75 years and counting, looking back on elvis

Elvis Presley’s birthday may be the closest thing to a semi-religious pilgrimage for any American, ever. Jan. 8 is his day.

At 13, the dirt-poor teen moved from Tupelo, Miss., to Memphis with his family. Soon thereafter, the boy was performing gospel, country and a new genre of electrified hillbilly blues called rockabilly.

It was the birth of rock music, and of Presley’s storied and controversial career, which carried him from Memphis to Hollywood to Las Vegas, and around the world and back again. He died in his Graceland mansion on Aug. 16, 1977.

The King’s roots run through the Sooner state, too.

The King of Rock inspired the First Lady of Rock, Oklahoma City resident Wanda Jackson, to blend her country and hillbilly roots with electrified twang. Jackson was the first woman to record a rock tune “Let’s Have a Party,” in 1959. Last year, she was the first Oklahoma woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

One of Presley’s biggest hits, “Heartbreak Hotel,” was co-written by Mae Boren Axton, a University of Oklahoma graduate and journalism teacher. She was also mother to Duncan-born Hoyt Axton. Her nephew is longtime U.S. senator (and current University of Oklahoma president) David L. Boren.
“Elvis Spring Tours ‘77″ was recorded through his last spring-time national tour just months before his death and featured four tunes recorded in Norman: “That’s All Right,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight?,” “Blue Christmas” and “Blue Suede Shoes.” The album is a collector’s item.
By the time Presley played a sold-out show at the Mabee Center on July 4, 1976 on America’s Bicentennial Tulsa World critic Tom Carter said the music man who sported an outfit with the presidential seal on his hulking belt was practically a parody of the golden god of rock he once was. It’s rumored he stayed at the Mayo Hotel.

To sum up how much the adoring fans loved Presley during that historic concert, Carter chided, “Presley could have done no more than bear an American flag painted on his butt and the disciples would have screamed for an encore.”

Indeed, the faltering star careened his fairy-tale, rags-to-riches career into a most unglamorous death at age 42.

Presley’s musical legacy, however, has proved much more hearty. His success is nearly unrivaled to this day, with more than 1 billion albums and singles sold worldwide.

In 1989, Tulsa-born country newbie Garth Brooks played a juke joint called Tulsa City Limits. Country music critic John Wooley predicted (to much scorn from readers) that Brooks would be the next Elvis. In fact, Brooks is the only solo artist in recorded music history to even come close to clocking the mind-blowing album sales that Presley has, with somewhere near 220 million albums and single sold worldwide.

And, in 2003, Tulsa World reporter Jason Collington wrote about a scrapbook full of candid Presley snapshots he discovered shot by an Oklahoma fan at a flea market in Grove. “My wife ended up buying the album for me. How much did she give? Let’s just say I considered it a deal,” he wrote.

The King is dead, but long live the King.

Make that pilgrimage

You can do it by driving, flying or surfing. Thats right. This year, many of Elvis Presleys 75th birthday celebrations and collectibles are available online.

Instant gratification

Up now: The official Presley Web site has debuted its interactive 75 Years of Elvis timeline at elvis.com/timeline, which allows fans to walk through Elvis greatest accomplishments in both his personal life and his career and includes photos, video, editorial and more.Online: Via Elvis.com and Facebook.com/Elvis, watch all the festivities live from Graceland. The late singers official Facebook page will be open for comment- sharing, while elvis.com will open for live chat, too.

In stores: Mattel will debut its new Elvis Presley Jailhouse Rock Doll from the Barbie Pink Label Collection. The Bradford Exchange has created an Elvis figurine and Zippo heats things up with a series of collectible Elvis 75 lighters.

On air: Sirius Satellite/XM Radio offers Elvis Radio, broadcast commercial-free from Presleys own Graceland mansion.

For more information, check out Sirius.com/ElvisRadio.

Handheld: Yep, iPhone and iTouch has an app for this, too. Download the free Elvis Mobile application to bring The King at your fingertips with newly-released pictures and videos, podcasts, live Graceland Livecam access and even report Elvis sightings around the world.

At Graceland

Join Elvis Presleys former wife, Priscilla, and his daughter, Lisa Marie, at the Graceland mansion in Memphis as they celebrate the King of Rock and Rolls 75th birthday.An exhibit opens Jan. 8 that chronicles Presleys life, starting with his birth in 1935. From Tupelo to Memphis, gives fans a glimpse at rarely seen artifacts, including photos of Elvis from his childhood, report cards and one of Elvis first pay stubs from his days as a delivery truck driver before making his first recording at Sun Studio on July 5, 1954.

Also on the 8th, more than 20 of Presleys iconic stage costumes from 1969-1977 will be on display. The exhibit charts the evolution of the design of Presleys stage-wear, popularized during his Las Vegas engagements and concert tours. They were inspired by his interest in karate simple wool gabardine suits were engineered with tunic-style tops and long, karate- style belts knotted to one side with the ends dangling from the hip.

Get the full roster of events and buy tickets before monday for Graceland events, which run Jan. 7-10. Visit tulsaworld.com/ElvisBDay

Elsewhere

In Los Angeles: Photographs by Alfred Wertheimer, a new Smithsonian traveling exhibition, will debut at The Grammy museum at L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Jan. 8. In 1956 Wertheimer was hired by RCA Victor to shoot promotional images of the recently signed 21-year-old recording artist. It runs through march 28. (Look for the catalog book at Elvis.com.)

In Milwaukee: Presleys redand- white 1956 model KH Harley-Davidson motorcycle is the centerpiece of a limited engagement exhibit, Jan. 7-31 at the Harley-Davidson museum.In Las Vegas: Cirque du Soleil performing group has previewed its Viva ELVIS show at the custom-build Elvis Theatre in the Aria resort & Casino at CityCenter.

It premieres to the public on Feb. 19.

In tribute: The first-ever Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artists Tour runs through January in ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Hankerin for the good ol days?

Check out RSU radio on Saturday mornings for two radio shows that celebrate everything about the founding roots of rock n roll early country and sock-hop favorites.9 a.m. Saturday: Join the Hillbilly Happy Hour as Johnney Hall features a variety of country artists.

Noon Saturday: Join the Hillcat Sockhop as Gary Rofkahr plays favorites and your requests.

Listen live: tulsaworld.com/RSUlive or on the dial at 91.3 Fm, RSU radio

Celebrate Elvis birthday at the Hard Rock

Elvis Presleys impending 75th birthday is a whopper, with celebrations planned worldwide.Cant make it to his former mansion in memphis? Well, thats alright, mama.

Tulsa channels the man himself just in time for the King of rocks Jan. 8 birth date with a double-blowout at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Hard rock Casino & Hotel in Catoosa.

You can pay tribute to the King with highly regarded young Elvis impersonator Travis LeDoyt. You cant help falling in love with the guy he will gyrate his way into your heart like a hunka-hunka burning love. (Did we overdo it on that last one?)

Dress up and get down its a free show. For more information, visit tulsaworld.com/HardRockTulsa.

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‘Elvis fever’ at Welsh seaside town

THOUSANDS of Elvis fans have descended onto Porthcawl for the 2009 Elvis Festival.

Organiser Peter Phillips said last night the seaside town was bustling with fans of the King.

Its been absolutely manic, definitely gone up two or three grades since last year, he said.

The festival, now in its sixth year, attracts Elvis impersonators from all over the world and already television crews from Russia and Japan have filmed across the town. Mr Phillips predicted this years festival would be bigger than ever before.

There has been a real ripple effect with overseas press, he said, adding that he was looking forward to the festival giving the resort a financial boost.

All the hotels in Porthcawl were sold out three months ago, he said.

Elvis tribute artist Joseph Hall, who got through to the final of the Americas Got Talent television programme last year, will perform as a special guest at the festival.

And Steve Caprice, a professional tribute artist and a fully ordained minister, will marry a couple from Barry at the towns Seabank Hotel today .

Mr Phillips added: Its arguably the biggest Elvis festival in the world.

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Elvis Presley’s ex-bodyguard co-producing tell-all biopic

Rock n roll legend Elvis Presleys former bodyguard is all set to reveal how his life used to be during his time with the tragic entertainer in a new biopic.

Sonny West will talk about Presleys sensational rise to fame, his tragic demise, and struggle with drug addiction in feature-length film Fame and Fortune.

He will be a co-writer and co-producer of the film, reports Contactmusic.

According to Daily Variety, he has signed a deal with Toronto-based film company RLF Victor Productions in this regard.

West was employed by Presley from 1960 until 1976, one year prior to the stars tragic death after suffering a heart attack

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Sam Phillips selling Elvis’ contract to RCA was no mistake

When Sam Phillips sold Elvis contract to RCA Records, it was no mistake as many people will tell you. I had the honor and privilege of working for The Father of Rock and Roll, at his radio station in his hometown of Florence, Alabama

I just got off the air after doing my Saturday afternoon airshift, walked into the sales area and saw Mr. Phillips standing there. I found out in short order that he prefers Sam over Mr. Phillips. He sat down and he told me that radio was his first love, not recording. He was a disc jockey for many years including WREC at that time located in the Hotel Peabody in downtown Memphis. In fact the recording started as a sound effects library for radio production and grew from there. Sun Studios was originally called The Memphis Recording Service with the slogan “We Record Anything, Anywhere, Anytime.”

At the time I was young and naive enough to think I could ask him about selling Elvis’ contract for $40,000. Sam said “Well first of all it was $35,000 because Elvis got $5,000 and second that was a lot of money back in 1955 especially for an artist that had never had a hit record. He told me at the time RCA made the offer he was considering an offer from Atlantic Records for $25,000. He needed the money to promote Sun’s other artist. I knew Elvis had started on Sun but didn’t realize he had never had a hit. He said he didnt have the money to promote Elvis, Back then the best way to sell records was by touring. With the money I made from the sell of the contract I was able to promote Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis. He paused for a minute, went into his office and returned with an old picture, he said this group played right here in the tri-cities (Florence, Sheffield and Muscle Shoals). It was Elvis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jay Perkins (Carl’s brother) and Jerry Lee Lewis. All but Jay were in later years refered to the Million Dollar Quartet.

Since he brought it up I asked about how Carl Perkins felt about Elvis recording “Blue Suede Shoes” a song Perkins wrote and had recorded himself. Sam said Carl was in a car wreck on the way to do a TV show (the Perry Como Show) and couldn’t tour. Elvis did a cover and had a hit with it bringing in money Carl would have never seen from royalties.” He pointed out that in hindsight people think that the Elvis version overshadowed Perkins version. The fact is, Perkins version gave Sun Records their first national hit, selling over a million copies and giving them the cash flow they needed at the time. Perkins took Blue Suede Shoes to the top of the country charts and #2 on the pop charts. Elvis version (on RCA) stalled at #20 on the pop charts. But the royalties from the Elvis version gave Carl the money he needed during his recovery.

Sam also said that he invested some of the money into Holiday Inn, over the years he made his money back many times over. He had also put on a radio station in 1955, WHER. It was the first all female radio station. Not only the air staff but management as well. A sly grin came across his face as he told me that all the girls applying for the on air staff thought they would be the only woman on staff as was the norm at the time. It wasnt until they came to work that they realized they were going to be a part of broadcasting history. At the time Sam said people thought I was crazy, that it would never last but WHER was on the air for eleven years.

Sam was a living legend and an innovator. He took chances by combining black and white music and was the first to cross over the country and rock charts (Elvis later added R&B and topped all three charts). He also had the first All Girl radio station; he was truly the first Equal Opportunity Employer. I am proud to have worked for him.

By Mitch McCracken

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