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Welcome to the "Elvis Information Network", home to the best news, reviews, interviews, Elvis photos & in-depth articles about the King of Rock & Roll, Elvis Aaron Presley...
The latest on www.ElvisInfoNet.com:
| Apology, since posting the news below about 'Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii - The Ultimate Experience' it seems that someone at EPE has spotted the new recut and have banned it from YouTube despite the producer rightly noting - If you do not own Aloha From Hawaii support EPE and buy the official version but please enjoy this new recut. |
Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii - The Ultimate Experience (2019): The 46th anniversary release of 'Aloha From Hawaii' where new camera angles have been combined from all available versions together with a brand new audio mix.
This historic concert by Elvis Presley was recorded live on January 14th, 1973.
'Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii - The Ultimate Experience' took a year to complete and is made by a big Elvis fan.
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| It has been edited together in a split screen fashion to feature all available footage. The original was captured with 5 to 10 standard definition colour broadcast cameras that were mixed and recorded on three tape machines. In this this version all the segments are placed in correct time and place, and along with the extra footage, the complete visuals - including new close-ups, different camera angles as well as crowd footage - it somehow makes Elvis more human as he sings his songs to a massive world-wide audience. |
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My goal with this new audio mix was to give you a more direct experience with Elvis' vocal upfront and a clearer mix. Hopefully it may get official release one day
The YouTube post notes - If you do not own Aloha From Hawaii support EPE and buy the official version but please enjoy this new recut.
Click here to YouTube to watch. - Runs 72 minutes.
EIN says this is essential viewing!
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
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Elvis Presley News Report; The monthly Elvis Presley News Report is posted on YouTube by The Netherland's Emiel Maier.
It features some great news clips and video footage you might not see elsewhere.
This month's Elvis News Report features a fine look at the great George Klein (RIP) as well as some cool preview clips from “Elvis All-Star Tribute” for those fans who have not yet had it broadcast in their country
CLICK here to YouTube to view - runs 11 minutes.
(News, Source;EM/ElvisInfoNet)
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How Elvis’ Most Famous Costumes from ’68 Comeback Special were Saved from Destruction: Here is a great story from the 'Elvis Relics' blog.
Truly unbelievable and well-worth the read..
Elvis’ manager, Colonel Parker was a mastermind at the art of marketing, and in early 1971 he devised a plan to include a small Swatch of clothing from Elvis’s personal wardrobe with every record set of an upcoming release that would be called Elvis Worldwide Gold Award Hits Vol. 2
Personal articles of Elvis’s clothing would be collected and box by Elvis’s father Vernon Presley and sent to the Colonel’s office at MGM in Hollywood – there they would be sorted and placed into shipping trunks and sent to RCA in New York. |
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| In the memo from his office at MGM dated March 24th 1971 the Colonel outlined strict guidelines for the operation. Trunks containing Elvis’s clothing were to contain shirts, pants, ties, scarves and coats. They were to be shipped air-freight only in lots of at least six trunks at a time and insured for $1,000. per trunk. The memo read in part; “…this project must be treated in the same way as if we did a tour made a picture or TV show. It will most likely be the most important project for income this year so let’s not be sloppy with it. I must be able to call for and receive an up-to-date project report on this at all times.” One week later the Colonel signed a contract with RCA that outline the agreement with his company known as All-Star shows RCA agreed to pay $3.50 per sold unit of the first 150,000 LP disc packages - which included all artist royalties a special Elvis Presley picture on a Swatch of Elvis Presley’s clothing. RCA agreed to advance payment on the first 100,000 units with the first $75,000 to be paid before June 10th 1971. |
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The Colonel signed on behalf of Elvis, who was still recovering from his eye infection.
Back in Memphis, boxes of Elvis’s clothing that were awaiting shipment were scattered all over the front foyer, living room and dining room at Graceland. About that time Mike McGregor- who is in charge of Elvis’s ranch in Mississippi, and his horses at Graceland, happen to come by and walked inside the mansion from the back. He saw the clothing in the boxes everywhere and asked Elvis what he was doing with all those clothes. Elvis said “RCA wants them they’re going to cut them up for a big promotion that they’re doing.” |
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Mike said “that’s a lot of nice clothes going to waste!” Elvis replied “…Well hell Mike, go through them and take what you want – they’ll never know the difference”.
Twenty-five specially-prepared trunks filled with 790 articles of Elvis’s clothing arrived at RCA headquarters in New York. The inventory list was an impressive reflection of the fashion styles of Elvis Presley- mainly from the 1960s. As per the Colonel’s instructions, the clothing was cut into 2 x 3 inch swatches. According to the Colonel’s personal inventory list, this collection of clothing also included three of Elvis’s jumpsuits.
Little did anyone know at the time, but Mike McGregor’s random, chance encounter with Elvis, just as he was going through his wardrobe items at Graceland – would ultimately have a tremendous effect on the preservation of rock and roll history.
CLICK HERE to 'Elvis Relics' to read the whole story and see more great pics.
(News, Source;BG/ElvisInfoNet) |
| Thursday 21 February 2019 |
'The Fun In Acapulco Sessions' Deluxe Set: FTD announces their second "complete sessions" 3-cd box-set. 'The Fun In Acapulco Sessions' is the ultimate 'Fun In Acapulco' release, a 3-CD set that includes more than an hour of previously unreleased false starts, break downs, and complete takes!
All tracks have been recently remixed and mastered from the original 3-track session tapes.
The 8"x 8" slipcase replicates RCA Victor's vault-stored session reel box.
The 28-page booklet includes rare photographs, memorabilia, session data, Movie Trivia and an updated overview of the movie by Alan Hanson.
The 3-CDs are housed in a CD carrier adorned by original tape box documentation.
Fortunately for us (There's) No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car was recorded in a single take, but there are lots of never heard before session outtakes for instance Bossa Nova, Baby Takes 6, 7, 8, 9 10, Marguerita Takes 1-5, I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here Takes 2-6 and masses of Guadalajara!
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Elvis Week 2019 Schedule Update: EPE notes that there's no better place to honor the King of Rock 'n' Roll than Elvis Week! Elvis Week 2019 features an exciting line-up of concerts, panels, the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest and, of course, the Candlelight Vigil.
Graceland Insiders Ticket pre-sale begins at 8:30am CT February 27, General Tickets on-sale at noon CT February 27.
Surely one of the best reasons to go (no, not the ETA contests!) has to be...
- American Sound Studio 50th Anniversary Celebration Concert.
August 14, 7pm. Graceland Soundstage.
An incredible night of music as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Elvis' legendary recording sessions at Memphis' American Sound Studio. Join Memphis Boys Bobby Wood and Gene Chrisman, who were members of the legendary house band at the American Sound Studio, along with special guests Mac Davis, who wrote "In the Ghetto" and "Don't Cry Daddy" which Elvis recorded at American Sound; the Holladay Sisters, who sang back-up during the sessions; plus lead vocalists Andy Childs and Terry Mike Jeffrey; for a special concert event featuring performances of some of Elvis' hits from American Sound, as well as songs from the many other stars that recorded at the legendary Memphis studio.
Click HERE TO EPE for their updated schedule
(News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet) |
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Graceland Elvis Tribute Artists Weekend: Elvis is getting too old to perform live on stage himself, so Graceland is once again promoting a weekend of concerts featuring the Best Elvis Tribute Artists.
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Weekend is next week March 1-2 at the Graceland Soundstage.
Fans can see past winners of EPE's annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest in two incredible concert experiences.
Cody Slaughter, 2011 winner, will perform on both nights! Cody, our most recent winner Ben Thompson and our first-ever Ultimate ETA Contest winner Shawn Klush will pay tribute to Elvis' hits from the stage, studio and screen at the Friday, March 1 concert.
Saturday night, 2016 winner Dwight Icenhower, 2014 champ Jay Dupuis and 2009 winner Bill Cherry will pay tribute to the 50th anniversary of Elvis' return to Vegas in 1959.
Cody will make a special appearance at the Saturday night show, too.
Both concerts will be hosted by Joey Sulipeck and the performers will be backed by the EAS Band.
Click here to EPE for tickets and more info
(News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet) |
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'Return To Sender '76' New Import CD: Audionics label is back with its first release of 2019, called 'Return To Sender... the Summer of '76'.
Elvis first played Hampton Roads, VA on April 9th, 1972. Elvis returned to Hampton Roads on March 11th, 1974, and then again in 1976, for two shows on July 31st and August 1st matinee. It was his final appearance there.
1976 was the USA Bicentennial Year.
The August 1st, 1976 concert has often been described as a rather poor Elvis show - not because he was "out of it" or medicated - but because his voice was far from its best. Admittedly, it is true that his voice sounded tired even flat in places, but still, Elvis did a solid job on several songs and his audience definitely enjoyed the show.
The Hampton Roads show has one saving grace: Elvis decided to respond to the audience request for "Return To Sender", which was an impromptu performance, and a true live rarity. Elvis sings it reasonably well and it was the highlight of the concert.
This show was originally released by the "Fort Baxter" label in 1995 and then re-released by "Gravel Road Music" label in 2012.
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For this ultimate reissue, the Audionics team worked directly from a first generation soundboard tape transfer (RCA tape T0199) and made significant improvements to the audio.
As a bonus, Audionics decided to add small collection of songs recorded during 1976 Summer tours.
Go to 'ELVIS: All The CD News 2019' for full details and tracklistings
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
Violent Femmes and X to play at Graceland: Has this anything to do with Elvis? Not really except it is providing earnings to EPE.
Two of the '80s Most Popular Bands, Violent Femmes, X Co-Headline Graceland Live Concert on May 16
For nearly the past four decades, Violent Femmes and X have sold out shows across the country, and on May 16, 2019, these bands will bring their distinctive sounds to the Graceland Soundstage.
The Milwaukee-based band Violent Femmes is considered the pioneer for the "folk-punk" music genre, and over the course of their career, they developed a cult following with hits like "Blister in the Sun," "Add It Up" and "Kiss Off." Violent Femmes have released nine studio albums and sold more than 10 million records worldwide.
X rose to fame in the late '70s and have been credited for establishing the punk rock genre on the West Coast. The band's albums Los Angeles and Wild Gift have been ranked among the top 100 albums of the 1980s and the greatest albums of all time.
Go here to Graceland Live if you want to know more.
(News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet) |
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'Elvis: St Paul To Wichita: Oct 1974' FTD In-Depth Review: A live soundboard 5” double-digipack this time focussing on Elvis' Tour 12 which went from September 27 to October 9.
Two concerts St. Paul, Minnesota October 3, 1974 and Wichita, Kansas October 7, 1974 are included with three bonus songs from October 4, 1974.
Best of all these are both previously unreleased soundboards.
While Elvis had performed some memorable shows earlier in 1974, the September-October 1974 tour was not one of his best, with highlights sparsely dotted across the shows. The infamous College Park performance was during this tour, but by October 3 it was clear Elvis was up and enjoying himself.
In high energy and good humour Elvis at one point jokes, "By God, you might have been wrong for so long, but you were right tonight J.D!"
The soundboard audio quality is excellent.
Click here as Elvis soundboard super-collector Geoffrey McDonnell & EIN's Piers Beagley check out Elvis' performance
(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)
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“Elvis All-Star Tribute” - Good Review: While a large number of Elvis fans were disappointed with the promo clips of the new Elvis Tribute, it was nice to see the actual show well produced, explain the importance of ELVIS even 50 years later and hopefully inspiring some new younger fans.
The Commercial Appeal gave it a nice review including...
.. Like some sort of Grammy-powered Super Friends, Post Malone, Jennifer Lopez, Blake Shelton, John Legend and more than a dozen more of what NBC touted as the “greatest stars of our time” joined forces Sunday for the prime time TV special “Elvis All-Star Tribute.”
The two-hour event doubled the original broadcast time of its inspiration, the so-called “‘68 Comeback Special”.
Host Blake Shelton announced, “I’m here tonight because 50 years ago a King returned”, the original special "often |
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imitated but never surpassed - and which changed the game forever in music and television."
The special may prove to be something of a game changer itself for Post Malone, the platinum-selling rapper/musician whose hit 2018 album “Beerbongs & Bentleys” obviously was not aimed at adult Elvis fans.
Auditioning for the mainstream audience-of-all-ages that now embraces the post-meat dress Lady Gaga, Post Malone - joined by Keith Urban on guitar - wore sparkly silver cowboy boots and a banana-colored Nudie-style suit embroidered with images of feathers to perform a faithful cover of Jimmy Reed’s blues classic, “Baby What You Want Me to Do.” He was affable and apparently happy and proud to have been invited to join the party.
The union of Post Malone and Urban demonstrated that the show's mission, in large part, was to affirm the idea of Elvis' universal appeal. The roster of performers included rock, pop, R&B, country and gospel "All-Stars."
Shot on a NBC Studios sound stage in October, the "Elvis All-Star Tribute" more or less recreated the |
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format of the original special by presenting performers in what "'68 Comeback Special" director Steve Binder called "a boxing ring without ropes": a small square stage surrounded by fans, creating a fairly intimate setting for the straightforward interpretations of the songs.
Sometimes, performers were backed by a recreation of the famous sign from the original special that spelled out "ELVIS" in giant red-light-bulb letters
Carrie Underwood joined Yolanda Adams to perform a gospel medley of Elvis songs.
Wisely the producers were not stingy with footage from the original special, using vintage Elvis moments to restart the show after each return from a commercial break.
For the opening number, a medley of "Trouble" and "Guitar Man," Shelton's "cover" was intercut with footage of Elvis' performance from 1968, creating a sort of call-and-response duet. The "If I Can Dream" finale also was edited so that Elvis traded verses with various "All-Stars."
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In addition, brief on-camera testimonials from Binder and Priscilla Presley, discussing the power of Elvis and the impact of the 1968 special, were placed strategically throughout the show, like garnish on a dinner plate.
A highlight of the two hour broadcast was Mac Davis' solo rendition of "Memories," a song he wrote (with the late Billy Strange) for the Elvis special. As host Shelton said, when introducing Davis: “You know what’s cool? Singing great Elvis songs. You know what’s even cooler? Writing great Elvis songs."
Davis, 77, the elder statesman of the performers shared a poignant memory of holding the infant Lisa Marie during a visit to Elvis' Bel Air home. Mac Davis was later joined by John Legend, who sang a Davis composition that has emerged as one of Elvis' biggest hits, "A Little Less Conversation."
Others on the show included Darius Rucker, Ed Sheeran, Josh Groban, Pistol Annies and Little Big Town.
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Lisa Marie Presley did not perform, but introduced a gospel medley segment featuring Carrie Underwood and Yolanda Adams; similarly, actress Riley Keough, Lisa Marie's daughter, introduced Dierks Bentley, who contributed the rocker, "Little Sister."
The "Elvis All-Star Tribute" marked the culmination of a year-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the "Comeback Special," which helped inspire Elvis to return to meaningful music-making after years of increasingly irrelevant movie soundtracks.
Click here to the Commercial Appeal full review.
(News, Source;CA/ElvisInfoNet) |
ELVIS ALL-STAR TRIBUTE On NBC Tonight: The music world's biggest stars will honour ELVIS on tonight's 'Elvis All-Star Tribute'. The two-hour concert celebrating the King of Rock 'n' Roll will air from 9-11 p.m. ET/PT on NBC and includes performances by a wide range of artists.
Hosted by Blake Shelton the evening will encompass each artist re-creating songs from Presley's now-legendary ’68 Comeback Special.
Rare footage and interviews with Priscilla Presley and Steve Binder, who directed the original special, will also be featured plus a special appearance by Lisa Marie Presley.
In the special Shelton covers Presley's spirited "Guitar Man" with an appearance from the King himself. |
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Shelton dons a black leather jacket and electric guitar as he mimics Presley's iconic performance from 51 years ago. Footage from Presley's 1968 special is spliced between Shelton's, and the two trade verses as if collaborating together on a modern-day duet.
In addition to Shelton's performance, Yolanda Adams, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Alessia Cara, John Fogerty, Josh Groban and Adam Lambert will take the stage to cover Presley standards. John Legend, Little Big Town, Jennifer Lopez, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Pistol Annies, Darius Rucker, Ed Sheeran, Carrie Underwood and Keith Urban will also be featured on the concert special. Mac Davis, who wrote a number of hits for Presley, including “In the Ghetto” and “A Little Less Conversation,” performs 'Memories', a song he and Billy Strange wrote specifically |
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for Presley for the ’68 Special. - -
If you are in the USA, click here to NBC and you can also stream it.
(News, Source;NBC/ElvisInfoNet) |
'If I Can Dream' new Duet "Sucks" say EIN readers! We asked what you thought of the new 'If I Can Dream' All-Star Tribute new duet. Unsurprisingly everyone agreed that the new artists vocal performances were very lame.
Plenty noted that the clip only goes to show how DAMN GOOD Elvis was in the Comeback Special.
Typically fans wrote "This highlights why Elvis is the King" as noted Patricia Ramsay.
Our favourite reply was this...
"I am a pretty tolerant & an open-minded Elvis fan, enjoying most of the remixes that from time to time springs out on the market. Some are so good that have a |
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life of their own along side with the unbeatable originals.
I was out there to buy & enjoyed the album 'Guitar Man' when it did hit the markets, even if now it sounds out of date, I still think it was a good effort.
Even the American Idol 2007 duet of 'If I Can Dream' with one of my most hated singers, Celine Dion, I thought wasn’t too bad.
But this new version really sucks!
It takes away the power & the emotion of Elvis’s brilliant rendition & it washes down with heartless vocals done by useless singers. - Al Corvini.
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
'Elvis Presley: A Moment in Time" Now on Kindle: We are not sure how we missed this news but the FTD book 'Elvis Presley: A Moment in Time: 4 Days in '56' by Michael Rose was published as a Kindle edition back in Decemeber 2018.
- If you couldn't afford the postage from Europe you can now download the book as a cheap E-book.
At the time the book featured a cache of never-before-seen Elvis photos from his late spring tour in 1956. These remarkable photos show the singer as he was just on the cusp of becoming a star. They’re wonderful candid shots of him performing, meeting his fans, relaxing between shows at a local arcade and at home with his family in Memphis.
–Ernst Jørgensen stated about the book, “In the 20 years I have been privileged to work with Elvis Presley CDs and books there have been a number of great discoveries. One was when I was approached by Michael Rose, who said that he had found a treasure of photos from 1956. I was absolutely not prepared for the quantity and quality of these historic images. It was one of these situations where you forget all about financial logic, and just KNOW that this has to be shared with all the fans."
Publisher: Water Street Press - out December 5, 2018.
Only US$8.65 on Amazon.com. - Click here.
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
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'If I Can Dream' 'Elvis All-Star Tribute Preview: Formally titled 'Singer Presents…Elvis' the electrifying performance show from a half century ago forever became known as the '68 Comeback Special for mightily reviving the career of Elvis Presley.
Once the undisputed King of Rock 'n' Roll, the 33-year-old had seen his power sputter as rock matured and the quality of his movies declined. The TV special became an unexpected statement of purpose that reignited the swagger of ELVIS' 1950s glory while pointing to the dramatic musical heights he'd still attain.
Presley died in 1977, but NBC's Studio 4 in Burbank, California, retains the spirit of that game-changer for a new special |
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Elvis All-Star Tribute, with careful set reproductions and an impressive roster of current artists, including Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Carrie Underwood and Josh Groban.
No one tried karaoke re-creations, says musical director Don Was: "You never out-Elvis Elvis."
Adds host Blake Shelton, "It's one of the more magical things I've ever, ever been a part of in music."
In honor of the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s famous ’68 Comeback Special, NBC is delivering the two-hour Elvis All-Star Tribute, featuring music superstars re-creating that event, down to how the show is shot and what songs are sung. The executive producer, Ken Ehrlich, is an industry veteran.
In addition to the performances, the special will also include interviews from people originally involved in Elvis’ comeback, including the original director, Steve Binder, and Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla Presley.
The show is hosted by country singer Blake Shelton who will also be singing a song or two himself. “Blake does ‘Suspicious Minds,’ but there’s another part of the show I don’t want to talk about too much,” says Ehrlich. The list of superstar singers includes Keith Urban, Ed Sheeran, John Legend, Carrie Underwood, Josh Groban and many more.
The hardest part of the 1968 special to re-create was the style of filming used, called “in the round,” where cameras move around the stage. |
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“In 1968, they made a very conscious effort to hide the cameras. We don’t do that much anymore".
This style of filming also encourages a stronger bond with the audience. “The few hundred people that were lucky enough to come to it when we shot it walked out saying they had never seen anything quite like this. With this show, because it’s 360 degrees, because it is in the round, you really feel like you’re a part of it. You really feel as though you are there.”
The finale is "If I Can Dream" - Footage of ELVIS precedes verses sung by Shelton, Malone, Underwood, Shawn Mendes and Rucker.
Original director Steve Binder had commissioned the song to capture Presley's own feelings about the year, tarnished by the assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King Jr. and the emotion came through.
"I don't think we'd be talking about ELVIS today if he didn't do that special," Binder says. "Elvis actually is more important now historically than when he was alive."
CLICK HERE to check out the new "Duet" finale 'IF I CAN DREAM' on YouTube - sadly EIN sees it a rather a disappointment - Send us YOUR thoughts Click here to comment.
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
| Thursday 14 February 2019 - - - Valentine's Day - - - |
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Make Your Valentine's Day, "ELVIS Day"! Elvis means romance, Elvis means lust! If you are a true Elvis fan then surely you feel a tightness in your chest and teardrops in your eyes when you listen to a sublime Elvis song. In 2019 there are too many sad people in this world who don't realise that ELVIS can truly fill you with love on Valentine's Day!
Valentine's Day is the ultimate celebration of love, the most precious of human feelings, personified by Elvis as no one else has with so many songs featuring love and heartache.
In today's competitive modern world and media dominated by the likes of Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, Katy Perry and Drake what people miss out on is the softer qualities of love, romance and angst of separation which endeared Elvis and his music to a generation and now do not find much of a chance to survive.
It is sad that whole new generations are really missing out on something which generations of parents and grand parents were granted to experience but have no real means of passing on.
Put on your favourite Elvis compile, relax and feel the true emotion of classics such as 'Can't Help Falling in Love', 'Always on My Mind', 'Love Me Tender', 'I Just Can't Help Believin', 'I Need Somebody To Lean On', 'The Thrill Of Your Love' or 'Let It Be Me'. . . . . - HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY.
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Julie Adams (Tickle Me) Dead at 92: Julie Adams will be remembered by Elvis fans for her appearance in 1965's 'Tickle Me' however her most famous role was as the love object of the "Gill Man" in the 1954 monster horror film “The Creature From the Black Lagoon'. She died last Sunday, February 3rd, aged 92.
Last year's Oscar winning “The Shape of Water” was heavily influenced by 1954's "Gill Man" film and director Guillermo del Toro paid tribute to the actress, writing, “I mourn Julie Adams passing. It hurts in a place deep in me, where monsters swim.”
During her career Julie Adams appeared in 50 films and even more television episodes. Along with “Creature From the Black Lagoon, which catapulted her film career, she starred alongside Elvis Presley in 1965’s 'Tickle Me', worked with Dennis Hopper in 1971’s “The Last Movie,” and appeared with Jimmy Stewart in “Bend in the River.” Her other movie roles include “The Private War of Major Benson,” “Mississippi Gambler,” “Bright Victory,” and “Slaughter on Tenth Avenue.”
Born Betty May Adams on Oct. 17, 1926 in Waterloo, Iowa, Adams spent her formative years in Arkansas before moving to California. She took acting lessons while working as a secretary before landing her first film role, 1949’s “Red Hot and Blue” for Paramount, which she followed up with a number of Westerns. She changed her name to Julie by the early ’50s after signing with Universal.
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In 1951 she gained a Universal contract, she lost her southern accent while the studio had her legs insured for $125,000, with the intention of exposing them as much as possible.
Adams married actor-director Ray Danton, her co-star in the 1955 action film “The Looters.” They also appeared together in 1958’s “Tarawa Beachhead” and 1975’s horror flick “Psychic Killer” before divorcing in 1981. The couple had two children, Steve Danton and Mitchell Danton.
One noteworthy appearance in television history was as the only client of the defence lawyer Perry Mason ever to be convicted in the 60s series. More recently, Adams had a role in 'Murder, She Wrote' as an estate agent, Eve Simpson, and sometime-helper of amateur sleuth Jessica Fletcher, played by Angela Lansbury (1987-93).
Among the roles in the few feature films she made following the end of her Universal contract was the “older” woman who makes a play for rodeo star Elvis in Tickle Me (1965), and she was effective as cop John Wayne’s ex-wife in McQ (1974).
Her autobiography 'The Lucky Southern Star: Reflections from the Black Lagoon' which she co-wrote with her son
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Mitchell, was published in 2011.
On TV Julie Adams appeared in series such as “CSI: New York,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “General Hospital,” “Beverly Hills, 90210,” “The Colgate Comedy Hour,” and “Melrose Place.”
Of working with Elvis, Julie Adams said, "I am from the South so I felt very at home with Elvis because he was a really charming young Southern gentleman. Elvis was always very prepared. In the one nightclub scene we did a singing number and I was in awe because I watched him and he did it in one take! He had to walk around the set and to a playback but he he was perfect. That was amazing. I enjoyed working with him very very much. Tickle Me was a lovely experience."
(News, Source;JG/ElvisInfoNet) |
'The Best of The '68 Comeback Special' OUT TOMORROW: The new companion album to NBC's "Elvis All-Star Tribute" titled 'The Best of The '68 Comeback Special' will be released worldwide by RCA/Legacy Recordings on February 15, 2019.
Described as "An ideal set for long time Elvis fans and newcomers, 'The Best of The '68 Comeback Special' comprises the Elvis recordings and performances that inspired the upcoming tribute and showcases a new version of the legendary closing number, "If I Can Dream" as heard in the new special - featuring Elvis' original vocals alongside new performances by Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton. The album features 15 Elvis performances from the "stand-up" and "sit-down" shows filmed for the '68 broadcast, plus three original studio recordings (A Little Less Conversation, Suspicious Minds, Burning Love) to represent other songs that appear in the new special.
The original special, recorded over several sessions in June 1968, featured Elvis playing the songs that mattered most to him, in his first live performance since 1961. When it aired on December 3, 1968, the special was the week's highest-viewed television program, re-establishing Elvis as a driving force in popular music.
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See below for tracklisting: includes Prevously Unreleased new "Duet" "If I Can Dream" - Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton
CD priced $12 in USA, £9.99 in UK, JbHiFi in Australia AU$19.
(News, Source;SONY/ElvisInfoNet) |
Gary Puckett's great story on meeting Elvis: Gary Puckett and the (latest incarnation of the) Union Gap (dressed in their customary Union Army uniforms) are currently touring Australia.
Many EIN visitors will remember the group’s string of big hits in the late 60s including Woman Woman, Young Girl, Over You, Don’t Give In To Him, Lady Willpower, This Girl Is A Woman Now, and Let’s Give Adam and Eve Another Chance.
Gary, who at 76 years of age, still has a powerful vocal range (albeit with a deeper tone than in his heyday), engaged a very receptive audience in Canberra (the national capital of Australia) and shared many interesting anecdotes about his life and career.
Gary saved the best for last with around a five minute account of his encounter with Elvis one night at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Gary and the Union Gap were playing in the lounges at the International along with Ike and Tina Turner and the “bluest”
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stand-up comedian of the time, Redd Fox (of Sanford and Son TV show fame). Gary stated that he was always a big Elvis fan and that Elvis touched his heart with his singing. He never expected he’d meet Elvis or that Elvis would even know who he was.
However, one night, he got out of the life and was confronted by a group of 12 or 13 guys walking toward him, all huddled together. They didn’t look like staff at the International and Gary took them to be musos. As they got close to him they parted and Gary found himself face to face with the tall and very handsome Elvis Presley. Becoming tongue tied and a little star struck, Gary finally managed to say “Hi Elvis, I’m Gary Puckett” to which Elvis, gave him that Elvis smile with the curled upper lip, and said “Yeah man, I know. I like your music”.
Gary chatted with Elvis for a short period and Elvis said he would come to see him and the Union Gap perform. Gary thought Elvis was just being polite but during his show the maitre d’ whispered to him that “E is here”. Gary thought about announcing Elvis’ presence to the audience but decided that would bring his show to a premature end, so he waited until he had sung the last song. As soon as Gary told the audience Elvis was present and pointed to him, instantaneously the crowd rose from their seats and scrambled to get close to Elvis.
Years later, Gary met Priscilla Presley who told him that Gary was one of Elvis’ favorite three singers, Roy Orbison being number one. Gary commented that Roy was for him too….”well….after Elvis”. Immediately following his anecdote about Elvis, Gary’s penultimate song in his Canberra show was a fine version of Elvis’ An American Trilogy. (News, Source: NP, EIN)
Watch video of Gary Puckett telling his Elvis story at Epcot 2004
Listen to Gary Puckett and the Union Gap singing This Girl Is A Woman Now |
George Klein’s recollections of Elvis: Following the recent sad news of George Klein’s passing, EIN thought it appropriate to highlight some of George’s recollections about Elvis.
These recollections are from a 1986 interview George did with EIN’s Nigel Patterson at B.B. King’s Blues Club on Beale Street in Memphis (George was dee-jay at the club).
At the time of the interview, George also owned a night club called In Cahoots which was located on the outskirts of the city, to which he invited two intrepid Aussies to be his guests for the night......but that is another story. All I will say about that night is flimsy red under-shorts, no shirts, a packed nightclub of rowdy Americans, 20 empty Budweiser bottles and a video camera.
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EIN: George, along with Red, you were friends with Elvis since high school. What do you remember about Elvis at high school?
GK: Elvis was always outside the 'in-group'. He dressed differently and his hair and sideburns were longer than what was normal at the time. Despite being different Elvis a nice young man and he was fun to be around. Some people thought it funny that he and I became friends but, you know, we just connected.
EIN: What about Elvis's stage presence, his charisma?
GK: Charisma is right on. Elvis had tons of it. Even when he started out fans were drawn to him on stage. He was raw, exciting and incredibly talented.
EIN: When he first started out, did you think he was going to become a superstar?
GK: I knew Elvis was different and very talented and I thought he would be a big star. But I don't think any of us could foresee just how big he would become, let alone the biggest star in the world.
EIN: What are your memories of Elvis performing at the height of his popularity in the 50s?
GK: Man it was scary, real scary. Those were wild times and sometimes I wondered how Elvis survived it. The fans, especially the girls, went crazy every time he moved any part of his body. The noise was incredible and very quickly the Colonel had to arrange extra security for Elvis' concerts. It's sad there isn't more visual record of Elvis' live shows from the 50s. If there was it would blow you away, just how wild it all was. I'll never forget it.
EIN: George, for you what was the greatest thing about having Elvis as a friend?
GK: Elvis's generosity and kindness. When you had Elvis as a friend you had a real friend, a friend for life. There wasn't anything he wouldn't do for you. And he helped all of us out at one time or another. You could have an argument with Elvis but when the chips were down he was always your friend. Man, his loyalty to you was special. (Interview, Source: EIN) |
Elvis should have died in 2019, not 1977: When Memphis radio DJ George Klein, the late Elvis Presley’s best friend, died on Feb. 5, he was not the first or the second or even the third but the fourth of Elvis’s friends, colleagues, and peers to pass away in the first few weeks of the year.
Klein’s death comes on the quick heels of two of Elvis’s recording-studio guitarists, Reggie Young (Jan. 17) and Harold Bradley (Jan. 21). All three men died of natural causes in their 80s and 90s. So did Elvis's long time drummer, D.J. Fontana, just a few months ago. And Elvis’s stepbrother, the evangelist Rick Stanley, died just last week, in his 60s.
It’s a sobering perspective to have so many of Elvis’s peers pass quietly away in a cluster like this. It underlines a weird truth: Now, demographically speaking, is when Elvis, an American man born in 1935 who attained a high standard of wealth and comfort, should have died. Now. In 2019, give or take a certain margin of unpredictability. Not in 1977. |
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If the broad statistics of life and death applied at the individual level, Elvis should have lived through punk rock, the New Wave, grunge. He should have lived to see hip hop supplant rock & roll as the revolutionary youth music of two generations. He should have outlived his cheesy Vegas lounge singer phase and done like Johnny Cash, connecting with young musicians and songwriters to produce startlingly beautiful new work in his old age.
Elvis should have had the chance to duet with Springsteen, with Mariah Carey, with Michael Jackson. We should have heard him croon in harmony with Harry Connick Jr., shake his booty alongside Shakira, catch a groove with Bruno Mars.
And, setting aside the art for a moment to focus on the man, Elvis should have gotten to see his daughter grow up. He should have gotten to meet his grandchildren. But death doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t come only when it “should,” doesn’t come only when we’re “old enough.” Every life ends when it ends. We know how long the average person in a group might be expected to live, but there’s no way to apply that to any one single person, who might outlive the statistics by 20 years or depart decades earlier through tragic circumstances. |
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| Elvis was called the King. He had the world at his fingertips. He was widely beloved, both by those who knew him and those who didn’t. He lived remarkably, and he died at 42, only half the age he might have been had things been different. Time is precious. We need to find ways to live with that awareness. Do the things that are meaningful to us. Care for those we love. Value what’s important. (News, Source: Stephen Segal, legacy.com) |
| Wednesday 6 February 2019 |
George Klein Dead at 83: Very sadly EIN learnt that George Klein has passed away, as confirmed by Elvis' nurse Marian Justice Cocke. He was 83.
Klein met Elvis Presley in 1948 at Humes High School in Memphis and they were close friends until the rock 'n' roll icon died in 1977.
Klein was part of "Memphis Mafia" and enjoyed telling stories about the times he and Presley spent together.
Klein died yesterday, Tuesday, at hospice in Memphis. Priscilla Presley noted that Klein had been suffering from illness, including pneumonia, for about two weeks.
Elvis' nurse Marian Justice Cocke, Priscilla, Jerry Shilling and other close friends have been in constant contact with Klein during his illness.
Priscilla noted that Elvis loved Klein's outgoing personality, his loyalty, and his sense of humor. She called their friendship a "guy's thing," with their own inside jokes and "their own language."
Elvis used to affectionately call Klein "GK."
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"Their friendship was golden, truly golden, I don't think I've ever heard George say anything bad about anybody."
Presley served as Klein's best man, and Klein was a pallbearer at Presley's funeral. Klein also appeared in his friend's film, "Jailhouse Rock."
When Presley was posthumously inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, Klein made the acceptance speech.
"Personally, Elvis was a great friend to me," Klein said in the speech. "You know, I never saw Elvis refuse an autograph. I never saw Elvis refuse a handshake. I never saw Elvis refuse to take a picture with anyone."
Klein hosted a radio show featuring ELVIS music on Sirius XM. He had also hosted radio and television shows in Memphis dating to the 1960s. Klein was known throughout the city, speaking at charity events for no pay.
Klein published several books about Elvis including 'Elvis Presley: A Family Album' and 'Elvis: My Best Man'.
In recent years several key friends of Elvis - Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana, Red West, Marty Lacker, Sonny West and Joe Esposito have died.
Priscilla said she has thought about that, and called it "a reality check."
"It hits home" she said. "George Klein is the last of our history in many ways."
Funeral arrangements have not been released.
Marian Cocke wrote, "You are in God's hands, my friend.. GOD BLESS and TLC"
(News, Source;MJC/ElvisInfoNet) |
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'What was Elvis searching for?' EIN Spotlight: The question is raised – but never answered – in the title of HBO’s recent absorbing, imperfect documentary 'Elvis Presley: The Searcher'.
At the start it seems clear what the teenage Elvis was searching for – an escape from the oblivion of poverty in the American South. Yet his quest was cultural as well as financial.
Later Elvis read obsessively, seeking out such books as The Impersonal Life, Joseph Brenner’s guide to self-discovery and Kahil Gibran’s book of fables, The Prophet. In his copy of Gibran’s tome, Elvis jotted down the line: “A singer can sing his songs but he must have an ear to receive the song”.
So what exactly was Elvis searching for?
In this fascinating EIN Spotlight respected author Paul Simpson takes a close look at this all important question which, for some reason, was basically ignored in the recent HBO documentary..
(Spotlight, Source;PaulSimpson/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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George Klein In Hospital: Last week Elvis' friend George Klein was hospitalised due to complications following an earlier fall and breaking his hip.
Now aged 83 his family and friends were very concerned.
Happily there was better news at the weekend posted by (Elvis' nurse) Marian Justice Cocke.
"Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow!!!!!
I have just left George’s room; he was in a wheel chair and we had a conversation.
I asked him if he would eat some choc ice cream and he said yes and when they brought it in he took the cup and fed himself and ate every bite.
George was placed in Hospice last evening but folks, you keep those prayers coming because GOD is more powerful than anything or anyone and I was totally stunned when I saw him this morning; far, far from what he was last night.
I will be seeing him again tomorrow and will wait til after I see him to give you another post.
GOD BLESS and TLC. - Marian Justice Cocke.
Please send positive thoughts and prayers for a full recovery
(News, Source;MJC/ElvisInfoNet) |
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'Graceland’ New Book: 'Graceland' is a new book (labelled as “Historical Fiction) by author Bethan Roberts.
Described as .. A new novel from Bethan Roberts – a brilliant recreation of the early life of Elvis Presley, the making of ‘the King’, and a heartbreaking portrait of the very intense love between him and his mother, Gladys
What happens when your only son becomes The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll?
From the moment she first holds him, after his twin brother is stillborn, Gladys Presley loves her son Elvis ferociously. She will be his greatest influence, the love of his life. She will be the one by his side, when Elvis is a boy and his father is in the jailhouse; as the family move from place to place, skirting poverty in Tupelo, Mississippi; as Elvis’s obsession with music grows; as they move to Memphis and he begins his whirlwind rise to never-before-seen success…
And he will love her back, even as his heart is turned by the blues, clothes and girls. But while he makes it big in Hollywood, brings audiences across the land to their knees and achieves unimagined wealth and fame, there is another story – of drinking and diet pills, loneliness and loss. While the heat and music of the American South in the 40s and 50s play in the background, a heartbreaking portrait of a mother’s love and a son’s devotion takes centre stage.
When Elvis reaches the height of his power, he buys his family the ultimate mansion on the hill, Graceland, where he hopes his mother will be happy.
The reality, though, is very different, and Elvis finds that even kings must go on alone. . . .
Go here to Penguin Books for info -
Hardback out Feb 19 - 432 pages
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet)
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The dark truth about Elvis' relationship with his mother: To publicise her new book 'Graceland' (see above) author Bethan Roberts wrote an article for the UK's Telegraph newspaper.
The article includes...
In the 1957 film musical Loving You, Elvis Presley’s alter-ego, Deke Rivers, performs Got a Lot o’ Livin’ to Do in a coast-to-coast broadcast that will win over the hearts of the American nation, even those who once dismissed our hero as a juvenile delinquent.
- Captured on film in the audience is Elvis’s real-life mother, Gladys. She sits at the end of a row, clapping along, never missing a beat. When Deke leaps from the stage, she almost rises from her seat, unable to contain her excitement, just like the thousands of girls who attended Elvis’s shows. She’s considerably overweight and appears older than her 44 years, but for those few moments on screen, she looks every inch the proud mother basking in her son’s remarkable success.
- Gladys was very much part of the Presley package, right from the start. Early magazine features often mentioned Elvis’s closeness to his parents, particularly his mother. His devotion was intensified, the stories suggested, by his being not only a God-fearing southern boy, but also an only child whose twin brother died at birth. |
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| Elvis told one interviewer that if he couldn’t sleep, his mother would rise from her own bed in order to talk through his worries with him, no matter how late the hour.
- However, behind the media image was a darker truth. Far from being transported into some blissful American dream by Elvis’s rise to superstardom, his mother was actually plunged into despair.
... Gladys’s dream was for her son to become a businessman and settle down with a wife and family. But when he was 19 – having spent the past year trying to get the manager of Sun Records, Sam Phillips, to notice him – he cut a record, That’s All Right, and it got played on the radio. Gladys said she was so shaken by hearing Elvis’s name spoken by the DJ that she couldn’t hear the song.
You can read this two ways. Naturally, she was excited and proud. But she was also scared. After all, the last time her husband’s full name was uttered aloud in public would have been when he received his jail sentence. To Gladys, there was something dangerous about being exposed in this way.
Her fears were not unfounded. For the first few months of his success, Gladys and Vernon attended Elvis’s shows. At one high school dance, the audience mobbed the bandstand, trying to get their hands on Elvis. Gladys threw herself into the throng, picking the girls off her son and demanding, “Why you trying to kill my boy?” |
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After a show in May 1955, hundreds of teenage girls broke into his dressing room and stripped him of his clothes. Elvis treated the whole thing as a bit of a joke, but Gladys began to fear for her son’s life.
The real trouble for Gladys was that she was losing her son. His career kept him away from home for months at a time, taking him to places she could barely imagine. In 1957, the family moved to Graceland, the 14-acre, colonial-style mansion Elvis bought in the hope of making his increasingly miserable mother happy.
It’s often said that Elvis’s tragedy was the early loss of his mother. And you can hear it in his voice, which is haunted by the woman he had to leave, the only woman he ever really loved, the woman he could never make happy. What’s less often noticed is Gladys’s tragedy. Her son’s success brought her the big house and fancy cars he’d promised. But she couldn’t drive, and she was left alone in the house, waiting for him to call.
- You can find the whole article via telegraph.co.uk
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
MRS APRIL 2019 VINYL Releases: MRS have announced two special VINYL products to be released on Record Store Day 13th April 2019.
Both titles will be Limited Edition 180-gram 2LP sets with a 24-page photo spread gatefold with stunning pictures.
The titles are ‘Made in Germany – Private Recordings’ which features the best of the remastered private recordings Elvis made in Germany and ‘The Complete ‘50s Movie Masters & Alternate Recordings’ containing all the movie masters and movie versions from the 1950’s.
The audio from Elvis' private recordings has been painstakingly cleaned, repaired, and restored, using the most sophisticated technology.
Elvis vinyl fans can now enjoy these truly historical recordings including the newly found 'Like A Baby', 'He Knows Just What I Need', 'His Hand in Mine', 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' and 'Cool Water' for the very first time. |
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‘The Complete ‘50s Movie Masters & Alternate Recordings’ features one side of vinyl dedicated to each one of Elvis' four fifties movies and includes gems such as
the STEREO 'Love Me Tender' recordings, 'Treat Me Nice' and 'Jailhouse Rock' in STEREO as well as the delightful 'Crawfish' Movie Master Edit from King Creole.
Something to look forward to on Record Day 2019.
Click here to 'ELVIS: All The CD News 2019' for full tracklistings and details.
(News, Source;MRS/ElvisInfoNet)
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Two New FTD Releases OUT NOW: FTD's two new releases a 1974 double-soundboard & special double-VINYL of 'Kissin Cousins' are OUT NOW. The book has been delayed.
- "ELVIS: St. Paul to Wichita - October '74".
Released as a 5" digipack, and taken from the original soundboard source, this 2-CD set features Elvis in excellent form from the fall tour of 1974.
Elvis' 1974 September / October tour saw him on a post Desert-Storm emotional and physical roller-coaster. Some shows were particularly poor. However FTD promise that "Elvis was in great form and using a variety of repertoire."
Neither show has previously been released, even on bootleg, so it will be very interesting to discover how Elvis performed these nights.
Disc 1: 1 See See Rider, 2 I Got A Woman/Amen, 3 Love Me, 4 Blue Suede Shoes, 5 Until It's Time For You To Go, 6 Big Boss Man, 7 Fever, 8 If You Love Me (Let Me Know), 9 Love Me Tender, 10 Hound Dog, 11 Introductions including: Lawdy, Miss Clawdy, 12 All Shook Up, 13 Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel,
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14 The Wonder Of You, 15 Why Me Lord, 16 Heartbreak Hotel, 17 Let Me Be There, 18 Hawaiian Wedding Song, 19 American Trilogy, 20 Johnny B. Goode, 21 You Gave Me A Mountain (Rest of show is missing on the source tape)
Disc 1 recorded at Civic Center, St. Paul, Minnesota. Oct 2, 1974 - Click to SONY / FTD 2019 releases for more info
- 'Kissin' Cousins' Double-Vinyl Limited Edition.
FTD promises that this special double-album contains great alternative versions of songs from the film soundtrack sessions and related tracks.
Mastered at Abbey Road Studios
Released in 180 gram format.
LP1, SIDE 1:1 Kissin' Cousins (# 2) (unedited master), 2 Smokey Mountain Boy (track, take 1-intro & take 4/M), 3 Catchin' On Fast (unedited master), 4 There's Gold In The Mountains (track, takes 1-2), 5 Kissin' Cousins (track, take 1), 7 One Boy Two Little Girls (master), 8 Pappy Won't You Please Come Home (Dolores Edgin vocal, take 6/M)
SIDE 2 1 Kissin' Cousins (hillbilly vocal), 2 Anyone (Could Fall in Love with You) (v.o. take 2/alternate master), 3 Barefoot Ballad (instrumental), 4 There's Gold In The Mountains (instrumental), 5 Smokey Mountain Boy (master), 6 Once Is Enough (master), 7 Tender Feeling (track, take 1), 8 Catchin' On Fast (track, take 1 & ending take 2)
- Click to SONY / FTD 2019 releases for more info |
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- 'Through the Lens of Phillip Harrington' New Book.
FTD have said that their book with 'Flaming Star' has been delayed until end of February. 'Through the Lens of Phillip Harrington' includes more than 350 photos, with over 150 unpublished from the original negatives of Phillip Harrington.
A bonus CD features Elvis live at Robinson Memorial Auditorium, Little Rock, Arkansas, May 16, 1956.
EIN notes that Phillip Harrington photographed Elvis in May 1956 (some of his photos are truly iconic) and 83 of his images can be checked out and bought at the Fine Art gallery. - Click here to Fine Art America
(News, Source/FTD/ElvisInfoNet) |
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New format - Elvis Presley (Experimental Release 6) High Definition Music Card (Blu-ray): Have you heard about the new format that will replace the music CD and revolutionize the music industry as you know it? Let us introduce to you the new High Definition Music Card. If you love music, then you have a lot of sources to choose from today.
But, if you REALLY love music, you're probably not satisfied with the sound quality of what you are listening to. Your frustration is comparable to a viewer watching a movie in IMAX and 3-D at the local theater, and then seeing the same recording on their Smartphone... wow, what a difference.
See, the High Definition Music Card is based on an advanced technology that places each sound in a unique 3-D location in space. Well, now you can get that 3-D type of experience in music by using The High Definition Music Card. |
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Developed by Alexander Goldberg Jero, winner of prestigious Surround Music Awards, The High Definition Music Card is a new USB format device for delivering music content that features the latest advances in surround sound reproduction that compares with no other format in the world.
The release features 11 Elvis tracks licensed from Sony Music plus a swag of bonus extras. Available only on a pre-order basis so if you are interested you'd be wise to order quickly.
EIN NOTE: Please investigate the new technology before purchasing. Back in 2002 David Bendeth produced the rather fine 'Surround Sound' 5.1 version of 'Elvis 30#1 Hits'. While the multitrack Elvis recordings (ie Memphis Sessions onward) sounded fantastic, the manipulated 3 track stereo or mono recordings were trickier fare.
From the tracklist it looks that newer 'Where No One Stand Alone' overdub versions could be in this playlist. There is no way that the recordings come from "7.1 / 5.1 surround sound configuration" original RCA masters.
(News, Source:Amazon/ElvisInfoNet) |
Elvis Items at RR Auction: The RR auction for 'Fine Autographs and Artifacts' features a couple of neat Elvis items.
- A signed Elvis photo from MGM, Culver City on July 1, 1966. Described as (lot #579) Bold ink signature "Elvis Presley" on an off-white 5 x 3 card, with a typed collector's notation indicating that it was signed after an impromptu photo session at MGM in Culver City on July 1, 1966. In fine condition, with faint toning. Accompanied by a modern reprint of one of the photographs taken at the time, as well as a few other unsigned modern Elvis pictures.
With 14 bids and going for $1300
- 'Cufflinks worn by the King' - Elvis Presley's personally owned pair of gold-tone mesh cufflinks with swivel backs, each inset with a large yellowish green faceted stone encircled by smaller diamond-like gems. Presley gifted these cufflinks to his friend, Las Vegas physician Elias Ghanem, in the 1970s. In fine condition. Accompanied by a letter of authenticity from Bud Glass at The King's Ransom Museum, who notes that "Elvis gifted many things to Dr. Ghanem, including a Stutz automobile, and many of Elvis' own personal jewelry items, including watches, rings, pendants and several pair of cufflinks.In the mid 2000's, major Elvis collector-Chris Davidson of the world famous Elvis-A-Rama Museum purchased the entire Elvis collection of items.from the widow of Dr. Ghanem.Many of the items were sent directly to me. Among the items were the green stone, gold mesh cufflinks."
With 10 bids now standing at $860
Click here to RR auctions to bid - Closes February 6.
(News, Source;RR/ElvisInfoNet) |
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NBC's 'All-Star Elvis Presley Tribute' Gets International Distributor: Good news for worldwide Elvis fans who are interested to see the new 'All-Star Elvis Presley Tribute' as the show will be distributed internationally by Alfred Haber Television.
The distributor has landed the rights to the one-off show, which goes out on the U.S. network on Feb. 17.
The special celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1968 NBC special that helped Presley climb back up to the top of the charts.
Jennifer Lopez, Keith Urban, Josh Groban, Carrie Underwood and Blake Shelton will all be in the new show. The modern-day stars will perform Elvis classics including "Heartbreak Hotel," "Hound Dog," "All Shook Up" and "Blue Suede Shoes."
There will also be outtakes from the 1960s special and interviews from those involved in that original broadcast. Veteran music producer Ken Ehrlich will produce the new show.
"We all know Elvis Presley as the king of Rock 'n' Roll, but it was his '68 comeback special on NBC that truly secured his reign," said Alfred Haber. "Now, 50 years later, the 'Elvis All-Star Tribute' is the fitting salute to the man, his music, and the night he reclaimed his crown."
Alfred Haber handles international sales for a raft of U.S.-produced music shows and events, including the coverage of the Grammy Awards.
No news on which Australian channel has picked up the rights as yet.
(News, Source;NBC/ElvisInfoNet) |
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| Elvis News and articles from earlier in the week.... |
'Suspicious Minds' - Elvis' Greatest Single?: It was FIFTY YEARS AGO, in the early morning hours of January 23, 1969, that Elvis recorded the song that would guarantee his true musical
renaissance would last through until his all-too-early demise almost a
decade later. 'Suspicious Minds' would be released on August 26th 1969. While the NBC '68 TV Special, along with the single 'In the Ghetto' had pushed Elvis back to the forefront of popular culture, it would be the release of Elvis' last US Number 1 single that would ultimately prove to all the critics that Elvis was a still relevant contemporary musical force.
Back in 2009 EIN celebrated the 40th anniversary of this Number One single and looked back in detail at the history of this classic song, including new interviews with Marty Lacker and Bobby Wood, as well as insights from composer Mark James and producer Chips Moman.
Go here for this fascinating spotlight
(Spotlight, Source; ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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Maxine Brown, Country Music Hall of Fame Singer, Passed away at 87: Sad news as we learn that the great Maxine Brown has died aged 87.
(Ella) Maxine Brown was a member of the groundbreaking trio the Browns with siblings Jim Ed and Bonnie Brown. She died January 21 in hospice care in Little Rock, she was 87.
To Elvis fans she is best known for touring with Elvis Presley back in 1955 and tells some fabulous stories of sharing special moments with Elvis in her biography 'Looking Back to See'.
As one of the premier vocal groups bridging the gap of pop and country music in the late Fifties, the Browns’ silky smooth harmony vocals turned the 1959 single, “The Three Bells,” based on the 1945 French tune “Les Trois Cloches,” into a 10-week Number One hit on the country chart. The trio’s version also topped Billboard’s Hot 100 for four weeks.
An influence for decades on acts from the Beatles to Little Big Town, the Browns joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1963, and scored other hits including Jim Ed and Maxine’s Top Ten, “Looking Back to See” in 1954, and the trio’s “Here Today and Gone Tomorrow,” “I Heard the Bluebirds Sing” and the sentimental favorite, “Scarlet Ribbons (for Her Hair).” |
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Born Ella Maxine Brown in Campti, Louisiana, on April 27th, 1931, Maxine joined her brother and sister to perform at church and other social functions during their teen years. Maxine signed her brother up for a talent contest on Little Rock radio station KLRA’s “Barnyard Frolic,” and although he didn’t win, Jim Ed was invited to become a member of the show’s cast. Maxine would soon join him, and in 1954 they began appearing on Shreveport’s hugely influential Louisiana Hayride, as “Looking Back to See” became their debut hit. Bonnie joined the following year.
The trio toured with Elvis Presley and, like Presley, would sign to RCA Records in 1955.
With producer Chet Atkins at the helm, the Brown recorded 250 sides for the label. They also toured the U.S. and Europe where “The Three Bells” would scale the charts in the U.K., Norway, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands. The record also topped the Australian charts. In 1964, the Browns were nominated for a Best Vocal Group Performance Grammy for their LP, Grand Ole Opry Favorites, but lost the award to the Beatles’ A Hard Day’s Night.
Their second Grammy nod came in 1967 in the Best Sacred Performance category, with the award going to their longtime friend Elvis Presley.
She published her autobiography Looking Back to See and in 2012, she was honored with the Ella Dicky Literary Award for the memoir. In 2015, the Browns became members of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Jim Ed Brown died in 2015, two months after the Hall of Fame announcement was made, and Bonnie Brown died in 2016.
(News, Source;NP/ElvisInfoNet) - Please Read EIN Book Review below about Maxine Brown & The Browns |
'Nashville Chrome' - Book Review: In the late fifties the Country Music group The Browns - Maxine, Bonnie, and Jim Ed - were enjoying unprecedented international success, rivaled only by their longtime friend Elvis Presley. The book 'Nashville Chrome' by author Rick Bass presents a vivid evocation of an era in American music, while at its heart it is a wrenching meditation on the complexities of fame and of one family who experienced them firsthand.
Just two months ago it was announced that The Browns would be inducted into Country Music Hall of Fame. With immaculate timing, EIN contributor Susan McDougall reviews the 2010 publication 'Nashville Chrome' about this fascinating group.
The connection between The Browns and Elvis is an interesting topic - and as always Susan presents both the positives and negatives about publishing a book about such a well-researched period.
Read Susan's full review
(Book Review, Source: EIN, May 2015) |
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'Elvis in Vegas' New Book: Announced on EIN a few months ago we now have more details about the new book 'Elvis in Vegas' by Richard Zoglin.
... The story of how Las Vegas saved Elvis and Elvis saved Las Vegas in the greatest musical comeback of all time.
The conventional wisdom is that Las Vegas is what destroyed Elvis Presley: launching him on a downward spiral of drugs, boredom, erratic stage behavior, and eventually his fatal overdose. But in Elvis in Vegas, Richard Zoglin takes a revisionist view, arguing that Vegas is where the King of Rock and Roll resurrected his career, reinvented himself as a performer, and created the most exciting show in Vegas history.
Elvis’s 1969 opening night in Vegas was his first time back on a live stage in more than eight years. His career had gone sour - bad movies, mediocre pop songs that no longer made the charts - and he’d been dismissed by most critics as over the hill. But in Vegas he played the biggest showroom in the biggest hotel in the city, drawing more people for his four-week engagement than any other show in Vegas history. His performance got rave reviews, 'Suspicious Minds' gave him his first number-one hit in seven years, and Elvis became Vegas’s biggest star. Over the next seven years, he performed more than 800 shows there, and sold out every one.
Las Vegas was changed too. The intimate night-club-style shows of the Rat Pack, who made Vegas the nation’s premier live-entertainment center in the 1950s and ‘60s, catered largely to well-heeled older gamblers. Elvis brought a new kind of experience: an over-the-top, rock-concert-like extravaganza. He set a new bar for Vegas performers, with the biggest salary, the biggest musical production, and the biggest promotion campaign |
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the city had ever seen. In doing so, Elvis opened the door to a new generation of pop/rock performers, and brought a new audience to Vegas - a mass audience from Middle America that Vegas depends on for its success to this day.
A classic comeback tale set against the backdrop of Las Vegas’s golden age, Richard Zoglin’s Elvis in Vegas is a feel-good story for the ages.
This title will be released on July 23, 2019 -
Click here to Amazon for more details
(News, Source;SS/ElvisInfoNet) |
'Bruce Jackson On The Road With Elvis' New Book: Bruce Jackson was Elvis Presley's touring soundman for six years. On July 5, 1976, in Memphis at the end of a tour, Elvis gave Bruce a gold TCB necklace and welcomed him to the inner circle, adding that it was long overdue.
Bruce Jackson came from Sydney, Australia. In about 1971, when he was just 22, he became the sound engineer for Elvis Presley. Bruce revolutionised Elvis Presley's sound. He was the first person to put the speakers up off the ground, and fly them from scaffolding. After Elvis died in 1977 he then became Bruce Springsteen's front of house guy. A lot of the sound and techniques in common use today come from elements that Bruce Jackson developed.
'Bruce Jackson On The Road With Elvis' is OUT NOW and the story was recently featured on Australian TV Channel TEN as "The Aussie Legend Who Made Elvis Presley Sound His Best" - While Elvis
Presley fans think they know it all about the King, many might be
surprised to find out about the story of Aussie sound engineer Bruce
Jackson who worked closely with him. His brother, author Gary Jackson and friend were in the studio to share the story of his life on the road
with Elvis.
The video also includes footage of Bruce Jackson from a few years ago talking of his times with Elvis.
CLICK HERE to Channel TEN to watch the 10 minute interview.
Bruce Jackson On The Road With Elvis features many original, never-before-published photographs from the Jackson family collection. |
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In six years with the Elvis Presley Show Bruce established a close professional and personal bond with Elvis who trusted him implicitly to deliver the best sound possible. Bruce's inventions and technical advances were adopted by the entire live concert touring industry.
"Bruce was killed flying his own plane in Death Valley, California in 2011. He was a keen collector of memorabilia and left a haunting day to day record of his life on the road in postcards, letters and talking tapes. I've used them plus interviews with his colleagues and my own experience as his younger brother to write a fitting tribute to both men. The book delivers an intimate, engaging narrative of Bruce's extraordinary life, up close with the world's top performer. After Elvis died, Elvis-fan Bruce Springsteen hired Bruce Jackson, saying "I've got Elvis's guy... Elvis's man is working for me in the house." - Gary Jackson
Years of work have gone into making this book a fitting tribute. Bruce's first person narrative and contributions by friends and colleagues plus the eye-witness perspective of his brother Gary come together for an extraordinary insight. Elvis came to respect Bruce Jackson as much as Bruce respected Elvis Presley.
Click HERE to the 'Bruce Jackson On The Road With Elvis' Facebook page for all the details.
(News, Source;EM/ElvisInfoNet) |
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First 'Graceland Live' Concerts Announced: Graceland have announced the artists and dates for the first "Graceland Live" concerts of 2019.
This is part of the new Graceland / Live Nation partnership hoping to make Graceland as a top live music destination in the region.
The first concert with Bret Michaels is on March 23.
The state-of-the-art Graceland Soundstage features two giant 20' x 12' screens and can accommodate 1,600 fans for seated shows and over 2,000 fans for general admission (standing) shows.
The Graceland Guest House Theater gives fans a powerful, yet intimate experience, 464-seat capacity.
Nine performances are already confirmed for 2019 Graceland Live shows, and the of list shows include:
March 23 - Bret Michaels (Graceland Soundstage)
April 6 Billy Gardell (Graceland Guest House Theater)
April 13 - George Thorogood and The Destroyers (Graceland Soundstage)
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April 19 - Buckcherry (Graceland Soundstage)
May 3 - Allman Betts Band (Graceland Soundstage)
June 2 - Stryper (Graceland Soundstage)
June 16 - Boz Scaggs (Graceland Soundstage)
June 22 - Chubby Checker & The Wildcats (Soundstage)
August 21 Brian Setzer's Rockabilly Riot (Soundstage)
Tickets on sale now. CLICK HERE to EPE and are available to fans that visit GracelandLive.com and sign up for LiveFeed.
Tickets went on sale Friday, January 25.
Graceland Live will host icons, national touring artists and rising stars, and fans returning to Graceland or visiting for the first time can explore the new world of Graceland and be part of a once-in-lifetime entertainment experience.
(News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet) |
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| EIN exclusives and News from earlier in January ... |
Guitarist Reggie Young - Died, age 82: While this week celebrates the 50th anniversary of Elvis' musical renaissance at the American Sound Memphis sessions, it is incredibly sad to hear that legendary Memphis Boys guitarist Reggie Young (far right) passed away Thursday aged 82.
When you listen to 'Suspicious Minds', 'In The Ghetto', the classic sitar of 'You'll Think Of Me', Dusty's 'Son Of A Preacher Man' or Neil Diamond's 'Sweet Caroline' it is Reggie Young's guitar playing that leads the way.
Young started his illustrious career in Memphis, where he was an in-demand session player working with acclaimed producer Chips Moman, and opened for the Beatles with the Bill Black Combo in 1964.
At Moman's American Studio in Memphis, he played the signature sitar intro on 'Hooked on a Feeling' by B.J. Thomas, 'Son of a Preacher Man' by Dusty Springfield and 'Sweet Caroline' by Neil Diamond.
Reggie Young first played with Elvis in 1969 on the "Memphis Sessions" and again when Elvis returned to STAX in 1973.
After moving to Nashville in the 1970s, he became part of the Nashville Cats session players recording hundreds of songs for top country stars. Young added guitar to No. 1 records including "Luckenbach, Texas," by Jennings, "Pancho and Lefty" by Nelson and Merle Haggard and "Always On My Mind," by Nelson.
When the Highwaymen super group formed between Nelson, Jennings, Johnny Cash, and Kris Kristofferson, Young played on their No. 1 records and even toured with them.
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The 82-year-old Young died Thursday night at his home outside Nashville, following an illustrious seven-decade career.
His passing was confirmed by family, friends and several artists he worked with, including singer B.J. Thomas.
“From the first time I was in the studio with Reggie in 1967, we just fit together like a hand in a glove, and over the years became like brothers,” Thomas said.
Born in 1936 in Caruthersville, Missouri, and raised in Osceola, Arkansas, Young moved with his family to Memphis in 1950 at the age of 14. A relative prodigy, Young was gigging professionally at age 15. He would go on to back local rockabilly singer Eddie Bond — putting his signature lick on Bond's hit "Rockin' Daddy" — before being hired away by country star Johnny Horton. In the late-'50s Young would land as the house guitarist at the fledgling South Memphis’ Royal Studios/Hi Records, making hits with Bill Black’s Combo.
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After being drafted and serving a stint in the Army, where he was stationed in Africa, and recruited by and rebuffed an offer to join the CIA, Young returned stateside where he began his stunning session guitarist career.
Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum Founder Joe Chambers remembers.. After moving to Nashville Reggie’s intro to “Drift Away” alone would be enough for most musicians to hang their professional hat on for a lifetime not to mention Reggie’s drawer full of other incredible riffs or just being a member of the Highwaymen band or being on Eric Clapton’s list of favorite guitarists. Like so many other great musicians who have passed, Reggie is still with us every time we hear his guitar on the radio which is, thankfully, all the time. Reggie was among the first group of musicians inducted into The Musicians Hall of Fame and Museum as a member of The Memphis Boys in 2007. I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again, the most talented musicians I’ve ever met are usually also the nicest and Reggie was positively both of those.
(News, Source;NP/ElvisInfoNet) |
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Elvis Week 2019 Schedule announced: Graceland is excited to announce its preliminary line-up of events for Elvis Week 2019 this August.
More details, including additional events and guests, plus ticket prices and packages, will be announced the week of January 28 & tickets on sale early February.
There will be exciting changes at Elvis Week 2019, including our live music pavilion that will feature continuous live entertainment and a comfortable area for fans to recharge and reconnect. Whether this is your first time or you have been coming for many years, this is the perfect year to experience Elvis Week in Memphis with exciting new changes, an all-star line-up of guests and more free events than ever before!
Elvis Week 2019 will of course be heavily focused on the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ legendary recording sessions at Memphis’ American Sound Studio that included the sensational 'Suspicious Minds', 'In the Ghetto', 'Kentucky Rain', 'Power Of My Love' and “Don’t Cry Daddy.” Elvis 1969 "Return To Splendor" and live concerts in Las Vegas will also be celebrated.
Highlights already announced ...
- American Sound Studio Panel
Enjoy stories and memories from those who shared the studio with Elvis in 1969 for his legendary recording sessions at American Sound that produced songs such as “Suspicious Minds,” “In the Ghetto” and “Don’t Cry Daddy.” Hosted by Tom Brown, confirmed panelists include Memphis Boys Bobby Wood and Gene Chrisman, Mary and Ginger Holladay, who sang back-up vocals; with more special guests to be announced soon.
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- American Sound 50th Anniversary Celebration Concert
An incredible night of music as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ legendary recording sessions at Memphis’ American Sound Studio. Join Memphis Boys Bobby Wood and Gene Chrisman, along with special guests the Holladay Sisters, Andy Childs and Terry Mike Jeffrey.
- 1969 50th Anniversary Concert – Elvis Returns to Vegas
Celebrate the 50th anniversary of Elvis’ triumphant return to the stage at the International Hotel in Las Vegas with a celebration concert featuring those who shared the stage with Elvis that evening. The concert will feature Elvis live in concert on the big screen, with performances by Elvis’ TCB Band – James Burton, Ronnie Tutt, and Glen Hardin – along with Imperials Terry Blackwood and Jim Murray.
- Elvis in Vegas Panel
Hear stories and memories from those who shared the stage with Elvis, starting with his 1969 return to the live performances through the 1970s. Hosted by Tom Brown, confirmed guests include TCB Band members James Burton, Ronnie Tutt and Glen Hardin, plus Imperials Terry Blackwood and Jim Murray.
Click HERE TO EPE for their initial schedule
(News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet) |
'From Elvis To Garth' Bobby Wood & The Memphis Boys; EIN contributor Pamela Mays Decker back in 2009 turned a much-needed spotlight on Bobby Wood, keyboardist and a musical inspiration behind Elvis' important 1969 Memphis sessions. Extraordinarily back in 2009 the 40th anniversary of Elvis' pivotal recordings at American Studios has essentially passed without so much as a whimper and with no respectful fanfare from EPE. As part of The Memphis Boys Bobby Wood recorded some astounding material which totalled over 100 chart hits in four years – a feat yet unmatched. He is writing his memoirs subtitled "From Elvis to Garth" which is slated for later this year.
Go here for a fascinating look into Bobby Wood and this amazing musical scene.
(Spotlight, Source;Pam Decker/EIN)
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MRS 'Made In Germany' Deluxe set: The final details have been announced for MRS' new special celebration of Elvis' home recordings in Germany.
MRS will release the 4CD/152-page book entitled ‘Elvis - Made In Germany – The Complete Private Recordings’ on 8 March 2019.
The CD set contains more than 3 hours of all the private recordings Elvis made while off duty in Germany when he was serving as a soldier in the US army during the 1958 -1960 period and, includes rare tracks from a recently discovered tape comprising over an hour of unheard personal recordings.
Although the original tapes were damaged with noise, hiss and distortion, for the first time ever, all of Elvis’ recordings made in Germany, have now all been painstakingly cleaned, repaired, and restored, using the most sophisticated technology. This means that, finally, these truly historical recordings now provide for a complete and enjoyable listening experience.
Over the coming weeks, prior to the release date, MRS will be releasing previews of our high restoration techniques through the various collectors forums and channels, providing audio comparisons with all the previous poorly
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mastered versions - including those included on the recent FTD release which we acknowledge contains some of the tracks also contained in this set.
The 152-page hardback book contains rare unpublished photographs and documents, complemented by a comprehensive text provided by Gordon Minto, which discusses each of Elvis’ RCA studio (non-film) recording sessions held during 1957-58, before focusing on the private recordings he made in Germany.
The BONUS CD included features the essential RCA studio masters from the 1957-’58 period (also lovingly restored and remastered by MRS) and includes - together for the first time - studio banter AS WELL AS the count-ins on ‘All Shook Up’, ‘Don’t Leave Me Now’ and ‘White Christmas’.
The ELVIS Made in Germany CD set is available for preorder from your local Elvis dealer now.
Also, watch out for the announcement in the coming weeks for the Limited Edition 180-gram 2LP/24-page VINYL gatefold version, containing the best of the home recordings Elvis made in Germany!
CD1 features Elvis recording at home Guitar Reel 1 plus relevant September 1958 Interviews
CD2 features recently discovered Guitar Reel 2 including home recordings of 'Like A Baby', 'He Knows Just What I Need', 'His Hand in Mine' and 'Cool Water'
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CD3 features Piano Reel including home recordings of 'Earth Angel', 'Soldier Boy', 'I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen' and 'I Asked the Lord'.
Bonus Disc CD4 features 'The Essential RCA Studio Masters 1957 & 1958' with count-ins and studio banter.
Click here to 'Elvis: All The CD News 2019' for full tracklistings
(News, Source;MRS/ElvisInfoNet) |
Tupelo Elvis Festival 2019: The Tupelo Elvis Festival is a celebration designed to honour Tupelo's native son, Elvis Presley, and the impact his music continues to have on the world.
The 21st Annual Tupelo Elvis Festival is on June 5 - 9, 2019.
The Southeast Tourism Society has recently named the festival one of the STS Top 20 Events in the Southeast for June 2019.
Travel industry experts select 20 events per month, and STS publicizes them throughout the United States.
Dick Guyton, the executive director of the Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum, says the festival bring in international tourists from over 30 countries.
The CVB estimates that it brings about a million dollars a year in revenue for the city.
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For some people, this festival is one of the most important events of their year.
And with so many people visiting, the push is for people to stay in Tupelo for the entire festival.
Click to the Tupelo Elvis festival website for more information
(News, Source;Tupelo/ElvisInfoNet) |
'Elvis All-Star Tribute' NBC Promo pics: The publicity is building fast to promote the up-coming 'Elvis All-Star Tribute'. Various stars have posted promo pictures and the tabloids are also featuring the story.
Some new photos shows the "Sit-down" stage set-up as well as some of the Production numbers.
A preview image of the 'If I Can Dream' grand finale featuring Elvis and Blake Shelton (and others) has also been released.
The press notes that Jennifer Lopez and Carrie Underwood will be just a few of the musical stars paying tribute to Elvis Presley during the upcoming special, Elvis All-Star Tribute.
The show will include musical performances, interviews with Priscilla Presley and Steve Binder, the director of the original special, plus a special appearance from Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.
Jennifer Lopez (below right) and Carrie Underwood have been pictured on stage taping the upcoming NBC special, which will pay tribute to The King's 1968 'comeback special.'
The 49-year-old Lopez was wearing a shimmering bodysuit and black heels while on stage, where she performed the classic track Heartbreak Hotel
The 35-year-old Carrie Underwood was wearing a shimmering black mini-dress with black heels, while performing two songs as part of all-star medleys.
Underwood sings a Gospel Medley with Yolanda Adams featuring How Great Thou Art, He Touched Me and You'll Never Walk Alone
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The two-hour special is hosted by Blake Shelton, who sings three Elvis hits on his own, Trouble, Guitar Man and Suspicious Minds.
Shelton is also part of the Hits Medley with Mac Davis, Post Malone, Little Big Town and Hootie and the Blowfish singer Darius Rucker, which includes That's All Right, Don't Be Cruel and Blue Suede Shoes.
Shelton's final performance is a new version of the song that closed out the original special, If I Can Dream. On this new "Duet" he shares the stage with Underwood, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes and Darius Rucker which also features Presley's original vocals.
Other performances include Hound Dog by Shawn Mendes (right), Burning Love by Keith Urban, Baby, What You Want Me To Do by Urban and Post Malone and Jailhouse Rock by John Fogarty. |
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The line-up also includes Can't Help Falling In Love by Ed Sheeran, Love Me Tender by Aleesia Cara, Memories by Mac Davis, A Little Less Conversation by John Legend (right) and Are You Lonesome Tonight by Little Big Town.
The final performances include Blue Suede Shoes by Adam Lambert, Love Me by Pistol Annies, Little Sister by Dierks Bentley and It's Now or Never by Josh Groban.
On February 15, two days before the special airs, RCA/Legacy Records will release The Best of the '68 Comeback Special.
The album includes 15 remastered Elvis performances from the 'stand-up' and 'sit-down' shows filmed for the '68 broadcast, plus three original studio recordings to represent songs that appear in the new special.
The Elvis All-Star Tribute airs Sunday, February 17 from 9 PM ET to 11 PM ET on NBC.
(News, Source;NBC/Various/ElvisInfoNet) |
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| Sunday 13 January 2019 - FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY - - - - |
The Memphis Sessions - 50 Years ago Today: It seems impossible that it was fifty years ago this month that Elvis walked into American Studios in Memphis and started work on what are probably his most celebrated sessions, maybe even better than those made at Sun.
Not as influential, of course, but certainly deeper and darker from both the point of view of lyrics and Elvis’s emotional involvement. He was no longer a (relatively) innocent teenager singing about love to his sweetheart, but someone who had really experienced love as an adult.
Elvis could also sing about loss in a way he couldn’t fifteen years earlier, he had lived, and he seemed to pour all of his experiences into the recordings at America, and didn’t care about laying bare his soul. In fact, he knew he had to.
This was make or break....
In this fascinating article EIN contributor Shane Brown investigates the importance of The Memphis Sessions and the press reaction from the time...
(Spotlight, Source;ShaneBrown/ElvisInfoNet) |
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Duke Bardwell performs for Elvis at Lake Tahoe 1974: Elvis bassist Duke Bardwell has recently toured in Arjan Deelen's "An Evening with Elvis' Friends and Original Musicians" production.
While talking about his time with Elvis it has become the stuff of legend that one night in late ’74, a tired Elvis Presley asked his bassplayer Duke Bardwell to do a song. Duke, initially taken a bit aback, then got a guitar from Charlie Hodge and performed John Prine’s ‘Please Don’t Bury Me’… and rocked the house. It’s a great story, but until now, there was no documentation whatsoever: no photos, no recordings….
Finally over 40 years later evidence has been uncovered. (photo right)
Duke Bardwell explained to Arjan Deelen, “We had done something that we had not done before. We had gone out on a relatively short tour, and then we went to Tahoe for about five days. I still don't know why the Colonel had it lined up like that, but we did it. |
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| By the time we got towards the end of our stay there, Elvis was worn out. It was obvious to all of us on stage. He was sluggish and obviously tired. He didn't have his real vocal power and he was running out of gas, but he wanted to give them their money's worth. He got all the singers individually to do a song ... Elvis was still looking for something to do. Of course, all the musicians knew that I play and sang, because I always was playing and singing at all of our parties, after the shows in the dressing room, at the hotels ... They knew some of my songs. Elvis was obviously hesitating and thinking of something else to do, and Ronnie said: 'Let Bardwell sing'. He just went, 'Yeah, right ...'. And Guercio said, 'No, really. You wanna do something else, let him sing, because he can sing'. So Elvis went, 'Ladies and gentlemen, my bassplayer is going to sing now'. So Charlie Hodge gave me his guitar and I got Charlie's mike. Charlie was holding another mike on the guitar, for me to play it. And I didn't know what to do. I mean, how am I going to follow Kathy Westmoreland doing 'My Heavenly Father'? And Donnie Sumner said, 'Do the Hurricane song'. You know, 'Please Don't Bury Me' by John Prine. It's one that they all thought was funny, and they all knew how it went. I started that song, and by the time I got to the first chorus, the whole band got in it. By the time I got to that chorus, the singers that knew the song were |
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doing the harmony parts to it. He looked a bit unsettled, you know, 'Hey, wait a minute ... You all know this. How come I don't know anything about it?'. It got to the last verse of the song that's a bit off color, and he really enjoyed that part. We were going from 'My Heavenly Father' to 'Kiss My Ass Goodbye', and it just took everybody by surprise. Elvis really got off on it. He really didn't know it – they didn't know who John Prine was. That was a really good moment, because I had shown him a part of me that he didn't know of. He knew that what we had just done was showbusiness, and it was good showbusiness, because it was entertaining.
I went back to the dressing room after the show, and Tom Diskin knocked on the door. We let him in, and he said, 'I have a message for you from the Colonel'. And I'm going, 'I'm a fired bassplayer because I had sang 'Kiss My Ass Goodbye' right after a gospel song, in front of everybody'. The Colonel wouldn't speak to any of us ... NEVER spoke to any of us. I mean, you could say, 'Hello Colonel, how are you doing, nice to see you ...'. He wouldn't even acknowledge that you were there. So I figured that I was fired when he sent Tom Diskin into the dressing room, but he said, 'The Colonel wants me to tell you that that's one of the funniest things he's ever seen at an Elvis Presley show'. I was thrilled with that. If I didn't do anything else I had done that. That was fun”.
Arjan Deelen comments.. It was a remarkable story, and I really wanted to be able to find some sort of documentation that would support the story. I asked various collectors, but nobody had anything: no recording, no photos…. After a couple of years it began to seem like there truly was nothing.
Then, around New Year’s Eve, a photo suddenly popped up! It’s blurry and taken from a distance, but nevertheless you can see Duke performing a song while he accompanies himself on guitar. Charlie is standing next to Duke. Elvis, dressed in his Sundial suit, watches the proceedings.
The photo is far from perfect, but nevertheless it’s an amazing find. I am sharing it with you here.
I sent the photo to Duke, and he quipped: “… I was beginning to wonder if I had made the whole thing up!! I really appreciate this, Arjan!”.
(News, Source;Arjan Deelen/ElvisInfoNet) |
'Through the Lens of Phillip Harrington' New FTD Book: As noted below FTD/ Flaming Star will issue a following up from the excellent 'Rebel With a Cause' and 'The Wild One' in 2018, with 'Through the Lens of Phillip Harrington'. The book includes more than 350 photos, with over 150 unpublished from the original negatives of Phillip Harrington.
A bonus CD features Elvis live at Robinson Memorial Auditorium, Little Rock, Arkansas, May 16, 1956.
Right is the fabulous cover shot - below are a couple of Harrington's iconic Elvis images.
EIN notes that Phillip Harrington photographed Elvis in May 1956 (some of his photos are truly iconic) and 83 of his images can be checked out and bought at the Fine Art gallery. - Click here to Fine Art America
(News, Source/FTD/ElvisInfoNet) |
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'The Best of The '68 Comeback Special' New CD Release: The new companion album to NBC's "Elvis All-Star Tribute" titled 'The Best of The '68 Comeback Special' will be released worldwide by RCA/Legacy Recordings on February 15, 2019.
Described as "An ideal set for long time Elvis fans and newcomers, 'The Best of The '68 Comeback Special' comprises the Elvis recordings and performances that inspired the upcoming tribute and showcases a new version of the legendary closing number, "If I Can Dream" as heard in the new special - featuring Elvis' original vocals alongside new performances by Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker and Blake Shelton. The album features 15 Elvis performances from the "stand-up" and "sit-down" shows filmed for the '68 broadcast, plus three original studio recordings (A Little Less Conversation, Suspicious Minds, Burning Love) to represent other songs that appear in the new special.
The original special, recorded over several sessions in June 1968, featured Elvis playing the songs that mattered most to him, in his first live performance since 1961. When it aired on December 3, 1968, the special was the week's highest-viewed television program, re-establishing Elvis as a driving force in popular music.
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Tracklisting: 1. Trouble / Guitar Man (Opening), 2. Heartbreak Hotel (First "Stand Up" Show), 3. Hound Dog, 4. All Shook Up, 5. Can't Help Falling In Love, 6. Jailhouse Rock (all Second "Stand Up" Show), 7. Don't Be Cruel (First "Stand Up" Show), 8. Blue Suede Shoes (Second "Sit Down" Show), 9. Baby, What You Want Me To Do (First "Stand Up" Show), 10. Are You Lonesome Tonight? (First "Sit Down" Show), 11. One Night (Second "Sit Down" Show), 12. Love Me Tender (First "Stand Up" Show) , 13. Trying To Get To You (Second "Sit Down" Show), 14. Love Me (Second "Sit Down" Show), 15. Memories
Bonus Single Tracks: 16. A Little Less Conversation 17. Suspicious Minds 18. Burning Love
19. If I Can Dream - Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton Previously Unreleased
CD priced $12 in USA, £9.99 in UK, JbHiFi in Australia AU$19.
(News, Source;SONY/ElvisInfoNet) |
January 9- Rick Stanley, Elvis' step-brother, has died: Ricky (Richard, Earl) Stanley was six years old when Elvis' father Vernon married his mother Dee Stanley in 1960 thus becoming Elvis' step-brother. He was the middle son to his brothers David and Billy Stanley and started working with Elvis in 1971 after he quit school. Elvis nicknamed him "Reckless Rick". After Elvis’ death Rick became a Evangelist, sharing his powerful testimony “From The King of Rock & Roll to the King of Kings’ around the world.
His brother David Stanley posted.. My brother Ricky is going home tonight to be with the Lord. He is moments from passing. His daughters are with him. They put the phone to his ear and I said my final goodbyes. I’ve never been this sad. I love you Ricky. Gods open arms are waiting to welcome you home my big brother. - David Stanley
His brother Billy Stanley posted...
.... Rick passed away at 1:45am this morning. Rick was special, he had a way with people, everyone loved him..Elvis saw this in Rick, he wanted Rick around him, that's why he took Rick on the road with him first.
Jo Smith and I talked about this yesterday. She and I said |
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there were 2 people Elvis always wanted with him... Billy Smith and Rick... Elvis wanted his family with him at all times...
When Elvis passed away, Rick took it very hard, we all did... But, Rick blamed himself... He said, it happened on my watch. If I hadn't gone to sleep, Elvis never would have gotten the last pills, early that morning. he never forgave himself for it... I know, for a fact..
Rick changed when Elvis died, he became a preacher. He was doing something that Elvis always wanted to do, himself... Rick led many people to Christ... Donnie Sumner said, Rick had a black belt in preaching.
Rick will be missed by many but Rick is with family now.
He leaves a legacy of a loving father, a great brother, and a faithful servant of God... Rest In Peace, my brother... We love you...
Click here to his facebook Remembrance page
(News, Source/SM/Stanley/ElvisInfoNet) |
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| In 2010 EIN's Sanja Meegin caught up with Billy and Ricky Stanley (right) during Elvis Week, although it was Billy Stanley who got Sanja Meegin onto the back of his Harley Davidson! (look here) |
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Elvis sings ‘For the Heart: On Elvis' birthday Rolling Stone presented a "Flashback: Elvis sings one ‘For the Heart".
In it they noted... Elvis Presley transfixed millions of fans (and outraged many others) with his rock & roll swagger before most of them had any idea what rock & roll was or would become in popular culture. His incendiary stage presence notwithstanding, Presley’s Southern roots and polite demeanor would also endear him to country music listeners and, until his untimely death in August 1977 at 42, Presley continued to record songs from some of the great country tunesmiths.
One of the last country songs to chart for Presley came from the same person who afforded him his last-ever Top Ten pop smash. Dennis Linde, a notoriously reclusive but prolific Texas songwriter who moved to Nashville in 1969, penned 'Burning Love' a 1972 single and a concert staple for the last five years of Presley’s life. In 1976 Elvis would record Linde’s 'For the Heart' which served as the b-side of his Top Ten single, “Hurt.”
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Although 'Hurt' (a 1961 Billboard #4 for Timi Yuro) became a Top Ten country and Top 30 pop entry for Presley, its flip side would also climb the country survey as its own entry, landing just outside the Top 40.
Rolling Stone posted a cleverly edited EOT studio clip edit of Elvis singing ‘For the Heart'
Click HERE to YouTube for the cute 'For The Heart' clip
(News, Source;RStone/ElvisInfoNet) |
NBC 'All-star Elvis Presley Tribute' Details: NBC will belatedly mark the 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s "Comeback Special' with an all-star concert tribute on Sunday February 17.
The two-hour program will be hosted by Blake Shelton and pay tribute to Presley’s 1968 special, recreating the night with musical performances, a showcase of rare footage and interviews with former wife Priscilla Presley and Steve Binder, the director of the 1968 special, plus a special appearance from daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
Footage from the 1968 special will be included, as well as performances by a variety of popular entertainers.
Artists include Keith Urban, John Fogerty, Josh Groban, Adam Lambert, John Legend, Little Big Town, Jennifer Lopez, Post Malone, Shawn Mendes, Ed Sheeran, Carrie Underwood
Also featured are performances from Yolanda Adams, Kelsea Ballerini, Dierks Bentley, Alessia Cara, Mac Davis, Pistol Annies and Darius Rucker.
Along with solo performances, there will also be multiple collaborations, including one from Keith Urban and Post Malone, who joined forces for a cross-genre performance in which Malone honored Presley by dressing in a rhinestoned banana-yellow suit complete with sparkling cowboy boots.
Musical performances so far listed are:
“Trouble”/”Guitar Man” – Blake Shelton
“Hound Dog” – Shawn Mendes
“Burning Love” – Keith Urban |
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| ... “Baby, What You Want Me to Do” – Keith Urban & Post Malone (picture right)
“Jailhouse Rock” – John Fogerty
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” – Ed Sheeran
“Always on My Mind” – Kelsea Ballerini
“Heartbreak Hotel” – Jennifer Lopez
“One Night” – Darius Rucker
“Suspicious Minds” – Blake Shelton
“Love Me Tender” – Alessia Cara
“Memories” – Mac Davis
“A Little Less Conversation” – John Legend
“Are You Lonesome Tonight” – Little Big Town
“Blue Suede Shoes” – Adam Lambert
“Love Me” – Pistol Annies
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Hits Medley (“That’s All Right,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Blue Suede Shoes”) – Mac Davis, Post Malone, Little Big Town, Darius Rucker & Blake Shelton
Gospel Medley (“How Great Thou Art,” “He Touched Me,” “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – Carrie Underwood & Yolanda Adams
“Little Sister” – Dierks Bentley
“It’s Now or Never” – Josh Groban
“If I Can Dream” – Elvis Presley, Carrie Underwood, Shawn Mendes, Post Malone, Darius Rucker, Blake Shelton
Filmed originally in June 1968, “Singer Presents...Elvis,” as it was officially entitled, was broadcast on December 3, 1968.
It marked Presley’s return to live performance after seven years during he focused his attention on acting in movie musicals.
According to Neilsen ratings, 42 percent of the total television audience viewed the special, making it the most watched program of the season.
Following the special Elvis' career would take him to Vegas and back to LIVE performances influencing one and all - the Pop music world would never be the same.
(News, Source;Various/ElvisInfoNet)
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| Tuesday 8 January 2019 - - - - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS ! - - - - |
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS
EIN wishes Elvis all the best, where ever he is, celebrating his 84th Birthday.
Fifty-seven years ago today in 1962 Elvis celebrated his 27th birthday at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas - (photo right).
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Elvis was there with Memphis girlfriend Bonnie Bunkley as well as Joe Esposito & friends. Elvis also met up with one of his favourite songwriters Don Robertson.
President Nigel Patterson of the Elvis Information Network Fan Club (Australia's oldest Elvis fan club) was also there to present Elvis with a special Birthday cake. |
'Elvis Birthday Proclamation Ceremony' Watch live: Happy Birthday, Elvis! EPE and Elvis fans have gathered at Graceland to celebrate Elvis' birthday with a weekend full of events and of course, Birthday cake.
The 'Elvis Birthday Proclamation Ceremony' was earlier today at Graceland with free admission for fans.
It features a ceremony with Graceland and Memphis officials plud the birthday cake cutting.
Fans who were unable to attend can watch the REPLAY ceremony live via Elvis Presley's Graceland Livestream. Runs 45 minutes
Click HERE to Graceland Livestream to watch Elvis Birthday Proclamation REPLAY
(News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet)
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Parkes Elvis Festival 2019: Where else would you want to celebrate Elvis' 84th birthday but in country New South Wales, Australia where the street parade was held in scorching humid heat of 39C / 103F!
This Saturday, midday, tens of thousands of visitors made the annual pilgrimage to the Parkes Elvis Festival in central west New South Wales to worship the life and music of The King and watch the main street parade as they "All Shook Off" temperatures in the high thirties, along with humid conditions.
Fans young and old drew inspiration for this year's festival from Elvis' number 1 worldwide smash 'All Shook Up'.
Now in its 27th year, the event is drawing hordes of spectators and performers from interstate and abroad, many who hold a lifelong passion for the rock'n'roll legend.
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The mammoth parade that is the North-Parkes Mines Elvis Festival street parade had entrants and thousands of spectators "All Shook Up" as hundreds of cars and international and local groups all strutted their Elvis stuff.
Jumpsuits, a little bit of love and some rock and roll saw hundreds of people make their way down the main street of Parkes on Saturday morning to participate in the parade. It was great seeing plenty of youngsters getting into the Presley vibe.
Thousands watched as one of the biggest tributes to Elvis in the world made its way down the street.
Parkes
Community groups, tribute artists, fan groups and residents from around town took part in the annual event, which continues to grow each and every year.
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With the ongoing drought, the yearly summer festival is a much-needed financial and morale boost for the rural community of 11,000 people.
Event organisers expect more than 30,000 visitors to attend, injecting an estimated $15 million into the local economy.
"I would hope that people might come out because of the drought and support our community that is suffering," Parkes Shire mayor Ken Keith said.
Australia's deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack who is a keen Elvis fan (and sometime imitator) was at the Parkes' Elvis festival.
Michael McCormack (see photo below) jokingly noted, "I told a bloke this morning I was the Deputy Prime Minister and he said 'you wish'!"
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet)
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4 January Elvis Highest-Charting Billboard Hot 100 Hit since 1981: Billboard have announced that this week Elvis appears in the Billboard Hot 100's top 40 for the first time since 1981, as his classic carol "Blue Christmas" debuts at last, at No. 40 on the chart dated Jan. 5.
Powered by streaming, it zooms 48-32 on the Streaming Songs chart, up 61 percent to 21.3 million U.S. streams in the Dec. 21-27 tracking week, according to Nielsen Music.
It also drew 9.6 million in airplay audience (in the week ending Dec. 30).
Presley had last ranked in the Hot 100's top 40 on the chart dated March 28, 1981, when "Guitar Man" peaked at No. 28.
"Blue Christmas" first recorded and released by Presley in 1957, arrives as his 81st top 40 Hot 100 hit, tying Lil Wayne for the second-best total in the chart's history (with Presley's career predating the survey's 1958 inception).
Drake leads with 94 top 40 hits.
Presley adds his 109th Hot 100 entry overall and first since "Rubberneckin'," which reached No. 94 in 2003.
(News, Source;Billboard/EIN)
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'A Hell Of A Ride' Red & Pat West book Update: With no definite publication date yet finalised co-author Jon W. Sparks has confirmed to EIN that .. "Pat West and I have finished the book and our agent is working with it now. We’re hoping it will be published this year, and I know fans will enjoy the stories about Elvis, some of them untold until now, and the extraordinary life of Red West who, as you know, was a very close friend and confidante of Elvis and who would make his own mark as a songwriter and actor in numerous TV shows and films. Thanks for the inquiry, and stay tuned!... Jon Sparks
... Red West and Elvis were friends ever since the day in high school when Red broke up a plan by some punks in the boys room to give shy outsider Elvis an unwanted haircut with a pair of scissors. The events between that moment and Red’s death in 2017 could fill a book, and that’s just what he and his wife Pat were finishing up when an aortic aneurysm felled the man who |
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was not only a friend and confidant to Elvis, but also someone who had carved out his own career as an acclaimed songwriter and film and television actor. I’ve had the privilege of working with Pat and Red to tell their story. There are hours of interviews, detailed notes, and memorable photographs going into the forthcoming book about this couple who have had the experiences of a lifetime.
In the early 1950s, of course, not a soul could have imagined that Red would become the first member of what would become the Memphis Mafia, that Elvis would become a global phenomenon, and that their relationship would have the ups and downs of the Zippin Pippin.
Red was in Germany when Elvis was drafted into the US Army.. “One day I walked into the living room in the house we were renting. Nobody else was around and Elvis was sitting in there alone, quiet and staring at the floor. I told him he looked like he’d had a rough day and asked if everything was all right.
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“He looked up at me and said, ‘Red, I reached the top, man. I had it made and suddenly it was snatched away. I was drafted into the Army, then my mother dies while I’m in boot camp and I’m shipped to Germany and my father’s screwing a sergeant’s wife while the man’s away on duty freezing his ass off. I’m sick of this shit. I’m here and my career is finished. It’s hard to handle.’
'A Hell Of A Ride: Recollections of a Remarkable Life Before, During and After Elvis & The Memphis Mafia' by Red and Pat West with Jon W. Sparks, will be published later this year.
This book will be essential for all Elvis fans
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
| Tuesday 1 January 2019 - - - HAPPY NEW YEAR - to all our EIN readers - - - |
(Book Review) Elvis Presley Music Movies Myth (Matthew Martin): October 2018 saw the release of a new but little known Elvis book, Elvis Presley Music Movies Myth.
In hardcover format (with dust jacket) and containing more than 400 pages, EIN's Nigel Patterson decided to explore what author Matthew Martin had to offer.
Is Elvis Presley Music Movies Myth simply another run-of-the-mill biography, or does it offer the reader something more substantial?
What Nigel found in a book few have heard of, was a pleasant surprise.
Read Nigel's detailed review
(Book Review, Source: EIN) |
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Elvis Presidential Medal of Freedom At Graceland: Last month President Donald Trump awarded Elvis Presley posthumously with the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour.
Elvis was part of an eclectic group of seven Americans being awarded the Medal of Freedom, including the late baseball legend Babe Ruth and Antonin Scalia, the conservative Supreme Court justice
The White House stated, “Elvis Presley defined American culture to billions of adoring fans around the world. Elvis fused gospel, country, and rhythm and blues to create a sound all his own, selling more than a billion records. Elvis Presley remains an enduring American icon 4 decades after his death.”
Jack Soden, CEO of EPE / Graceland accepted the award. “On behalf of the Presley family, Elvis’ friends and millions of fans, it will be a great honor to accept this award. Elvis loved his country, served proudly in the U.S. Army and would no doubt consider this one of the great honors of his life. "
The Presidential medal is now proudly being displayed at Graceland for all Elvis fans to see.
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
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Interview with hypnoanalyst Bill Ronan: Bill Ronan is the author of the intriguing book, Psychological Autopsy of Elvis Presley. Bill recently talked with EIN's Nigel Patterson about the motivation for his book and the major psychological conditions which he considers may have influenced Elvis' death at an early age.
In his interview Bill discusses, among other things:
- the major psychological causes for Elvis' death
- the little known conditions Walking Zombie Syndrome and Ponce de Leon Syndrome
- provides his view on whether or not Elvis was schizophrenic
- the impact on Elvis of his feeling he had communicated with God.
Read the interview ........(Interview, Source: EIN)
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(Critical Review) Letters from Elvis (Gary Lindberg): In his latest book, author/researcher Gary Lindberg claims that Elvis wrote 65 letters to his "spiritual adviser", Carmen Montez.
This controversial book is incensing many fans with claims including that Elvis had close friendships with Marlon Brando and Harry Belafonte and Elvis was abducted and sexually assaulted.
Other claims that have received next to nil coverage are that Vernon Presley was not Elvis' biological father and that Elvis' "lost (true) love" disappeared under mysterious and violent circumstances.
EIN's Nigel Patterson takes an extensive and critical look inside Letters from Elvis in a 7,000+ word critical review.
Nigel's review covers a lot of interesting and relevant issues, both technical and Elvis related. It dissects major claims in the book, examines the role of forensic document examination and graphoanalysis, outlines copyright law around letters, examines third party records in relation to several of the claims, and identifies another celebrity "letters" case - one where the letters were initially authenticated, but later revealed to be an elaborate hoax - this case may be instructive in considering Letters from Elvis.
Contributing to Nigel's review are comments from Elvis' known "spiritual adviser", Larry Geller. (Book Review, Source: EIN) |
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Matt Shepherd ('Elvis: Stories Behind The Songs') Interview: BBC Local Radio presenter and EIN contributor Matt Shepherd has published his first book looking at some of Elvis' biggest hits and lesser known treasures.
'Elvis Presley: Stories Behind The Songs' the first of a two volume book, starts in January 1969, almost 50 years ago, when Elvis recorded in Memphis for the first time in 14 years.
Shepherd notes, "I started my book in 1969 as it was a crucial crossroads for Elvis, he had proved in the 68 Special that he was still a dynamic performer. However the 69 sessions would go on to show Elvis was still a major chart force, able to select and record hit making and relevant songs.
"Had these Memphis sessions not been the great success they were, Elvis could well have spent the rest of his life as a nostalgia act. So it was essential he got it right."
EIN wanted to find out more about this new volume..
- How will your book compare to recent books about Elvis’ music?
- Elvis movie songs are they what was required or tripe that never should have been recorded?
- At what point should Elvis had said "NO, I am not recording this crap”? Can you name a particular song?
- What was Col Parker’s biggest musical mistake?
- What do you think of Elvis’ “remixes” or the new fake duets? Are they a necessary evil?
Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley asked the tricky questions..
(Interview, Source:ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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‘Behind The Music- Elvis 68 Television Special’: It was FIFTY YEARS AGO TODAY - that Elvis' stunning 68 NBC Television Special was broadcast in the USA. The programme would become one of the highest rated of the year, Elvis re-discovered his roots, Col Parker was stunned by the reception and Elvis was empowered to choose Memphis' American Sound Studio for his next serious recording session. A string of top-ten Billboard Hits beckoned and his life and ours would never be the same.
EIN contributor Dennis Laverty has compiled a unique documentary called “Behind The Music- Elvis 68 Television Special” to celebrate this great day.
It tells the story of the 'Comeback Special' by those that were there examining the How and Why Elvis career came to this creative point where he desparately needed to do the show. There is discussion of production numbers, sit down, standup shows, the '69 rebirth plus much more.
This special includes ELVIS interviews from 'On Tour' |
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and features Scotty Moore, DJ Fontana, Chris Bearde, Steve Binder, Billy Strange, Tanya Lemani Little Egypt, Anita Mann (choreographer), Bill Belew, Earl Brown plus plenty of old compiled interviews from all too many who have sadly passed away.
EIN thanks Dennis Laverty for the input.
Click here to Vimeo. -
Sit Back And Celebrate this special day - The video runs around 2 1/2 hours.
(Spotlight, Source;DL/ElvisInfoNet) |
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The '68 Special - the Anniversary Celebration: How lucky in life would you be to get to the original recording of Elvis' 68 TV Special and also make it to the recent 40th Anniversary screening in L.A? EIN's correspondent Joan Gansky is one of those few very fortunate fans. Joan Gansky not only met Elvis multiple times - but being at the original NBC recording of the 68 Special truly changed her life! Here are her unique recollections of attending the 40th Anniversary celebration - as well as her thoughts on being there back in June 1968.
This EIN exclusive features comments by Steve Binder, Priscilla, Bones Howe as well as great close-up photos by Paul Gansky.
Click here for EIN's 2008 full article.
(Spotlight, Source;EIN/JoanGansky) |
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'Elvis: The Searcher - Additional Stories' Spotlight: Like all too many serious Elvis fans Dennis Laverty felt let-down by the lack of seventies content in the HBO 'Elvis The Searcher' documentary. Luckily for us he has produced a lovely documentary "Elvis Presley: The Searcher - Additional Stories Not in the Original Film" that anyone can view on Vimeo.
He writes, "I really enjoyed The Searcher documentary, but after watching I wished they would have made it 4 hours. The 1950's skipped what pushed Elvis over-the-top when he appeared on TV, two of his best films and soundtracks (Loving You & Jailhouse Rock), and the backlash he took with his rock and roll Christmas Album. The 1960s unfortunately glossed over American Sound, especially Elvis taking a risk with 'In The Ghetto'.
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The 1970s disappointed when nothing was discussed about Elvis' only concept album (Elvis Country), nor 'He Touched Me' (they could have included unreleased Elvis on Tour footage of gospel segment) and finally with David Porter one of the Execs of the film from Stax Records that nothing was discussed about Elvis' returning to Memphis and STAX to record three key albums.
My goal was just to highlight those stories in some way.
Obviously I don't have access to the Elvis archives at Graceland, but I hope you enjoy.
The following are 10 segments that I thought could have fit into the film."
... EIN totally agrees and thoroughly recommends this 37 minute video.
This is the type of material that should have been in the DVD Extras
CLICK HERE to VIMEO to watch
EIN thanks Dennis Laverty for his input.
(Spotlight, Source;Dennis Laverty/ElvisInfoNet) |
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'68 Comeback Special' (50 Anniv) Australian Deal: The upcoming 'Elvis: '68 Comeback Special (50th Anniv)' out later this week is being offered at a great price of $151.41 from Amazon Australia and includes free postage..
The 7-Disc definitive box set chronicles the pivotal NBC-TV '68 special called Elvis and takes you behind the scenes in audio and remastered 4:3 Blu-ray video
Contains ALL KNOWN recordings/rehearsals from the RCA vaults and from original NBC-TV videotapes
80-page book includes a new, oral history on the special, crafted from interviews with producer Steve Binder, recording engineer Bones Howe, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Priscilla Presley, Emmylou Harris, Scotty Moore conducted for Thom Zimny's 2018 documentary, "Elvis Presley: The Searcher."
The book also features rare photos and memorabilia and full recording data..
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Over 7.5 hours of footage across 2 newly mastered Blu-ray discs, overseen by Thom Zimny.
Other Australian prices for the deluxe boxset are JBHiFi at $200, Sanity at $215 and Elvis Australia for $180 but none including free postage.
Thanks to EIN member Bob Poole for the info
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
Don't forget that EIN's Elvis Facebook page regularly features fabulous RARE newly discovered photos of Elvis.
This week celebrated our 25,000 members! - including several of Elvis' own friends and colleagues
So Elvis fans don't miss out on these rare and exciting photographs.
Now with over thousands of great photos, News and with more added every day – including YouTube footage.
Click here to Facebook - Elvis Information Network group.
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Book Review - 'Elvis The Gospel Singer' (Paul Belard): Paul Belard has a quest to present the Elvis story in chronological visual form. To date he has released seven books with another 40+ at an advanced stage. In Elvis The Gospel Singer Belard moves from his chronological account of the Elvis day-by-day biography and offers a subject specific chronological account of Elvis' favourite music: gospel.
Over an impressive 300+ pages the author offers a full account of the gospel artists and music influencing Elvis and provides the lyrics for, and often background information to, all of Elvis' gospel recordings.
With more narrative than usual Belard delves deep into Elvis and his love of gospel music and includes rare historic material, and some unusual but valid song choices.
Read Nigel Patterson's review of Elvis The Gospel Singer.
(Book Review, Source; ELvisInformationNetwork) |
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'The King In The Ring' VINYL 50th Anniv Release: The 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley's groundbreaking 1968 NBC "Comeback Special" is also being celebrated with the 2LP vinyl presentation of "The King In The Ring." Originally released on a red vinyl limited edition run for Record Store Day this 2LP set showcases the standout, intimate "sit down" sets from the '68 special. These laid-back live performances were recorded in the round before a small audience and featured a powerful ensemble, including guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana, both part of Elvis' original classic backing band.
... In 1968 Elvis Presley re-established himself as the King of Rock and Roll with ELVIS, the "comeback special", to celebrate the 50th anniversary of ELVIS both electrifying intimate "sit-down" sets will be released in the 2LP package with a beautiful gatefold sleeve.
General release November 30th
Great Cover shot.
(News, Source:ElvisInfoNet) |
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'The King In The Ring' VINYL 50th Anniversary Release - Double LP.
Great prices at Amazon.
$23 in the USA
And in the UK £18.05 |
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The VINYL Boom: Over 7.6 million vinyl LPs were sold in the USA during the first half of 2018, a 20% increase from the previous year, while in Australia vinyl sales increased by $3 million, the same increase of 20%. In the same period CD sales however dropped by 15%.
Elvis vinyl is still selling very nicely with ‘ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits’ recently in the UK Top ten VINYL charts.
And there is plenty of Elvis Presley vinyl on offer.... |
‘ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits’ on GOLD Vinyl: ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits was re-released by Sony Music on GOLD Vinyl on 12 October. UK's Entertainment-Focus have posted this cute review.
... What is there to say about Elvis Presley that hasn’t already been said?
It may be 41 years since the icon died tragically at only 42 years old but his music continues to live on, and likely will forever. It’s actually mind-blowing to think that his music has survived for almost as long as he was alive. In 2002 Sony Music released a new greatest hits collection titled ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits, which dominated charts across the world and sold millions and millions of copies. 16 years on from its original release, ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits has been reissued on 2LP vinyl.
Taking inspiration from the album cover, the release has been pressed on gold vinyl making the whole package feel very special.
Presley was an incredibly prolific artist so getting this collection down to 31 tracks was no easy feat. It also includes the ALLC Junkie XL remix.
What was achieved with ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits though, is a
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collection that gives you all the highlights you need from The King’s career to showcase the incredible impact he had on music. The album opens with Heartbreak Hotel and there isn’t a single filler track here.
It’s actually near impossible to pick out highlights across the 2LPs because every single one of these songs is a classic.
Of course no Elvis collection would be complete without Suspicious Minds and that track is near the end of the track listing on the final side.
The release features the artwork from the original 2002 release and it’s a beautiful, high-quality gatefold. I mentioned earlier about the gold vinyl but what I’ve not commented on yet is the sound. The CD version was a little patchy given that the songs were all recorded at different times. It’s not as noticeable on the vinyl release and the quality is crystal clear. The warm crackle of vinyl adds to the overall feel too.
ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits is a must-have release for any Elvis Presley fan. While he had plenty of great songs that aren’t featured here, this collection truly is the definitive one to own. There’s not a single bad song here and it’s lengthy enough to give you value for money. The whole vinyl package is fantastic and it looks as good as it sounds.
They don’t make artists like Elvis anymore and they probably never will again.
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
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‘ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits’ GOLD Vinyl Double LP.
'ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits' is a must-have release for any Elvis Presley fan.
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| The Official 'A Boy From Tupelo' Vinyl album is still selling, while there are some interesting Public Domain Vinyl releases out in the UK including 'Jailhouse Rock' with 16 tracks even including 'Lonesome Cowboy'! Also the rather odd CD called 'Girls! Girls! Girls! + Loving You' with thirty tracks including Bonus tracks such as 'Is It So Strange' and even 'Good Luck Charm' out 29 October 2018 from Hoo Doo Records! |
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'68 Comeback Special - 50th-anniversary' deluxe box-set.
Priced at around US$150 and £95.40 in the UK.
Not cheap if you already own the DVDs and CD box-set but the Blu-Rays are still pretty tempting. |
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'68 Comeback Special - 50th-anniversary': More publicity out for the new box set.
... '68 Comeback Special (50th Anniversary Edition) is set for release on November 30 and includes five CDs of music plus two Blu-ray discs featuring video content.
After spending most of the decade in Hollywood making forgettable movies and mostly boring music to accompany those films, Presley staged a comeback in 1968 with a TV special that was simply called Elvis and aired on Dec. 3.
Part of that program featured Presley singing some of his old hits, as well as a few new songs, surrounded by a lavish, Hollywood-style backdrop. But another section of that show spotlighted Presley, decked out in black leather and armed with a guitar, sitting on a stool on a spare stage that also included guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana, two-thirds of the trio that catapulted Presley to fame in the mid '50s with their work on the Sun sessions and early RCA recordings.
That "sit-down" performance included raw takes of some of their best records, including "That's All Right" and "Heartbreak Hotel." |
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There were also scorching versions of "Baby, What You Want Me to Do" and "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" that pretty much signalled Presley's return to rock 'n' roll.
The Comeback Special, as it was later called, opened the door to Presley's terrific Memphis records from 1969 and his renewed success in the '70s until his death in 1977.
The '68 Comeback Special (50th Anniversary Edition) collects all of the existing audio and video from the show plus rehearsals and sessions recorded with the Wrecking Crew.
The CD Track-listing is a previously noted by EIN - see below.
The book also features rare photos and memorabilia and full recording data
There is over 7.5 hours of footage across 2 newly mastered Blu-ray discs, overseen by Thom Zimny.
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Blu-ray Disc 1:
- Elvis NBC TV Special originally broadcast on December 3, 1968
- Black Leather Sit-Down Show #1 - June 27, 1968
- Black Leather Sit-Down Show #2 - June 27, 1968
- Black Leather Stand-Up Show #1 - June 29, 1968
- Black Leather Stand-Up Show #2 - June 29, 1968
(News, Source;SONY/ElvisInfoNet) |
Blu-ray Disc 2:
- Trouble/Guitar Man TV Show Opener - June 30, 1968 - All Takes and Raw Components
- If I Can Dream TV Show Closer - June 30, 1968 - All Takes
- Huh-Huh-Huh Promo - June 30, 1968
- Elvis Closing Credits Without Credit Roll - June 30, 1968
- If I Can Dream Special Music Video 2004 - June 30, 1968
- Gospel Production Number - All Takes and Raw Components
- Guitar Man Production Number - All Takes and Raw Components
- Blu-ray Special Feature Re-Cut |
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The Searcher DVD - OUT NOW
The standard versions are available from under US$18 and £14.99 in the UK.
'The Searcher Collector's Edition' costs $33 from Amazon USA. |
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'50th Anniversary NBC Special Box-Set CD Details': Although still not officially announced by SONY the tracklists of the new 5CD boxset have been confirmed. The disappointment to many collectors is that the five CDs in this special re-release comprise of
the 4 CDs from the SONY/BMG 2008 'The Complete '69 Comeback Special' plus CD2 'The Wrecking Crew Sessions' from the FTD 'ELVIS: Original
Soundtrack Recording'.
These releases were top-notch releases when they first were released Mixed & Mastered by Vic Anesini / Sebastian Jeansson - but do we need to buy them again?
The draw-card to collectors is the 88 page booklet plus the upgraded BluRay video presentations - albeit a compromise as the original NBC Special was of course recorded as 525 NTSC standard definition TV.
The Sony release of 5-CD/2-BluRay boxset to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1968 TV Special is out November 2018.
- Definitive box set chronicles the pivotal NBC-TV special that helped Elvis Presley reclaim the title of "The King Of Rock and Roll"
- The original Special included spirited "sit-down" performances
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with Elvis and original band members Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana plus then-new material, including the classic "If I Can Dream"
- 5CD / 2Blu-Ray box set offers all previously released audiovisual material from the special including rare outtakes, plus deluxe book with rare photos and a newly-compiled oral history of the making of the program
- BluRay Disc 1 - 229 mins
Original Broadcast Version
Sit-down Show #1
Sit-down Show #2
Stand-up Show #1
Stand-up Show #2
- BluRay Disc 2 - 241 mins
Trouble / Guitar Man TV Show Opener
If I Can Dream TV Show Closer
Gospel Production Number
Guitar Man Production Number
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CD1 - Original Album, plus bonus tracks:
It is notable that the track 'A Little Less Conversation' mistakenly thought to have been laid down at the 68 Special is now omitted from the 2018 Re-Release Bonus Tracks
Bonus Tracks: It Hurts Me - Let Yourself Go - Memories (stereo) - If I Can Dream (stereo)
CD2 - First Sit-Down show & First Stand-Up show:
CD3 - Second Sit-Down show & Second Stand-Up show
CD4 - First Rehearsal/Second Rehearsal
Click here to see 2008 Original Release tracklist
CD5 - On the final disc the tracks have been combined to give a less complicated tracklist of 19 songs although the content is in fact the same as the 30 tracks on the FTD - look here at EIN's in-depth review.
New Tracklist 1. Nothingville (Guitar Man's Evil #1) (Takes 5 & 6), 2. Guitar Man (Guitar Man's Evil #1) (Take 2), 3. Let Yourself Go, part 1 (Guitar Man's Evil #2) (Take 5 & 7/M), 4. Let Yourself Go, part 2 (Guitar Man's Evil #3) (Take 7/M), 5. Guitar Man (Escape #1, fast) (Takes 1, 2 & 5), 6. Big Boss Man (Escape #3) (Take 2), 7. It Hurts Me, part 1 (Escape #4) (Take 5), 8. It Hurts Me, part 2 (After Karate #1) (Take 3), 9. Guitar Man (After Karate #2) (Take 1), 10. Little Egypt (After Karate #2) (Take 6), 11. Trouble / Guitar Man (After Karate #3) (Take 2), Trouble / Guitar Man Medley, 12. Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child / Where Could I Go But To The Lord (Gospel #1) (Rehearsal & Take 1) Medley, 13. Up Above My Head / Saved (Gospel #2) (Takes 4 & 7), Medley, 14. Saved (Gospel #3) (Takes 2 & 4), 15. Trouble / Guitar Man (Opening) (Takes 6 & 7) Medley, 16. If I Can Dream (Alternate Take 1), 17. If I Can Dream (Takes 2, 3 & 4), 18. Memories (Takes 3 & 4/vocal overdub #1), 19. Let Yourself Go (Closing Instrumental) |
(Book Review) The Comeback - Elvis and the Story of the 68 Special (Simon Goddard): The past two months have been a busy period regarding Elvis' legendary '68 Comeback Special. Marking its 50th anniversary, the Special was shown in cinemas and two new books were published, one by Steve Binder (Director/Producer of the Special) and the other by noted rock music analyst, Simon Goddard.
EIN's Nigel Patterson recently took a few deep breaths and submerged himself in the Simon Goddard release.
Having previously read a number of the author's cerebrally challenging books, he was not surprised to find that Goddard's treatise on Elvis' legendary Comeback Special is one hell of an intellectively challenging and dizzy rollercoaster of a ride....... a journey most rewarding for those brave enough to go the distance.
Read Nigel's detailed review (Book Review, Source: EIN) |
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(Book Review) The Elvis Experience (Dave Hebler): As a member of Elvis' Memphis Mafia, Dave Hebler was part of Elvis' inner sanctum at least until his acromonious sacking, along with Red West and Sonny West, in 1976, and the subsequent publication of the infamous book, Elvis What Happened?.
Over the years, Dave, Red and Sonny West reclaimed respect in the Elvis world, at least with many fans, if not the Presley family and EPE.
Dave Hebler's new book was released during Elvis Week 2018.
The Elvis Experience has a 'fan friendly' feel to it. There are many amusing and fun stories and the author does not shy away from discussing at least some of the not so positive aspects of his experience working for Elvis.
To find out more about "The Elvis Experience" you can read Nigel Patterson's in-depth review here.
(Book Review, Source: EIN) |
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EIN founding President, Nigel Patterson, interviewed by Pop Music Research Blog Spot: EIN recently interviewed Dr Mark Duffett and reviewed his excellent book, Counting Down Elvis His 100 Finest Songs.
Due to Nigel's keen interest in "Elvis world" history and the socio-cultural aspects of the Elvis legend, Dr Duffett decided to "turn the tables" and interview Nigel for his insightful pop music research blog.
In a three-part interview Nigel discusses a wide range of topics including:
- what the Elvis world was like in the 1970s;
- the most important "landmarks" (changes) in the Elvis world since August 1977;
- answers the question: "Do Elvis fans have a shared, collective ethics or morality?";
- Elvis' unfairly maligned film canon;
- Elvis as a socio-cultural force;
- an attempt to establish a national fan club in Australia in the late 1990s;
- the issues that most divide Elvis fans;
- the biggest myths that still persist about Elvis;
- what Elvis' interests in reading say about him as a person;
- have those closest to Elvis been straight with fans about what he was really like; and
- a lot more......
Read part 1 of the interview |
... some of the best in popular music research compiled by Dr Mark Duffett
an interview with EIN's Nigel Patterson
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SEPTEMBER 12 - New Elvis Home Recordings Discovered: EIN is stunned that another tape has been discovered from Elvis' Home Recordings in Bad Nauheim, Germany late 1958.
HUGE THANKS to Juan Luis Gonzalez Brugal who has obtained the tape which features Elvis singing at home with Red West, Rex Mansfield, Charlie Hodge and Lamar Fike.
Previous songs from the same session have been released such as Earth Angel, I'll Take You Home Again Kathleen, There's No Tomorrow, and The Fool.
However this second tape features some fabulous incredible performances of 'He Knows Just What I Need', 'Like A Baby', 'His Hand In Mine', a very different arrangement of 'Stand By Me' even an amazing home-recording of 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' all being performed at home before Elvis recorded them professionally. For full tracklist see my good friend Keith Flynn Sessions website here
EIN gives its greatest thanks to Juan Luis Gonzalez Brugal for the discovery.
Go to the excellent and friendly Elvis PHOENIX FORUM for all the discussion & download them for free |
Elvis Home-Recording New Bootlegs: From the moment that the new Elvis Home-Recording tapes were discovered and offered for free, EIN could hear the bootleggers' computers whirring into life creating "New" bootlegs CD covers.
It was all so inevitable and a little sad - signs of desperation if anything.
At least THREE bootlegs were announced in the following 24 hours and all sadly opportunistic and basically rip-offs.
What did the wily Col Parker say back in the fifties, "How much does it cost if it is FREE!"
Fans can download these fabulous three hours of Elvis jamming at home in Germany for FREE. (click here to the highly recommended Phoenix Elvis Forum)
Please see the tracklists at my good friend Keith Flynn website here.
Any bootlegger rushing out these newly found recordings have obviously done no quality audio remastering work.
Hopefully FTD / Ernst Jørgensen will find a right place to officially release them - possibly CD2 of the future Classic Album 'For LP Fans Only' |
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Or perhaps MRS may release them in the future once their audio engineer 'Studio D' has worked his wonders.
For a fan's point of view, the more Bootleg versions that are announced then the less that each of them will make from them. Prices have been noted at US$45 / EuroE40 + postage for the 3cds.
Rather strangely "3DM audio" label (above) announced that their release is a "non-profit base" requested by the donor of the recording Juan Luis Gonzalez Brugal.
This however was a typical bootleg marketing ruse...
Juan Luis has confirmed, "I am not endorsing anyone or any thing. If I sign something, it would be a waiver to Sony/FTD. I am not making money off of this or endorsing anything outside FTD/Sony. I hope that is very clear. Someone here with connections please let all the Elvis news sites know."
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet)
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| Newly discovered tape Tracklist: 'He Knows Just What I Need' (multiple versions), Reading The News - Lamar Fike, 'Cool Water', 'Like A Baby', 'His Hand In Mine', 'Young Love' - Red West, 'His Hand In Mine', 'Return To Me' , 'Are You Sincere', 'Are You Lonesome Tonight?', 'Stand By Me', 'Just a Closer Walk With Thee', 'Take My Hand, Precious Lord', 'Oh, Lonesome Me'. |
Documentary 'The King' set for DVD and Blu-ray release: Eugene Jerecki's 'road trip' across America in Elvis' Rolls Royce Phantom V will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on 2 October in the US.
The film suggests that America, like Elvis, has squandered its potential and betrayed the promise of its glorious beginning. As Harlem rapper Immortal Technique tells Jarecki in the film: "If Elvis is your metaphor for America, we're about to O.D."
Jarecki's "The King" is essentially a filmed essay, with musical interludes and commentary provided by guest artists (Emmylou Harris, Chuck D), journalists (Dan Rather) and celebrities (a seemingly irrelevant but quite eloquent Mike Myers), many of whom discuss Elvis and America from the back seat of the large luxury car, purchased at auction for the production. (Entering the Rolls in Nashville, musician John Hiatt breaks into tears, struck by how "trapped" Elvis must have felt.) News, Source: EIN/Amazon) |
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UPDATED - Keith Alverson 'Strictly Elvis 76-77' Interview: The deluxe hard-back book 'Strictly Elvis: 1976-1977' is the follow up by Keith Alverson and Erik Lorentzen to last year's stunning 'Strictly Elvis Vol 1: 1973-1974 - 1975'.
Keith Alverson first saw Elvis in concert in the early 70s when he secretly smuggled in his small pocket camera to sneak a few photos of Elvis and from there he went from strength to strength. One of his first Elvis' concerts where he was able to get quality photos of Elvis in concert was in Atlanta, July 1973, after which he saw Elvis over 80 times live on stage. Alverson's outstanding photos of Elvis in his "Phoenix" jumpsuits are known by every Elvis fan and it is obvious that the quality of Alverson's photos got better and better as the years went by.
In last year's EIN interview we discovered the background surrounding photographer Keith Alverson as well as how he got to become one of Elvis' most well-known concert photographers.
With Strictly Elvis Volume 2 just published EIN's Piers Beagley tracked down the man - as he packed for Memphis - to ask him more about the last two years of capturing the King in concert....
The book contains over 800 previously unseen photos of Elvis on stage.
We asked him that, as we all know of Elvis' sad decline over these two years, do fans really need to see so many images of an unhealthy Elvis?
To find out click here to Keith Alverson 'Strictly Elvis 76-77' Interview with lots of example pages... UPDATED more photos
(Interviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork)
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'The Steve Allen Show' EIN Spotlight: Much has been written about The Steve Allen Show appearance over the years and with each retelling of the story, much of the information required to give a fair hearing to Allen is conspicuous by its absence. Recent articles in ETMHM as well as Elvis Files magazine still repeat the usual story.
But was Steve Allen really the rock'n'roll hating villain as usually portrayed in the Elvis story?
In the past, this might have been done because some of the information was not available, but with the appearance of online newspaper and magazine archives over the last decade it is much easier to piece together the complete story rather than the fragments of it that have been passed down amongst Elvis fans over the last sixty years.
After all, alongside Parker, Allen has become the second of the pantomime villains in the Elvis story, and it is time to investigate anew in order to see what really happened, and what Allen’s real relationship with rock ‘n’ roll was.
In this fascinating new article, EIN contributor Shane Brown investigates the truth behind ELVIS on the Steve Allen show...
(Spotlight, Source;ShaneBrown/ElvisInfoNet)
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'Orgies and Orgasms: Presley in the Press 1956'- an in-depth Spotlight: By the beginning of 1956, everything was in place for Elvis Presley to burst onto the national and international music scene. Within weeks of his signing to major label RCA he would record Heartbreak Hotel, his first single for RCA and his first to reach number 1 in the U.S. charts, and then, at the end of January 1956, he would appear on national television for the first time.
Despite all of the success that 1956 would bring Elvis, with three singles and two albums reaching the top spot in the U.S. charts, the year would also prove to be a difficult one when it came to his treatment in the national and international press.
Mainstream media published reviews such as...
"Every girl watching him sees herself as Elvis’ partner in his fantastic writhing orgy"
and "Presley is suggesting he is about to have a self-induced orgasm!"
So, let’s go back in time and examine how a single television performance in June 1956 resulted in a change of attitudes towards Elvis within the media from little more than curiosity about the new phenomenon to downright hostility and revulsion.
Go here as EIN contributor Shane Brown investigates the phenomenon of Elvis in 1956 - and what the media made of this new, and middle-America shocking, entertainer.
(Spotlight, Source;ShaneBrown/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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Dave Hebler Interview Update with EIN: Dave Hebler is best known to Elvis Presley fans as being part of the Memphis Mafia and Elvis’ bodyguard in the mid-seventies. As an integral part of Elvis’ personal and professional life, Hebler’s primary responsibility was the personal safety of Elvis at home as well as at recording sessions, personal appearances, concert tours and various recreations.
After our April interview with Dave Hebler he has completed his new book 'The Elvis Experience' which is now available through Amazon. (see below)
EIN's Piers Beagley wanted to find out more about the book - released just in time for Elvis Week - and giving Hebler a chance to answer a few EIN readers questions..
Go here for EIN's exclusive catch-up with Dave Hebler including some cool photos..
(Interviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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“Elvis: The Viva Las Vegas Sessions” New FTD Box-set: FTD is pleased to announce the release of “Elvis: The Viva Las Vegas Sessions”. Out end of July.
This is the ultimate "Viva Las Vegas" 3CD set which includes more than an hour of previously unreleased false starts, break downs, and complete takes!
All tracks have been recently remixed and mastered from the original 3-track session tapes.
The 8”x 8” slipcase replicates an original Session Reel box.
Until now it was thought only two takes of the marvelous 'I Need Somebody To Lean On' existed in the vaults but now we get the whole session up to movie outtake #19.
The 28 page booklet includes rare photographs, memorabilia, session data, Movie Trivia, Ann-Margret bio by the late Stuart Colman and Movie overview by Alan Hanson. |
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The 3 CDs are housed in a CD carrier adorned by original tape box documentation.
This release is a strictly LIMITED EDITION. Due to manufacturing costs, there will be no reprint. |
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DISC 1: SOUNDTRACK
1. Viva Las Vegas 2:27
2. Yellow Rose Of Texas/ The Eyes Of Texas 2:57
3. The Lady Loves Me 3:46
4. C’mon Everybody 2:21
5. Today, Tomorrow And Forever 3:28
6. The Climb (planned record version - take 3) 2:44
7. What’d I Say 3:06
8. Santa Lucia 1:15
9. If You Think I Don’t Need You 2:07
10. I Need Somebody To Lean On 3:05
BONUS SONGS
11. Night Life 1:52
12. Do The Vega 2:25
13. You’re The Boss 2:49
FIRST TAKES
14. Viva Las Vegas (take 1) 1:48
15. Yellow Rose Of Texas/ The Eyes Of Texas (take 7) 2:59
16. The Lady Loves Me (takes 1-2) 4:14
17. C’mon Everybody (take 3) 2:48
18. Today, Tomorrow And Forever (takes 1-3, 5 & 4) 5:46
19. What’d I Say (takes 1-2) 4:00
20. Santa Lucia (v.o. take 1) 1:23
21. If You Think I Don’t Need You (takes 1-2) 3:16
22. I Need Somebody To Lean On (takes 1-2) 3:30
23. Night Life (take 2) 2:08
24. Do The Vega (take 1) 2:48
25. You’re The Boss (takes 1-3) 3:34
26. Today, Tomorrow And Forever (2012 takes 1-2, duet) 5:45
DISC 2: OUTTAKES
1. Night Life (takes 1 & 3) 4:09
2. Night Life (takes 4-8) 3:11
3. C’mon Everybody (takes 1-2 & 4-5/M) 4:36
4. If You Think I Don’t Need You (takes 3-7) 5:09
5. I Need Somebody To Lean On (takes 3-5) 3:58
6. I Need Somebody To Lean On (takes 6-8) 4:42
7. Do The Vega (take 2) 2:41
8. Santa Lucia (track, takes 1-2) 1:55
9. Viva Las Vegas (take 2) 2:50
10. The Climb (takes 1-2 & 4-7) 6:43 |
11. Yellow Rose Of Texas/ The Eyes Of Texas (takes 1-4) 3:58
12. Yellow Rose Of Texas/ The Eyes Of Texas (takes 5-6 & 8-9/M) 5:33
13. The Lady Loves Me (takes 3-6) 4:51
14. You’re The Boss (takes 4-8) 4:42
15. You’re The Boss (takes 9-10) 4:32
16. Today, Tomorrow And Forever (2012 take 6, instru) 3:34
17. Santa Lucia (vocal overdub, take 2) 1:20
18. Santa Lucia (vocal overdub, take 3) 1:20
19. Today, Tomorrow And Forever (movie version, vocal overdub 2016 take 8) 2:38
20. What’d I Say (takes 3-4/M) 5:47
DISC 3: MOVIE TRACKS
1. C’mon Everybody (movie version, take 7 with overdubs) 2:30
2. Today, Tomorrow And Forever (movie version, v.o. take 10, edited) 1:25
3. The Climb (movie version - take 9, edited) 1:38
4. Santa Lucia (v.o. take 6/M, movie version) 1:14
5. Appreciation (Ann-Margret, take 3 & pickup take 2) 4:37
6. My Rival (Ann-Margret) 2:11
OUTTAKES
7. Night Life (takes 9-10) 2:56
8. Night Life (take 11) 2:10
9. Night Life (takes 12-13) 2:46
10. If You Think I Don’t Need You (takes 8-10) 4:22
11. If You Think I Don’t Need You (takes 11-13/M) 4:15
12. I Need Somebody To Lean On (takes 9-15) 7:16
13. I Need Somebody To Lean On (takes 16-19) 5:12
14. Do The Vega (takes 3-7/M) 4:25
15. Viva Las Vegas (takes 3-7/M) 5:06
16. The Climb (take 8) 2:53
17. The Climb (take 9) 2:53
18. C’mon Everybody (takes 6-7/M, movie version) 2:34
19. The Lady Loves Me (takes 7-9) 6:37
20. You’re The Boss (takes 11-12) 3:23
21. You’re The Boss (takes 13, 15 & 14) 4:09
22. Santa Lucia (vocal overdub, take 5) 1:26
23. Today, Tomorrow And Forever (movie version, 2016 vocal overdub take 10/M) 2:46
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DJ Fontana Obituary and Interview: D.J. Fontana was born in Shreveport Louisiana on March 15 1931 and originally began backing Elvis Presley, Bill Black and Scotty Moore when he worked at the Louisiana Hayride as early as 1954.
By his early 20s he performed at strip joints and spent enough time around the “Hayride” that he was hired full time.
Sun Records Sam Phillips originally assembled Elvis' Blue Moon Boys without a drummer and so it wasn't until the key RCA session of January 10 1956 that DJ Fontana joined the band on studio recordings.
That session produced 'Heartbreak Hotel' and the music world would never be the same.
EIN presents a spotlight on DJ Fontana along with a new interview “I Tell You What, He Loved Gospel Music” by EIN contributor Thomas Melin.
While DJ Fontana created some of the greatest rock'n'roll drumming ever cut on wax he always stated that he liked to "keep things simple" in a way that complemented not just Elvis, but also his other band-mates.
Go here as EIN pay their respects to the charming DJ Fontana.
(Spotlight, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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UPDATED - COME ON FTD! Let's Speed Things Up A Little!: EIN has very strongly supported the FTD label from the start even though their quality control has slipped at times.
Recently this seems to have got worse, perhaps due to the producers Ernst Jorgensen and Roger Semon's extra work with mainstream SONY releases.
The last couple of FTD live soundboards have notably run slow dragging down the pace of Elvis' performance. This has also been an issue on some previous concert releases.
On ELVIS LAS VEGAS '74' FTD the dates were wrong with the two shows reversed from what the cover indicated.
Do FTD collectors deserve better or should we be happy to have anything released with faults and all?
Go here as EIN contributor & Elvis author Shane Brown investigates.
Now updated with YOUR COMMENTS - Are you a FTD collector - we want to know YOUR THOUGHTS
(Spotlight, Source;ShaneB/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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UPDATED - Elvis Presley: The Searcher (HBO film review): EIN's Nigel Patterson takes an in-depth look at Thom Zimny's documentary film about Elvis and his music.
What Nigel finds will surprise many fans. Discover what's The Good and The Bad about this new documentary looking at Elvis' music.
Is the film a masterpiece (the definitive Elvis documentary), over-rated or somewhere in the middle?
NOW UPDATED WITH YOUR COMMENTS
Read Nigel's review here
(Film Review, Source: ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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UPDATED - EIN review ‘Elvis: The Searcher’ Deluxe CD boxset: If your main interest in Elvis is his music then HBO’s ‘Elvis: The Searcher’ will probably become your favourite documentary ever produced about our hero.
The companion 3-CD deluxe edition box set offers an expanded 55-track overview of Elvis’ career as heard in the film including familiar hit recordings, powerful vocal performances and rare outtakes plus a bonus disc of additional recordings relevant to the film - including several early singles that inspired Elvis.
Thom Zimny said, "To live with the music of The Searcher over a period of years was more than a privilege. It changed my thinking about the emotional life of songs, both for those who make them and those who listen to them."
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| April 6 - 'ELVIS PRESLEY: THE SEARCHER' OUT NOW: The soundtrack to Elvis Presley: The Searcher showcases Elvis' most enduring hits, powerful performances and rare alternate takes, from his early blues and country-influenced recordings to his final 1976 recording sessions in the Jungle Room. The soundtrack is OUT NOW as an 18-track overview on CD or 2LP & a 3CD deluxe version which adds 37 additional Elvis cuts, original score compositions by Mike McCready of Pearl Jam plus songs that inspired Elvis, from R&B and country classics to his mother Gladys Presley singing at home. |
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| 'Elvis Presley: The Searcher' Deluxe 3CD Release:
The 3-CD deluxe edition box set offers an expanded 55-track overview of Elvis’ career as heard in the film including familiar hit recordings, powerful vocal performances |
| (“That’s All Right,” “Tomorrow Is a Long Time,” “Trouble/Guitar Man”) and rare outtakes (“Suspicious Minds,” “Separate Ways”), plus a bonus disc of additional recordings relevant to the film - including singles that inspired Presley (Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s original version of “That’s All Right,” Odetta’s gospel version of Bob Dylan’s “Tomorrow is a Long Time”) and also features two original instrumental pieces composed for the documentary by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. - |
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3CD Deluxe set priced at around $35 - see updated prices below.
Elvis Presley: The Searcher (Original Soundtrack) Deluxe includes a 40-page book of photos, liner notes by Warren Zanes, and a producer's note from film director Thom Zimny. |
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'Elvis: The Movies' Book Review: Respected Elvis author Alan Hanson, along with Erik Lorentzen, has just published 'Elvis - The Movies', 432 pages examining all of Elvis' movies and including some sensational photos.
Elvis Presley's dream was to become a movie star, and the dream started well for him. His acting ability developed steadily throughout his first four movies. But, alas, it was the music which first gave him access to Hollywood, that proved the undoing of his acting career. The inevitable result was a long series of films with weak plots in which only the music mattered.
Author Alan Hanson chronicles Elvis' cinematic career, combined with hundreds of stunning photos from Erik Lorentzen's exclusive collection. But how could this improve on all the previous 'Elvis movie' books.
Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley checks out this new deluxe production and includes some of the book's fabulous Elvis photos
(Interviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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'ELVIS ON TOUR - 45th Anniversary Deluxe Edition' IN-Depth Review: Amiga International's long awaited LIMITED-EDITION boxset featuring 9-CD’s, all remastered, of all known recordings made for the Golden Globe Award-winning concert documentary ELVIS ON TOUR is OUT NOW. It includes the premiere of the complete rehearsal recorded in Buffalo, NY on April 5, 1972, with three previously unreleased performances.
The 13-inch boxset also includes a huge 128-page hardcover book containing detailed essays of the entire April 1972 tour with RARE AND UNPUBLISHED photographs and related memorabilia.
When considering the lack of attention paid to this concert documentary, it seems a shame that so few official releases have emerged. It is for this reason that AMIGA International presents this deluxe package to honor the excellent recordings made for the much neglected "Elvis On Tour" film. |
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FTD will NOT end in 2019: A fair number of uninformed supposed Elvis "insiders" (even some Fan Club Presidents) have been publishing fictional stories that the FTD label is planning to close in 2019.
Ernst Jorgensen had strongly denied this story stating, that FTD has plans to continue for the foreseeable future.
In an interesting interview about 'The Future of FTD' - with Trevor Cajiao in the recent ETM&HM magazine - Ernst Jorgensen's main points were....
1. FTD will not be closing in 2019
2. The 'Classic Albums" series is nearly complete but there are more to come, noting 'Aloha' and 'Madison Square Garden' are still to be done.
3. Expanded "complete session tapes" releases are being considered
4. Plenty more soundboards to come
To read the complete story including answers about FTD deletions and other future ideas please read the December issue of ETM&HM.
For what's left for FTD check out our detailed listing
(News, Source;FTD/ElvisInfoNet)
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UPDATED - Trying To Get To You: The Truth Behind The Elvis And Roy Orbison Show Rumours: For decades there has always been an unsubstantiated rumour that Elvis Presley appeared as a guest on Roy Orbison's TV show on the local station KOSA.
The Roy Orbison website notes that both Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley performed on Roy’s TV show in late 1955.
Respected author Colin Escott wrote in his book Good Rockin’ Tonight about a kinescope of Elvis on the Roy Orbison TV show actually existing.
Some keen Elvis fans have said that they have seen this very kinescope at Elvis Week shows back in the 80s.
But like infamous Pied Piper of Cleveland does this footage really exist and is there any real proof that Elvis did appear on the Roy Orbison TV show?
Shane Brown (author of Reconsider Baby: Elvis: A Listener's Guide) has done an immense amount of investigation and thinks he has found the answer.
Go here as EIN contributor & author Shane Brown investigates and checks the facts and the fantasy.
(Spotlight; Source;SBrown/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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'Elvis:The Last Movies' FTD in-depth Review: Charro!, The trouble with girls, Change Of Habit, finally Elvis’ last soundtrack recordings are brought together in a cohesive release that works as a companion set for the FTD 7” Classic Album series.
“The Last Movies” contains outtakes and an informative illustrated 16-page booklet with rare memorabilia and photos.
In this period Elvis' voice had matured and the sound of ‘68/’69 was a great musical turning point for Elvis with the NBC TV special and the Memphis sessions. While some of the movie compositions were not as good as he deserved, with Elvis sounding vocally great at this time what does this new Classic Soundtrack have to offer?
The one disc contains previously unreleased material, including "rough mixes" and also multiple outtakes from 'The Trouble With Girls' 'Almost' session.
EIN contributor Ian Garfield checks out this new FTD Classic soundtrack album release....
(FTD Reviews, Source;IanGarfield/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware) - Exposing the Amazon Elvis Book Rip-Off?: From RCA to Sony Elvis' back catalog has long been exploited at the expense of his legacy. The same thing is now happening regarding Elvis book releases!
Through clever marketing, including the use of different (but suspicious) author names and different book titles for releases which are essentially identical; short and long book editions; and coupling the Elvis story with that of other celebrities, a glut of Elvis related book titles (with repetitive text) only available from Amazon are blatantly misleading fans.
Read EIN's findings in our "exclusive" investigative report
(Spotlight, Source:ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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UPDATED - 'ELVIS: That's The Way It Was & This Is How It Is Today': Elvis is no longer with us but his spirit lives forever. Elvis fans always discover something quite magical when they get the chance to “Walk-a-mile-in-his-shoes”. Graceland, when not overrun by crowds, feels very special indeed. Standing in the quiet you can almost feel the spirit of Elvis still inhabiting his home. The feeling in Memphis’ Sun Studios can bring fans to tears.
One of the places that Elvis spent a large part of his life is the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel – now the Westgate. Elvis performed a stunning 636 concerts in the Hilton showroom and the impact of his incredible legacy can still be felt. - NOW with more great Hilton photos - plus EIN Readers Feedback.
Arjan Deelen recently returned to the classic hotel to investigate “Elvis Hotspots” and discovered that behind the showroom stage it is relatively unchanged.
(Spotlight, Source;ArjanDeelen/ElvisInfoNetwork) |
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Book Review "Reconsider Baby: Elvis: A Listener's Guide": Elvis Presley made over 700 recordings during his life. This book by author Shane Brown examines all of them. Session by session, song by song, Reconsider Baby takes the reader on a journey from Elvis’s first recordings in 1953 through to his last performances in 1977.
This significantly expanded and revised edition of 2014’s Elvis Presley: A Listener’s Guide provides a commentary on Elvis’s vast and varied body of work, while also examining in detail how Elvis and his recordings and performances were discussed in newspapers, magazines, and trade publications from the 1950s through to the 1970s.
The text draws on over 500 contemporary articles and reviews, telling for the first time the story of how Elvis and his career played out in the printed media, and often forcing us to question our understanding of how Elvis’s work was received at the time of release.
Can another detailed examination into Elvis' musical legacy really be worth buying? (Hint, the answer is a big YES!)
Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley reviews the newly expanded look into Elvis' musical legacy, including some choice book extracts...
(Book Reviews, Source,ElvisInformationNetwork)
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'Roustabout' FTD Soundtrack Review: Roustabout was Elvis' 16th movie, it had been five months since Elvis’ last album session and his publishers had a chance to secure soundtrack material from a variety of composers. Eleven songs were needed and while the carnival theme stopped most of them having any inspired lyrics, at least the composers Leiber / Stoller and Otis Blackwell were included in the selection.
Reaching #1 on Billboard in early 1965, it would Elvis’ last chart topping album until "Aloha From Elvis Via Satellite" in 1973.
53 years after its original release FTD is pleased to announce the long awaited "Classic Album" version of "Roustabout". Packaged in 7" format with a full colour 16-page memorabilia booklet, it contains some previously unreleased material.
So why has it taken FTD so long to release? It was once noted that only the masters had been located in the vaults, so there was not much to include for a “Classic Album”...
Go here as EIN contributor Ian Garfield examines this new FTD soundtrack release and checks out what's new.
(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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Some of the better Elvis books released for the 40th anniverary:
Mindi Miller Interview with EIN: Mindi Miller was a working actress when she met Elvis in early 1975. She was interested in karate (she performed all her own movie stunts), exploring spirituality and the Bible and so they had a lot in common.
Mindi Miller and Elvis bonded over their common interests and soon afterwards he asked her to go on tour with him in April 1975.
She stayed friends with Elvis through the years - along with members of the 'Memphis Mafia' - and attended his funeral.
EIN's Sanja Meegin recently caught up with Mindi Miller to talk about her close friendship with Elvis over the years.
In this fascinating interview she discusses. . .
- Her first night with Elvis
- How Elvis persuaded her to cancel her overseas movie & modelling plans
- Their mutual interest in Karate
- Graceland and meeting Lisa Marie
- Attending Elvis' funeral . . . and much much more...
Go here for EIN's Sanja Meegin and her intimate and detailed discussion with the delightful Mindi Miller - Now with Reader Feedback.
(Interviews, Source;SMeegin/ElvisInformationNetwork)
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Official Elvis CD Box-sets at bargain prices through Amazon UK |
'Marty Lacker: A Life Well-Lived' & Elvis at American Studio's Interview: It was with immense sadness that last month EIN had to report on the death of our great friend - and a true friend to Elvis - Marty Lacker. We will miss him dearly.
Marty is well-known as one of the key members of the Memphis Mafia and also co-Best Man at Elvis' wedding. He was known for both his honesty and being forthright with his opinions. He was the only member of the Memphis Mafia who still watched and commented on recent Elvis News. He had no issue with holding people to account (especially ones who would inflate their importance within Elvis' legacy) and would regularly ask EIN to add his comments or to correct any inaccuracy.
Elvis fans often ask about Marty Lacker's background, how he came to meet Elvis, as well as his involvement in the music industry outside of working for The King.
As a prelude to Ken Sharp's fascinating interview with Marty Lacker and a discussion about Elvis' famous American Studio' Memphis sessions, EIN presents "Marty Lacker: a life well-lived" in which Marty tells of his life in the music industry, his friendship with Elvis along with his dislike of the over-controlling Col Parker.
Go here to learn all you need to know about Marty Lacker as well as Elvis outstanding Memphis American Sound sessions in 1969.
(Spotlight; Source,KenSharp/ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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Marty Lacker RIP : Sadly Marty will no longer be able to answer all your those fascinating questions, but his honesty and openess should not be forgotten.
- Chips Moman (RIP) later thoughts on Elvis
- Being a consultant on 1979 "ELVIS" movie.
- The demonstrations in Memphis this Elvis Week.
- Felton Jarvis as Elvis' Executive Album Producer.
- The Jungle Room sessions
- Elvis might have some illegitimate children
- Why did Elvis never travel to holiday in Europe,
- Is David Stanley, Holy Priest of truth, OR a liar
Go here to 'ASK MARTY' to remember the great man.
(Ask Marty, Source;ML/ElvisInfoNet)
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'The World of FTD' In-Depth Review: The new deluxe book 'The World Of FTD' has been received by some lucky fans and Elvis collector Mike Lodge has provided EIN with a very detailed review - of well over 3 thousand words!
The book was authored and designed by Keith Flynn with input from a large number of other Elvis specialists including EIN's Piers Beagley, EM&HM's Trevor Cajiao, Geoffrey McDonnell, Gordon Minto and many others.
It is 1,200 pages, hardbound three book set, chronicling every release by FTD.The book also features 100s of high-quality photos from the collection Erik Lorentzen
KJ Consulting are proud to publish this Box Set which weighs 8 kilos.
Unfortunately the book has not arrived in Australia yet so I have not seen the final product!
Go here to see his very detailed review - plus more new preview pages - EIN thanks Mike Lodge for the review
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet)
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US CD |
US VINYL |
UK CD |
UK VINYL |
Book Review: A Little Thing Called Life: Finally, Linda Thompson's memoir has been published.....and it has been well worth the wait! Linda's life, not only with Elvis, but with two other global icons and her own amazing career is an engrossing and revealing read.
Inside its nearly 400 pages Linda reveals her life as an individual, as a mother and as a partner. We learn of the similarities and differences between the three.
Alternating between the light, dark and shades of life in between, A Little Thing Called Life is an honest and intimate account of the incredible life of an amazing woman, from the three men who shared her life and her family to the highly successful and varied career that she continues to enjoy. (Book Review, Source: EIN)
Read Nigel Patterson's detailed review
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UPDATED - 'Way Down In The Jungle Room' EIN Review: Released for August 2016 this SONY Legacy pack celebrates the 40th anniversary of Elvis’ last recording sessions which took place in Graceland’s Jungle Room.
The publicity noted the sessions “have been newly mixed by Matt Ross-Spang at Sam Phillips Recording” and “includes both outtakes and in-the-studio dialog, providing a ‘fly-on-the-wall experience’ of what the sessions were like".
Elvis' original 76/77 albums were fairly uninspired collections (bar a few fine singles) and on the original LPs it was almost impossible to glimpse any sign of creative input from Elvis through the syrupy overdubs. It wasn't until the release of FTD’s magnificent ‘The Jungle Room Sessions’ that many fans began to understand the raw emotion, close camaraderie and Elvis’ personal feelings that were revealed by these intimate Graceland sessions.
To produce that same kind of revelation for the 'General Public' would be a very tricky project but that is exactly what the new legacy team has done - and to great effect.
Go here as EIN's Piers Beagley discovers the old Elvis magic and what is special for Elvis Collectors in our in-depth review
Now Updated & Expanded with Your Comments - James Burton talks about the Jungle Room sessions & more
(CD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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In Australia - buy this great release for only $23 at JBHiFi click here . delivery only $1.70!
Please Do Not be ripped off by other Australian Elvis shops. |
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UPDATED - Paul Dowling EIN Interview Part Three: Paul Dowling is without doubt one of the major names in the Elvis World. He started collecting and selling Elvis vinyl over 40 years ago and has one of the world's largest Elvis Presley record collections. He started his "WorldWide Elvis" shop back in the seventies, way before the internet, where fans could get hold of rare Elvis records and memorabilia.
With such a fascination with Elvis, Dowling not only became a big name in the early years of Elvis bootlegs but later became friends with Ernst Jorgensen and helped RCA with various official releases.
In the final part of our fascinating interview Paul Dowling discusses ....
- Dodging the FBI agents that were sent after him
- Unreleased Elvis material that still hasn’t come out
- Why does Ernst Jorgensen doubt this claims
- His BMG project 'For The First Time Ever' - what happened
- The true story of obtaining the Million Dollar Quartet tape
- His thoughts on Paul Lichter, Sean Saver, Sherif Hanna, Rex Martin
- Spending time with Alan Fortas
- Jim Curtin, newly added story
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'Elvis Taking Care Of Business - In A Flash FTD Book Review: Focusing on Elvis in late 1970 and early 1971, "Elvis Presley Taking Care Of Business - In A Flash" is the new FTD Book/CD combo by Flaming Star/FTD.
Produced by David English, Pål Granlund and Paul Richardson, this book presents a detailed chronicle of Elvis’ personal life and public career between the autumn of 1970 and the early weeks of 1971.
It is a hardcover, large-format book with 450 pages that offer detailed coverage of Elvis’ life and career over the important four months from October 1970 to January 1971.
The publicity promised hundreds of photographs, many of them candid and previously unpublished and new and exclusive interviews.
It also comes with a bonus CD with unreleased versions of studio-tracks plus Elvis’ concert in Portland, Oregon on Nov 11th 1970.
Can it really be as good as promised? EIN's Piers Beagley investigates and discovers plenty .. Go here to our indepth review featuring plenty of extracts and wonderful photographs.
(FTD Reviews, Source;ElvisInformationNetwork) |
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'Ultimate Elvis' New Electronic Edition: Announced by Elvis sessions expert Keith Flynn for publication November 1 is the brand new concept of the 1750 page super-deluxe Elvis sessions book 'Ultimate Elvis' Electronic Edition.
This incredible three volume book will now be available as an e-book on an i-pad or android tablet.
- Created in HTML5
Fully updated e-books will open in any web browser on any operating system, so no need for separate downloads for different operating systems.
- Life-Like 'Flipping' Pages
Flip through pages as if you are reading an actual book, but also being able to zoom-in to view smaller images and captions.
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- View as Double or Single pages
View as double pages on a computer or laptop etc, and single pages when viewing in portrait on an i-pad or Android tablet.
- Fully Navigational Table Of Contents
Jump back and forth to the sections of the books you want to read, instead of flipping through numerous pages to find what you want.
PRICED AT - all 3 Volumes for £60 = US$93
On sale from November 1st 2015.
Try Before You Buy -
Download free zip-file containing 27 pages from Volume 1, before you decide to buy the complete set. -
NOTE - These books are MASSIVE so you will need approximately 1GB of spare disc space for these three volumes, -
Click HERE to Keith Flynn's 'Ultimate Elvis' Electronic Edition to try.
Go HERE to EIN's independent review of 'Ultimate Elvis'
(News, Source;ElvisInfoNet) |
Did Elvis Record 'Tiger Man' At Sun?: A question that has puzzled Elvis fans through the years is whether he actually recorded the song ‘Tiger Man’ during his years at SUN studios.
The basic question is why did Elvis refer to 'Tiger man' several times in concert as “The second song that I ever recorded, not too many people heard it”?
And if Elvis DID record it, then why hasn’t any reference to it at SUN or proof of its existence been found?
Elvis would first perform ‘Tiger Man’ in concert at his first 1969 Las Vegas International season and would continue playing it through the years – usually in a medley with Mystery Train - until his last performance at Saginaw on May 3 1977. He would sing it over 150 times on stage!
The thought that there might be an acetate or undiscovered tape of Elvis at SUN singing ‘Tiger Man’ is a mouth-watering concept - but is it an unlikely fantasy or strong possibility?
Go here to our detailed 'TIGER MAN' spotlight as EIN's Piers Beagley puts in the hard yards to check the facts from the fantasy .
(Spotlight; Source;ElvisInfoNetwork) |
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Now available from Amazon USA:
Copyright the Elvis Information Network.
Elvis Presley, Elvis and Graceland are trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises.
The Elvis Information Network has been running since 1986 and is an EPE officially recognised Elvis fan club.
EIN also has a local Australian national Elvis Fan Club for paid up members featuring quarterly newsletters and an annual EIN Elvis Mega Quiz with special prizes.
The printed newsletters have extra content, articles and reviews to this w
ebsite along with the popular Elvis EIN Mega Quiz.
If you need to know more about the fan club, newsletters, Elvis EIN quiz or EIN membership
' ELVIS EIN QUIZ', Elvis EIN quiz, elvis EIN mega quiz, elvis mega quiz, EIN mega quiz, ELVIS EIN QUIZ, EIN elvis mega quiz,
Elvis Pesley News, Elvis Presley News, Latest Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News,Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley news, Piers Beagley Elvis presley, piers beagley elvis, piers beagley elvis presley, piers beagley elvis, Elvis Presley News, Elvis Presley News,
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Audio-Visual |
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Reference |
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