking with John first, or – like now – on his request. John will be kept informed on what’s happening in the Elvis world, but he’ll be ‘watching’ instead of ‘participating’.
Get well-cards for John are, of course, still very welcome at this address:
John Wilkinson / ElvisMatters
140 Postelarenweg
2400 Mol
Belgium.
ElvisMatters will deliver the cards to John personally in Springfield, MO in three weeks time.
Last Elvis Harley now being auctioned
Harley-Davidson dealer Bruce Rossmeyer has announced that bikes 1 through 29 in the Elvis Presley 30th Anniversary Signature Collection have sold.
An auction has begun on eBay for the 30th bike. The auction ends Jan. 8 on Elvis' birthday. Proceeds will benefit Presley Place, a provider of transitional housing for homeless families in Memphis, Tenn.
Rossmeyer owns 13 Harley-Davidson locations, including the "World's Largest Harley-Davidson" dealership in Ormond Beach and Graceland Harley-Davidson in Memphis.
Article Source: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Business/Headlines/bizBIZ09121407.htm
An auction has begun on eBay for the 30th bike. The auction ends Jan. 8 on Elvis' birthday. Proceeds will benefit Presley Place, a provider of transitional housing for homeless families in Memphis, Tenn.
Rossmeyer owns 13 Harley-Davidson locations, including the "World's Largest Harley-Davidson" dealership in Ormond Beach and Graceland Harley-Davidson in Memphis.
Article Source: http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/Business/Headlines/bizBIZ09121407.htm
A dose of Elvis does good
Local psychiatrists portray 'The King' as a way for them to connect with patients.
By Ann Wlazelek | Of The Morning Call
December 16, 2007
The performer wore a red jumpsuit studded in gold and sunglasses rimmed in silver.
His velvety voice and smooth moves -- pumping his right arm to the slow pace of ''Can't Help Falling in Love'' and tossing scarves into the crowd -- evoked laughter, cheers and whistles from an audience that spilled out of a Bethlehem clinic room and into a hall.
''I love you, Elvie,'' one woman yelled before flinging a pair of pantyhose onto the plywood stage.
Fans know the performer better when he dons a suit and tie and asks, ''Are you lonesome tonight?'' without bursting into song.
He is Dr. Carlos ''Elvis'' Velas, a 70-year-old psychiatrist on staff at the Lehigh Valley Community Mental Health Center, where the show took place, and at other clinics in Bethlehem and Quakertown.
So passionate about Presley is he that Velas belts out his best impression of the ''king of rock 'n' roll'' just to entertain himself and his patients.
And believe it or not, he's not the only one. Fellow psychiatrist Sung Park, 67, of Orefield, a lifelong fan who works at mental health clinics in Allentown and Bethlehem, finds impersonating Elvis therapeutic as well.
''They enjoy it,'' Velas said of mental health patients who might otherwise be anxious, ill at ease or depressed. ''Most are shy, embarrassed, fearful. But when they come here, they feel safe.''
Velas needs little provocation to perform at holidays, concerts and his own family reunions. He doesn't sing for money or in competitions such as the worldwide Images of the King contest in Tennessee, where officials remember a cardiologist and several chiropractors competing, but no psychiatrists.
Park performs less often these days than Velas but has more costumes -- about a half-dozen, all made by his wife, Chung Sook Park.
Singing and dressing like Elvis, he said, helps patients see him as someone easier to relate to.
''Elvis Presley was not just a great entertainer,'' Park said. ''He also was a great communicator.''
The two have been paying tribute to the legend for more than 20 years.
Neither doctor carries the persona into his work treating and diagnosing mental illness -- although Velas' small office at the Bethlehem clinic is crammed with Elvis memorabilia: a clock with legs that swing back and forth, a rug wall-hanging of his face, albums and ticket stubs.
''Onstage, I wear a costume and sing and act like Elvis,'' Park said. ''When I take off the costume, I'm strictly a physician.''
The psychiatrists see their impersonations as good fun. So do other mental health professionals.
''We measure maturity by one's capacity to work, love and play,'' said Robert Gordon, a local psychologist. ''To think that one is Elvis is not good. …To impersonate Elvis is playful and good.''
Mick Gardner, a psychotherapist on staff at the Lehigh Valley Community Mental Health Center with Velas, said it benefits patients to see their doctor as relaxed and confident enough to stand up in front of them and do something out of character.
Gardner has seen Velas' act three times. ''He's got a good voice and attracts more people each time,'' he said.
Velas and Park met at the Allentown State Hospital, where both worked for years before retiring and working at area outpatient mental health clinics. Yet they say their proclivity for Presley began independently, nurtured by a love of music.
Velas, who grew up in the Philippines, plays the harmonica and used to play the clarinet and accordion. He's sung like Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Englebert Humperdinck, Billy Joel and Elton John. But his parents so adored Elvis that they gave the name to Velas' youngest brother.
Park hails from a spiritual South Korean family that sings and plays the piano and saxophone. He was a teenager, he said, when he first became fascinated with Elvis, his military service, gold records and bad boy image.
''Driving a pink Cadillac, he represented the American dream,'' Park recalled.
The doctors enjoy the cachet of imitating someone so loved around the world. They're also careful not to overdose fans by taking the same stage as Elvis.
At the clinic Christmas concert in Bethlehem, Velas was the star attraction, singing about 20 songs in an hour and a half.
About a foot shorter and almost 30 years older than Elvis at the time of his death, Velas played the part more than he looked it.
He waited until the last minute to emerge from his office-turned-dressing room, posed for photos, and autographed concert programs.
Some selections seemed handpicked for the house: ''Blue Christmas,'' ''Suspicious Minds'' and ''Welcome to My World.''
During ''Suspicious Minds,'' Velas' favorite, the singer stopped mid-song to ask, ''What time is it?'' and show off the Elvis watches on both his wrists.
''Elvis time!'' the crowd shouted back.
''Thank you. Thank you very much,'' Velas said in his best Filipino-Southern drawl.
When the show ended, Helen Appel gave her former therapist a hug. Having made the trip from New Jersey just to see Velas, she told him, ''You were awesome.''
Added Appel, ''I loved him as a person, therapist and as Elvis.''
IMITATING THE KING
The first Elvis impersonators appeared while the singer was still alive, but the numbers of acts multiplied after his death Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42.
An authentic Elvis jumpsuit can cost anywhere from $400 to $4,000.
One of the longest-running national Elvis impersonator competitions, ''Images of the King'' contest in Tennessee, started 21 years ago and still attracts more than 100 contestants annually.
Allentown boasts 105 professional Elvis impersonators, who charge $150 to $5,200 a gig.
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/32kxkw
By Ann Wlazelek | Of The Morning Call
December 16, 2007
The performer wore a red jumpsuit studded in gold and sunglasses rimmed in silver.
His velvety voice and smooth moves -- pumping his right arm to the slow pace of ''Can't Help Falling in Love'' and tossing scarves into the crowd -- evoked laughter, cheers and whistles from an audience that spilled out of a Bethlehem clinic room and into a hall.
''I love you, Elvie,'' one woman yelled before flinging a pair of pantyhose onto the plywood stage.
Fans know the performer better when he dons a suit and tie and asks, ''Are you lonesome tonight?'' without bursting into song.
He is Dr. Carlos ''Elvis'' Velas, a 70-year-old psychiatrist on staff at the Lehigh Valley Community Mental Health Center, where the show took place, and at other clinics in Bethlehem and Quakertown.
So passionate about Presley is he that Velas belts out his best impression of the ''king of rock 'n' roll'' just to entertain himself and his patients.
And believe it or not, he's not the only one. Fellow psychiatrist Sung Park, 67, of Orefield, a lifelong fan who works at mental health clinics in Allentown and Bethlehem, finds impersonating Elvis therapeutic as well.
''They enjoy it,'' Velas said of mental health patients who might otherwise be anxious, ill at ease or depressed. ''Most are shy, embarrassed, fearful. But when they come here, they feel safe.''
Velas needs little provocation to perform at holidays, concerts and his own family reunions. He doesn't sing for money or in competitions such as the worldwide Images of the King contest in Tennessee, where officials remember a cardiologist and several chiropractors competing, but no psychiatrists.
Park performs less often these days than Velas but has more costumes -- about a half-dozen, all made by his wife, Chung Sook Park.
Singing and dressing like Elvis, he said, helps patients see him as someone easier to relate to.
''Elvis Presley was not just a great entertainer,'' Park said. ''He also was a great communicator.''
The two have been paying tribute to the legend for more than 20 years.
Neither doctor carries the persona into his work treating and diagnosing mental illness -- although Velas' small office at the Bethlehem clinic is crammed with Elvis memorabilia: a clock with legs that swing back and forth, a rug wall-hanging of his face, albums and ticket stubs.
''Onstage, I wear a costume and sing and act like Elvis,'' Park said. ''When I take off the costume, I'm strictly a physician.''
The psychiatrists see their impersonations as good fun. So do other mental health professionals.
''We measure maturity by one's capacity to work, love and play,'' said Robert Gordon, a local psychologist. ''To think that one is Elvis is not good. …To impersonate Elvis is playful and good.''
Mick Gardner, a psychotherapist on staff at the Lehigh Valley Community Mental Health Center with Velas, said it benefits patients to see their doctor as relaxed and confident enough to stand up in front of them and do something out of character.
Gardner has seen Velas' act three times. ''He's got a good voice and attracts more people each time,'' he said.
Velas and Park met at the Allentown State Hospital, where both worked for years before retiring and working at area outpatient mental health clinics. Yet they say their proclivity for Presley began independently, nurtured by a love of music.
Velas, who grew up in the Philippines, plays the harmonica and used to play the clarinet and accordion. He's sung like Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Englebert Humperdinck, Billy Joel and Elton John. But his parents so adored Elvis that they gave the name to Velas' youngest brother.
Park hails from a spiritual South Korean family that sings and plays the piano and saxophone. He was a teenager, he said, when he first became fascinated with Elvis, his military service, gold records and bad boy image.
''Driving a pink Cadillac, he represented the American dream,'' Park recalled.
The doctors enjoy the cachet of imitating someone so loved around the world. They're also careful not to overdose fans by taking the same stage as Elvis.
At the clinic Christmas concert in Bethlehem, Velas was the star attraction, singing about 20 songs in an hour and a half.
About a foot shorter and almost 30 years older than Elvis at the time of his death, Velas played the part more than he looked it.
He waited until the last minute to emerge from his office-turned-dressing room, posed for photos, and autographed concert programs.
Some selections seemed handpicked for the house: ''Blue Christmas,'' ''Suspicious Minds'' and ''Welcome to My World.''
During ''Suspicious Minds,'' Velas' favorite, the singer stopped mid-song to ask, ''What time is it?'' and show off the Elvis watches on both his wrists.
''Elvis time!'' the crowd shouted back.
''Thank you. Thank you very much,'' Velas said in his best Filipino-Southern drawl.
When the show ended, Helen Appel gave her former therapist a hug. Having made the trip from New Jersey just to see Velas, she told him, ''You were awesome.''
Added Appel, ''I loved him as a person, therapist and as Elvis.''
IMITATING THE KING
The first Elvis impersonators appeared while the singer was still alive, but the numbers of acts multiplied after his death Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42.
An authentic Elvis jumpsuit can cost anywhere from $400 to $4,000.
One of the longest-running national Elvis impersonator competitions, ''Images of the King'' contest in Tennessee, started 21 years ago and still attracts more than 100 contestants annually.
Allentown boasts 105 professional Elvis impersonators, who charge $150 to $5,200 a gig.
Article Source: http://preview.tinyurl.com/32kxkw
Saturday, 15 December 2007
New Fan Site
*This was forwarded on to me thru an Elvis discussion group that I am - the person it came from to be credited for this is Sandi Pichon*
I'm a former journalist (Time magazine) and writer (novels about the First and Second World Wars) as well as an Elvis fan. Keeping the memory of people like Elvis alive is one of reasons I'm launching a new online media website that I hope will interest your club members. It's called:
http://www.wereyouthere.com/
As a writer I've received a lot of letters over the years from readers, many sharing fascinating personal stories. I got to thinking, where can these stories be shared and preserved? I couldn't find the right place online so I created a site. My hope is to foster a lively online community while building a rich archive of memories that is useful to students and historians. It's just getting started but as it grows I believe it will be an important and rewarding project.
Already, several Elvis fans have posted interesting memories. (Click on the Elvis photo on the homepage). I'd love to have some more Elvis fans share their memories/appreciation on the site.
The site is a labor of love, as I'm sure your club is. I'd be grateful if you'd mention it to any Elvis fans (or others) who might be interested. The challenge in starting a site like this is finding a few intrepid folks who are willing to go first and post and get the conversation going. Something tells me that the place to start is with Elvis fans. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
The challenge in starting a site like this is finding a few intrepid folks who are willing to go first and post and get the conversation going. Something tells me that the place to start is with Elvis fans. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Thanks for your time.
Regards,
Jonathan Hull
Jonathan Hull
Founder/CEO
Hull Media, Inc.
250 Camino Alto, Suite 140
Mill Valley, CA 94941
jonathan@wereyouthere.com
http://www.WereYouThere.com
http://www.jonathanhull.com
office: 415 383-1944
fax: 415 383-1914
I'm a former journalist (Time magazine) and writer (novels about the First and Second World Wars) as well as an Elvis fan. Keeping the memory of people like Elvis alive is one of reasons I'm launching a new online media website that I hope will interest your club members. It's called:
http://www.wereyouthere.com/
As a writer I've received a lot of letters over the years from readers, many sharing fascinating personal stories. I got to thinking, where can these stories be shared and preserved? I couldn't find the right place online so I created a site. My hope is to foster a lively online community while building a rich archive of memories that is useful to students and historians. It's just getting started but as it grows I believe it will be an important and rewarding project.
Already, several Elvis fans have posted interesting memories. (Click on the Elvis photo on the homepage). I'd love to have some more Elvis fans share their memories/appreciation on the site.
The site is a labor of love, as I'm sure your club is. I'd be grateful if you'd mention it to any Elvis fans (or others) who might be interested. The challenge in starting a site like this is finding a few intrepid folks who are willing to go first and post and get the conversation going. Something tells me that the place to start is with Elvis fans. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
The challenge in starting a site like this is finding a few intrepid folks who are willing to go first and post and get the conversation going. Something tells me that the place to start is with Elvis fans. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions.
Thanks for your time.
Regards,
Jonathan Hull
Jonathan Hull
Founder/CEO
Hull Media, Inc.
250 Camino Alto, Suite 140
Mill Valley, CA 94941
jonathan@wereyouthere.com
http://www.WereYouThere.com
http://www.jonathanhull.com
office: 415 383-1944
fax: 415 383-1914
Elvis Presley Card-board Stand-ups
I am sure what every fans wants.....
*but they do not have the one I want - the one of Elvis in the white suit he wore singing "If I can dream*
Elvis Presley Legend - http://www.advancedgraphics.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=31
Check it out.
Hugs Charmaine
*but they do not have the one I want - the one of Elvis in the white suit he wore singing "If I can dream*
Elvis Presley Legend - http://www.advancedgraphics.com/store/pc/viewCategories.asp?idCategory=31
Check it out.
Hugs Charmaine
Thursday, 13 December 2007
Elvis & Priscilla - I'll Remember You
From the collection of Best of EIN You Tube Videos
A lovely look at Elvis and Priscilla set to the full-length studio recording.
If there's anything to be thankful for, it's that Elvis and Priscilla were together in the sixties
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRd4y04lb5s
A lovely look at Elvis and Priscilla set to the full-length studio recording.
If there's anything to be thankful for, it's that Elvis and Priscilla were together in the sixties
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IRd4y04lb5s
Amazing Grace - You Tube Video
With the holiday season being here, I found this to be the most perfect video to post here.
Elvis Presley - Amazing Grace
Recorded: 1971/03/15, first released on "He Touched Me"
Words & Music: Arranged by Elvis Presley
Amazing grace,
Oh, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost,
But now I'm foundWas blind,
But now I see
When we've been there
Ten thousand years,
Bright shinning as the sun
We've no less days
To sing God's praise
Then when,
when we first begun
Through many dangers
Toils and snares
I have already come
T'was grace that brought me
Safe thus far
And grace will lead me home
Amazing grace,
Oh, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost,
But now I'm found
Was blind,
But now I see
Was blind,
But now I see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3XdXEJEI4E
Elvis Presley - Amazing Grace
Recorded: 1971/03/15, first released on "He Touched Me"
Words & Music: Arranged by Elvis Presley
Amazing grace,
Oh, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost,
But now I'm foundWas blind,
But now I see
When we've been there
Ten thousand years,
Bright shinning as the sun
We've no less days
To sing God's praise
Then when,
when we first begun
Through many dangers
Toils and snares
I have already come
T'was grace that brought me
Safe thus far
And grace will lead me home
Amazing grace,
Oh, how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost,
But now I'm found
Was blind,
But now I see
Was blind,
But now I see
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3XdXEJEI4E
Believe it or not! - Elvis Presley, 30 years after death
Believe it or not! - Elvis Presley, 30 years after death: a world exclusive photograph by the King: Memories in Europe and celebrations for the singer who was once a GI in Germany.
Elvis as photographer: Portrait of his friend Joe, photographed in 1958 in Germany. Elvis himself did the make-up.
He used the style from his own Hollywood movies. He argued: "You must look as you really are, soft and handsome."
© EP-Archive, Marco-VG
Berlin/Memphis (bpb) Elvis Presley is not forgotten. 30 years after his death on August 16, 1977, the fans of his music celebrate around the world the high-kicking King of Rock 'n' Roll. Countless millions of people are still crazy about Elvis.
Even those who were born after the death of Presley love his music and his life story, which includes the career from a poor fellow to the Mount Olympus of the greatest stars in show business.
The internet bulletin PROMETHEUS is proud to present for the first time a rare photograph, taken by Elvis Presley himself in 1958. It shows his German boyfriend Joe. Elvis met him during his time as a GI in Germany.
There are thousands of books published about Elvis Presley, and millions of articles in many languages in the media on all continents.
What has not yet been revealed is the secret life of Elvis. That means also his real sexual orientation. The opinion is becoming stronger that Elvis belonged to the group of VIPs, which the famous German tennis-star Boris Becker called "metro sexual".
This term can be interpreted as a stage higher than bi-sexual, tolerant towards everybody and curious to test in one's young age new things in intimate human relationships.
Whatever once the baby-faced beauty, with a slick of ebony hair Elvis Presley may have been: his Music has the first importance in the memory of the people.
To increase the number of friends and admirers of Elvis on the occasion of this anniversary, new editions of his songs have been published. The TV stations in Germany are now showing a number of Hollywood films with Elvis, as well several documentary series.
Overton Park Shell reconstruction
Overton Park Shell reconstruction: Larry Kelley, Elvis Family of Fans Club tells us:
I'm happy to report that The Overton Park Shell re-construction project is getting underway today!! The sides of the building are being removed to make it look like it did in the beginning and thru the 50's. The benches will be removed as well and the entire structure will be renovated to be structurally sound and includes a video screen on each side of the Shell (not like in the 50's but good for programs there).
We are looking for ideas on how the Elvis Fans can be involved. Of course, a plaque is being considered indicating the first place Elvis performed after his first recording of "That's Alright Mama" on July 30, 1954.
This is an important project and the City is providing matching funds along with the Levitt Foundation funds but the more we Fans become involved either thru fund raisers or other ideas, the more of a 'presence' Elvis will have there and we all know that no greater performer ever graced that stage than the King! So if anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it if you would send them to me at: kingofthehill@mchsi.com and we'll formulate a real organized plan to make this a nice attraction for tourists and Elvis fans alike to visit each time they return to Memphis. Or you may call me at 515-432-4332 and we'll chat about your idea(s).
I'm happy to report that The Overton Park Shell re-construction project is getting underway today!! The sides of the building are being removed to make it look like it did in the beginning and thru the 50's. The benches will be removed as well and the entire structure will be renovated to be structurally sound and includes a video screen on each side of the Shell (not like in the 50's but good for programs there).
We are looking for ideas on how the Elvis Fans can be involved. Of course, a plaque is being considered indicating the first place Elvis performed after his first recording of "That's Alright Mama" on July 30, 1954.
This is an important project and the City is providing matching funds along with the Levitt Foundation funds but the more we Fans become involved either thru fund raisers or other ideas, the more of a 'presence' Elvis will have there and we all know that no greater performer ever graced that stage than the King! So if anyone has any ideas, I would appreciate it if you would send them to me at: kingofthehill@mchsi.com and we'll formulate a real organized plan to make this a nice attraction for tourists and Elvis fans alike to visit each time they return to Memphis. Or you may call me at 515-432-4332 and we'll chat about your idea(s).
"Viva Las Vegas" TV documentary soundtrack
"Viva Las Vegas" TV documentary soundtrack: The ABC documentary, Viva Las Vegas, chronicled Elvis’s life during the Vegas years with the focus on his music, ground-breaking style and legacy. The documentary also featured performances by some of today’s biggest stars doing their unique interpretations of the Elvis song that had the most influence on them. The official soundtrack for the Viva Las Vegas television event will be released on 2 January 2008 in America. (News, Source: EPE)
Music legend Paul Anka on his new album and Elvis
The success of Rock Swings, which brought Anka a whole new wave of mainstream attention, clearly paved the way for a follow-up. The singer relished the idea of finding a new collection of tunes to reinterpret, but wanted to stretch his focus at the same time.
"Without saying I wanted to do Rock Swings 2, I felt there was a paraphrase there, and I wanted to get more into the texture of the band, thus doing Duran Duran and more of the ballads and a couple of duets," he says. "But then there’s a song like Time After Time, which has always been a ballad, from Cyndi Lauper to Miles Davis to whomever, so I wanted to take that up. As I morphed it out, I found the pocket for each of those songs, adding a slight deviation to them as we went along." (Opposite: A young Paul Anka with Elvis with an unidentified girl)
The "pocket" for Marc Cohn’s Walking in Memphis didn’t come so quickly to Anka; his version on Classic Songs My Way was a second attempt, after failing to find the right groove in it for Rock Swings. "The subtitle to it all, and the whole blanket that it’s in, is Elvis, and it was great to relate to it in that way."
Anka is among that rare group of people that can consider themselves a friend of the late rock and roll legend — his My Way was a significant late career hit for Presley — and somehow it informs his take on the lyrics of Walking in Memphis, in a way few singers could realize.
"I first knew Elvis when I came in at RCA Victor, after he returned from the army," he recalls. "Then we became really close when he came to Vegas, because that was my turf. He really got into My Way towards the end of his life, for obvious reasons, and I tried to talk him out of it!
""I didn’t think it was his kind of song, but in his soul he certainly knew where he was going and wanted to articulate that. It’s that kind of song for everybody, from Elvis to Sid Vicious and the common man.""
Pressed for a favourite memory of Elvis, Anka pauses for a moment, saying there are several from over the years, many of which came bubbling back to mind on the 30th anniversary of his death this summer. But one in particular seems appropriate for the snowy scene outside his hotel window.
"We were both up in Vail, Colorado, I was skiing with my family, and Elvis stayed in his room; he had the foil on his windows and you couldn’t get him out of bed until three or four o’clock in the afternoon," he says.
"But he’d come out at night, and there’d be lights on all over the mountain, and we go riding snowmobiles. Then you’d go into his suite at the Hilton, and there’d be bullet holes all over the wall because he’d be playing with his guns. But he was a gentleman, a really good guy, he just had a problem dealing with his success getting away from him."
Whereas My Way was a sign of the falling curtain for Presley, for Anka it’s been the anthem of a survivor, whose five decades in music have been marked by honours too numerous to count.
"I’m finally working on an autobiography, I’ve found a publisher I want to work with, St. Martin’s Press and it’s going quite well," he says.
"I did the Howard Stern show, and I got a lot of callers asking me if I was going to do one, so it’s definitely the right time. And it’s not going to be called "My Way" either." (News, Source: Nova Scotia News)
Elvis co-star talks about life and Elvis
Elvis co-star talks about life and Elvis: Jimmy Hawkins, who played Elvis' sidekick in 'Spinout' and 'Girl Happy' is still alive and enjoying life. Please go to the following URL for the story:
http://www.dvdtown.com/news/still-a-wonderful-life-a-conversation-with-jimmy-hawkins/4985
(News, Source: Brian Quinn/www.dvdtown.com/www.epgold.com)
"Elvis Presley - The Music And The Legend" 4DVD set
"Elvis Presley - The Music And The Legend" 4DVD set: Edgehill Publishing will release the 4 DVD Box-set "Elvis Presley - The Music And The Legend " on February 18, 2008.
The total running time is 210 minutes. (News, Source: www.amazon.co.uk/www.elvisnews.com/www.epgold.com)
If I Can Dream McFarlane New Figurine
'If I Can Dream' McFarlane new figurine: The United E.P. Society have announced that this new McFarlane "Elvis Gospel" figurine will be released in March 2008. Based upon Elvis' 'If I Can Dream' 1968 performance it actually looks much better than most other Elvis figurines.
(News, Source: The United Elvis Presley Society)
Wednesday, 12 December 2007
"Blue Hawaii", 1961 Original One Sheet Movie Poster Starring Elvis Presley
One of the most difficult Elvis Presley Original Movie Posters to acquire. The first we have found in nearly 15 years. And, this beauty one sheet is in excellent condition.
Blue Hawaii (Paramount, 1961) . One Sheet (27" X 41"). Elvis Presley. Starring Elvis Presley, Joan Blackman, Angela Lansbury and Nancy Walters. Directed by Norman Taurog. Classic Elvis features "Can't Help Falling in Love With You." Great colors on this one sheet. Folded, Fine/Very Fine Condition.
$1,595.00
To purchase, surf to this site: http://www.cvtreasures.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1439
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