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Hi everyone Well FINALLY!!!! Edition #250 of our E-Alert. As you will be aware, publication of our once weekly online newsletter is erratic (to say the least). Work commitments and keeping the site updated are consuming more and more of our time.......sadly leaving little of our resources for the E-Alert. On a positive note, the E-Alert is now distributed to nearly 6,000 Elvis fans in more than 30 countries around the world!!! This is a far cry from edition #1 which went out to only several hundred fans on May 2, 2002. To celebrate edition #250 we are running a special competition. Details appear below. There is also plenty of reading (and visual) material in this edition with the resurrection of Elvis; legal wranglings over the "Elvis in casket" photo; reader feedback; the US Ambassador who is a self-confessed Elvis fan; a DVD review; a tribute to Elvis World's Bill E. Burk, rare photos, and a lot more. We hope you enjoy E-Alert #250! Nigel & Piers Currently on www.elvisinfonet.com:
And on EIN this week (& next) watch out for:
Resurrect Elvis:The King voted the #1 historical figure people want resurrected!Elvis has been voted the historical figure people would most like to see resurrected, according to Yahoo Music. |
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Three runners-up will each receive:
- FTD title (chosen at random by EIN)
- Elvis Live (Sony BMG release)
- Elvis Country (Sony BMG release)
- Elvis Sings Flaming Star (Camden)
To enter the competition unscamble the following fun 15 cryptic clues and send your answers to EIN by 21 July 2008:
1. Not a bright celestial body (Song title - not a film title!)
2. There's no peace for you on this path (Song title)
3. Don't think she was born in this month but check with her last named company (Early girlfriend of Elvis')
4. This pooch is smokin' to touch (Song title)
5. The clothing in the nunnery is different (Film/Song title)
6. This State is watching you (Song title)
7. Arguably, Elvis and Jimmy Buffett have this in common (Food)
8. It ain't no horse, but to mount it surely you need a colorful saddle (Song title)
9. Bright direction stands out (Memphis Mafia member)
10. This place to stay has sees its fair share of tears (Song title)
11. Rural area is overgrown and out of control (Film/song title)
12. This place of rest is bi-annually very floral, and so peaceful you can reflect as monks do (Place)
13. The lowdown - there's no bowling here! (Song title)
14. They can be infuriating, but most males can't live without them (Film Title)
15. You're surrounded, so why don't you just........(Song title)
The judges decision is final but we will openly consider any reasonable answers that conflict with those we have. The five winners will be announced on the site after 7 July.
Elvis with Judith Towey
“The King, McQueen and the Love Machine” - now in audiobook format
(Source: Sid Shaw's Elvisly Yours Cyberclub Newsletter)
Read EIN's 2002 interview with Barbara Leigh
Over the years that I have published Elvisly Yours Cyberclub newsletters I always got a thank you email from a lady called Barbara Leigh usually saying how much she enjoyed the Newsletters. I often wondered whether this Barbara was the same Barbara Elvis dated and took up the courage to write to her. Sure enough Barbara was the Barbara Leigh. I was delighted that someone so close to Elvis and of Vampirella and Playboy fame should enjoy all the hard work that goes into each Elvisly Yours Newsletter. We started regular email correspondence. It is sort of neat getting emails from Playboy where she works. Barbara told me she had planned an audio book of her relationships with Elvis, Steve McQueen and Jim Aubrey (CEO of MGM). This labour of love took a long time coming. Barbara made it very clear this was no “kiss and tell” story, not an expose of intimate secrets of these famous men. It was a series of love stories, the love she had for three very different men at the same time, in her very intriguing life. |
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Barbara sent me a copy of the audio book last week and I listened to the three CDs over mostly the holiday weekend in Britain. I have never heard an audio book before and did not know what to expect. It is an interesting mix of a continuous narration by Barbara telling her story with the drama of a play with actors playing different parts, except Barbara Leigh and Joe Esposito play themselves. Joe also provides the introduction. It was Joe that pointed Barbara out to Elvis as Jim Aubrey’s date when she went to his concert in Las Vegas when they were filming “That’s The Way It Is”. Elvis Presley is played by Paul Casey, Steve McQueen by Tim Tomerson and Jim Aubrey by David Hedison. These actors are friends of Barbara and not meant to be sound-a-likes, simply giving feel for the part.
Barbara was and still is stunningly beautiful and she had love affairs with two of the most desirable men on the planet and one of the most powerful men in the Entertainment World. I think every woman who loves Elvis or Steve McQueen will have to buy this audio book. It will also appeal to all women who buy the tabloids, Hello, OK and drool while reading gossip columns. Just imagine being the mistress of Presley, McQueen and Aubrey all at the same time, all knowing you are seeing the other famous lovers?
What men and women will consider an X-rated life is told in a U-rated style. Barbara’s voice is sweet, almost virginal, as if she is reading a fairy story to children. In essence, her story is a “fairy story”, except it was true. I believe women particularly will want to hear how she managed to cope with the challenge of three love affairs to men each of whom were also married at the time. The early 70s were a time of rapid social change with female emancipation after the introduction of the ‘pill’ in the USA and women like Barbara became more self-confident and more predatory in their relationships. Her story is told in a real “Mills and Boon” style, commented Ian Coulson, the Geordie Elvis.
Men who drooled over Barbara’s appearance in Playboy and her as Vampirella will want to add to their collection of Barbara Leigh’s memorabilia. Each CD has a fabulous photo of Barbara and early orders will receive a signed photograph. What a fabulous title “The King, McQueen and the Love Machine” the latter being a sort of nickname for Jim Aubrey. The cover is another fabulous photo of Barbara, stunningly beautiful and she must have never had a bad hair day. How many women could look that gorgeous with their hair being soaking wet? |
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The audio book is reasonably priced at $25.00 for 3 CDs with signed photo. Mailing $5.00 US, $10.00 overseas. Everyone who has heard Barbara's audio book has loved it. It is a unique dramatization of a unique period in her life as if Barbara is personally telling the story just to you and you are listening in on her conversations with Elvis, McQueen, Aubrey and others. BUY IT TODAY !!!
HOW TO ORDER: You can order this audio book of Barbara Leigh from eBay and Amazon.com or why not directly from Barbara with perhaps some additional signed photographs.
and read the Playboy Review: www.playboy.com/blog/2008/05/sex-and-the-seventies.html.
If you have any questions email Barbara Leigh: baralee16@ca.rr.com
Read EIN's 2002 interview with Barbara Leigh
Elvis Presley The Greatest Hits Collection (EMI) (DVD Review):
Not to be disrespectful or anything, but I’m just wondering how this set could possibly be considered ‘The Greatest Elvis Collection’ when Presley wasn’t even alive for one of the concerts that is included? The DVD is even rather shamelessly titled ‘Elvis Lives’? The concert it presents was performed to “commemorate the 25th anniversary of Presley’s death”. This is one confusing package. |
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From Mexico.......the cover of one of the world's rarest Elvis books
The boat from GI Blues
EP Gold reports: The ship M/S Prince Bernardh that was used in the movie GI Blues, is up for a total make over, with four resturants several bars and a nightclub.
The ship was built in 1938 as a riverboat and was later used as a touristboat in Germany.
Today it is owned by a company in southern Sweden (where I live) and the owner hopes to be ready this fall and start using the boat for tourist, company events,resturant and nightclubguests.
The working name for the project is: " The Elvis Boat".
The passing of Elvis World's "007", the incomparable Bill E. Burk
Visit Bill E. Burk's "Elvis World Online"
EIN has had the pleasure of hosting Bill E. Burk's Elvis World Online for a number of years. Sadly, the Elvis world lost one of its heroes, with Bill's death in April this year.
Sid Shaw (Elvisly Yours) published this eloquent tribute:
| Many of you reading this newsletter will have already known Bill Burk died April 24th 2008 at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife of 21 years, Connie Burk; former wife and friend, Frances Burk; his sons Gary Burk (Shirley); Randy Burk and daughter and eight grandchildren, Scott Burk, Travis Burk, Hannah Burk, Madison Willis, Megan Royds, Jesse Burk, Jessica Burk and Zachary Burk. Bill was 75 years old and led an amazingly full life. I can’t think of anyone in the Elvis World who was more respected than Bill Burk. He was a legend to Elvis fans all over the world and he was my friend for 27 years. I first met Bill in 1981 at the old Holiday Inn Rivermont, overlooking the Mississippi River. It is now luxury apartments. I had been told that Bill (seen far left in photo opposite) was the best contact for ‘anything’ Elvis in Memphis. |
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Bill was a very important columnist for the Memphis Press Scimitar and had his photo adorning adverts on the side of newspaper vans and on billboards around Memphis. Bill agreed to write a column and provide rare photographs for an agreed fee for my Elvis magazine in Britain I had just published; it was called Elvisly Yours. Bill introduced me to George Klein and Jimmy Kingsley, to my Memphis lawyers and even helped me find my first Memphis employee.
In all the years of writing Bill had never received such a response as he got from the first feature he wrote for Elvisly Yours. He received over 800 letters I believe and one of those letters was from a young Danish girl; her name was Connie. They continued to correspond, eventually met, fell in love and were married in 1987. Bill always told me Connie saved his life. He became a kinder, more caring and better person, the Bill we all knew and loved. It seemed nothing was too much for Bill and he entertained thousands of fans and so many fan clubs that went to Memphis. He always seemed to find time for everyone and was my main contact in the world for Elvis News. If you got the story from Bill you knew it was right. We exchanged hundreds of emails and I am proud to stock some of Bill’s wonderful books. In 2002 I reprinted “Elvis in Canada” for him with a much better, heavier cover and a glossier production than his original magazine.
The last two years of Bill’s life were very tough. He had cancer, was badly hurt in a car crash, lost his aunt and mother and suffered seriously from fluid on the lung. On Thanksgiving last year he lost his son Michael and he never recovered from the shock. After Michael died Bill found it hard to cope and become motivated. I know the feeling Bill was going through having lost my darling Maureen in March 2007.
I firmly believe if Michael had not died Bill would still be with us. As I wrote in my tribute to Bill in the Commercial Appeal Memorial Book, God knew Bill was tired and took him to rest. All the deaths in his family, his ill health and difficult recovery from an accident became too much and now Bill has gone to a better place.
| My heart goes out to Connie, Bill’s children and grandchildren. Bill and Connie were devoted to each other and now there will be a big void in her life. Please Connie, take my advice and do something great in Bill’s honour. Publish one final “Elvis World, just devoted to Bill Burk. I have found it very therapeutic raising money in Maureen’s memory and having a “Counselling Room” named after her at the Lynda Jackson Macmillan Centre. It is a small, cozy room and is simply called “Maureen’s Room”. It is used to counsel some of the 15,000 people who visit LJMC each year. |  |
When Maureen died Bill and Connie were some of the first to contribute to my fund raising for LJMC and Bill publicised my campaign to Elvis fans and fan clubs worldwide. Bill dedicated his next “Elvis World” to Maureen and now just over a year later the world has lost Bill. The Elvis World will never be the same, no more Bill Burk books to enlighten us, no more Newsletters filled with fascinating drivel, no more Elvis News updates on the latest happenings in the Elvis World. Bill was going to write an autobiography and I wonder if Connie has enough material to publish it in Bill’s memory?
If you want to read Bill’s Obituary and post a tribute to Bill on the Commercial Appeal website click:
www.legacy.com/CommercialAppeal/Obituaries.asp?Page=LifeStory&PersonID=108366418
If you would like to donate to St. Jude’s Hospital in Bill’s memory click: www.stjude.org
Since I started this Newsletter I have now heard back from Connie and she sent the wonderful lead photo of Bill for this Newsletter and photo in "Memory Lane". In Connie’s words:
“I am taking it one day at a time, not making any major plans or changes right now. Except ‘Elvis World’ has ceased publication - with Bill's death, there can be no more Elvis World, simple as that! That was so much a part of him! Sadly, he did not get very far in writing the autobiography, so that will not be published.”
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Why Elvis can't compete in CD and DVD sales?
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In response to an article on our site about Elvis' CD and DVD sales EIN received this instructive feedback from Nina Tryggvason. It is 'food for thought' for Sony BMG and those film companies holding the rights to Elvis' movies:
I am a 40 year old Elvis fan with over 200 vinyl albums of Elvis. I buy Elvis DVDs, but not the movies, just documentaries and concerts. I do buy CD box sets, but rarely single/double cd packages.
And here's why:
The official labels are endlessly repacking the same material - usually with no unreleased, or only 1 or 2 unreleased tracks.
Uninspired packages - boring covers, no marketing to support them, no theme.
The official label needs to have 2 Elvis lines - one geared for a new generation of fans - update the music like the JLX and Spannox remixes, big push with innovative marketing - join up with Sims 2 and do an Elvis Stuff Pack. There's Elvis fan content for the game already.
And a more cost effective affordable hard core fan line - soundboards - do it better than the bootleggers. Set up an Elvis torrent site and charge for monthly access or per download. The core fans know what he looked like in 77, and we don't care, we love Elvis anyway.
We don't care the films are 8 mm transfers, silent and shakey, we want it. Sound sync it and release it. Release a deluxe package of the CBS final concerts. The fans want it, and it's out there, and it's not as bad as you think it is. Not releasing it isn't going to make it go away or make people forget.
I haven't bought the Elvis movies because I don't think they have been given a good enough treatment - I have bought the Vivia Las Vegas and Jailhouse Rock on Blu Ray.
And that hits the core of the Elvis product.
There's no sense of respect for Elvis or the Elvis fans. The feeling is that we're a cash machine and Elvis is an ATM and we're supposed to mindlessly buy anything they put out. Well, tally up the Elvis sales properly and respect him as an artist. Respect the fans and the money we pay for product and give us product worth our money. Don't put out the same tracks with a new title and cover. There's enough hits packages already.
Give us more soundboard recordings. More alternate song takes - every now then they seem to find wholly unreleased songs - "Come What May" Where did that come from? The label has to treat Elvis with respect - but, I don't believe it ever did before, so I don't hold out a lot of hope for that now.
National Enquirer photo of Elvis in casket believed shredded!
The famous National Enquirer photo of Elvis Presley lying in his open casket was shredded during a six-year anthrax decontamination effort on the tabloid's former Boca Raton, Fla., headquarters, according to the newest twist in a federal lawsuit. The front-page photo from the issue, which sold a whopping 6.5 million copies in 1977, is the center of a dispute between Boca Raton developer David Rustine, who bought the contaminated building at a bargain-basement price in 2003 while it was still sealed and quarantined, and John Y. Mason, whose company, Sabre, was hired to decontaminate it. In a lawsuit filed in May, Rustine, who values the original photo at $1 million, said Mason held the photo hostage in a dispute between the two over the cleaning. Rustine wants him to return the image or pay for it. |
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In October 2001, former Enquirer photo editor Bob Stevens opened a letter containing weapons-grade anthrax spores that killed him and contaminated the building owned by Enquirer parent American Media Inc. The attack has never been solved.
In 2003, Rustine's company, Broken Sound LLC, bought the building once valued at $10 million for $40,000 from AMI. In December 2003, Rustine's Broken Sound and Mason's Sabre entered an agreement to clean and decontaminate the building. On May 17 or 18, 2005, Rustine alleged Mason said "he would lose the Elvis photo" if the decontamination contract were not extended past a May 31, 2005, deadline.
Mason's countersuit, filed Friday 20 June, said Rustine doesn't even own the photo. He said AMI still owns the rights to that photo and millions of other celebrity photos that were contaminated and entombed in the building. Mason said that AMI's rights to photos and documents in the building were recognized in the decontamination agreement.
According to Mason's countersuit, Sabre began destroying documents and photos in February 2004 at the direction of AMI in-house counsel Daniel Rotstein. Mason's Sabre argues that it was ordered to destroy all documents and photos until a late 2004 agreement but that by then the Elvis photo was in ribbons.
In the lawsuit, Mason also accuses Rustine of defamation saying he "never threatened to steal or to otherwise withhold the Elvis photos" from Rustine or Broken Sound. (Source: SALLY APGAR South Florida Sun-Sentinel/Charmaine Voisine)
Classic unofficial albums being reissued
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-each cd contains the original album tracks
-each package contains the original album artwork
-original record labels are used for the cd's
-Shock, Rattle And Roll contains a 12-page booklet
These historic bootleg albums are now for the first time available on cd. Including all Elvis performances on the Milton Berle Shows, Ed Sullivan Shows, Steve Allen Shows and Dorsey Shows***.
Also including some performances that were not officially released on cd.
***All original tracklistings except for From The Waist Up! - including some bonus tracks!
Most recordings are now for the first time released on a single cd!
Of course limited editions only!!! (Source: EP Gold/Elvis News)
Elvis' Favorite Ride Donated To Save Libertyland
On Monday, Carolina Crossroads, the company that bought Libertyland's Zippin' Pippin, the second-oldest wooden roller coaster in the world, for $2,000, donated the coaster to Save Libertyland - which was incorporated as a nonprofit organization last week.
Steven Mulroy, lawyer and County Commissioner, burned the midnight oil last week to get Save Libertyland incorporated as a nonprofit. The city's deadline for a decision on what was to be done with the classic coaster was Tuesday, April 24th.
Carolina Crossroads had originally planned to take the cars from the coaster and build a replica of it at their retro rock-and-roll themed amusement park, Roanoke Rapids. Though they have maintained one of the coaster's cars and are still planning to build a replica, they've given the rest of the coaster to Save Libertyland.
Today, at the gates of Libertyland, Mulroy said that Save Libertyland plans to donate the 100-year-old coaster back to the city of Memphis, with the condition that the city preserve it.
"Through the generosity of Carolina Crossroads, we hope to open a park around the Zippin Pippin rollercoaster and the historic Grand Carousel, which have both been a part of the city's history for nearly a century," Mulroy said.
Save Libertyland would like to turn all 20 acres of the former amusement park into a city park, using Coney Island's redevelopment plan as a model. The organization would be willing to work with the Salvation Army, which plans to buy all 170 acres of the Mid-South fairgrounds in August in order to build a community center.
Libertyland, like its famous coaster, has had its ups and downs over the years. It was opened on July 4th, 1976, to coincide with the nation's bicentennial. The Pippin, which was Elvis' favorite roller coaster, continues to attract people from all over the world as a part of their Elvis experience.
The organization has been in contact with Elvis Presley Enterprises. Save Libertyland would like to work with the EPE to possibly include the Zippin' Pippin in tours of Elvis' Memphis, a plan that Save Libertyland's Denise Parkinson maintained could help the roller coaster pay for itself.
Save Libertyland also plans to get the coaster on the National Historic Registry, which would bar federal funds from being used to move or destroy the coaster. It would be the second ride in Libertyland to be on the registry, along with the Grand Carousel, which has a history of its own. (The Memphis Flyer)
Australia's Parkes "Elvis Festival" gets new co-ordinator
(Source: Parkes Champion-Post)
Ellie Ruffoni - Parkes’ newly appointed Elvis Festival coordinator – has started her job ‘up and running’ in preparation for next January’s big event. English born and bred – Ellie hails from Leicestershire – and has been in Parkes since 2006 after moving here with her Parkes fiancé Jim O’Donoghue. Her appointment to the three year part-time position comes after she earlier gained experience working on a casual basis at the Parkes Visitors Centre. This follows stints at Windmills on Welcome and Parkes Cellars. The Elvis Festival coordinator role is certainly a new and challenging role for Ellie – a position she is looking forward to with great enthusiasm. Ellie gained her Bachelor of American Studies at Reading University in England. The three-year degree focused on humanities and social science. Following her graduation Ellie gained temporary employment with Centaur Conferences in London – where she specialised in the planning of large scale conferences. This was only a short-term appointment before she secured a permanent job as Events Assistant at the London Business School. |
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This saw her Ellie organising a wide range of events from dinners and conferences to graduation ceremonies and reunions.
Ellie’s contract is with Parkes Shire Council with funding contributed by the Elvis Revival Inc. Ellie will be based at the Parkes Visitor’s Centre – working Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
‘I only started in the job last week and it’s already been busy – attending the civic reception for the US Ambassador and have been meeting members of the Elvis Festival committee,’ Ellie said.
‘My role is to work in cooperation with the festival committee in coordinating the many and varied facets of the festival weekend,’ Ellie said. ‘I’m really excited about the position. The Elvis Festival is a huge success story that I want to see remaining as one of Australia’s major summer-time attractions.’
Ellie said that while she misses her family back in England she loves Australia and has little time to be homesick.
‘Hopefully the family will visit next year – but not before the festival weekend, I’ll be too busy,’ Ellie said.
US Ambassador self-confessed Elvis fan
(Source: Parkes Champion-Post)
Pictured 'hamming it up' under the statue of Sir Henry Parkes (left to right): Jim Watson who hosted the couple during a visit to his 'Oakley' property, Bob Steel (OAM, representing the Parkes Elvis Festival committee), Ambassador Robert McCallum, Greg (Elvis) Jones, Mrs Mimi McCallum and Mayor Robert Wilson. |
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Mayor Robert Wilson officially welcomed the couple to Parkes and in the process presented the Ambassador a copy of the new Parkes 125th anniversary of local government book and a specially inscribed medallion.
The civic reception had a real Elvis feel about it – with members of the Elvis Festival committee present including an Elvis look-a-like (alias Greg Jones).
The ambassador is a self-confessed Elvis fan.
As a result a special power-point presentation highlighting the Parkes Elvis Festival was shown throughout the reception. Mayor Wilson along with Mr Bob Steel – on behalf of the festival committee – extended invitations to the Ambassador and his wife to attend next year’s Elvis festival.
‘I don’t know where we’ll put you up, but we’ll definitely find you somewhere to stay,’ Cr Wilson quipped.
Mr Steel presented the couple each a gift from that included an Elvis t-shirt, hat and mug plus a framed caricature of Elvis at The Dish.
It prompted Elvis Lennox to ask council to investigate the establishment of a sister-city relationship with Elvis’s home city Memphis in Tennessee. The suggestion received a positive response from the Ambassador with Cr Wilson joking that as Mayor he should head over straight away to get negotiations underway. Dr John Reynolds, the Parkes Observatory Officer-in-Charge, also escorted the ambassador and his wife on a tour of the Dish.
They went on a ‘Hay Ride’ and made their way down through the deep interior of the structure to the control room. Dr Reynolds discussed the close cooperation between CSIRO and NASA over the years and how this reflected the close bonds that exist between Australia and the US. The ambassador and his wife, explained they have seen the film ‘The Dish’ and how much they liked it.
Dr Reynolds presented the ambassador and Mrs McCallum with a souvenir cricket ball as a memento of his visit.
ETA Contest Announced for Elvis Week 2008
(Source: Elvis Extravanganza/Charmaine Voisine)
August 10-16, 2008 Memphis, TN 8pm Nightly.......at the HARD ROCK CAFE, BEALE STREET.
ELVIS EXTRAVAGANZA IMPERSONATOR CONTEST & SHOWCASE NIGHTLY........EXTREMELY LIMITED SEATING...
VIP WEEK PASS. GOOD FOR AUGUST 10-16, 2008 8pm. $140 value. Early Bird Special. Very Limited Supply.
VIP Guaranteed Seat For all 7 nights of the Elvis Extravanza Impersonator Contest and Tribute Show at the
Hard Rock Cafe, Beale Street, Memphis, TN. BONUS: Goody bag for all VIPs! Includes EW31 T-Shirt, Souvenirs
(a $50 Value!)
http://www.elvii.com/cgi-bin/store/commerce.cgi?product=Tickets&pid=708&log_pid=yes
Discount Ticket is $100. Discount offer with goody bag expires 06/23/08 at Midnight.
ELVIS TRIBUTE ARTISTS:
Only 24 performer slots! (Only 20 remain as of this writing!)
Sign up today to secure a spot and we will write you to schedule your day. Prizes nightly for the top scoring contestant.
Come qualify for the National Finals to be help in Tampa Florida February 13 & 14, 2009
at the Florida State Fair. Any performer who achieves 150 or greater points out of 200 will advance to the national
finals!
Performs do not need to be present each night at the Memphis event. Only on the night
which they select to perform and only during their performance slot. http://www.elviscontest.com/enter.html
Contact EIN
The EIN E-Alert is a free information service from the Elvis Information Network (EIN) for Elvis fans. If you do not wish to receive future editions of the EIN E-Alert simply reply to this message with REMOVE in the subject line