Late August 2003
- 1950s: Hot rods, cool times
By Chris Gosier
(Daily Record, August 31, 2003)
The Fedors take a trip back to the 1950s every year, riding in their '57 Chevy to a place of dulcet doo-wop tunes and the laid-back attitudes of a decade long past. That place was the Parsippany Hilton on Saturday, where hundreds of vintage autos packed the parking lot for Lead East, the weekend-long event billed as the world's largest 1950s festival. The decade comes alive at the festival through Elvis impersonators, a drive-in movie theater and bands playing oldies and doo-wop. Classes are offered on 1950s dancing and dress. Some of the men sported the decade's trademark sideburns, slicked-back hair and rolled-up jeans. And then there were the cars. Lots and lots of cars. ...
- 'King' in high school, now a BC freshman
By Marlene Hempel
(Boston Globe, August 31, 2003)
They called him "Elvis Boy," and it's easy to understand why. Incoming Boston College freshman Jeff Peloquin wasn't even born when Elvis Presley officially left the building for the final time. But the Marysville, Wash., native turned his high school years into a tribute even Colonel Tom Parker couldn't have dreamed up. Every day, without fail, Peloquin wore an Elvis T-shirt to school. The 19-year-old also graduated from Marysville-Pilchuck High School with a 4.0 grade point average, a 1590 on his SAT, and was his class valedictorian. As he begins college this week, Peloquin is confronting his own version of a dilemma faced by nearly every new college student: Do you cling to your teenage identity, or is it time to leave behind your personal "Blue Hawaii"?
How old were you when you first discovered Elvis?
It was fourth grade, so I would have been 10. It was Elvis's birthday, and my mom had on the radio, and I heard "Blue Suede Shoes."
And then what? You just started collecting his music?
Well, I used him for a project. We had "The Night of the Notables" at school where we had to dress up as someone famous, and I chose Elvis. I wore an Hawaiian shirt and had a ukulele.
So how did the T-shirt thing start?
After I went to Graceland in the spring of ninth grade, I had enough shirts to wear one every single day of the week. I have about 15 now. I have a couple of Graceland, one of them has Elvis as artist of the century, and has his picture aligned with the stars. I have a couple of Blue Hawaii ones, one patriotic one, when he was in his Army uniform, and there's a flag in the background. And then there are just some general ones, portraits of him.
Did the other kids at school give you a hard time?
I got teased at first, but toward the end, I was known as 'Elvis Boy.' People would come up to me and say, 'You're that Elvis kid.' As valedictorian, I gave a speech about Elvis, and everyone cheered.
Some people say one of the good things about going to college is getting a chance to reestablish yourself. In your case, I wonder if that means you'll leave Elvis Boy behind.
When I was back there in July for freshmen orientation, a couple of professors and student leaders had seen an article about me on the Boston College website, and they actually identified me as 'Elvis Guy.' So it has already carried over. But I am planning to move on. I figure I probably won't wear the shirts every day, especially once it gets to be winter. I was (here) in February, in Boston, and I was the only one wearing a T-shirt.
Will you still bring mementos to school to commemorate the King?
I have a set of Matchbox cars I'll bring. They're cars that Elvis drove sometime in his life, like a pink Cadillac. I have a lot of pictures, too. I can't really see bringing a lot of that stuff, though.
Are you musical?
I play the tuba. I'm going to be in the marching band [at BC].
That's not very Elvis-like.
Yeah, Elvis music sounds sort of odd on a tuba. But I have a couple of songs I play, "Can't Help Falling in Love," and "Love Me Tender." The ballads definitely work best for listening to on the tuba.
Is Elvis all you listen to?
In terms of music, Elvis is it, although I do love classical music. But I don't wear Beethoven shirts or anything like that.
Didn't you feel that once you started the T-shirt thing, you couldn't stop, because it was sort of your trademark?
Yeah, it's sort of a pain sometimes. I have other shirts.
- Elvis song wins city's heart
By Mike Weatherford
(Las Vegas Review-Journal, August 31 2003)
At least a few hundred of the thousands of people in town for this holiday weekend sang a few notes of "Viva Las Vegas" upon their first glimpse of the skyline. No one can argue it's the city's theme song, but only whether there's a need to recognize this. And if so, when. The Sahara West Library on Aug. 6 celebrated with an interactive screening of the Elvis Presley movie that filmed its location scenes here 40 years ago last month. ...
- Search becomes a bear for Elvis sculpture
By Colt Foutz
(Suburban Chicago News / NAPERVILLE SUN, August 30 2003)
He's a hunk, a hunk of submerged love. Or at least Carolyn Lauing-Finzer hopes so. It's been two months since her Elvis-inspired United Way bear sculpture went missing from the Riverwalk, and she's so eager for a resolution to the search she wouldn't mind if her 100-pound creation turned up at the bottom of the paddleboat quarry in Centennial Park. That's where police and fire department divers will look for the fiberglass bear, Finzer said Thursday after speaking with a police detective. The team of frogmen from the Naperville departments are planning their next exercise for the pond near where the bear was stolen, east of the Millennium Carillon. The exercise could take place as early as Tuesday or Wednesday, Finzer said. The Naperville Police Department confirmed those details about the dive. She first feared bearnappers had dumped Elvis in the drink after a tip phoned in by a psychic. The medium said patrons of a downtown bar dragged the bear from its Main Street perch, hoisted it over the railings surrounding the quarry and tossed it in. There have been no other leads since then, so Finzer is eager to follow up on the mystic's musings.
- RHINESTONES AND LAUGHTER: GLEN CAMPBELL, BILL ENGVALL ENTERTAIN DU QUOIN FAIR CROWD
By META MINTON
(Southern Illinoisan, August 30 2003)
He's the Rhinestone Renaissance man. He's been a sideman for Elvis and starred with John Wayne in the movie "True Grit." He hosted a successful television variety show. Then he decorated the covers of tabloids with country music temptress Tanya Tucker. Ultimately, he settled down and launched a lucrative career in Branson, Mo. Not to mention he's a pretty good golfer. Friday night he performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tenn., and then turned his tour bus (and limousine) north. Saturday night it was all about the Du Quoin State Fair. For generations of Americans, Glen Campbell has been a member -- albeit sometimes wayward member -- of the family.
- Santa Fe Lends Money to Make Elvis Film
(First Coast News / Associated Press, August 28 2003)
Elvis has not only left the building, he took $7.5 million with him. The State Investment Council voted unanimously Tuesday to loan that amount to a private company to underwrite nearly all the cost of a film it will produce in New Mexico. "Elvis Has Left the Building," starring Kim Basinger and directed by Joel Zwick of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" fame, begins shooting in the Albuquerque area next month. Described as a black comedy, it's about a cosmetics saleswoman who travels from to Las Vegas from Memphis, Tenn., leaving behind a trail of dead Elvis impersonators. Peter Dekom, a Los Angeles entertainment lawyer and the council's film adviser, said it was "probably the easiest project to recommend that we have ever seen."
"My Big Fat Greek Wedding," which Zwick directed, was a low-budget sleeper - made for $5 million - that turned into a blockbuster. "Elvis Has Left the Building" has an $8 million budget.
- Nutty Elvis flick shooting soon
(
Toronto Star / Associated Press, August 28 2003)
Elvis has not only left the building, he took $7.5 million with him. The State Investment Council voted unanimously Tuesday to loan that amount to a private company to underwrite nearly all the cost of a film it will produce in New Mexico. "Elvis Has Left the Building", starring Kim Basinger and directed by Joel Zwick of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" fame, begins shooting in the Albuquerque area next month. Described as a black comedy, it's about a cosmetics saleswoman who travels to Las Vegas from Memphis, Tenn., leaving behind a trail of dead Elvis impersonators.
- Cruise and Japanese PM in Elvis duet
(
Ananova, August 28 2003)
Tom Cruise has sung Elvis songs with the Japanese Prime Minister during a visit to Tokyo. Cruise didn't reveal which songs the pair performed. He was in Japan to promote his latest film - The Last Samurai, which was partly filmed there. Junichiro Koizumi is known for an eclectic taste in music and two years ago released a CD of his favourite Elvis Presley songs. Cruise said he had invited Mr Koizumi to the premiere of the film, in which Cruise plays a US army captain hired by the 19th-Century Emperor of Japan to create a Japanese army. He praised the prime minister's "intelligence," adding he was "a pretty good singer." Mr Koizumi shares his birthday with Elvis, says BBC Online. The Last Samurai is due for release in September.
- Cruise sings Elvis duet with Japanese PM
(
ABC, August 28 2003)
Actor Tom Cruise had nothing but praise for Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on Thursday, including the leader's musical talents. "He's really an extraordinary man and a pretty good singer. We sang Elvis together," Cruise told reporters after meeting Mr Koizumi at his official residence. "I think he's a charismatic and very intelligent man." He declined to reveal which Elvis Presley hits he sang with Mr Koizumi, an eclectic music lover, whose favourites also include Wagner.
- Elvis Jr. proceeds to fire relief effort
(Capital News, August 27 2003)
Elvis Presley lives on in the man who calls himself Junior. Elvis Aaron Presley Jr. and his Hi-Way to Heaven band is giving several concerts in and around Kelowna this weekend. Scheduled long before the Okanagan Mountain Park fire hit our community, Presley is dedicating the proceeds from the concerts to help with the forest fire relief efforts.
- 'Stars' shine on, for school arts
ANGELA CARBONE
(The Republican, August 27 2003)
Transperformance with a Southern drawl last night drew a crowd ready to enjoy the music and support the arts. ... The annual event is presented jointly by the Northampton Arts Council and the elementary school PTOs. This year, more than 1,500 attended. ... Mayor Mary Clare Higgins, a perennial performer at Transperformance, appeared as Elvis, complete with an untamed wig reminiscent of the King's later days and an outstanding cape. The mayor's act was early in the evening, and many of the crowd missed it.
- Rumors, religion and repair at Kegel: Bikes are blessed and Leno's a no-show
By CHRISTINE BYERS
(Rockford Register Star, August 27 2003)
CHERRY VALLEY - Gasoline and oil fumes filled the air. Everywhere you looked, you saw leather and chrome. And it seemed like every voice you heard was saying the same thing in the packed Kegel Motorcycle Co. parking lot Tuesday: "Where's Jay Leno?" A rumor that the "Tonight Show" host was leading a pack of more than 12,000 bikes to Rockford started around 1 p.m. By 5 p.m., the rumor included Willie Nelson, Elvis, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Monica Lewinsky and the president of Harley-Davidson as leaders of the pack as well. Leno never showed up. He was in Milwaukee, where the 100th anniversary celebration of Harley-Davidson is set to begin Thursday.
- Brown returns to his label with new appreciation for normal
(Houston Chronicle / Associated Press, August 26 2003)
Less than five months after suffering a near fatal head injury in a fall, Tony Brown is back at work producing records and running the label he co-owns, Universal South. ... The 56-year-old producer was in Los Angeles on business for the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences when he fell down some stairs April 11. ... Brown, who played piano for Elvis Presley in the 1970s, worked at MCA Nashville for 18 years before he left as president to form Universal South in 2002 with former Arista Nashville chief Tim DuBois. ...
- Nashville museum features work of Milligan professor
By Lesley Jenkins
(Elizabethon [sic] Star, August 26 2003)
The Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery in Nashville is featuring the photography work of a Milligan College professor. Alice Anthony, associate professor of art at Milligan College, has provided her exhibit entitled, "Gone, But Not Forgotten." The exhibit features photographs of Elvis Presley fans as they visit Graceland remembering his death on Aug. 16, 1977. The gallery will host the exhibit from now through Sept. 12. Regular viewing hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ... Anthony has concentrated on photographing Elvis fans and getting to know some of them personally for the past six years. Two of her favorite fans are the "Pink and Black Ladies," whose real names are Jerry and Annie. "At first I photographed the fans out of curiosity. Now I have gotten to know some of them," said Anthony. "And I really like their enthusiasm." ... Every year, Anthony catches up on the past year with Jerry and Annie while she photographs them as they visit the different sites. ... "This year I tried to steer away from the Elvis look-a-likes. They are everywhere," said Anthony.
... Many of the fans are surprised and jealous of Anthony when she tells them that she lived in the same subdivision connected to Graceland when she was a young teenager. She remembers seeing Elvis ride his motorcycle through the streets and watching his fireworks display from her backyard. She said he was probably in his early 20s, and fans would gather outside of the Graceland gates hoping to catch a glimpse of the King. Elvis autographed her church bulletin one day when her family stopped by Graceland.
... Though she was around 13 years old when the big hype about Elvis started and teenagers began to fall in love with him, Anthony never really understood why people loved him so much. She likes some of his music, but she doesn't consider herself a die-hard fan. If she tells a devoted fan that she used to live in the house that adjoined the Graceland property, they don't understand why she didn't absolutely love him. She said, "He was just part of the neighborhood. He was a celebrity in our neighborhood, but we just didn't see what the big deal was." Anthony is still amazed at some of the people who visit Graceland. The Wall of Love is the first place that she visits for photographs. Fans write statements about how much they miss him and love him. She said some of the writings are "like something you would write to your boyfriend." "Gone But Not Forgotten" was also featured at the Johnson City Arts Council Gallery earlier this spring.
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