mid January, 2005
- Presley strikes gold for 50-year-old song
(American City Business Journals Inc., January 11, 2005)
Elvis Presley's 1954 single "Good Rockin' Tonight" has been certified gold, pushing his total U.S. single sales past 50 million. The Recording Industry Association of America presented Elvis Presley Enterprises a special sales award during a ceremony at Graceland on Jan. 8, the 70th anniversary of Presley's birth.
The latest certification, representing 500,000 in domestic sales, solidifies Presley's status as the artist with the most certified singles sold. Elton John comes in second, with more than 21 million singles sold. Having sold more than 116 million albums in the U.S., Presley also remains the best-selling solo artist.
Last month, Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis' sole heir, sold Elvis Presley Enterprises for $100 million in a bid to expand the singer's legacy.
- Elvis bet in aid of tsunami victims
(Watford Observer, January 11, 2005) (link not working properly)
A RADLETT man has placed the biggest bet in UK history on Elvis Presley having the country's 1 000th chart topper in a fundraising effort for tsunami victims. ...
- Elvis Odds On For 1000th Number One-bookies All Shook Up
(Casino City Times, January 10, 2005)
After taking a number of large bets, bookies William Hill have slashed the odds on Elvis having the 1000th No.1 this weekend from Even money to a 1/8 near certainty. On Sunday Elvis racked up his 19th number 1 single and this weeks release of One Night looks almost certain to rack up his 20th No.1 on Sunday. There are a number of other contenders who are in with a sporting chance and Hills make Ciara, a 19 year old R & B act from the States, joint second favourite with the Scissor Sisters at 14/1. The outsiders include The Killers 20/1, Steve Brookstein 25/1 and the Roosters at 33/1
"Last week we were offering Even money that Elvis would have the 1000th number one but we had not factored in the fanatical nature of Elvis fans. Judging by the weight of money that we have seen for Elvis it looks like the Elvis juggernaut is definitely on the road. That said, we probably owe Elvis fans a payout as we have a taken a number of bets over the years on Elvis to be found alive which is currently 1000/1." said Hills spokesman Rupert Adams
Wednesday Elvis sighting in Edgware Rd
On Wednesday morning at 11am an Elvis look-alike (Elvis Shmelvis) will be placing a charity bet that Elvis will have the 1000th No.1 in aid of the Tsunami Appeal at William Hill's Edgware Road branch (260 Edgware Rd). Hills will be accepting an Elvis artwork kindly donated by Sid Shaw of Elvisly Yours in lieu of payment and if Elvis is No.1 Hills will donate £1000 to the Tsunami Appeal. If unsuccessful Hills will auction off the life size work for the same charity. Elvis will be singing "One For The Money".
- Who's gonna be king of the charts?
(NME, January 11, 2005)
THE KILLERS and MANIC STREET PREACHERS are battling it out with ELVIS PRESLEY for the 1,000th UK Number One hit. The King's classic 'Jailhouse Rock' is currently holding on to the top spot, and midweek sales of his latest single 'One Night' suggest that he will soar to the top of the charts yet again this weekend. The legendary singer is currently outselling Manic Street Preachers' latest single 'Empty Souls', which is at Number Two, and the re-release of The Killers' former hit 'Somebody Told Me', at Number Three, by around 5,000 copies.
- ELVIS LIVED WITH SECRET LOVER FOR THREE YEARS
(contactmusic.com, January 11, 2005)
ELVIS PRESLEY's alleged secret girlfriend has shocked the late rocker's fans by describing the three years she spent at his Graceland home during their passionate love affair. SHERRY WILLIAMS claims she began her romance with Elvis after being introduced through a mutual friend on her 18th birthday in 1970. Williams ended their affair just months before Elvis divorced his wife, PRISCILLA PRESLEY, although she insists Priscilla was aware of her husband's infidelities, and tolerated them.
The 52-year-old says, "The first time I came back was only a year and a half ago and it was very difficult for me. On that occasion, I had been back since Elvis' death and went to Graceland but the emotions of my entire time with him came flooding back. "The first time we met, he arranged for me to stay in a room at the hotel and told me that one of the guys would be in touch with me. I didn't know what that meant. I was 18 at the time and very naive girl. I had never had a boyfriend.
- Tupelo officials concerned about future of Elvis fest after sale
(wate.com / Associated Press, January 11, 2005)
Organizers of Tupelo, Mississippi's Elvis Presley festival says they're not certain about its future with a new company in charge of licensing agreements. The King of Rock 'n' Roll was born in Tupelo and the festival brings in thousands of visitors to the city each year. But Tupelo's deal to put Presley's likeness on posters, billboards, brochures, even coffee mugs, ends in September 2006.
Lisa Marie Presley has sold 85 percent of Elvis Presley Enterprises to Robert F.X. Sillerman, the founder of SFX Entertainment. The $100 million deal includes all trademark rights to Presley's name, likeness and image and puts new people in charge of deciding who can and who can't use them.
- Presley passes 50 million single sales in time for birthday celebrations
(Irish Examiner, January 11, 2005)
Elvis Presley had a 70th birthday celebration to remember from beyond the grave after passing the 50 million singles mark in America. The dead rocker's 1954 single Good Rockin' Tonight was certified gold to push his total US single sales past 50 million - in time for the celebrations to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Presley's birth.
Elvis Presley Enterprises bosses were presented with a special sales award during a ceremony on Saturday at the singer's Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. The latest certification, representing 500,000 in domestic sales, solidifies Presley's status as the artist possessing more certified singles than anyone in music history.
In second place is Elton John, who has sold more than 21 million singles.
Meanwhile, Presley fans further celebrated his birthday in style after learning their idol had crashed into the top of the British charts with a reworked version of Jailhouse Rock, which became the 999th number one in British singles history.
- PRESLEY PASSES 50 MILLION IN TIME FOR BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS
(Contact Music, January 10, 2005)
ELVIS PRESLEY had a 70th birthday celebration to remember from beyond the grave after passing the 50 million singles mark in America. The dead rocker's 1954 single GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT was certified gold to push his total US single sales past 50 million - in time for the celebrations to coincide with the 70th anniversary of Presley's birth. ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES bosses were presented with a special sales award during a ceremony on Saturday (08JAN05) at the singer's Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. The latest certification, representing 500,000 in domestic sales, solidifies Presley's status as the artist possessing more certified singles than anyone in music history.
In second place is SIR ELTON JOHN, who has sold more than 21 million singles.
Meanwhile, Presley fans further celebrated his birthday in style after learning their idol had crashed into the top of the British charts with a reworked version of JAILHOUSE ROCK, which became the 999th number one in British singles history.
- Artist plunges deep into toilet seat fixation
By HOWARD WITT
(Chicago Tribune, January 10, 2005)
Commodious it is not, but the world's only known Toilet Seat Art Museum is nevertheless an impressive sight. More than 720 decorated toilet seats line the walls and hang from the rafters of Barney Smith's garage in suburban San Antonio, a testament to one man's lifelong love affair with plumbing. Flush with artistic inspiration, Smith, an 83-year-old retired master plumber, has created on toilet seats what a lesser artist might have merely committed to canvas, or at least velvet.
The facilities include toilet seats commemorating momentous world events (World War II; the fall of the Berlin Wall; the O.J. Simpson trial), famous personalities (Elvis Presley; Barbara Walters; Brad Pitt), each of the 50 states, most of the Canadian provinces and numerous Texas football teams. There is a toilet seat featuring $1 million in shredded U.S. currency, another with ashes from Mt. St. Helens and one mounted with a piece of insulation from the ill-fated Challenger space shuttle. ...
Plunging into toilet seat art came naturally to Smith after a lifetime spent as a plumber. His first piece, fashioned 35 years ago, was a fortuitous accident: Smith was looking to mount some antlers from a small deer he had hunted but he didn't have any wood plaques, so he reached for an old toilet seat lid instead. (Technical note: Most of Smith's pieces are in fact made from toilet seat lids, rather than the seats themselves.)
For posterity, on its posterior, each of the toilet seats is numbered and engraved, and then photographed and catalogued. It can take Smith 20 hours to complete his more elaborate works, some of which feature blinking lights, mounted insects or dozens of dental instruments.
Plumbing the depths of human tragedy, Smith has dedicated toilet seat murals to the victims of Sept. 11, 2001, the Holocaust and the Unknown Soldier. Saddam Hussein is even represented - or at least a piece of a toilet from one of the toppled Iraqi leader's palaces, donated by a U.S. soldier who found it. "Out of the house!" (or words to that effect) Smith said his wife exclaimed when he brought the Saddam toilet seat in to show her.
"There's nothing inappropriate about remembering the Holocaust on a toilet seat," Smith insisted, noting that many of his seats contain Bible verses and other religious icons. "I can testify to the goodness of the Lord on a toilet seat."
Ascending the throne as the world's sole Toilet Seat Artist was not difficult, especially since the only other contender for the title, a man named John Kostopoulus in Boron, Calif., died in 1996. Kostopoulus created about 400 toilet seat artworks, all of which were believed destroyed by unappreciative relatives after his demise. ...
- RHYS-MEYERS VISA EMBARRASSMENT
(Lahontan Valley News, January 10, 2005)
Irish actor JONATHAN RHYS-MEYERS had an embarrassing encounter with a US visa processor recently, after the star was told he wasn't fit to play ELVIS PRESLEY. The BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM heart-throb went to the US embassy in London for the legal papers last month (DEC04), so he can work legally in America as he films his role as The King in a forthcoming TV mini-series ELVIS. But at the British premiere of ALEXANDER on Wednesday (06JAN05), Rhys-Meyers said, "I was at the US embassy trying to get a work visa and the guy there said, 'How can an Irishman play Elvis?' I didn't know what to say."
(Rhys Meyer - AP)
- Chuck Berry to Headline Elvis Festival
By Steve Lyon
(Lahontan Valley News, January 10, 2005)
Rock n' roller Chuck Berry, known for his hits "Johnny B. Goode" and "Roll Over Beethoven," will headline the 2005 Elvis Presley Festival on June 3-5 in Tupelo. Berry will perform Friday, June 3, and the headliner on Saturday, June 4, will be country singer Tracy Byrd. The festival will feature Mississippi native Steve Azar and Lee County native Paul Thorn. Travis LeDoyt, an Elvis tribute artist who has performed at numerous festivals, will be master of ceremonies. Gary Bailey, festival chairman, said fans should expect changes this year, including a carnival and a different stage configuration. On Saturday in Memphis, Tenn., more than 500 Presley fans gathered on the front lawn of Graceland to celebrate the king of rock 'n' roll's 70th birthday.
They sang "Happy Birthday" and cut a cake in honor of Presley, who was born January 8, 1935, and died at Graceland in 1977. His fans gather each year on the anniversaries of his birth and death. This year is special, though, for many because it would be Elvis' 70th birthday. Jerry Engelby of Jefferson City, Mo., said age doesn't mean much when you're talking about Elvis. "He's immortal. There's no age to him," she said.
- The Hawk soars, the King bores
By PETER GODDARD
(Toronto Star, January 10, 2005)
The mind-boggling tributes to Elvis Presley's 70th birthday Saturday, with fans worldwide holding Pelvis-a-thons, should not be allowed to conceal another 70th birthday far more truly worth celebrating - Ronnie Hawkins's 70th today.
Yes, we know. The Hawk never did Las Vegas the way The King did Las Vegas. Then again the Hawk never made trash like Presley's Viva Las Vegas. The Hawk knows where to draw the line, when it comes to trash - as well as any potential lethal consumption of peanut butter.
In fact, we can give 10 good reasons why Ronnie Hawkins's 70th means a lot more than Presley's.
- Birthplace. Hawkins comes from Fayetteville, Ark., Elvis was from Tupelo, Miss. Tupelo may be a good many things but it is not Fayetteville, which has more billionaires per square foot than New York ‹ we're talking everyone from Don Tyson, food tycoon, to the Wal-Mart posse ‹ while offering one heck of a lot better hunting, too.
- Fun. Elvis was many things, but being funny was not high on the list, unless you believe repeatedly saying "thank you, thank you very much" is one big rib-tickler. Then there's Hawkins: "I've been goin' back to Arkansas since the Dead Sea was only a little bit sick," says the Hawk. Case closed.
- Bands. Hawkins assembled The Band, plus a number of other lesser-know groups which kicked serious rock 'n' roll butt. Elvis, a great musician, worked with whoever was under contract. No contest.
- Motor vehicles. Sure, Elvis had his pink Cadillac. Cool. But Hawkins is into vintage tour buses of the type that when roaring down the highway gave birth to any great number of roaring-down-the-highway songs.
- Presidential connection. Elvis was honoured by Richard Nixon as an anti-drug warrior (The mind boggles further). The Hawk, when diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago, was visited by Bill Clinton, another Arkansas native, who flew to Toronto for a Hawkins tribute. Shortly thereafter, Hawkins could announce his cure. "I'm as clean as an angel's drawers," he was heard saying.
- Cousins. Presley's kin have been happy to remain in the Big Guy's shadow. Hawkins's cousin, Dale Hawkins, wrote one of the great lusty rock 'n' roll tunes ever, "Suzie Q."
- John Lennon connection. Lennon said rock ended when Elvis went into the Army. However, Lennon disproved that theory when he and wife Yoko Ono moved into Hawkins's Mississauga farmhouse in the '70s for the start of one of Lennon's many peace initiatives.
- Sideburns. Presley made them famous, Hawkins didn't. Enough said.
- Sell out. The recent $100 million (U.S.) sale of the Presley trademark to Robert Sillerman, a radio and concert magnate will result in more Presley degradation. Meanwhile, Hawkins plans to go out on the road, for one more rock 'n' roll revival.
- Canadian connection. Sure, Presley is loved here, and not just in Collingwood with its annual mid-summer Presley festival. But Hawkins lives here. He is one of us.
Comments to: pgoddar@thestar.ca
The King at 70 - which version do you remember?
By Steve Lyon
(Lahontan Valley News, January 10, 2005)
Elvis would have turned 70 on Saturday if he were still alive. His birthday provides fodder for what have become annual installments of "where would Elvis be today if he was still around?" Everybody remembers a different Elvis. I can only recall (hazily) the 70s version, and it really wasn't a pretty sight circa 1977. Big and bloated, he broke into a malaria-type sweat two minutes into "Love Me Tender" as he mumbled, eyes glazed, through yet another gig.
There's been plenty written, not much of it flattering, on what precipitated the King's demise at age 42. Drugs, decades of fast living, not to mention all those peanut butter and bacon sandwiches, transformed the kid from Mississippi into an aged icon prodded along by the boorish sycophants that filled out the hickish ranks of his Memphis mafia. I'm not sure anymore where to place the King in the pop culture nomenclature. The original has so completely been replaced by the caricature.
Fans still visit Graceland by the busload to feast at the buffet of Elvis nostalgia, a reported 600,000 annually. The King's estate, incredibly, earned $45 million last year from the man's mystique. At least 1,000 or so Elvis impersonators, many of whom call Vegas home, are gainfully employed today. As far as I can tell, you don't even have to resemble the King to give it a go. Just dye your hair jet black, grow some muttonchop sideburns and find someone to sew a rhinestone-encrusted jumpsuit. A semi-sneer is helpful, along with learning a seminal phase like, "Ahh, thank you very much."
Elvis appreciation is a generational thing. I chatted with my mom Sunday and mentioned the many column inches devoted to Elvis on his birthday. At one time, she, too, was smitten.
An Irish lass, she recalled the appeal of the young Elvis, who exploded as a worldwide phenomenon in 1954, all pouty lips, dreamy eyes and barely restrained rock and roll rebellion. "He got me hooked on America," she said. "We all wished Elvis Presley would come to Dublin and give us a performance. He represented something entirely different. He was fun and energetic and he broke the old taboos." His lips, she said, were "kissable."
Elvis was onto something if the Catholic Church in Ireland came out to denounce the swiveling hips as morally devious and the songs as socially blasphemous. For a sixpence, the King crooned from the speakers of a jukebox in some Dublin cafe for my mother and her working class girlfriends. If you toiled for a few shillings as an ice cream girl at the Royal Theatre in hardscrabble Dublin, she said, dreaming about hooking up with Elvis could make you flush in the face. "I was looking for Elvis on the streets of Dublin. Instead, I found your dad." Well, he wasn't Elvis, but I've seen old black and white snapshots and he did wear his hair in kind of the same style. I'll have to ask him if he ever owned a pair of blue suede shoes.
Comments to: slyon@lahontanvalleynews.com
ELVIS COMES TO TOWN
(Parkes Champion-Post, January 10, 2005)
The Elvis Revival Festival [Parkes, NSW, Australia] continues to grow and grow with the weekend's activities clearly the best in its 13 year history. Capacity crowds attended most events during the three days of the festival - and the street parade on Saturday morning was undoubtedly witnessed by the biggest number of spectators in the event's history. And the good point to emerge is that everyone says they will be returning next year!
The festival was launched in fantastic fashion with more than 300 people greeting passengers on the Elvis Train which came up from Sydney on Friday afternoon. Then followed the street parade on Saturday morning which attracted huge crowds all along Clarinda Street from the Star Hotel to Cooke Park. The atmosphere at Cooke Park was tremendous, with everyone obviously enjoying the picturesque surrounds and ideal weather.
The various venues hosting entertainment also reported capacity crowds, but the highlight was the Uniting Church gospel service in the Big W carpark, with more than 650 people in attendance.
Parkes the king of Elvis festivals
By PATRICIA CRUZADO
(Daily Liberal, January 10, 2005)
Dubbo girl Chelsey Maguire danced her way into the hearts of hundreds of people watching the Little Miss Priscilla competition at Parkes [NSW, Australia] on Saturday.
Whirling and twirling, Chelsey and her fellow competitors were all part of the fun at the 13th Parkes Elvis Festival. "I reckon you're the best twirler here today," Bob Dickson of Shell Harbour told Chelsey after watching her compete at Cooke Park. Chelsey entered the contest with sister Randi and brother Chaz, while mum Karen Maguire watched with the rest of the record crowd.
... Among the many different Elvises to make an appearance was one pair sporting English accents. Richard Dear and James Mathews travelled from London especially for the festival. "It's getting a bit famous this Parkes Elvis Festival," Richard said. "Everyone in England wants to come but we were the lucky ones and we'll be back next year for sure." The lads are planning to bring back a tailor-made costume to add to their big wigs and sideburns.
During their week-long trip they took in Sydney's fireworks, tasted the beer, soaked up plenty of sunshine and enjoyed the down-to-earth Aussie attitude. "It's warm, bright and the people tell you what they think," Richard said. "We love the Aussies but we're not sure about the beer."
Elvis fans remember the King's birthday
(STUFF, January 10, 2005)
Yesterday was not Elvis Presley's 70th birthday but that did not stop hundreds of fans from celebrating the anniversary of his birth in Auckland [New Zealand]. The day-long event in the Tui Glen Reserve in Henderson suburb was organised by the Memories of Elvis Fan Club and drew fans from the South Island and all over the North Island including several from Wellington who motored through the floods to reach Auckland. ...
Elvis Presley is One at 70
By Paul Cashmere
(Undercover, January 10, 2005)
Elvis Presley's 'Jailhouse Rock' went to No. 1 this week on the British chart, marking what would have been The King's 70th birthday. The single is Presley's 19th number one hit in the U.K. and comes 27 years after his death. The original single was released in 1958 and also topped the U.K. Charts. The song was the theme for the movie 'Jailhouse Rock'. 'Jailhouse Rock' was Presley's third movie. He played ex-convict Vince Everett who went on to become a teenage rock star. Presley was 23 years old when he played the role.
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