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Elvis' Gretsch Guitar for Live Charity Auction: On February 8th Julien's Grammy Awards Charity Auction will offer various items of music memorabilia including Elvis' Gretsch guitar used by him during the 1969 Las Vegas Season. The estimate is $100,000 and will be, as the star lot, auctioned last as Lot #80.  Elvis' Gretsch were used both on stage and in the studio. Elvis was photographed extensively with this guitar on opening night at the Internaional in 1969. According to the auction catalogue, there are two models of this guitar with one still at Graceland. The Gretsch Country Gentleman Guitar was endorsed by Chet Atkins with Elvis, George Harrison and Duane Eddy among players. Accompnaied by a letter of authenticity from Jonathon Taurog, son of Norman Taurog. Norman Taurog was the director of nine Elvis Presley films and was personally given this guitar by Elvis in the 1970s. If anyone would like to buy it for EIN we would be more than happy! Go here for more details. (News, Source;Ebay)

Priscilla rumoured for 'Dancing With The Stars': The TV rumour mill is alive with the possible news that Priscilla will be slipping into her blue suede shoes for the US TV show 'Dancing with the Stars'. The word is that Priscilla Presley has signed on, or is close to signing on, to compete in the next season of ABC’s hit dance competition show. The fact that Elvis' 'Viva Las Vegas' documentary was also on ABC makes the news more likely. Although there is no official announcement as yet, if Ms. Presley goes through with it, the 62-year-old grandmother and former wife of the late Elvis Presley will become the oldest woman to compete on the show. Jane Seymour competed last season at age 56. The oldest man to do some waltzing is George Hamilton, who gave it a try at age 66 in season two. I’m told Hamilton’s former Dynasty costar Joan Collins was in talks for some time with Dancing producers, but a deal was never made. Collins is 74! A rep for the show said she "can't confirm or deny casting rumors for the show." Priscilla's rep said Presley stated she is not "confirmed to do Dancing." The rep could not confirm nor deny that Presley has been in talks with producers. (News, Source;e-online)

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll rules again with WagerWorks: Colonel Parker would totally approve when the much anticipated Elvis Multi-Strike online slot machine game was launched by Wagerworks last week - and is proving very popular across the Internet. Based on an original favourite, the Elvis brand is one applauded for quality and success. The online version features the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll himself, Elvis Presley in a feature-rich slot game that Wagerworks boasts is like playing three games at once, with the chance to multiply payline wins for king-sized awards. Also featured are two bonus rounds where the sounds, sights and songs of the undisputed rock ‘n’ roll legend take players back in time to a memorable Las Vegas of the seventies. Loaded with features, music and pictures of Elvis Presley, together with memorable video footage of some of his most legendary performances, the new game is already proving to be a big hit with all levels of players.

Fires Destroy Fort Chaffee Barracks: Arson is suspected in fires fanned by winds exceeding 50 mph that spread through the old Fort Chaffee engulfing about 150 vacant barracks. Videos of the scene showed flames raging sideways rather than upward because of the wind. By late afternoon, the fire had charred about 100 acres. Sandy Sanders, the former executive director of the Fort Chaffee Redevelopment Authority, said the fires had missed Building 803, where Elvis Presley submitted to a buzzcut March 25, 1958. The barracks were closed a decade ago but some new businesses that had moved onto the property, now called Chaffee Crossing.   (News, Source;AP)

New 3-CD 'Love Elvis tin-box set' from Sony/BMG Canada: This is the new 3-CD 'Love Elvis Can Set'  featuring 30 tracks and a similar listing to the 2005 'Love Elvis' BMG CD. 'For The Good Times' is still noted as 'previously unreleased Alternate Take 3'. Go here for EIN's original review of 'Love Elvis'. (News, Source: Barry Mclean)

TCB Band, Emmylou Harris feature on new Jim Lauderdale CD: Emmylou Harris and Patty Loveless are among the many musicians appearing on Jim Lauderdale and the Dream Players' upcoming album, Honey Songs. The country project will be released Feb. 19 on Yep Roc. Other guests include guitarist James Burton, pianist Glen D. Hardin, bassist Gary Tallent (E Street Band), pedal and lap steel player Al Perkins (Flying Burrito Brothers) and drummer Ron Tutt. Buddy Miller and Kelly Hogan also provide backing vocals.   (News, Source;JB)

$2.5 Million - Crazy Ebay Elvis prices: While on the topic of auctions as above - spotted on Ebay an Elvis RCA 78rpm of 'Blue Moon' up for opening bid of $2.5 Million! Genuinely worth around $100 there is not even a description of its condition. If you have money to burn there are three days to go, no bids as yet! Look here for a laugh. .  (News, Source;Ebay)

More classic Import CD upgrades: In cooperation with the Southern Comfort/Baxter/Bilko and 2001 import labels the Audionics label will re-issue several old bootleg classics. The 'Cancelled - Request Box' 2CD set will be released March 2008 after which Elvis' March 22, 1975 concert, 'A Hot Winter Night', 'Goodbye Memphis 76' and 'April Fool's Day' (audience recording), the complete "Opening Night 72" and others will also follow. All releases will be remastered from the original tapes, some of which obtained from The Colonel himself. The Audionics team will take care of the audio restoration and remastering while the Baxter/Bilko/2001 team will do the design of the booklets. As previously noted on EIN, these upgrades are taken from the original tapes (this not yet another cheap copy!) using one of the best audio engineers around. Go here for full info on 'Cancelled - The Request Box'. (News, Source;Fort Baxter)

Graceland to open 2 new Exhibits and expanded VIP Tour: Two new exciting exhibitions chronicling two key periods of Elvis' life - "Private Presley" and "Elvis 68" - are scheduled to open at the Graceland visitor center in March 2008 and will feature many items from the Graceland archives that have never been on display to the general public. "Private Presley" covers the time 50 years ago when, at the zenith of his early superstardom, Elvis was inducted into the army. He performed his duties like any other soldier with none of the special treatment his celebrity status might have afforded him. After completing basic training and initial service in Texas, in October 1958 Elvis was sent to Germany where he served until March of 1960. It will include Elvis' fatigues, dress uniforms, army foot locker, suitcases and more. Another key item never before on display is the cedar chest Elvis kept in the Graceland attic to store both his army clothes and some of his late mother's belongings. "Elvis 68" exhibit will include the white suit Elvis wore for the "If I Can Dream" finale; a black suit he wore during the "club scenes" of the program's big production number; a wristband he wore with the famous black leather outfit (which is part of the permanent exhibitions at Graceland); a red vest worn for promotional photos; and documents relating to the special including tickets to the tapings, photographs and a script.  New expanded VIP Tour will feature several never-before-seen artifacts. It will also feature the first-ever professional photos of Elvis. The Presleys could not afford professional photos of the family, but in 1955 Elvis posed for his first photo shoot with William Speers in Memphis. This portion of the VIP exhibit allows visitors to see the original proofs from that photo shoot including Elvis' personal handwritten notes indicating his favorites. Other new displays include a first hand look at a young Elvis during his days at Humes High School through a display of artifacts including his high

Official UK EP Fan Club Magazine out now: Todd Slaughter's Official UK Elvis Presley Fan Club February/March edition of their magazine is out now. Featuring articles "by fans for fans" the topics include 'It Happened At The World's Fair', Elvis' 160 UK chart hits, the topical Elvis Public Domain issue, reviews and more. (News, Source:ElvisNews)

The Dangerous World of Elvis Bootlegging; Vic Colonna reveals all! For the true fan the Elvis world goes way beyond the endless RCA ‘Greatest Hit’ compiles. The real Elvis musical excitement has always been found in the underworld of bootlegs of officially unreleased material. Of course it is the popularity of Elvis Bootlegs that paved the way for Ernst & Roger to create the ‘FTD’ Fan Club label. In the mists of time these bootlegs were of course vinyl albums with stunning classics as the ‘Behind Closed Doors’, ‘The ’68 Comeback’, ‘From The Waist Up’ etc all featuring unreleased classic Elvis recordings that eventually RCA would issue. Vic Colonna is one of the great names from this mysterious world that many fans will recall. EIN was delighted to discover that Vic Colonna is not only alive and well - but is also writing a book about the exciting world of Elvis bootlegs, and we were more than happy to ask the great man some questions. Go here for his revelations and photos. (Interviews, Source;EIN)

New Elvis DVD 'Gently' - from STAR: Specially for Valentine's day the STAR label are releasing a brand new DVD featuring 35 Elvis ballads and love songs. STAR promises 35 remixed Elvis videos, all in Dolby Digital sound, plus a free Valentine's card! Tracklisting: I Love You Because, “Elvis love for fans #1”, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Doin The Best I Can, As Long As I Have You, Suppose, I Just Cant Help Believing, Gently, Because of Love, Something, Could I Fall in Love – Alternate Harmony version, I Want You I Need You I Love You – take 16, The Wonder of You, It Hurts Me, True Love, All That I Am, “Elvis love for fans #2”, Love Me – “Live, Through the Years”, There Goes My Everything – take 1, Tender Feeling, 68 Ballads, Puppet On A String, I’ll Remember You, Mary in the Morning – take 4, Until It’s Time For You To Go, Today Tomorrow and Forever – Duet with Ann Margret, Do You Know Who I Am, So Close Yet So Far, Almost in Love – remix, Young and Beautiful – remix, Please Don’t Stop Loving Me – remix, Always on My Mind – strings overdub, Pledging My Love - “Elvis love for fans #3”, Memories (alt),  Bonus: Are You Lonesome Tonight (laughing), What Now My Love , by popular request from Elvis the Concert 2002. (News, Source: Star)

Elvis' TCB Band performs in Sofia, Bulgaria: On January 30 2008, for first time Elvis' TCB band of the King of Rock & Roll will set foot in Bulgaria. The show will start at 7pm at National Palace of Culture Hall 1 in Sofia. The Band includes James Burton (right with Dennis Jale), Glen D. Hardin on piano, Jerry Scheff on bass and Ron Tutt on drums, with special participation of Dennis Jale on vocals, and The Sweet Inspirations as backing-vocals. Elvis worked with the best musicians of his time. His co-musicians were the original band TCB and the vocalists of The Sweet Inspirations, together with the Austrian singer Jale, who will also perform for the Bulgaria audience. They will present the show from Las Vegas, in its authentic form, which includes all of Presley's hits. Bulgarians will have the chance to hear his love ballades, as well as his hottest rock pieces. During the show the band will tell the audience some of the cheerful stories and events they enjoyed while living together with Elvis in the period between 1969 and 1997.Later in their career, these musicians worked with Frank Sinatra, Jerry Lee Luis, Tina Turner, Bob Dilon, The Doors, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, George Harison and many others. The concert in Sofia is organised by Palms Music and SIA. (News, Source; EIN/Sanja Meegin)

New final Cover Art for JAT 'Portraits' Book: With a new 68 Comeback image, this has been announced as the final art cover of next JAT Productions book entitled "Portraits". Celebrating twenty years of JAT Productions this special project will be a hardback all-colour book. It is scheduled for the first quarter of 2008. (News, Source:FECC)

More new UK releases: Continuing the UK re-releasing of Elvis' 1950's product the Avid label will issue a 2-CD set called "Elvis Presley - Essential Collection". It contains Elvis' 1956/1957 material and will be released Feb 11. Also released in the UK in March 2008 are the DVD documentary "Elvis: A Generous Heart" on the Snapper label, plus a 2 DVD set called "Elvis Presley - Collectors Box" on the Classic Rock label which also includes a bonus CD. (News, Source; HMV.uk)

New Elvis Advert From Chile: "Elvis" promotes French-fried potato chips in a new Elvis themed commercial from Chile in South America. The voice, singing "Hound Dog" is from a Chilean impersonator called Deivis Parada. You can watch the commercial on the Chilean Elvis site. Go here to see it. (News, Source:ElvisNews/ElvisChileFanClub)

MRS to release "duet" remix of "That's All Right": The next Memphis Recording Service (UK) venture released on 29th January 2008 is a dance remix of ‘That’s All Right’ with Elvis Presley and Lucy Clark. It is exclusively only available on I-Tunes & Music Download Stores around the world (with the exception of the USA).

The remix includes a duet with the sensational US singer Lucy Clark who was originally discovered in the 1980’s by Les Paul and has recorded with the likes of ‘Johnny Cash’ , Reggae artists ‘Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare’, ‘Keith Richards’, ‘Bon Jovi’ and many more. For more information on Lucy you can visit www.memphisrecordingservice.com for this and for details and sample of the new release.

The new remix is produced by Bob Harris and Clark Enslin (Johnny Cash, "The Great Lost Performance); Executive Producer Joseph Pirzada and is remixed by US producer Bob Harris and Mastered by Real Bouwman (MRS Release: New York RCA Studio 1).

Listen to audio sample

Also available for download, is an extended 9 minute dance version and of course, the original dry version from 1954.

During February, Lucy Clark will be doing a Radio and TV tour of Europe to promote her duet with Elvis and a music video will begin shooting in New York and in New Jersey next week.

At this time there is no set date for a physical release except for the download stores.

However, EXCLUSIVE FOR ELVIS FANS wanting to hear a special preview of the mix can do so on Elvis Express Radio www.elvis-express.com  where it will have its WORLD PREMIERE on Friday 25th January.

The links for the Music Download stores will be announced on the day of release next week, so stay tuned. (News, Source: MRS)

"ELVIS The Lost Session" CD - but no Elvis!!!: This 1997 US RCA Nashville 3:58 promotional CD was distributed as an authentic Elvis item in order to trick media outlets and radio DJ's into listening to it. In fact, it contains an announcement to promote Sarah Evans and has NO Elvis content. Despite having no mention of Elvis, this remains a collectable Elvis rarity with a unique Elvis sleeve and custom printed disc! RDJ64880-2 The few copies still in circulation usually change hands for more than US$200.00! "One of the rarest ever Elvis related collectibles"

Charmaine's latest Elvis graphic: Here is Charmaine Voisine's latest great Elvis graphic.......Music Is A Revelation To see a larger image and view Charmaine's many other Elvis graphics, click here

SAM - aka Stephen Missen - passed away peacefully yesterday afternoon at 1.15pm.  SAM was a delight to know, a truly dedicated Elvis fan and a keen EIN supporter. There are not enough people like him, he was always full of fun & excitement, along with being such a kind, generous and understanding soul. Our condolences to Pauline, his kids Dale, Rick, Jess and all his family. Goodbye SAM...we're going to miss you.

Did Elvis and Bob Dylan record together?: While EIN doesn't believe one word of it, the story of a recording session between two of music's greats is periodically discussed in print and on online messageboards.

From All Across The Telegraph by Michael Gray & John Bauldie: This information emerged from Presley-fanatic sources. Here is the songlist from the Presley-Dylan session of May 1971 in Nashville. Elvis was booked in to do Christmas songs; for atmosphere's sake, they had santas and angels, Christmas trees and holly and - not duetting on all titles, we believe (no tape has yet surfaced) - they sang:

Reportedly they got together again, some time in 1972, at which session they managed only 'If Not For You'. " Now possibly this was an elaborate lie but we know there have been various unheard shambolic jam sessions with other celebs so this could be one of those and those songs were merely drunken fragments not worth hearing (in
the Graceland estates opinion!) Who knows. It'd be nice to think it were true. And The King sings that fragment of I Shall Be Released so tenderly ending with the word "Dylan" said with obvious reverance. Read Google messageboard postings (News, Source: Amber Smith)

First Look drops plans to release "Elvis The Movie" DVD: Elvis Australia advises that First Look Studios is no longer negotiating for the distribution rights of Elvis The Movie starring Kurt Russell, and therefore will not be releasing this title. Despite this development, as of our publishing the news, the First Look Media website still lists the DVD as one of the company's assets. The film was originally listed for official DVD release in the US in mid 2007. Unofficial DVDR copies of the film regularly sell on eBay. (News, Source: Elvis Australia/EIN/First Look)

Fallout from Parkes Elvis Festival: For the fans the recent Parkes Elvis Festival in Australia was a great success with more than 8,000 people attending the event.

However, it was a different story behind the scenes with questions now being raised about the business acumen and strategic awareness of the Parkes Elvis Festival. Did the Committee miss a golden opportunity to put the Festival on the world stage? EIN will have more on this issue shortly.

Jerry Schilling and Joe Guercio sign on to the Elvis Cruise: The Elvis Cruise, LLC (the “Cruise”), the only Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) licensed cruise dedicated to the life, times and music of Elvis Presley, has announced that it has signed agreements with Jerry Schilling to act as the Host and Producer of The Elvis Cruise and with Joe Guercio to serve as the Cruises’ Musical Director. Schilling and Guercio bring decades of professional and personal experience with Elvis Presley to the Cruise’s unique program. In his role as the Cruise’s Host, Schilling, a friend of Elvis for years, is dedicated to making this Elvis experience as authentic and as rich as possible. Guercio, who also was an Elvis close friend and collaborator, will be providing cruisers with the very best in musical production. “Both Schilling and Guercio were primarily responsible for the various production elements required to make the Cruise a true celebration of Elvis’ music and a tribute to his legacy,” says Michael McKay, Executive Producer of the Cruise.

After meeting Elvis at a local pick up football game in 1954 at the age of 12, Schilling and Elvis became good friends. In 1964 he went to work for Elvis as the youngest member of The Memphis Mafia. Since then, Jerry has spent the last 45 years in the entertainment industry managing such acts as The Beach Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis and Lisa Presley. Some of his TV and film projects include the A&E Biography's on Brian Wilson and Sam Phillips, and co-producing the ABC prime-time television series "ELVIS, the Early Years." Most recently he has released his memoir "Me and A Guy Named Elvis" My Lifelong Friendship with Elvis Presley. Schilling is still involved in developing projects dedicated to experiencing the life and music of Elvis, such as The Elvis Cruise.

“Many people have tried to recreate Elvis, but lost the richness of his soul. So it is exciting to be a part of an experience that has brought that richness and has sought solely to create an entertaining and authentic Elvis experience,” said Schilling. He adds, “I believe Elvis would be proud of what we are doing.”

Best known and admired for his work with Elvis Presley, Guercio has had a prolific career. He was musical director and conductor for Elvis' concert shows from the summer of 1970 to the summer of 1977, when Elvis made his last concert appearance. His other works include: being musical director for the International Hotel in Las Vegas, Diana Ross, Jim Nabors, Florence Henderson, Diahann Carroll, Gladys Knight, Ann-Margret and Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme; being medley arranger for Barbra Streisand’s 1972 hit Sweet Inspiration/Where You Lead; and accompanying blues legend B.B. King to Rome to meet Pope John Paul II and perform in the Vatican's fifth Christmas concert. Guercio's work with Natalie Cole to reunite her on stage in duet with her late father, Nat King Cole, pre-dated her famous early 1990's duet recordings and videos with Mr. Cole.

In addition to being the Musical Director of The Elvis Cruise, Guercio has recently produced The Tanya Tucker Christmas Show.

“Jerry Schilling and Joe Guercio have a genuine personal connection and a history with Elvis Presley. They have put their hearts, souls and wealth of experience into making this program entertaining, authentic and special,” said McKay. “This cruise is the ultimate experience for anyone who admires the work of Elvis, and wishes to mingle and be entertained by the best performers in the music industry.”

The Elvis Cruise, which will embark August 28, 2009, from New Orleans, includes four nights and two afternoons of live onboard entertainment, with each night dedicated to one of the truly spectacular phases of Elvis’ life and career, one afternoon in the Cozumel port of call and many opportunities to interact closely with Elvis’ original cast musical artists.

For more details about the cruise, please visit www.theelviscruise.com, or call 1-800-704-3034. (News, Source: Charmaine Voisine/Business Wire/EPE)

EIN Teasers: "Coming up on EIN tomorrow, an interview with one of the most famous Elvis Bootleggers of all time"............also in the next few days news on the latest Elvis "rock" remix from one of the most recognisable names in the Elvis world!

Elvis liked comedian Andy Kaufman's impression of him: In the biography, Andy Kaufman Revealed!, by Bob Zmuda, the author reveals:

'Elvis Presley was an acquaintence of Mike's [Mike Douglas], and once told him that of all the Elvis impressionists, the King thought Andy was by far the best. When Mike pased that on, Andy was shocked and touched. That he had come full circle from that encounter just outside the cupboard in the Las Vegas Hilton gave him a lot to ponder.'

The earlier episode refers to a young and not yet famous Andy hiding in a cupboard at the Hilton and surprising Elvis by jumping out and handing him a 200 page handwritten book manuscript (the Book of Elvis) he had written about the King. Also from Andy Kaufman Revealed!:

'His manuscript held out in supplication, Andy summoned the guts to speak to his bespangled deity. "Elvis, I'm your biggest fan. I wrote this book about you."

Elvis nodded approvingly. "That's good, that's very good."

(News, Source: Andy Kaufman Revealed!, Bob Zmuda, Little Brown & Company, 1999)

Elvis Cadillac comes to Russia: With Russia's motor industry expanding rapidly today, a group of enthusiasts outside St Petersburg are devoting their lives to restoring car classics. Some of the cars belonged to real-life legends, among them the first man in space Yury Gagarin, Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev and the king of rock 'n' roll, Elvis Presley. To get the vehicles running is the main aim and they have to pass modern technical checks. With several car manufacturers in St Petersburg thrusting the city to the forefront of modern automobile production, the warehouse is ensuring that along with modern cars, the old classics are still roadworthy. Only after they’re completely restored, the cars will be shown to the public. View video (News, Source: Elvis Matters)

FTD releases announced: The next FTD release for April will be a 2 Cd version of the classic album That’s The Way It Is. This release will of course be in the 7” digipack series including booklet. The tracklisting is not finalized yet.

Additionally will FTD re-release the Cd originally included in the The Way It Was book. This will be a regular 5” Cd including the same material as originally released.

This does not constitute a policy of releasing all book Cd’s as separate re-releases. FTD will in each case evaluate the demand and historic relevance for such releases. (News, Source: Elvis Unlimited)

"Wild In The Country" released...with mistake: Ernst Jørgensen and Roger Semon sent out a newsletter. In this newsletter they mention that it has come to their attention that due to an incorrect quark file being used by their manufacturer, the name "Presley" (Presely) is spelt wrong on the spine of their latest release “Wild In The Country”. As the item has already shipped, they will supply quantities of the corrected sleeve as and when requested. All new orders taken for "Wild In The Country" will feature the corrected sleeve. The label will release a 2 CD version of "That's The Way It Is" in April in the Classic album series (7” digipack with booklet). Track listing is not finalized yet. Additionally the label will re-release the CD originally included in the "The Way It Was" book as a regular 5” CD. This does not constitute a policy of releasing all book CD’s as separate re-releases though, the label will in each case evaluate the demand and historic relevance for such releases. (News, Source: Elvis News/Elvis Matters/FTD)

Lisa Marie recording update: Lisa Marie apparently visited with the rock band, Glasvegas last month in Edinburgh. Lisa and Priscilla had flown over for the Led Zepplin concert and then met the Scottish band in a pub. It seems Lisa had loved their single, Daddy's Gone which singer James Allan wrote about his parents' break up.

Lisa called the group to tell them the song lyrics really touched her. And that she and her mom listened to the song, Daddy's Gone 8 times in a row. James said: "We met Lisa Marie in an Edinburgh pub. She'd never been to Scotland before. Nobody recognized her, even though she looks like Elvis."

"She'd met Alan McGee in LA and told him how much she loved us. She's got a recording studio at home and she's invited us to record a few tracks with her the next time we tour America."

Glasvegas is made up of James, guitarist Rab Allan, bass player Paul Donoghue and drummer Caroline Mackay. Their new single is, It's My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry will be released on Valentine's Day. (Lisa Presley's World, Source: www.elvisunlimited.com/www.epgold.com)

Final volume in Complete Lyrics series being released: The 10th and last volume in the Words – The Complete Lyrics series will be released on February 4, 2008. This volume will contain the lyrics and stories behind each title between WHA and Y. The 10 volumes in the Words series feature more than 800 songs. All recorded or sung by Elvis Presley. You can pre-order Words 10 – The Complete Lyrics from Elvis Unlimited for US$18.00.

Elvis track featured on magazine CD: The next issue of the British rock magazine Uncut comes with a bonus CD featuring "Blue Moon" by Elvis. The CD offers a range of songs that have influenced Bob Dylan, and clearly this is one of them. It's no secret that Dylan admired Elvis. Proof of which is the tribute song "The Gypsy" which he wrote and recorded after having seen Elvis live on stage in Las Vegas. (News, Source: Elvis Unlimited)

"You'll Never Walk Alone" CD release: There are only a few more days before the new "REELTRAX“–label will come up with a brandnew "77 minutes of listening pleasure“ cd titled "You´ll Never Walk Alone“. About five years ago the legendary "2001“ label released it´s series "How Great Thou Art Sessions Vol. 1 – 3“ and the content was absolutely fascinating – especially for those who just love to hear how Elvis was working in the studio on "his“ gospel music. Still the three cds suffered quite a bit from rather bad sound. REELTRAX is now able to present a great variety of HGTA-Outtakes on it's "You´ll Never Walk Alone“- release in absolutely breathtaking sound – MUCH better than you have heard it before. And if this would not be enough reason to get the cd while you can: Did you ever hear a complete and uncut 12:32 minutes of the first six takes of the title "You´ll Never Walk Alone“? If not, it is now the chance for it! Needless to say that the sound quality on this real treasure is just perfect! The same goes for the unreleased Take 1 of "We Call On Him“. "You´ll Never Walk Alone“ contains a 16 page-booklet with all necessary information regarding Elvis´ love for gospel music. Have a look at the enclosed pictures to get an overview how it looks like. We hope you like our first release on REELTRAX!

Aussie ETA, Dean Vegas, again running for Mayor of Gold Coast - visit the official website

Gospel re-issues: SONY/BMG USA will re-issue Elvis' three gospel albums "His Hand In Mine", "How Great Thou Art" and " He Touched Me" on March 11, 2008. (News, Source: Elvis World Japan/ Elvis News)

"Tiger Man - An Alternate Anthology Vol. 10" track listing: This is the track listing of volume 10 in the Shake Records import series "Tiger Man - An Alternate Anthology" which contains alternate and live versions of Elvis´songs. Track listing: Young And Beautiful (Alternate Take) - Summer Kisses, Winter Tears (Take 25) - Something Blue (Take 6) - Just Tell Her Jim Said Hallo (Take 3) - Wisdom OF The Ages (Take 9) - Am I Ready (Take 2) - Stop, Look And Listen (Take 4 + 5) - Fools Fall In Love (Uedited Master) - Come What May (Take 1) - Stay Away (Uedited, undubbed Master) - U. S. Male ("Fucked Up"-Version, Take 2) - Tiger Man (Original master From The "Elvis Sings Flaming Star" Album) - Only Believe (Undubbed Master) - Where Did They Go Lord (Undubbed Master) - The Impossible Dream (Live Version) - I´ll Remember You (Informal Recording) - You Gave Me A Mountain (Informal Recording) - Polk Salad Annie (Informal Recording) - I Can´t Stop Loving You (Informal Recording) - Blue Spanish Eyes (Undubbed Master) - She Wears My Ring (Undubbed Master) - Green, Green Grass Of Home (Undubbed Master) - I Can Help (Undubbed Master) - Mystery Train / Tiger Man (Live Version) - Danny Boy (Unedited Take 7) - That´s All Right (Live Verion) - Way Down (Part Of Take 1 + Take 2) - You Gave Me A Mountain (Live Version) - A Little Less Conversation (From The Motion Picture Soundtrack "Ocean´s Eleven") (News, Source: Elvis Club Berlin /Elvis News)

"King Creole/G.I. Blues" 2DVD release: Paramount USA will release a double DVD set featuring these two films on 5 February. (News, Source: Elvis World Japan)

Blue Hawaii/Paradise Hawaiian Style 2DVD release: Paramount USA will release a double DVD set featuring these two films on 5 February. (News, Source: Elvis World Japan)

'The Request Box (Cancelled)' - new Import release: A new reissue of the 'Request Box Shows' released 18 years ago by the Bilko label have been announced. '(Cancelled) The Request Box' will be a double CD featuring the rare recording of Elvis' August 19th & 20th 1975 performances in Las Vegas, where although in poor health Elvis introduced the positive idea of a Request Box for audience song choices. The season was cancelled after only 5 performances. Although only available from audience recordings this upgrade is taken from the original tapes (this not yet another cheap copy!) using one of the best audio engineers around. The 2 CDs also feature more than has been previously released. The August 19th Dinner show is complete with over half of the Midnight show also included. The 20th Dinner show is also complete with a bonus segment from the Midnight performance. Both CDs run the full 80 minutes. From the sensational combination of the two labels Southern Comfort and Audionics, the release date is set for the end of February.  Go here for the full and fascinating story.. (News, Source: The Flying Dutchman)

Rescued Horses Go To Graceland: Max will never be able to thank Carol-Terese Naser for saving his life.He will never be able to thank Priscilla Presley for adopting him and giving him a new home. Then again, Max is a 3-year-old bay horse. Max and his brother, Merlin, a magnificent chocolate-colored creature, were scheduled to be slaughtered - along with four other horses in their family in QuŽbec - last summer. Naser, who has had horses of her own since she was a child, stepped into action and bought all six horses just days before they were to be taken to the slaughterhouse. "If we hadn't done this when we did, they'd all be long gone," said Naser, of Palermo. "They would've been (killed) in QuŽbec." Naser and her friend Cathy Cleaveland found out soon enough that it wasn't easy -- or cheap -- to care for six horses. So they decided to start fundraising. Nothing, however, prepared Naser or Cleaveland for the phone call that would change Max's and Merlin's lives. "I answered the phone and Priscilla Presley was on the other end," Cleaveland recalled with a laugh. "I didn't believe it at first." Yes, that Priscilla Presley - former wife of The King, Elvis Presley. An animal lover, Presley told the women she wanted to adopt Max and Merlin to give them a permanent home at Graceland, the nearly 14-acre spread, 23-room mansion in Memphis that Elvis shared with Priscilla and their daughter until the couple's divorce in the early 1970s.

Elvis 'Rock & Roll Legend' - a new Hallmark CD: News of another combined BMG/Hallmark US release, this time featuring 16 "chart topping Hits" from The king Of Rock and Roll. It is the usual selection of Elvis hits but does include 'Viva Las Vegas' and the new millennium chart smash "A Little Less Conversation" is also featured. Interestingly so is 'My Baby Left Me' when surely the only chart topping this track has done in the past 50 years is via rival company M.R.S. on the UK download chart! (News, Source; Ron Lacourse)

Martin Guitars introduces the Elvis Presley Commemorative Guitars: While best known for his singing, Elvis' guitar playing served him well, especially in the early years of his career. His pulsing, rhythmic strumming was featured on many of his early recordings and on stage in the mid-1950s, when Martin was his guitar. He began with a used 000-18 in 1954, but within months had traded it in for a 1942 Martin D-18. The next year he got a 1955 D-28; fitted with a custom-tooled leather cover with his name across, it became perhaps his most recognised acoustic due to the many Elvis concert photos in which it appears. A Martin also was Elvis' main acoustic at the end of his career. He played a mid-1970s D-28 during his last concert tour and it was the last guitar he played on stage in June of 1977. Limited to just 175 guitars to mark C.F. Martin's 175th anniversary, the D-28M Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition features rare Madagascar rosewood back and sides, an Adirondack spruce top and Adirondack spruce braces for brilliant, powerful tone. The tooled leather guitar cover made Elvis' original D-28 instantly recognisable. Therefore the D-28M Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition is outfitted with a tooled leather guitar cover modelled after the original and is delivered in a special oversized vintage Geib style hardshell case to accommodate the guitar and cover. The Elvis motif of these dreadnoughts begins on the polished black ebony headstock, where the silhouette of the King and his Martin - modelled after a famous 1956 photograph - are inlaid in mother of pearl and black pearl. Small pearl-bordered abalone star position markers inlays at the 5th, 7th (two), 9th, 15th, and 17th frets on the fingerboard flank Elvis' signature at the 12th fret. The heelcap features his "TCB Lightning Bolt" logo inlaid in mother of pearl - a design that originated with the "Taking Care of Business" pendants Elvis gave to friends. The Martin D-28M and D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition guitars can be pre-ordered immediately and participating dealers will be listed on the Martin Guitar website. (News, Source; Google)

Elvis’ Gold Records - Vol 2 - FTD CD Review: From its sensational LP cover to its string of chart-topping singles '50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong' is an outright Elvis - and pop music - classic. First released for Christmas 1959, the ten original LP tracks all positively burst out with 1950’s exuberance. However with only ten tracks taken from just five singles it reached a disappointing #31 in the US charts. It could almost be seen as The Colonel's first marketing error! However this deluxe FTD also includes 3 bonus Master tracks, masses of outtakes, and with some stunning audio upgrades it provides hours of ROCKIN' entertainment. Having bought this album several times previously, EIN's Piers Beagley digs deep to find out what new delights are in store. (FTD Reviews; Source: EIN Jan 2008)

More on Earl Brown, writer of 'If I Can Dream': As reported yesterday Walter Earl Brown, known to his friends as Earl, passed away  peacefully in his sleep at his home in Sherman Oaks, California on Thursday  Jan. 10, 2008 after a lengthy illness. Earl had celebrated his 79th  birthday on Dec. 25, 2007 with friends. He will be sadly missed by his many  friends and relatives across the country. W Earl Brown also composed the songs 'Up Above My Head' and 'I Found That Light' which were also included in Elvis' 1968 Comeback Special. Author Ken Sharp told EIN: "Earl Brown was not only a great songwriter but one of the nicest and kindest people  I've ever met. I spent time with him at his home in Sherman Oaks, (the same home where he wrote "If I Can Dream") and had a great time. I knew he was not well but definitely did not expect this. Please say a prayer for him". When Ken Sharp interviewed Earl Brown for the book 'Writing For The King' his story about composing 'If I Can Dream' revealed the generous soul of a wonderful man. Earl Brown: "They wanted to close the show with a song of peace and hope and brotherhood - a message song. I talked to them about songs like "You'll Never Walk Alone." But Colonel Parker wanted to own the publishing on the song.. . . But I thought that if I'm gonna write a song, I'm gonna write it myself. I remember thinking that they probably wouldn't use it anyway. "A Change Is Gonna Come" by Sam Cooke was the kind of song I wanted to write. And I thought that if Elvis doesn't record it, I'll give it to Aretha Franklin. So one night my my place in Sherman Oaks, California, I wrote the song in my living room looking out the window at the garden with the sun coming in and thinking how much I mean it, how much I felt. This was not a hack job. I really believed in the song so much. "If I Can Dream" came quickly, words and music. I didn't even sit at the piano, it just came to me. First of all, lyrically, (recite lyrics) "While I can think, while I can talk, while I can stand, while I can walk, while I can dream, please let my dream come true, let it come true right now." It just enfolded. I didn't think about form. It was a very inspired and pure song.

Deep Purple's Ian Gillan talks about Elvis: He was the greatest singer that ever lived. I lost interest in Elvis Presley after he made the Blue Hawaii film [in 1961] and went to Las Vegas, but in his prime nobody could touch him. Michael Parkinson once asked the famous New Zealand soprano Kiri Te Kanawa about the greatest voice she’d ever heard, probably expecting her to name [Luciano] Pavarotti or Maria Callas, but she said: ‘The young Elvis Presley, without any doubt.’ Elvis’ voice was unique. Like so many others he had natural, technical ability, but there was something in the humanity of his voice, and his delivery. He was very influenced by Southern blues, and he helped to prove that you could have this bizarre mixture of country’n’western, blues and folk music. Recordings were very honest in those days, and they stand up remarkably well.

Mark Bego, co-author of Fike: An Uncommon Journey talks to EIN: The name Mark Bego may not be an instantly recognisable name in the Elvis world but it soon will be. With more than 10 million books in print across 50 titles, Mark Bego is an authority on many major music and acting stars, designs jewellry, and has his own coffee line! The co-author of Lamar Fike's upcoming memoir recently sat down to discuss Fike: An Uncommon Journey and the cream of the entertainment world. In a fascinating interview Mark discusses what we can expect in Lamar's memoir, opens up about his own amazing life in Hollywood, and provides his informed views on celebrities ranging from Rock Hudson, Three Dog Night and Bette Midler to Patsy Cline, The Monkees, Aretha Franklin and Leonardo DiCaprio. Be it the incredible talent of Madonna and Cher or the sad self destruction of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, you will be captured by Mark's insights about the stars. (Interview, Source: EIN) Read the interview

Earl Brown has passed away: Ken Sharp has told EIN: "Earl Brown, who wrote "If I Can Dream", has passed away. He was not only a great songwriter but one of the nicest and kindest people  I've ever met. I spent time with him at his home in Sherman Oaks, California  (the same home where he wrote "If I Can Dream") and had a great time. I knew
he  was not well but definitely did not expect this. Please say a prayer for him".

Walter Earl Brown,  1928-2008: Walter Earl Brown, known to his friends as Earl, passed away  peacefully in his sleep at his home in Sherman Oaks, California on Thursday,  Jan. 10, 2008 after a lengthy illness. Earl had celebrated his 79th  birthday on Dec. 25, 2007 with friends. He will be sadly missed by his many  friends and relatives across the country. Earl  was born in Salt Lake  City, UT  on Christmas Day, 1928, to Walter L. and Hattie Earl Brown.  Earl’s father, Walter played in a  "swing" big band so as a child Earl traveled with his parents, living in several  cities.  Eventually moving to Logan  to be close to his mother's family, Earl attended Woodruff Elementary school.  During his years in Logan, Earl made lifelong  friendships with Ralph Dunn, his cousin Gerry Earl, as well as many  others. Earl had a prolific and illustrious career in show business as a singer,  composer, vocal arranger, and writer of special material. His work in 
television, films, revues, musical recordings and nightclubs began at an early  age and continued until his passing. During the 40’s and 50’s Earl is remembered  for having been the arranger and singer in the highly acclaimed vocal group  The Skylarks.

He wrote a hit song for Elvis Presley in 1968 entitled  If I Can Dream, which has been re-recorded by Barry Manilow and others  and which was recently performed on American Idol by Celine Dion as a  duet, with Elvis
resurrected on stage as a holographic image. Earl wrote songs  for Dianne Reeves, including the Grammy winning Who’s Minding The Store?,  as well as for Frank Sinatra, Mama Cass, Michael Feinstein, and numerous others.  For many years he was the vocal director on many hit variety shows including  The Danny Kaye Show, The Dinah Shore Show, The Sonny and Cher  Comedy Hour, The Osmonds Brothers Show, The Andy Williams Show,  The Carol Burnett Show and many other television programs and specials. Most  recently Earl was the vocal arranger and writer of special material for The  Palm Springs Follies for the last 13 seasons of the revue.

Earl is  survived by cousin Don (Gloria) Earl, Smithfield, UT; cousins-in-law, M. Kae  (Ellen Rae) Jeppesen, North Logan, UT; JoAn Earl, Fort Worth, TX, and their  families; his "best friend" Ralph (Jackie) Dunn, Logan, UT.   He was preceded in death by his  parents, aunts, uncles, cousin Carol Jenkins Jeppesen, and his "favorite" cousin  and buddy, Gerald E. Earl. (News, Source: Ken Sharp)

Read Ken Sharp's interview with Jerry Schilling

Elvis' abortive romance with Natalie Wood: Lana Wood, sister of screen legend, Natalie Wood, wrote in her book Natalie A Memoir by Her Sister, of the brief relationship in 1956 between Elvis and Natalie: Then came Natalie's abortive romance with Elvis Presley. They met, and Elvis flew Natalie to his family in Memphis. They were to be gone almost a week, but just two days into the great adventure, Natalie called. "Gladys has wrecked everything," Natalie said, referring to Elvis' domineering, jealous mother. "I don't have a chance. Get me out of this, and fast," Natalie said. It was agreed that Mother would call Natalie back and ask her to come home because of some family emergency. Natalie's romance with the king of rock fizzled out. "God, it was awful," she told me later. "He can sing, but he can't do much else." (Source: Natalie A Memoir by Her Sister, Lana Wood, G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1984)

"Wild In The Country" FTD release delayed: FTD has advised its latest release will now be released during the week beginning Monday 21 January. (News, Source: EP Gold)

New book release in the EC: By author Lerma Alcairo Sundita, the 112 page book, "Elvis Lives On!", is listed for release this month. (News, Source: EP Gold)

Sony BMG Australia to release "Viva Las Vegas" TV special soundtrack: Sony BMG will release the Elvis Viva Las Vegas soundtrack CD in Australia. At this time they are planning this for March 1st as long as production proceeds without any problems. (News, Source: Elvis News/Elvis Australia)

"I Was The One" unofficial CD release: Due for release from the new Legendary Vinyl Classics label is a re-issue of the 1983 remix album "Elvis I Was The One". This edition comes with a full color booklet, remastered audio, the original album tracks plus rare bonus tracks. (News, Source: Elvis News)

"Early Elvis" reissue: BMG Canada released an eco-slipcase edition of the "Early Elvis" compilation on December 17, 2007. The track listing, which comprises tracks from the King's first two albums, several singles and movie songs, is the same as the original 2007 jewel case editions. (News, Source: Barry McLean)

"Elvis Hawaii, USA": A new CD with 25 Hawaiian related - and and according to the update, rare - Elvis tracks has been released. This release contains recordings from the Hawaiian radio, Aloha From Hawaii, the movies, a tribute radio broadcast from March 19, 1961: Elvis and the colonel pay tribute to the victims of Pearl Harbor 1941 and more. (News, Source: Elvis Corner /Elvis News) Additional track information: 2 press conferences 2 complete interviews Radio promo "hello to Hawaii"  Elvis talks about the Aloha eagle in Lake Tahoe Hawaiian D.J. Tom Moffet calls Elvis in Bad Nauheim, Germany. Radio broadcast from March 19, 1961 (songs omitted), including special message from Elvis! and more

"Portrait Collection": Released on the Musical Memories label is the 2CD "Portrait Collection" with 50 tracks. The CD was released November 26, 2007 but only just appeared on-line. Track listings: Disc: 1 - 1. Hound Dog 2. Heartbreak Hotel 3. Love Me 4. Don't Be Cruel 5. Love Me Tender 6. I Want You I Need You 7. My Baby Left Me 8. I Was The One 9. That's Alright 10. Baby Lets Play House 11. Mystery Train 12. Blue Suede Shows 13. I'm Left You're Right She's Gone 14. Tutti Frutti 15. Ready Teddy 16. Any Way You Want Me 17. Money Honey 18. I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry 19. Blue Moon 20. Rip It Up 21. Long Tall Sally 22. Shake Rattle And Roll 23. Old Shep 24. Lawdy Miss Clawdy 25. Paralysed

Elvis in 2007 UK end of year top 10: On the 2007 Bestselling UK Album Artists Elvis is the #10 best selling artist in the UK. On the singles chart Elvis ranks at #27 with sales of 328,373 singles. If there would have been a chart  on most singles on the chart in one year Elvis would probably have topped that with 18 entries. On the DVD chart Elvis is listed at #21 with the "Comeback Special" DVD and #27 with "The King Of Rock And Roll" compilation DVD.

Top 10 album sellers:

1 Amy Winehouse 2,196,362
2 Leona Lewis 1,550,039
3 Take That 1,485,390
4 Mika 1,174,177
5 Westlife 1,146,556
6 Michael Buble 832,137
7 Eagles 822,000
8 The Killers 795,280
9 Foo Fighters 755,155
10 Elvis Presley 740,901

"Vegas Variety 2": The Rainbow Records import label has announced Volume two in its "Vegas Variety" series containing a complete and nearly 85 minutes long performance of Elvis' December 11, 1976 Midnight Show in Las Vegas.  Media release: Rainbow Records is going to release a double CD-Set titled „Vegas Variety Volume 2“, containing a complete and nearly 85 minutes long performance of Elvis Presley´s Dec. 11th, 1976 Midnight Show in Las Vegas.

The recording of this show has been taken from an early generation (audience recorded) Cassette-Tape and it has been carefully worked on using professional studio-equipment. So the Producers are again able to present exactly what their aim for this series of classic Presley-Style Vegas-Concerts stands for: a real good performance from Elvis´ very last engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel in good and listenable sound-quality, rounded off by a great 20 page booklet containing a lot of information regarding the show – including a detailed review of the concert written just one day after it took place.

Hear Elvis, who is clearly in a relaxed mood, enjoying himself and doing classy versions of songs like 'Trying To Get To You', 'My Way', 'Hurt'. Elvis also does spontaneous versions of „Reconsider Baby“ plus a gospel song called 'Until Then'.

As a bonus you get even more highlights from the December 76 Las Vegas concerts, such as 'I Just Can´t Help Believin´ from the Opening Show and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water' from the Closing Show. We hope you like our second volume of 'Vegas Variety'!

Make your own Elvis Smoothie:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 small ripe banana, sliced 2 tablespoons peanut butter, creamy 1 tablespoon honey 1 cup cold milk
• banana slice and chopped peanuts for garnish, if desired

PREPARATION:

Set aside a slice of the banana for garnish, and put remaining banana, peanut butter, and honey in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add milk and blend until foamy. Garnish with banana slice rolled in chopped peanuts, if desired. Serve immediately.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups, 1 serving. (News, Source: Charmaine Voisine)

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Gospel album re-issues: Both the US and UK Amazon stores have the gospel titles "His Hand In Mine", "He Touched Me" and "How Great Thou Art" on pre-order for release from BMG on March 11. 2008. (News, Source: Amazon.com /Elvis News)

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Political "Elvis" prowls the stage like his namesake: As a public figure notorious for his appetites, former President Clinton is inhaling humble pie as he campaigns to give wife Hillary a go-ahead victory in Saturday's Nevada presidential caucuses.

The hourlong speeches of Iowa have been halved as Clinton is, in his words, "giving people the opportunity to talk to me." Students at Green Valley High School were invited to fire questions. The ex-president's first-person references were replaced by "we" and former Nevada Gov. Bob Miller, his warm-up man, repeatedly referred to "the Clintons" as if the United States had a co-presidency during the 1990s.

The politician given the code name "Elvis" by security agents early in his first White House run came to life Monday in a city where the real Elvis was a headliner in the 1960s and 1970s. Like Elvis Presley, Bill Clinton prowled the stage and even came down to the same level as the folks. (News, Source: seattlepi.com)

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"F1rst Time In Birmingham": Released for members of the German Elvis Nachrichten forum is the second free forum CD. This CD contains a soundboard recording of Elvis' evening show from December 29, 1976 as recorded in Birmingham, Alabama. It comes with a 12 pages booklet. Track list: Also Sprach Zarathustra - Opening Vamp - See See Rider - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me - Fairytale - You Gave Me A Mountain - Jailhouse Rock - O Sole Mio / It's Now Or Never - Trying To Get To You - My Way - Polk Salad Annie - Introductions - Early Morning Rain - What'd I Say - Johnny B. Goode - Drum Solo - Bass Solo - Piano Solo - E-Piano Solo - Love Letters - School Days - Funny How Time Slips Away - Hurt - Hound Dog - For The Good Times - The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face - Unchained Melody - Mystery Train / Tiger Man - Can't Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp (News, Source: Elvis Nachrichten /Elvis News)

Aussie chart update: On this week's ARIA Music DVD chart Elvis continues to have three entries - Elvis Aloha From Hawaii rises two places to #25, the Comeback Special rises six spots to #30 and Elvis King of Rock 'n' Roll falls three places to #35. (News, Source: ARIA)

Aloha From Hawaii - 35 years ago today. On Jan 14th 1973 at 30 minutes past midnight 'Elvis, Aloha From Hawaii' was beamed live via Globecam satellite to over 10 countries including Japan & Australia. Eventually seen by over 1 billion people worldwide it was a global smash - as well as being a technical first. 'Aloha From Hawaii' truly captured Elvis at the very peak of superstardom. A position that no performer in the 35 years since has ever managed to conquer. Elvis Presley was one of a kind.

Parkes Elvis Festival shakes to sounds of The King: Viva Parkes might not have the same ring as Viva Las Vegas, but the main street of the central NSW town certainly got into the swing of the King this past weekend. The colourful street parade with hundreds of floats carrying Elvises and Priscillas shook their rock'n'roll way through the small country town, as part of Parkes' annual Elvis Birthday Festival. "We would have had over a hundred floats in that street parade - everything from motor bikes and trikes to semi-trailers with Elvis on the back," festival spokeswoman Kelly Hendry said. "There were Priscillas walking on stilts, Elvis rollerblading, and Hound Dogs." With this year's 'Blue Hawaii' theme the parade was even more impressive than last years. More than 8,000 people have descended on Parkes for the five-day Elvis Birthday festival, which includes performances from Elvis impersonators, look-a-like and sound-a-like competitions. As a REAL Elvis fan this sounds nothing like Memphis - and more like my worst nightmare! However with Elvis music everywhere and a true celebratory and happy feel in the air it has to be a positive Elvis experience. Even non-Elvis fans can get into the exciting atmosphere finding themselves singing along to songs they never thought they even knew! A major highlight as always was the packed Sunday morning Elvis gospel mass. With an attendance of over 2000 fans it has outgrown the local Anglican church, and now has to be held in the undercover car park. With some inspirational singing and talk about Elvis' life and his spiritual side everyone was moved by his spirit. It even had that feel of a black Harlem Gospel Session. On Sunday afternoon the Elvis Express "mystery train" left town taking 400 worn out but happy festival goers back to Sydney. Sadly the real Elvis was spotted nowhere and one has to wonder about the sincerity of the 'cheeseburger eating contest'. Go here for EIN Parkes Spotlight & Interview. (News, Source;EIN/MandySquair/Epstein)

US Army Closes Ray Barracks In Germany: Elvis' voice echoed through Ray Barracks one last time Monday, returning for a brief moment to his old military stomping grounds. With Elvis' "Hound Dog" reverberating off the cement walls, Lt. Col. Thomas Salo, commander, 102nd Signal Battalion, and Jeurgen Jaeger, 102nd Signal Bn., shut off the main power supply to the KN-4100 telephone switch during a closing ceremony for building 3705 on Ray Barracks. The barracks were "The King's" home in Friedberg from October 1958 to March 1960 when he served as a member of the 1st Battalion, 32nd Armored Regiment, 3rd Armored Division during his tour in the U.S. Army. "The historical aspects of this post warranted a ceremony, here in this former home of Elvis," said Salo. "Thousands and thousands of people were able to communicate from lines connected to this building; it is the end of an era."  "This is not the first communications site to close, and it will not be the last," said Salo.  The garrison closure ceremony for U.S. Army Garrison Giessen, which encompassed Ray Barracks, was held Sept. 28, 2007. And 3705 is the last building on Ray Barracks to be turned over to the Department of Public Works for release back to the host nation, explained James Neufeld, chief of the Operations Management Cell in Hanau.  "It is fitting that commo is the first in and last out," said Salo. "We do not turn off until the last customer is gone. They're gone, so its time to flip the switch."  (News, Source; S Meegin)

Lisa Marie Celebrates Elvis' 73rd Birthday In Las Vegas: Lisa Marie arrived with her entourage to the TAO ultra lounge in Vegas just before 10 PM and sat at a corner table.  The group ordered a bottles of Absolut with Red Bull and grapefruit as mixers.  They only stayed an hour as the gang was exhausted from traveling to Vegas from another trip. They were there to celebrate Elvis' 73rd birthday. (News, Source; ElvisUnlimited)

Soundboard reissues: Four soundboard bootleg releases have been re-issued in the "Live Soundboard Collection" following on from last year's ten CD box-set. According to the posting on the FECC forum "nothing to get excited about, just cheap re-issue digi-packs." (News, Source: FECC/Elvis News)

"The Elvis Express" heads to annual festival: Hundreds of Elvis impersonators and fans have boarded a special express train from Sydney to the central-western New South Wales town of Parkes for the annual festival honouring 'The King'. The Elvis Express was due to let off the Elvis and Priscilla Presley wannabes at 3:20pm (AEDT) yesterday to join thousands from across Australia to revel in the big hair, blue suede shoes and all-in-one jumpsuits this weekend.

Among them will be entrepeneur Dick Smith. The wait was too much for many of the passengers at Central Station. They got the party started early, treating commuters to impromptu rock'n'roll dance performances. Fans were briefly serenaded by The King before boarding the train, where they are being treated to six hours of Elvis singalongs, trivia and costume competitions.

The theme for this year's Elvis Festival, Blue Hawaii, was enough for one Perth fan to postpone a round-the-world trip. Matt Hale says he could not have missed the festival because he bought a new suit just last week.

"I made an impulse buy of a $30 Elvis suit. I just saw it and thought, '$30 for an Elvis suit, that's not bad,'" he said. "We actually rearranged our whole start of the trip to make it."

The festival's main events include an Elvis art exhibition, gospel church service and the Elvis street parade. The Elvis Express will also shuttle tired but contented Elvis tragics back to Sydney on Sunday. (News, Source: ABC News)

First Ever ETA Global Podcast Live from Parkes:

Tonight: 6.30-10.00pm Australian Eastern Daylight Saving Time on Elvii Radio

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More on the Parkes Elvis Festival

Elvis has entered the museum: When he made his first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show, viewers were only allowed to see him from the waist up for fear he would "shake up" the young girls too much. Elvis Presley was known for "shaking up" the world and even 30 years after his death, his life continues to be celebrated. The Marion County Historical Society has a special exhibit "Elvis: the Original American Idol!" and has planned a birthday party for the late performer who would have turned 73 this year.

"The music that's coming for people to do karaoke with comes from all his (Elvis') career and we have one group doing his gospel music. Jon (Daly, an Elvis collector) is flying back from Missouri and he's bringing the karaoke music. He has 30 or 40 CDs so we have about everything," Martin said.

The exhibit features many interesting items and will bring back many memories for visitors.

"We have a lot of interesting items from Elvis' career, not necessarily from Elvis but from his life," Martin said. "They're things from the personal collection of Jon Daly, a former Marionite and president of Elvis Memories Loop fan club. He has a large collection of movie posters, record albums, 45 covers, post cards that were autographed and sent out by Elvis as publicity pieces. There's a bow tie worn by Elvis during the movie 'Frankie and Johnny.'"

Visitors are encouraged to dress in the styles of the '50s and '60s when Elvis was at his peak of popularity. An additional exhibit, "The Fabulous '50s & '60s," will bring back memories of what life was like during the time the King of Rock 'n Roll shook the nation.

"We tried to display things that were available when Elvis was alive. There are only things that were published about his death. We don't have the souvenir items. What this is, is a celebration of Elvis the person," Martin said.

Visitors will find some rare items in the exhibit too. This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a couple personal items worn by Elvis during the filming of his movies; a bowtie worn during the filming of "Frankie and Johnny" and a helmet worn by the star when he filmed "Kissin' Cousins," Martin said.

This is a family-friendly event with items planned specifically for the children.

"One of the things we try to do here is relate to children what the times were like in the '50s. We have an aluminum Christmas tree with the colored lights. We have records, most kids don't even know what a record is, they can listen to a 45, there's a TV, one of the early ones with the little screen set up with videos kids can watch. There's a hands-on area where they can dress up as a 'greaser.' It's just a chance for kids to experience what life was like in the '50s and '60s when Elvis was popular," Martin said.

Tours of the Wyandot Popcorn Museum, which is part of the Marion County Historical Society, are included with the admission fee. Rare popcorn machines, including one owned by Robert Redford, a Model TT Cretors Popcorn truck that is driven in the Marion Popcorn Festival Parade and a rare 1909 horse-drawn Cretors Model D Popcorn Wagon with a driver's seat are just a few of the items on display. (News, Source: Amber Smith)

Elvis' intriguing family tree laid bare: Elvis' ancestry is an area rarely covered. Over the years it has assumed fascination for some as different stories have emerged as to the King's historical origins. German ancestry has been widely suggested, and in recent years Scottish ancestry and familial relationships to people as diverse as Oprah Winfrey and US presidents suggested. So what is the truth? To answer that, one needs to read Ancestors of "Elvis Aaron Presley" 50 Generations by professional genealogist, Lorina Bolig. Published after more than 13 years of laborious research many of Ms Bolig's fascinating findings will surprise most fans. That Elvis has direct relationships to royalty.... Read EIN's full review

Cover art "Rockin' Rivals Elvis & Pat Boone" DVD: This is the cover art of the "Elvis And Pat Boone: Rockin' Rivals" DVD which is due for release April 3, 2008. Synopsis: An entertaining and insightful one-hour look at the friendly rivalry between Mr. Blue Suede Shoes and Mr. White Buck Shoes, who dominated the pop charts in the 1950s. As Pat himself puts it, "I was the salt and he was the pepper." Included are rare film, TV, and newsreel clips plus revealing interviews with such luminaries as Dick Clark, Tom Jones, Glen Campbell, Kenny Rogers, Phyllis McGuire, Bill Medley, Arlene Dahl, Joe Esposito, Shirley Jones, and the legends themselves: Elvis and Pat Boone. (News, Source: Elvis News)

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Marty Lacker comments on Jerry Schilling interview with Ken Sharp: Marty tells EIN:

"I read the Schilling interview by Ken Sharp and some of it amuses me.  In regards to the sessions at American Studios, once again George Klein related to Jerry, who wasn't there, some more of his fantasies.

Read the Jerry Schilling interview

Elvis' handwriting based personality profile now on eBay

Cover artwork for new Aloha book: The brand new Aloha Picture book ´The Day Elvis Came Closest To Japan´ is expected in just days for release. This book contains 100 pages, soft cover, and holds the unseen pictures of a Japanese Music Reporter who attended all 5 Hawaiian shows in November 1972 and January 1973. (News, Source: EP Gold)   Order 'The Day Elvis Came Closest To Japan'

Rare Elvis footage on eBay: The iSold It Sherman Oaks location has been selected to manage the eBay listing for rare, never before seen, backstage footage of Elvis Presley. The eBay listing will begin on Saturday, January 12th 2008 at www.isolditso.com  The listing is for 4 1/2 hours of black and white original unedited video and audio of Elvis Presley's last two recorded live concerts in Omaha, Nebraska, June 19, 1977, and Rapid City, South Dakota, on June 21, 1977.

It includes intimate backstage scenes, candid dressing room footage and hallway shots of Elvis, his girlfriend, Ginger Alden, and his father, Vernon Presley. It also includes the presentation of the Full Circle Medallion of Life from the Sioux Indian Reservation. The concerts are unedited and contain the original audio mix and camera shots. The electricity and excitement is utterly phenomenal.

The two concerts include approximately 27 different songs sung by Elvis. At that time, no one dreamed Elvis would die six weeks later. This unedited footage was a direct feed into the recording/audio engineer's truck. The Presley Estate has given the engineer's widow their consent to sell this unique one-of-kind package as a collector's treasure only.

The Estate will not give its consent for reproduction. More information about these special events can be found on numerous places on the internet including the official Elvis website: www.elvis.com (News, Source: isolditso)

"Loving You/Best of Elvis" CD release in Europe: Hallmark will release the CD entitled "Loving You / Best of Elvis" on February 11, 2008 in the UK. It contains two albums on one disc. Track listing: Heartbreak Hotel I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine Blue Moon Tutti Frutti All Shook Up Hound Dog Too Much Any Way You Want Me Don't Be Cruel Playin' For Keeps Mean Woman Blues (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear Loving You Got A Lot O' Livin' To Do Lonesome Cowboy Hot Dog Party Blueberry Hill True Love Don't Leave Me Now Have I Told You Lately That I Love You I Need You So (News, Source: Play/Elvis News)

FXRE to have major say in EPE redevelopment plans: FX Real Estate and Entertainment Inc. ("FXRE") announced today that Robert F.X. Sillerman and Barry Shier are joining the Company's senior management team, with Mr. Sillerman to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and Mr. Shier to serve as Chief Operating Officer.

This will be the seventh public company built and run by Mr. Sillerman, adding to the list of six prior successful ventures, including CKX, Inc. (NASDAQ:CKXE), where he continues to serve as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Sillerman has also successfully developed a number of real estate projects, including, most recently, the Temenos Anguilla resort.

Mr. Shier has had a long and prominent career in the hotel and gaming industry, having spent more than 15 years with Mirage Resorts Inc. He most recently served as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Golden Nugget Las Vegas Corporation, and Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Beau Rivage Resort and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi.

FXRE is an entertainment-oriented real estate development company with a plan to pursue real estate and entertainment-based projects and attractions throughout the world. The Company owns 17.72 contiguous acres of land located at the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard and Harmon Avenue in Las Vegas, Nevada, known as the Park Central Property. FXRE has licensed from Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., and Muhammad Ali Enterprises LLC, the right it to use the intellectual property and certain other assets associated with Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali in the development of its real estate and other entertainment attraction-based projects. FXRE currently anticipates that the development of the Park Central Property will involve multiple elements that incorporate the Elvis Presley assets and theming.

FXRE also expects to play a major role in Elvis Presley Enterprises' plans to redevelop and expand the Graceland attraction as the centerpiece of the Whitehaven section of Memphis, Tennessee. The master plan for this redevelopment incorporates approximately 100 acres surrounding and contiguous to the Graceland mansion property and is expected to include a new visitor center, exhibition space, retail, hotel, convention facilities, public open space and parking on both sides of Elvis Presley Boulevard.

FXRE will develop up to three hotels to be built as part of the Graceland master plan. In the event that the hotel complexes to be developed by the Company become a larger element of the overall project, including becoming more integrated into the visitor and mansion experience, FXRE may expand its relationship with Elvis Presley Enterprises to assume a larger role in the overall development.

"I am enormously excited by the opportunity to further enhance the legacies of Elvis Presley and Muhammad Ali through the development of our planned real estate-based projects," said Mr. Sillerman. "I know Barry shares my vision of the opportunities available to us in Las Vegas, Memphis and worldwide and I look forward to working with him to realize our shared vision for the company." (Sale of EPE, Source: News Observer)

"The Very Best of Love" tin can - full artwork: This is the complete package of the "The Very Best Of Love" tin-can. The CD contains twelve songs while the DVD, which contains a couple of hundred pictures of Elvis, can be used for as a karaoke disc. Track listing CD: Teddy Bear Are You Lonesome Tonight Love Me Tender It’s Now Or Never Don’t Suspicious Minds Can’t Help Falling In Love Burning Love You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me I’m Yours It’s Hurts Me Young And Beautiful DVD backing tracks: Suspicious Minds Teddy Bear Heartbreak Hotel I Want You, I Need You, I Love You One Night Stuck On You Can’t Help Falling In Love Surrender It’s Now Or Never Return To Sender Love Me Tender Hound Dog (News, Source: The United Elvis Presley Society /Elvis News)

Elvis screenwriter shares his story: It took two-and-a-half movies before Elvis stopped addressing screenwriter Michael Hoey as "Mr. Hoey." Leave it up to The King to be formal with titles. "It was just part of his background, the southern gentleman being polite," said Hoey, a San Clemente resident who is only four months older than Presley. "It blew me away. We were the exact same age, and here I felt like I was an older man to him!"

Anecdotes about Presley – who would have turned 73 on Jan. 8 - are what you'll find in Hoey's new book reflecting on his work as a Hollywood screenwriter, including six films starring Presley. "Elvis, Sherlock and Me: How I Survived Growing Up in Hollywood" follows Hoey's career as a screenwriter, director, and producer.

The son of English actor Dennis Hoey, best known for his role as Inspector Lestrade in Universal's Sherlock Holmes series, Hoey was born into the movies. Living in Beverly Hills in the 1940s, he remembers sneaking through broken fences onto studio back lots. It wasn't the glamour of Hollywood he found alluring, but the magic of storytelling that seemed to dwell there.

When he was 10 his father took him to the set of a Sherlock Holmes film, where Hoey watched a stuntman leap through a fake plate glass window made of spun sugar. The director gave him a chunk of spun sugar to keep.

"That was what intrigued me," Hoey said.

He became a part of that storytelling first as an editor, then a screenwriter. He first met Elvis during a wardrobe meeting for 1965's "Tickle Me." It was a polite meeting, but they soon warmed up, and he found Presley to be a boisterous personality with a great sense of humor.

Elvis loved telling jokes and pulling practical jokes – more than once Presley and his entourage, known as the Memphis Mafia, ran through a set tossing water balloons at one another, and sometimes the cast and crew as well. Hoey added that Presley had an appetite to match his personality: He'd send someone for a box of donuts and eat the entire thing himself.

That said, it wasn't easy getting close to The King. Presley often appeared to be aloof; in time, Hoey realized he was terribly shy. He thinks that's why the Memphis Mafia – made up of relatives and army and school buddies – followed him wherever he'd go.

"Between takes, he wouldn't hang around on set. He'd go hang with the guys," Hoey said.

In his book, Hoey writes that Presley would sometimes mistreat his entourage, but he had a softer side, too. Shortly after the birth of his daughter, Lisa Marie, Presley spied Hoey on the set of a film and waved him over. They walked to another set, decorated as a bedroom. Presley laid out five or six photographs of his daughter on the bed, beaming over them and saying "That's my little girl."

Though the quality of the films he starred in waxed and waned, Presley was quite a good actor, Hoey said. Movies like "King Creole" and "Live a Little, Love a Little" proved that. Hoey thought Presley was best at humor and fight scenes. Hoey worked with Presley until 1968. Shortly afterward, Presley returned to a hard-living life on tour, taking diet pills to keep his weight down, and downers to sleep after taking diet pills, Hoey said. The combined addiction is what Hoey believes led to his tragic death.

In his book, Hoey writes more about his reflections on Presley and his own strained relationship with his father. His next book will be about his experiences with the television show "Fame," which he wrote, directed and produced for its first five to six years. (News, Source: Andrew Good, Sun Post News/Orange County Register)

Read EIN's review of Elvis, Sherlock & Me

EIN will publish its in-depth interview with Michael Hoey shortly

C. F. Martin Commemorative Limited & Special Editions Honor The King of Rock & Roll: Elvis Presley: Elvis Presley was, is and always will be the King of rock & roll. Influenced by the pop, country, rhythm & blues and gospel music of the early 1950s, he took rock & roll from novelty to mainstream in a brilliant career that included 150 gold, platinum or multi-platinum singles and albums, 149 songs on the Billboard “Hot 100 Pop Chart,” 1,100 concert appearances, 3 television specials, 33 movies and record sales that now surpass one billion worldwide. His death in 1977 at age 42 stunned the world, but so enduring is his popularity that the 1992 United States postage stamp bearing his likeness is the top selling commemorative stamp of all time and Graceland, his home in Memphis, welcomes more than 600,000 visitors each year. While best known for his singing, Elvis’ guitar playing served him well, especially in the early years of his career. His pulsing, rhythmic strumming was featured on many of his early recordings and on stage in the mid-1950s, when Martin was his guitar. He began with a used 000-18 in 1954, but within months had traded it in for a 1942 Martin D-18. The next year he got a 1955 D-28; fitted with a custom-tooled leather cover with his name across the lower bout, it became perhaps his most recognized acoustic due to the many Elvis concert photos in which it appears.

A Martin also was Elvis’ main acoustic at the end of his career. He played a mid-1970s D-28 during his last concert tour and it was the last guitar he played on stage in June of 1977. The instrument was packed and ready to go back out on the road with Elvis when he died on August 16, 1977; it now resides in the collection at Graceland.  

In tribute to Elvis Presley on the 30th anniversary of his passing – also, coincidentally, the 175th anniversary of the Martin Guitar Company – Martin is excited to offer two exceptional commemorative edition guitars fit for the King and his legion of fans.  Sporting exclusive appointments throughout, the Martin D-28M and D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative Editions capture Elvis’ unique charisma.    

Limited to just 175 guitars to mark C. F. Martin’s 175th anniversary, the D-28M Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition features rare Madagascar rosewood back and sides (which closely resembles Brazilian rosewood), and an Adirondack spruce top with 5/16” scalloped Adirondack spruce braces for brilliant, powerful tone. Fine black and white inlay lines highlight the Style 28 soundhole rosette and purfling, the latter accented by elegant grained ivoroid binding.

The D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative Special Edition features back and sides of East Indian rosewood and a top of Carpathian spruce. The combination of these fine tonewoods and 5/16” scalloped top bracing produces a responsive guitar with impressive volume, punch and sustain. The Style 28 rosette is matched by Style 28 purfling around the top and back. The body is bound in grained ivoroid.

The Elvis motif of these Dreadnoughts begins on the polished black ebony headstock just above the nut, where the silhouette of the King and his Martin – modeled after a famous 1956 photograph – are inlaid in mother of pearl and black pearl. Small pearl-bordered abalone star position marker inlays at the 5th, 7th (two), 9th, 15th, and 17th frets on the fingerboard flank Elvis’ signature at the 12th fret. The black Micarta heelcap features his “TCB Lightning Bolt” logo – a design that originated with the “Taking Care of Business” pendants Elvis gave to friends – inlaid in mother of pearl.   

Classic 1950s-inspired Martin appointments common to these beautiful guitars include a 1 11/16” neck with diamond volute carved from genuine mahogany and satin finished, Grover deluxe nickel Kluson™ tuners with small oval metal buttons, the old style Martin decal logo on the headstock, black ebony fingerboard and belly bridge, genuine bone nut and saddle, and a flawless polished gloss lacquer finish with vintage-appropriate light amber aging toner on the top. In keeping with their black and white palette, these Limited Editions come with white bridge and end pins topped with black dots, and a polished and beveled black pickguard.  

The unique tooled leather guitar cover originally created by Charles Underwood made Elvis’ D-28 instantly recognizable. Therefore, the D-28M Elvis Presley Commemorative Limited Edition is outfitted with a tooled leather guitar cover based upon Charles’ design and is delivered in a special oversized vintage Geib style hardshell case to accommodate the guitar and cover. The D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative Special Edition may be ordered without the leather guitar cover in a vintage Geib style hardshell case, or with the cover at an extra cost, an upgrade that also includes the oversized case. Factory-installed electronics (those Martin offers without side controls) can be ordered as an extra-cost option. Left-handed instruments may be ordered at no additional cost, though tooling on the leather guitar cover cannot be reversed.

Each D-28M and D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative  Edition guitar bears two interior labels specially designed for these models. The primary interior label for the  D-28M Elvis Presley is numbered in sequence with the total number of guitars in the edition, while the primary label for the D-28 Elvis Presley is numbered in sequence without total: both include a holographic, official “Elvis Presley Signature” sticker of authenticity. Authorized C. F. Martin dealers will begin taking orders for the Martin D-28M and D-28 Elvis Presley Commemorative Edition guitars immediately and participating dealers will be listed on the Martin Guitar website at www.martinguitar.com  (News, Source: Dick Boag, Martin Guitar)

Sat 12 Jan......world first event arranged by Elvii Radio & Event of Events -

the first ever global ETA podcast when the legendary El Gamble takes to the stage

Parkes Elvis Birthday Festival: For one long weekend each year Parkes in rural Australia is taken over by their Elvis Birthday Festival. The annual festival is said to bring in around $1 million in direct income to the rural community of only 10,000. With plenty of Elvis competitions, the Elvis street parade, wedding vow renewals and the sensational Elvis Gospel Celebration there is plenty to see. EIN members Mandy Squair and Justin Harland were among the 8,000 Elvis fans who soaked up the fun, heat and excitement during last year’s fabulous Elvis weekend. Even better Justin was one of the 147 Elvii who set the world record for "Largest Number of assembled Elvis impersonators." With fabulous photos to share, here is their story of the fun packed and colorful weekend. (Spotlight; Source: EIN, Jan 2008)

"Rock Back The Clock" CD released: The latest CD from the Straight Arrow import label, "Rock Back The Clock" has been released. It contains an audience recording of Elvis' New Years eve concert on December 31, 1975 when a record crowd exceeding 60,000 attended.

CD 1: Also Sprach Zarathustra - See See Rider - I Got A Woman/Amen - Monologue - Love Me - Trying To Get To You - And I Love You So - All Shook Up - Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel - Heartbreak Hotel - One Night - You Gave Me A Mountain - Polk Salad Annie - Monologue - Sweet, Sweet Spirit (The Stamps)

CD 2: Band intro - What'd I Say - Drum Solo - Bass Solo - Piano Solo - Keyboard solo - School Days - My Way - Love Me Tender - Monologue - Auld Lang Syne - How Great Thou Art (w/ reprise) - It's Now Or Never - America - Monologue - Hound Dog - Wooden Hart (part only) - Can't Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp

Bonus tracks: Elvis speaks about his New Years Eve show (Seattle, April 26 1976) - Elvis speaks about his New Years Eve show (Atlanta, June 5 1976) (News, Source: Amber Smith)

Jerry Schilling Interview: Ken Sharp recently interviewed one of Elvis' closest insiders Jerry Schilling for the US Goldmine magazine. Jerry Schilling and Elvis forged a close friendship that lasted from the mid 1950s all the way to Elvis' death in 1977. Jerry Schilling was a trusted friend and confidante who enjoyed an eyewitness take on life inside the gates of Graceland. He was also Lisa Marie's first manager and he still has strong bonds with EPE and Priscilla. His recent book 'Me And A Guy Named Elvis' however was one of the best releases of last year and his honesty was quite delightful. In this long and fascinating interview with EIN contributor Ken Sharp, Jerry reveals some great stories of his life with Elvis. (Interviews, Source: Ken Sharp, Jan 2008)

Bill Belew, Elvis wardrobe designer, has died: Bill Belew, who headed the design team for Elvis Presley's stagewear and much of his personal wardrobe from 1969 to 1977, died of cardiac arrest yesterday after a prolonged illness. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that donations be made to any of a number of Bill's favorite charities per his wishes. A list of those charities and other details will be posted here as soon the family provides the information. Bill Belew and his design team made an outstanding contribution to the definition of Elvis Presley's personal style on stage and off. Belew designed the now iconic black leather suit Elvis wore for the key components of his all important 1968 'comeback' television special, along with his other outfits for the show. The collaboration continued through the 1970s, including the famous jumpsuits Elvis wore on stage, most notably the American Eagle jumpsuit made for the global television concert event Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite. "You could be daring as a designer and put anything on Elvis and he could make it work. And the simplest outfits that didn't seem particularly remarkable on the rack transformed into something spectacular when Elvis put them on. He was that beautiful and powerful a presence. As a wardrobe designer Bob Mackie had a perfect muse and a perfect canvas in Cher. I got to have that in Elvis." - Bill Belew For nine years costume designer Bill Belew was the creative force behind Elvis Presley's stage and personal wardrobe. As Elvis designer, Belew originated every outfit Elvis wore in all his nightclub, television and concert appearances from 1963 until his unexpected death in August of 1977. Belew, who also designs stage clothes for many other well-known entertainers, has received Emmy nominations in Costuming on three separate occasions for his work on The Carpenters, John Denver, and Flip Wilson television specials. Bill Belew played a special role in Elvis history and was a beloved friend to all. He will be missed. (News, Source:EPE/EIN)

Movie reporter shared lasting friendship with Presley: Hollywood writer Nancy Anderson was not expecting much when she first interviewed Elvis Presley in 1956 on the set of his movie "Love Me Tender." "I didn't really want to meet Elvis because I had just talked to Fabian and some of these other teen idols and I thought, 'Well, here's one more. He won't even know his name,"' Anderson, now 89 years old and retired, recalled recently. But surprisingly, it led to a friendship with Presley that lasted until his death in 1977 and continues today with family of the late star, who would have turned 73 yesterday. "He was a nice man and a lot brighter than people thought," Anderson said from her home in this Tennessee town set amid rolling horse farms. "We'd sit around and talk about the Battle of Shiloh. We'd talk about religion and girls and making movies and Memphis. Just whatever." First as a freelance writer and later as West Coast editor of Photoplay and other movie magazines, Anderson reported on Hollywood when the glow from its golden age was still fresh and Americans idolized screen legends such as John Wayne, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. While chronicling the actors and the industry that made them famous, she got to know a lot of them. Spend an hour with her and you will pick up tidbits only an insider could know about people like Marlon Brando and Ronald Reagan.

Elvis in Las Vegas Interactive Tourist Map: Elvis and Las Vegas are still connected to each other as the recent ABC TV programme demonstrated. Through the link below, the new Vegas interactive map shows you most of the Elvis Hot Spots in Vegas. Besides the famous Hilton showroom, you'll discover other less known Elvis related sites in Vegas, like the location of the wedding chapel that is used for the filming of 'Viva Las Vegas'. Oddly The Flamingo Hotel where Elvis and Ann Margret hung out together is not featured. You can still feel their DNA in the water! Click here for A Little More Action - map-wise (News, Source: Various)

- HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS - EIN wishes Elvis all the best, where ever he is, celebrating his 73rd Birthday.  Forty-six years ago today in 1962 Elvis celebrated his 27th birthday at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas - (photo right). 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 ('They Remind Me Too Much Of You' etc). 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.      (News, Source; EIN)

Priscilla Presley to attend special ELVIS Opening Night Event: The Paley Centre for Media (formerly The Museum of Television & Radio) will present a fortieth anniversary salute to Elvis Presley’s’68 Comeback Special, kicking off  the 25th annual William S. Paley Television Festival on March 14, 2008. Priscilla Presley will join in the celebration which will include a screening of the special followed by a discussion with Priscilla. In his first television special originally broadcasted as "Singer Presents Elvis", Elvis Presley, who had spent most of the decade as a film actor, returned to his concert roots exhibiting the charismatic and emotionally charged performing style that secured his reputation as the “King of Rock & Roll.” Taped in June 1968 and aired on December 3 of that year, the program attracted 42 percent of the television viewing audience and became the season’s top-rated special. It stands as one of the great moments in rock history and a stunningly brilliant milestone in Elvis Presley’s career. “We are so excited to host  this special salute to an extraordinary television event as the opening night for this year’s Paley Festival, said Pat Mitchell, the president and chief executive officer of The Paley Center for Media. “Elvis is one of our most cherished media icons, and having Priscilla Presley with us is a perfect way to celebrate the impact and influence of the Elvis phenomenon on pop culture.” PaleyFest08 will be held from March 14 to 27, 2008, at the historic Cinerama Dome at the ArcLight Cinemas in Hollywood. As previously announced, acclaimed producer/writer Judd Apatow along with two of the new season’s hits, Gossip Girl and Pushing Daisies, are among the honorees at the upcoming PaleyFest08. Tickets will be available to the general public Sunday, February 10, 2008. Named for William S. Paley, founder of both the Paley Center and CBS, the annual pop-culture event celebrates television’s rich and diverse programming and the creative process behind the medium for the last twenty-five years. During each evening, the audience views episodes or highlights of the featured work and has the opportunity to ask questions of the cast and creative team or the individual involved in its production. (News, Source; EIN)

Bill Black's daughter meets Paul McCartney: When Nancy Shockley was 4 or 5 she would sometimes awaken in the night to the sound of her father coming home from work, his big "doghouse" bass bumping the furniture. Sometimes she would climb on it and ride it like a pony before her mother chased her off. To the world, her father was Bill Black, bass player for Elvis Presley in those early, heady days of the mid-1950s when Elvis was swiveling and shaking his way towards music that would rock the world. To Shockley, now 56, Black was a doting dad, a working-class guy who could give her only a little time before he died of a brain tumor in 1965. His studio and instruments were sold when she was still a child. She now lives in Covington with her husband, William Shockley, where they own a company that levels ground and prepares sites for construction. She never knew what happened to the bass until the late '70s when Rolling Stone reported that Paul McCartney had it. Go here for full story. (News, Source:EIN/Commercial Appeal)

'Live In L.A' FTD Book/CD review: 'Live In L.A.' is FTD’s audiovisual documentary of Elvis in Los Angeles. Although it covers 1956-1976, the main focus of the book and bonus CD is the evening show at the Inglewood Forum, May 11th 1974. The book contains 138 pages with nearly every photo in colour. Supergroup Led Zeppelin were in the audience and Elvis needed to put on a good show - and the book gives fans a chance to relieve the feel of the concert through some excellent images of Elvis in action. Since it is a much slimmer volume than FTD's 'Rockin' Across Texas' and also containing some audio problems with the soundboard CD, fan reviews have been varied. Click here to read EIN contributor Armond Joseph's deeper investigation to see whether it is really worth the price. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, Jan 2008)

"In Search of Elvis" (Book Review): Regular EIN book reviewer, Susan MacDougall, recently sat down to take in the delights of Charlie Connelly's interesting book, In Search of Elvis. What Susan found was a well researched and entertaining book: This is not a book about Elvis as such. Charlie Connelly set out on a physical journey to discover why Elvis remains an iconic figure to so many people of so many different backgrounds and where his spirit might be found. Despite being written in a light-hearted, facetious and entertaining style, In Search of Elvis is well researched. For each location visited, Connelly provides description, historical context and his own comments. In fact, if it had an index, this book could almost be used as a guidebook to the various places. Read Susan's full review

"Hot August Night" Elvis style: The Madison label will release shortly after the soon-to-be released A Wild Weekend in Huntsville! - Volume two a CD titled Hot August Night featuring the August 12, 1972 Midnight Show as recorded from the soundboard live at the Las Vegas Hilton. Elvis was in great form physically and vocally, and delivered an excellent performance in the Hilton Showroom that night. This packaging will contain a superb 16 page booklet with liner notes and color photographs. This concert features a few previously released performances but for the first time available unedited. A great show in excellent sound quality.....don't miss it! Track list : 1- Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra; 2- C.C. Rider; 3-  I Got A Woman/Amen; 4- Proud Mary; 5- Never Been To Spain; 6- Until It's Time For You To Go; 7- You've Lost That Loving Feeling; 8- Polk Salad Annie; 9- What Now My Love; 10- Fever; 11- Love Me; 12 - Blue Suede Shoes; 13- One Night; 14- All Shook Up; 15- Teddy Bear/Don't Be Cruel; 16- Heartbreak Hotel; 17- Hound Dog; 18- For The Good Times; 19- Suspicious Minds; 20- Band introductions; 21- My Way; 22- An American Trilogy; 23- A Big Hunk 'O Love; 24- Tiger Man (opening only); 25- Can't Help Falling In Love; 26- Closing Vamp (News, Source: FECC)

Chart update: The Billboard chart listings for the week ending January 12, 2008:

• Pop Catalogue Albums: ELV1S 30 #1 Hits #39
• Country Catalogue Albums: Elvis Christmas #7
• Country Catalogue Albums: ELV1S 30 #1 Hits #2
• Independent Albums: Home For The Holidays: #41
• Holiday Albums: Elvis Christmas: #35
• Holiday Albums: Home For The Holidays: #43
• Hot Holiday Songs: Blue Christmas: #20
• Music Video: ELV1S #1 Hits Performances: #26
• Music Video: Elvis Lives - the 25th Anniversary Concert: #37
• Music Video: Aloha From Hawaii: #38

With the holidays over Elvis dropped out of a lot of charts. Last week he was listed eleven times more on different charts with mainly Christmas releases but also with his "Ultimate Gospel" and "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits" compilation.

On the Australian ARIA Music DVD Top 10 Elvis is listed three times:

• "Aloha From Hawaii": #27 (#35)
• "The King Of Rock And Roll": #32 (#17)
• '68 Comeback Special: #36 (#30)

In The Netherlands "The Complete Dutch Collection" climbs from #53 to #51. (News, Source: Elvis News/Elvis International/ARIA)

Great Elvis Holiday Reading (now available from leading bookstores and Amazon):

UPDATED: Ernst Jorgensen on his upcoming Sun project: Ernst has provided another selection of interesting information about issues around his up-coming SUN project and other Elvis release issues. Read the latest from the man himself and also EIN's detailed interview with him about the Sun project. (News, Source: EIN/FECC)

Tiffany Slack Smith, Parkes Elvis Festival Coordinator, talks to EIN: This week the 16th Parkes Elvis Festival will be held in NSW, Australia.  From its humble beginnings in the early 1990s attracting only a few hundred people it has grown into one of Australia's largest and most popular annual events.  In 2007 more than 7,000 visitors nearly doubled the population of country town Parkes, and an even geater number are expected in 2008. EIN recently spoke with the Festival Coordinator, Tiffany Slack-Smith, about this year’s huge event which will held from 8 to 13 January 2007. Tiffany discusses all the major events including the first ever global ETA podcast; cessation of Government funding, accommodation issues, and more. (Interview, Source: EIN)

"Flaming Star" magazine sets very high standard: The most recent edition of Norway's celebrated Elvis fan club magazine, Flaming Star, has arrived on the EIN desk.

Printed on high quality gloss paper (170mm x 240mm) with Norwegian text, Flaming Star is undoubtedly among the best of all quarterly Elvis magazines about Elvis. Other strengths of the 52 page periodical are its superb page design and glorious visuals!

Edition #46 features an article with the delectable Susan Henning about her experience working with Elvis on the '68 Comeback Special, an article from the Ottawa Sun; reviews of both the Sonny West memoir, Elvis Still Taking Care of Business, and Alanna Nash's intriguing book, The Colonel; CD reviews, Elvis Week 2007, and a lot, lot more.

Flaming Star is a visual (and we suspect) a narrative treat. The high quality of the magazine is such that EIN is seriously considering taking up Norwegian!

To learn more and subscribe, visit the "Flaming Star" website

Contact Arne Metzner at "Flaming Star"

Alternate take of "For The Good Times" on Sony BMG Valentine's Day 3CD set: Sony/BMG Canada is releasing Love Elvis--3 CD COLLECTOR'S TIN as part of its Valentine's Day promotion. The set includes an unreleased/rare alternate version of For The Good Times. (News, Source: Barry McLean)

Annual Sam Phillips Music Celebration underway: The annual Sam Phillips Music Celebration is under way in the Shoals, celebrating the Florence native's colossal influence on the course of popular music in the 20th century.

It's been more than 50 years since Sam Phillips first recorded a young unknown singer who would go on to shake up the world with a brand of music called rock 'n' roll, but the influence of those recordings and many others reverberates even today.

Phillips, of Florence, first recorded Elvis Presley in 1954. The Mississippi truck driver, fresh out of high school, had what Phillps was looking for - a white man who could sing with a black man's soul. The rest, as they say, is history.

It seems that Phillips, who died in 2003 at the age of 80, was born to be a world shaker. He left Florence in the late 1940s and opened Memphis Recording Service as a way to not only supplement his disc jockey income but to indulge his lifelong fascination with sound. He was soon recording the blues artists working Memphis clubs looking for a break. Howlin' Wolf, Rufus Thomas and B.B. King, then largely unknown, made some of their first recordings with Phillips. In 1951, Phillips produced a record by Jackie Brenston and the Delta Cats - "Rocket 88" - that some music historians say was the first rock 'n' roll record. With the meteoric success of Presley, Phillips formed Sun Records and soon had a stable of artists who shaped a radical new pop music. Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Charlie Rich and others unleashed music like no one had heard - and it was an instant hit with young listeners. It's influence continues to this day in the independent music makers who tap into the spirit of freedom that Phillips cherished.

The celebration of Phillips' music continues today with a noon showing of the A&E biography "Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock 'n' Roll," at the Alabama Music Hall of Fame. It will be screened again on Friday. Then, at 8 p.m. this evening, the Muscle Shoals to Music Row performance at Fizz lounge in the Holiday Inn will feature T. Graham Brown and Jimmy Hall. On Friday at 8 p.m., "The Official Sam Jam" kicks off at the Shoals Theater with the Paul Thorn Band performance. The celebration culminates Saturday at the Marriott Shoals Resort & Conference Center. From 6-8 p.m., acoustic music rooms will feature the Christian Turner Trio, Michelle Malone and Jason D. Williams. At 9 p.m., members of Nashville's Muzik Mafia, including John Rich, Gretchen Wilson, Shannon Lawson, James Otto, Jon Nicholson and Cowboy Troy will perform.

The Phillips music celebration gets bigger every year - a sign that his pioneering spirit still lives. (News, Source: TimesDaily.com)

Birthplace of Elvis to be honored with Blues marker: Governor Haley Barbour today announced the inclusion of Tupelo, birthplace of legendary rock ‘n roller Elvis Presley, on the Mississippi Blues Trail, which is dedicated to preserving the state's musical heritage through more than 100 historical markers and interpretive sites.  "By all accounts, Elvis Presley was the single greatest influence on modern day rock ‘n roll in America, and much of his musical inspiration drew on the Mississippi blues," Governor Barbour said.

"As birthplace to Elvis, Tupelo is incredibly deserving of this very special Blues Trail marker which will honor the work, memory, and music legacy of the King himself."The Blues Trail will honor "Elvis Presley and the Blues" with a marker placed at his birthplace in Tupelo on Tuesday, January 8, 2008, at 1:00 p.m. 

The ceremony comes as part of a joint effort by the Mississippi Development (MDA) Tourism Heritage Trails Program, the Mississippi Blues Commission, the Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Elvis Presley Birthplace Museum to honor Presley for his for his contribution to Mississippi and America's blues heritage.Elvis's early recordings helped revolutionize popular music through their unique mix of the sounds of blues and country music, and many rock ‘n roll musicians followed his lead.

Presley first encountered the blues in Tupelo, and it remained central to his music throughout his career. The Presley family lived in several homes in Tupelo that were adjacent to African American neighborhoods, and as a youngster Elvis and his friends often heard the sounds of blues and gospel streaming out of churches, clubs, and other venues. According to Mississippi blues legend Big Joe Williams, Elvis listened in particular to Tupelo blues guitarist Lonnie Williams. The blues was undergoing great changes during Elvis's teen years in Memphis, where he could hear the music on Beale Street, just a mile south of his family's home.  Producer Sam Phillips captured many of these new blues sounds at his Memphis Recording Service studio, where Elvis recorded his first single for Phillips' Sun label.

Elvis was initially interested in recording ballads, but Phillips was more excited by the sound created by Elvis and studio musicians Scotty Moore and Bill Black on July 5, 1954, when they were fooling around with bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's 1946 recording That's All Right Mama.

In September of 1954 that song appeared on Elvis's first single for Sun Records, and each of his other four singles for the label also included a cover of a blues song-Arthur Gunter's Baby Let's Play House, Roy Brown's Good Rockin' Tonight, Junior Parker's Mystery Train, and Kokomo Arnold's Milkcow Blues, which Elvis likely learned from a version by western swing musician Johnny Lee Wills.Elvis continued recording blues after his move to the larger RCA Records in 1956,  including Hound Dog, first recorded by Big Mama Thornton in 1952, Lowell Fulson's Reconsider Baby, Big Joe Turner's Shake, Rattle and Roll, and Crudup's My Baby Left Me.

One of Elvis's most important sources of material was the African American songwriter Otis Blackwell, who wrote two of Elvis's biggest hits, All Shook Up and Don't Be Cruel, as well as Paralyzed, Return to Sender, and One Broken Heart For Sale. For most of the ‘60s, Elvis concentrated on his film career, but in1968 he revisited his early blues roots on an NBC television special that reunited him with Moore and Black. In this so-called "comeback"appearance the trio reprised their early Sun recordings, and also performed many other blues songs, including the Jimmy Reed songs Big Boss Man and Baby What You Want Me to Do.

Blues continued to be a main element of Elvis's live performances until his death in 1977.  The Mississippi Blues Trail markers are funded in part by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and by support from the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Mississippi Department of Transportation, Delta State University and the Mississippi Development Authority.

For further information on the Mississippi Blues Trail, go to www.msbluestrail.org. (News, Source: WLBT 3)

"Loving You" 3CD boxset: A 3 CD budget box set entitled "Loving You" will be released by Not Now Music on January 14, 2008. (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

"I skipped Elvis...don't make the same mistake!": For the record, I would like to point out I can be an idiot.

Take the main reason I attended the University of Illinois. It wasn't the prestige of the Big 10 or its well-respected journalism school. It landed cool concerts. Heck, the Rolling Stones had played there.

My dorm room was literally steps away from Assembly Hall, the flying-saucer-shaped venue of my dreams. My first couple years, I saw Elton John, Jethro Tull and Fleetwood Mac. In fall 1976, rumors of a huge show reached fever pitch, and I couldn't wait to find out who was coming.

Led Zeppelin? Kiss? Yes?.....................No, no, and no. The announcement was for an old-timer, someone who didn't interest me, though the ticket line snaked around three dormitories, mine included.


The performer: Elvis Presley.

Like I said, idiot! Hindsight may be 20/20, but turning a blind eye toward a legend; that was an egregious mistake for an aspiring doctor of rock. I learned my lesson, at least. I saw James Brown, Marvin Gaye, Little Richard, the Animals, the Who (with Keith Moon) and plenty more since then.

But I still kick myself for skipping Elvis, who died in 1977, though suspicious minds insist he's undercover somewhere, pumping gas or running a diner. If he lived, he'd turn 73 on Tuesday. Station Dinner Theatre & Celebrities Restaurant will give him a big hunk of love via "Viva Las Vegas: A Tribute to Elvis," which opens Saturday.

With an ensemble cast led by John Burton, who also directs, the lively show will focus on Elvis' early career, as it should. That's when his hip-shaking, sexually charged songs sent a sizzling, electric-volt current through the land. Even now, the raw excitement of his early hits is palpable, so it's hard to imagine how fresh and thrilling they seemed then.

Something new had been brewing; you could sense it in novels by Jack Kerouac and William S. Burroughs; you could glimpse it in movies with Marlon Brando and James Dean. A new generation was coming of age, one with its own ideas and ideals. Elvis not only united it; he blew it all up, out into the open.

Fifty-some years later, his imprint might be less visible, but it's worth celebrating. Heck, Bruce Springsteen hasn't forgotten. "I was driving through a misty rain / Yeah, searchin' for a mystery train," he sings in "Radio Nowhere," one of 2007's best singles. "Mystery Train" isn't included in "Viva Las Vegas," but it packs in more than a dozen hits and an impressive movie medley. If you want to catch it, though, it's now or never. Just three shows are planned -- Saturday and Jan. 11-12.

"Viva Las Vegas -- A Tribute to Elvis" plays Saturday and Jan. 11-12 at 7 p.m. at Station Dinner Theatre & Celebrities Restaurant, 4940 Peach St. For reservations, call 864-2022. (News, Source: Dave Richards, goerie.com)

"ALL SHOOK UP" - U.K. Premiere of the hit Broadway musical comedy inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley book by Joe Dipietro:   “The best retro rock show since grease.” (NBC-TV) Combining all the hits of legendary, Elvis Presley with a sure-fire rock ’n’ roll story, 'All Shook Up' tells the romantic tale of how a young girl’s dreams become reality when a mysterious, leather-jacketed stranger arrives and turns the town upside down with his hip-swivelin’, lip-curlin’ and sexy song singin’ and how he helps a small town to discover the magic of romance and the power of rock 'n' roll, changing their lives forever.

"Love, Elvis" CD: Here is the cover art - probable a slipcase - for the 2008 re-issue of the "Love Elvis" compilation which is due for release January 14, 2008. Track List: Are You Lonesome Tonight? Can't Help Falling In Love Always On My Mind It's Now Or Never Love Me Tender I Want You, I Need You, I Love You Don't (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I Any Way You Want Me Surrender Hawaiian Wedding Song Doin' The Best I Can Fever It Hurts Me I Just Cant Help Believin' The Wonder Of You Let It Be Me It's Impossible For The Good Times There Goes My Everything And I Love You So You Don't Have To Say You Love Me Unchained Melody If I Can Dream (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

"The Rockin' Days" CD cancelled: Announced recently and now canned! The new label "Hard Luck Entertainment" has decided not to release the album "The Rockin' Days" on CD (HLR001). This strictly limited release was aimed at the collector's market, as it was limited to 500 copies and meant for fanclub distribution only. However, legal uncertainties came up, and the good folks behind the label preferred not to take a risk, therefore cancelling the whole idea. Track listing: Tutti Frutti / King Creole / Blue Suede Shoes / Don’t Be Cruel / Hard Headed Woman /I Got Stung / Rip It Up (Alt Take) / Ready Teddy / All Shook Up / Long Tall Sally / Mean Woman Blues / Dixieland Rock / Shake, Rattle And Roll / Jailhouse Rock (Takes 3,4,5) (News, Source: Elvis Matters)

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New UK DVD announcements: Due for re-issue on March 3, 2008 in the U.K. is the region 2 double DVD set "Elvis Presley: The Legend In Concert" with a running time of 72 minutes.

The double DVD and CD set "Elvis Presley: Collector's Box Set" is due for release March 24, 2008 in the U.K.

Announced as "coming soon" in the U.K. is the region 2 DVD "Elvis Presley: Music Box Biographical Collection"

Synopsis: The "Music Box Biographical Collection" presents the full story of Elvis Presley, the undisputed 'King'. From humble beginnings to superstardom and a premature death, the Elvis Presley story is one which will entertain audiences of all ages. His music is as popular as ever and he recently scored the 1000th UK No. 1 with the re-released 'One Night/I Got Stung'. The Elvis story is told by the people that new him and features rare archive footage courtesy of private collections around the world. So get this DVD and let yourself get all shook up. (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

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The King" set: Due for release January 14, 2008 is the 2CD budget set "The King". Track List - Disc 1: Heartbreak Hotel Blue Suede Shoes Hound Dog Tutti Frutti Long Tall Sally That's All Right Blue Moon Of Kentucky Don't Be Cruel Rip It Up Ready Teddy Shake, Rattle And Roll Good Rockin' Tonight Baby Let's Play House Mystery Train I Got A Woman Money Honey My Baby Left Me Lawdy, Miss Clawdy Disc 2: Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Sings Songs From 'Jailhouse Rock') Young And Beautiful I Want To Be Free Don't Leave Me Now (You're So Square) Baby I Don't Care Mean Woman Blues (Elvis Sings Songs From 'Loving You') (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear Loving You Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do! Lonesome Cowboy Hot Dog Party True Love (Bonus Track) Blueberry Hill (Bonus Track) Don't Leave Me Now (Bonus Track) Have I Told You Lately That I Love You? (Bonus Track) I Need You So (Bonus Track) (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

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"Elvis Presley" 2CD: Another budget CD entitled "Elvis Presley". Track List - Disc 1: Hound Dog Just Because Blue Moon Of Kentucky I Got A Woman Love Me Tender Long Tall Sally Baby Let's Play House Old Shep My Baby Left Me I'm Counting On You Poor Boy Paralyzed I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine Mystery Train Ready Teddy Let Me Rip It Up I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone Anyplace Is Paradise We're Gonna Move Disc 2: Blue Suede Shoes I Love You Because Heartbreak Hotel When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again One Sided Love Affair How Do You Think I Feel Love Me Blue Moon I Want You, I Need You, I Love You So Glad You're Mine Don't Be Cruel Good Rockin' Tonight Money Honey That's All Right How's The World Treating You Tutti Frutti I Forgot To Remember To Forget First In Line I'll Never Let You Go I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

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Overton Park Shell renovations update: Renovations are in full force at the Overton Shell. The Mortimer Levitt Foundation is funding the project along with the city of Memphis. The project cost is 1 million dollars and is expected to be done by the spring of this year. The Levitt Foundation will then provide an additional 1.75 million to operate the Shell for 5 years. It will be renamed The Levitt Pavilion For The Performing Arts at Overton Park. The new Pavilion will have 50 free concerts a year featuring local talent and special guests.

The new Shell will have handicapped bathrooms and a special seating area for the handicapped as well. The benches have been removed and there will be no seats replacing them. Rather, people can bring lawn chairs or blankets for shows. The fencing around the Shell has been removed and donated to a local shelter.

On each side of the stage will be a 6 foot screen with 24 bit surround sound. The Shell itself will be painted completely gold, the rainbow removed and across the top will read, Levitt Pavilion At Overton Park. The Shell opened in 1936 and closed in 2004. It will reopen just months from now. (News, Source: Elvis Unlimited /Elvis News)

"Tupelo Mississippi Flash" boxset release: Proper Records will release the 4 CD budget box "Tupelo Mississippi Flash" on February 1, 2008. It contains all of Elvis' early work. Track listing: CD 1: That's All Right - Blue Moon Of Kentucky - Hearts Of Stone - That's All Right - Tweedle Dee - Money Honey - Blue Moon Of Kentucky - I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine - That's All Right - There's Good Rockin' Tonight - Baby Let's Play House - Blue Moon Of Kentucky - I Got A Woman - Tweedle Dee - I'm Left You're Right She's Gone - Baby Let's Play House - Maybelline - That's All Right - Heartbreak Hotel - Long Tall Sally - I Was The One - Money Honey - I Got A Woman - Blue Suede Shoes - Hound Dog - I Was The One - Love Me Tender - Hound Dog - I Want You I Need You I Love You - Hound Dog

CD 2: That's All Right - Blue Moon Of Kentucky - Good Rockin' Tonight - I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine - Milkcow Blues Boogie - You're A Heartbreaker - Baby Let's Play House - I'm Left You're Right She's Gone - Mystery Train - I Forgot To Remember To Forget - Heartbreak Hotel - I Was The One - Blue Suede Shoes - Tutti Frutti - I Got A Woman - Just Because - I'm Counting On You - One Sided Love Affair - Tryin' To Get To You - I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry - I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darling) - Blue Moon - Money Honey - I Want You I Need You I Love You - Hound Dog - Don't Be Cruel - My Baby Left Me

CD 3: I Love You Because - Lawdy Miss Clawdy - Shake Rattle & Roll - Love Me Tender - Anyway You Want Me - Rip It Up - Love Me - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - Long Tall Sally - First In Line - Paralyzed - So Glad You're Mine - Old Shep - Ready Teddy - Anyplace Is Paradise - How's The World Treating You - How Do You Think I Feel? - Let Me - Poor Boy - We're Gonna Move - Playing For Keeps - Too Much - All Shook Up - That's When Your Heartaches Begin - (There'll Be)peace In The Valley - It Is No Secret (What God Can Do) - I Believe - Take My Hand Precious Lord

CD 4: I Need You So - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You - Blueberry Hill - Is It So Strange - Teddy Bear - Loving You - Mean Woman Blues - Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do - Lonesome Cowboy - Hot Dog - (Let's Have A) Party - True Love - Don't Leave Me Now (1) - Jailhouse Rock - Treat Me Nice - Young & Beautiful - I Want To Be Free - Don't Leave Me Now (2) - Baby I Don't Care - Santa Claus Is Back In Town - White Christmas - Here Comes Santa Claus - I'll Be Home For Christmas - Blue Christmas - Santa Bring My Baby Back (To Me) - O Little Town Of Bethlehem - Silent Night (News, Source: Elvis Club Berlin/Elvis News)

Interview with Joe Moscheo: The site Elvis Brasil has an interview with Joe Moscheo of the Imperials Quartet. You can reach their site at www.elvisbrasil.com or access the interview directly at http://www.elvisbrasil.com/epbrasil/joemoscheointerview.htm (News, Source: FECC)

Read EIN's review of Joe's book "The Gospel Side of Elvis"

"Love Elvis" CD: Yet another UK CD release..... Track List - Disc 1: Hound Dog Heartbreak Hotel Love Me Don't Be Cruel Love Me Tender I Want You I Need You My Baby Left Me I Was The One That's Alright Baby Lets Play House Mystery Train Blue Suede Shoes I'm Left, Your Right She's Gone Tutti Frutti Ready Teddy Any Way You Want Me Money Honey I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry Blue Moon Rip It Up Long Tall Sally Shake Rattle And Roll Old Shep Lawdy Miss Clawdy Paralysed Disc 2: Trying To Get To You Blue Moon Of Kentucky I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine Good Rockin Tonight Milk Cow Blues Boogie You're A Heartbreaker I Forgot To Remember To Forget I Love You Because Just Because I'll Never Let You Go I Got A Sweetie [I Got A Woman] Poor Boy We're Gonna Move Let Me Playing For Keeps When My Blue Moon Turn To Gold Again Anyplace Is Paradise So Glad You're Mine I'm Counting On You One Sided Love Affair First In Line How's The World Treating You How Do You Think I Feel I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine (Alternative Version) Baby Lets Play House (Live) (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

Elvis book sale to rock Huntley: After a successful stint in January of 2007 that raised over $200, the King of Rock n’ Roll will return for a one week engagement at the Huntley Area Public Library. On Tuesday, January 8th, the Friends of the Huntley Area Public Library will hold a special week-long book sale to celebrate what would be Elvis’ 73rd birthday. All sale proceeds will go to the Friends of the Library Fund.

The sale is fueled by generous donations of Elvis books from patrons and the library’s hardworking Corner Book volunteers, spearheaded by Huntley resident Phyllis Balk.

The fantastic mix of over 40 Elvis novels and coffee table books includes: “E is for Elvis”, The Illustrated Elvis”, “Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley”, “Elvis: A Life in Pictures”, “Elvis: His Life from A to Z”, “Elvis: His Life & Music” and “The Death of Elvis”.

So “Don’t Be Cruel”, and visit the Huntley Area Public Library from January 8th through the 14th to choose from over 40 Elvis books, each individually priced. You’ll even get to experience the King in person (or a reasonable impersonator – library page, Josh Ranieri) from 1 - 3 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon.

The Friends of the Huntley Library is a nonprofit group which actively promotes community awareness of materials, services and programs that the library has to offer. They help expand library resources by funding programs, and by purchasing new equipment. (News, Source: DesignTaxi.com)

More budget CDs in the UK: Two more CDs we found on the U.K. on-line shop of PLAY. No further information is given. (News, Source: Play /Elvis News)

"Baby Let's Play Remix #1 on iTunes in Italy: The brand new Elvis Presley’s remixed song Baby Let’s Play House, available for download exclusively from iTunes, has reached today the number one spot of Italy’s official Nielsen Soundscan Digital Download chart, knocking down Alicia Key’s hit No One, now at number three. At number two in the chart sits Ligabue’s Niente paura, while Eros Ramazzotti’s Non siamo soli is at number four, followed by Jovanotti’s Fango at five.

Elvis entered the chart four weeks ago and climbed to the top thanks to new and old fans that purchased the track after the news of this excellent new remixed song by contemporary DJ/producer Spankox started to circulate on the Internet and on the press. This is the first time in history that Elvis is “The King” of an official national download chart.

Italy’s number one radio network Radio Deejay has been giving airplay to the track since the beginning of December, bringing first the song to the masses and boosting the downloads. “This new remix by Spankox is much nicer than JXL’s remix of A Little Less Conversation” – said Radio Deejay’s famous dj-musician Nikki who played the track first – because it respects more the feel of the original song”.Canada, Italy, Belgium, Holland, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and Norway will be the first territories to release the CD single in January and the reaction has been a mix of delight, surprise and respect.

“Initially, we're always wary of anything that involves altering Elvis' master recordings in any way, but this Spankox Re:Version is fantastic and just blew us away” said Tom Holzen, President of EP Ltd.

“The Spankox Re:Version of Baby Let’s Play House will deliver Elvis to a new generation of music fans in an unexpected, cool and compelling way,” said Edward Johnson, Brand Partnership Marketing Manager of ELPR Inc.Spankox (his real name is Agostino Carollo) is a Verona (Italy) based progressive DJ/producer/composer who most recently wrote and produced the club classic “To The Club” and has produced and remixed tracks for Roxette, Snap! and Vasco Rossi (Italy’s n.1 rockstar) among the others.

This release of his treatment to the Elvis classic marks the third time in history that a Presley song that has been remixed by a contemporary DJ/artist will be will mass marketed: the first two, Rubberneckin’ (remixed in 1998 by American DJ Paul Oakenfold) and A Little Less Conversation (remixed in 2003 by Dutch DJ JXL) were wordwide hits, selling millions of copies.Elvis Presley’s Baby Let’s Play House (Spankox Re:Version) is already available for download exclusively from iTunes in Canada, Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Spain, Holland, Belgium and UK (where it’s already one of the most popular Elvis’ downloads) and will be available in other territories soon.

After the digital release, the physical release of the record, that in Italy is set for January 8^th to celebrate Elvis birthday, will be on a brand new media called VinylDisc: it’s a special compact disc playable by a normal CD player but also by a traditional 33rpm turntable.

Elvis’ Baby Let’s Play House will be the world’s first commercial release on this new interesting media that like the old 45 rpm singles has one A side (Vinyl) and one B side (CD). The packaging of this original Elvis Presley’s VinylCD, which is indeed a charming collectable item and will be a world’s first, will also be very special and will resemble that of a 12” vinyl. It will include a radio edit version, an extended version and the original remastered Presley song. Also, as bonus, the ringtone. The fantastic videoclip of the track, filmed in the USA and in Ibiza, can be already watched on YouTUBE.For more information please check out: http://www.babyletsplayhouse.com For additional press material or photos contact luca@everness.com (News, Source: Luca De Bortolis)

'Raised On Rock' FTD CD review: On initial release Elvis’ October 1973 LP ‘Raised On Rock’ with its paltry 10 tracks running only 28 minutes, was one of Elvis’ poorest 1970’s albums. An original review stated that it was a "pitiful apology for a rock record that would have made Elvis laugh himself sick in his early days!" - and in some ways the critics were right. However while it was one of Elvis' weakest albums, FTD have once again achieved terrific work in delivering a new insight into the original LP via "Rough Mixes" and outakes which all capture a spark not previously heard in these July sessions. In our review EIN's Piers Beagley digs way too deep to uncover the real gems amongst the dullness. (FTD Review, Source: EIN, Jan 2008)

Yet more information from Ernst Jorgensen on his upcoming Sun project: Ernst has again provided another selection of very interesting answers about the up-coming SUN project and other Elvis release issues. Read the latest from the man himself and also EIN's detailed interview with him about the Sun project. (News, Source: EIN/FECC)

Larry Geller to visit Germany: Elvis' hair dresser and spiritual advisor Larry Geller is planning to visit Germany in the city of Bischofsgrün later this year. The itinerary is November 7th - 9th and fans who wish to attend this special weekend, are treated to a 4 star hotel, including live shows and a meet & greet with Larry. Go here for EIN's review of Larry Geller's new book and exclusive interviews. For more information on the German trip visit www.elvisweekend.de (News, Source:LG/EIN)

EIN wishes all its readers and their families a very happy and prosperous 2008!

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Ernst Jorgensen on his upcoming Sun project - now slated for late 2008 release: Ernst has posted a number of messages on the FECC board rabout his Sun project. Read the latest from the man himself and also EIN's detailed interview with him about the Sun project. (News, Source: EIN/FECC/Elvis News)

World first planned for 2008 Parkes Elvis Festival: Plans are underway for the first ever global podcast by an ETA during next week's Parkes Elvis Festival in NSW, Australia. Elvii Radio in the USA and Event of Events in Australia are working feverishly to put it all together.

The podcast will be of a show by Australia's original ETA, the legendary El Gamble. El Gamble is regularly voted as the #1 ETA by listeners to Elvii Radio and has built up a cult following in America with his uncanny vocal resemblance to Elvis.

An audio podcast will be carried by Elvii Radio and several hundred radio stations worldwide while a video podcast is also being worked on. The podcast is a great opportunity for the Parkes Elvis Festival and has the potential to put the Festival on the global map alongside the Collingwood Elvis Festival in Canada. More details shortly. (Almost Elvis, Source: EIN)

Elvis track on New Year's CD: The Belgian Fintro bank sent its customers a special New Years card, with a 12 track CD. The disc contains well known hits, with "Ready Teddy by Elvis as the openings track. Other hits include "Maybelline" (Chuck Berry), "See See Rider" (Ray Charles Trio) and "Long Tall Sally" (Little Richard). The CD is not for sale. (News, Source: Elvis Matters /Elvis News)

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Elvis songs in Belgian Top 1000: The Belgian popular radio station Radio 2 has just finished the yearly Top One Thousand. Elvis had 22 singles in the list (with Abba being the winner, with 24 tracks). The most popular Elvis song was "Are You Lonesome Tonight" at #39. The Dutch Radio 2 list was already known, with "Suspicious Minds" leading the Elvis hits. The 22 Elvis hits and their position:

39 Are You Lonesome Tonight
45 Suspicious Minds
94 Love Me Tender
108 In The Ghetto (Live)
126 It's Now Or Never
195 Always On My Mind
231 Jailhouse Rock
286 Crying In The Chapel
339 Kiss Me Quick
367 The Wonder Of You
429 Wooden Heart
461 In The Ghetto
519 My Boy
565 Return To Sender
646 Can't Help Falling In Love
709 Good Luck Charm
776 One Night
813 (Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame
862 My Way
882 Heartbreak Hotel
917 Surrender
941 Viva Las Vegas

New film being screened at Elvis Birthday Bash 2008: Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 19, Capitol Theater, 206 Fifth Ave. E., Olympia. Featuring a live performance by Elvis impersonator Robert Washington, world-premiere screening of "How He Should Have Died," an Elvis costume contest and fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. $10 from Rainy Day Records, Traditions Cafe, Boomerang Entertainment or at the box office the night of the show. $25 VIP tickets and more details are available at www.elvisbirthdaybash.com. (Celluloid Elvis/Almost Elvis, The Olympian Online)

Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration in Memphis: The Graceland mansion is celebrating Elvis Presley's birthday with an Elvis Presley Day Ceremony Tuesday beginning at 8:45 a.m. at Graceland. The traditional ceremony will take place with a special program hosted by Priscilla Presley, a birthday cake-cutting and a proclamation of Elvis Presley Day by Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton and Shelby County Mayor A C Wharton Jr. (News, Source: Memphis Daily News)

New Elvis poetry book: This is the cover art of the upcoming Dutch poetry book "Wees Niet Wreed" (Don't Be Cruel) on Elvis which will be released at the Dutch "Weerwoord" poetry festival January 28, 2008. For this book eighty (famous) writers have written poems about Elvis. The book has been compiled by two acknowledged Dutch writers; John Schoorl and Kees 't Hart. (News, Source: Elvis News)