late July, 2005
- Country star who was Elvis squeeze performs in Seattle
By Sharon Wootton
(Heraldnet.com, July 29 2005)
A few years ago, Wanda Jackson made the 40 Greatest Women of Country Music list at number 35, edging ahead of Lucinda Williams, K.T. Oslin, Barbara Mandrell, LeAnn Rimes and Linda Ronstadt (Patsy Cline topped the list). The Queen of Rockabilly tag still lingers, although she probably has sung more gospel and country than rockabilly. She has been in the business since the 1950s. Her voice is rawer than most female singers today, more Muddy Waters than Tammy Wynette. She'll bring the same passion for music and fire-breathing chops to a performance with Ruby Dee & The Snake Handlers on Saturday in Seattle. Jackson is working on a CD, a tribute to her old boyfriend, Elvis Presley. Her version of Elvis' "Let's Have a Party" was a Top-40 hit. And yes, she can still growl. ...
- Site Seeing: Tours take fans of movies to where they were shot
By Jane Engle
(journalnow.com / LOS ANGELES TIMES, July 29 2005)
Lights, camera ... rolling! On a movie tour, that is. By bus or on foot, visits to spots where films and TV shows were shot get top billing from many tourist bureaus. Travelers can gawk at the lagoon where Elvis Presley crooned in Blue Hawaii, get lost in the Monterey, Calif., fog of Clint Eastwood's thriller Play Misty for Me, and shop where Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw used her credit cards. It's a growth business. Boston Movie Tours was to make its debut last week; San Francisco's version is headed for a fall opening. ...
- DUPRI URGES AFRICAN-AMERICANS TO SUPPORT JACKSON
(contactmusic.com, July 29 2005)
R+B producer JERMAINE DUPRI is urging his fellow African Americans to offer his future brother-in-law MICHAEL JACKSON all the support they can because he deserves more respect. The Atlanta, Georgia-based mogul, who is dating JANET JACKSON, admits he was appalled with the way America's black population turned their backs on the King of Pop when he needed them most - at the height of his child molestation trial. He says, "It's clear that Michael was set up... What's foolish about it is that our own community jokes about it (trial). If ELVIS (PRESLEY) were still alive, they would never let anything happen to him. ...
- La-la land
By Tim de Lisle
(Guardian Unlimited, July 29 2005)
Frank Sinatra went dooby dooby doo. Freddie Mercury went day-oh. Elvis Presley went uh huh. The Supremes went ooh-oooh hoooh. Lou Reed went doo da-doo da-doo da-doo da-doo dooo. Cream went bom-bom bom-ba bom-bom. Minnie Riperton went lalalalaLA lalalalaLA. Gene Kelly went dood-loo doody. Donna Summer went aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh. And James Brown went OWWWWW! Between words and music lie the sounds we make when we're singing but not using language. English doesn't have a word for them, perhaps fittingly; a friend suggests rockolalia. ...
- Elvis' former maid and cook set to swing through Somerville to promote latest book
(Fayette County Review, July 28 2005)
Nancy Rooks of Fayette County will be signing copies of her most recent book titled Inside Graceland: Elvis' Maid Remembers on July 30 from 10:30 a.m. through 3 p.m. at Sippins in Somerville. The book is Rooks' third, and tells of her experiences working as a cook and maid for rock icon Elvis Presley from 1967 until his death in 1977. ...
- NASCAR opens racing week at Graceland
(Whitehaven Appeal, July 28 2005)
A prelude to the first NASCAR event to be held at night "under the lights" in Memphis, the event was attended by a small crowd of onlookers who joined Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. CEO Jack Soden and Memphis Motorsports Park general manager Jason Rittenberry for a short but sweet presentation. After a brief introduction by EPE Inc. spokesperson Kevin Kern, Soden thanked the pair for helping to add another chapter to the Graceland/MMP collaboration. "Elvis loved racing, and he played a race car driver in several movies," said Soden who jokingly invited the pair to park at Graceland whenever they wanted to. "I know Elvis would be proud to be part of Memphis racing and NASCAR. Racing was one of his favorites."
- TO THE PET GOES THE SPOILS: Show shakes things up with Elvis theme
By JOSEPH P. SMITH
(Daily Journal, July 28 2005)
An Elvis impersonator can be a tough act to upstage, but a dog with a queasy stomach pulled it off Wednesday at the annual Millville Pet Show. The theme this year was "You Ain't Nothing But a Hound Dog," a tribute to Elvis Presley and an invitation for contestants to dress up their pets. About 53 pets were entered, a lineup dominated by canines large and small. But there also was room for a fawn, a gecko, a cockatoo and even a stickbug. Rob Shannon, a former city commissioner, provided the Elvis impersonation, arriving on a chauffeured Harley Davidson with a police escort. Shannon did an enthused, if lip-synched, version of "Hound Dog." The show, held at Corson Park, kicked off at 6 p.m. with the area still reeling from a heart-palpitating heat wave. The heat may have done in "motorcycle dog," a large pit bull dressed in a leather jacket, leather cap and sunglasses. It was the first contestant down the red carpet, only to vomit. The judges didn't hold a grudge though, placing it third in the "best costume/kid," non-Elvis category. ...
- Ex cocktail waitress sues Bally's in alleged assault
By MADELAINE VITALE
(Press of Atlantic City, July 28 2005)
A backstage show by Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson impersonators got a little too personal according to Denise Ciccarone, a former Bally's Atlantic City casino cocktail waitress. The alleged actions by Joseph Roig and William Bostick landed Bally's and the impersonators in a civil trial, which opened Wednesday. However, the plaintiff's attorney does not expect either the King or the King of Pop impersonator to make an appearance for the trial. On Jan. 11, 2000, Ciccarone, a longtime employee at Bally's, returned from her dinner break around 6 p.m. - right around the time the impersonators got off stage. She rounded the corner and the two men "sandwiched her" and started to "bump and grind," according to the lawsuit filed in 2002. Ciccarone, of Atlantic County, claims in the Law Against Discrimination claim that Bally's did nothing to protect her and other employees from gender discrimination. ...
- Calling all Elvis fans to help Hospice
(Galway Advertiser, Ireland, July 28 2005)
A summer spectacular fundraiser for the Galway Hospice will take place on Saturday August 6 in the Menlo Park Hotel. The shop will feature a tribute show to Elvis, the king of rock and roll, with special guests Bernard Mac, and Mike Kelly and friends. Doors open at 7.45 and there will be a pre show auction with various prizes.
Tickets to this event are 15 Euros. For further information call 086-3665675, or the Menlo Park Hotel on 091 761122.
- No Elvis show at planetarium this year
By Dan Hope
(East Memphis Appeal, July 28 2005)
The Sharpe Planetarium at the Pink Palace will not present the "Elvis: Legacy in Light" laser show during Elvis Week. But the museum does have several Elvis items that will interest fans in town for the annual salute to the King of Rock and Roll. The planetarium reopened for public shows July 9 after a hiatus of four months because of city budget cuts. But the lineup of shows, now presented on Saturdays, does not include "Elvis: Legacy in Light." As staff is hired to replace the staff laid off in March, days, shows and show times will be added. The Pink Palace has several items on display of interest to Presley fans. In the Pink Palace Mansion exhibit, "From the Boss to the King," visitors can see Elvis's Army uniform and Army trunk from the time he was stationed in Germany in the '60s, as well as photos of Sergeant Presley in uniform. In the lobby, the script from Elvis's 1958 film, "King Creole," is on display. A picture of Elvis with a Cotton Carnival Queen and Carnival court member can be seen in the "Memphis Celebrates Cotton" area. For information, call 320-6362 or visit memphismuseums.org.
- Briefly speaking: Elvis art show coming to Memphis Heritage
(Whitehaven Appeal, July 28 2005)
The Elvis Presley International Art Show featuring fan art from the Graceland archives debuts Friday 6-9 p.m. at Memphis Heritage, 509 S. Main. For the first time, the public will be able to view part of the unique collection of international fan art cataloged over the last 50 years in a gallery setting. The event, coupled with the annual Downtown Arts Trolley Tour, will provide free trolley rides and a free, open-air theater presentation of Elvis's film "Viva Las Vegas."
- Spirit, ambience of Elvis lives on in Hugh's Jungle Room
By LISA LAVIA BYRD
(Des Moines Register, July 28 2005)
A new business on Des Moines' northwest side pays tribute to one of the world's best known rockers: Elvis Presley. Owner Hugh Duoblys credits his mother's gift of a 45-rpm Elvis record as the inspiration for the business, Hugh's Jungle Room. The lounge is at 5715 Douglas Ave., formerly home to Jazzy Willy's. The Jungle Room will offer a full range of beer and mixed drinks, karaoke and live bands, dart boards and some high-end video games - and ambience not likely to be found elsewhere in the metropolitan area. ... Duoblys, who in addition to bartending has worked for a carpet retailer and as a drill sergeant in the United States Army, said opening Hugh's Jungle Room represents the realization of his true calling. "Elvis influenced so many people, not just the singers who have emulated him, but politicians, actors, world leaders," he said. "Opening a place that is a tribute is to an icon and his era is a dream come true. I hope people will come in and enjoy my dream with me."
- Music Book Store Features Elvis Presley to Celebrate His 70th Year
Press Release Authoring and Marketing by Xeal Inc.
(Yahoo! News / PRWEB, July 27 2005)
On January 8, 2005, "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" would have turned 70 years old . During his lifetime, Elvis Presley performed over one thousand concerts and recorded over one thousand different songs. To celebrate the life and music of Elvis Presley, the Ultimate Music Consortium, an online retailer of music books and sheet music, is featuring two music books dedicated to "The King" and published to commemorate his birthday.
The first music book featured by the Ultimate Music Consortium is "Elvis Presley: The Complete Guide to His Music", written by rock 'n' roll experts John Robertson and Chris Charlesworth. The music book closely examines every song in Elvis' recorded repertoire and includes several black and white photographs. The second music book, "The Elvis Archives" by British fan club president Todd Slaughter and international Elvis expert Anne E. Nixon, reflects the Elvis Presley life story without debate or criticism. This music book is illustrated with over 100 rare and exclusive color photographs, many of which show Elvis meeting with some of the most influential people of the 20th century.
"The Elvis Archives" music book contains:
* Detailed information about Elvis' early life, before he became a star
* Autographed photos collected by the authors
* Chapters titled after Elvis' most famous and influential songs
To order either of these music books celebrating Elvis Presley or to browse other music books and sheet music offered by the Ultimate Music Consortium, visit www.UMCstore.com.
- Elvis: Long Live the King!
By Elaine Collins of ProVoice
(NewsReleaseWire, July 26 2005)
On August 16, 1977, Elvis left the building for the last time. With the anniversary of Elvis Presley's untimely demise just around the corner, you probably thought there was nothing new to learn about him, but it turns out there is. Although he may not have realized it, Elvis Presley's sexy moves actually modeled the ideal physical techniques for supporting a rich, warm singing voice - techniques still studied today by some of the recording industry's biggest stars.
"It may be twenty-eight years since his passing, but I still constantly reference Elvis in my teaching." says celebrity voice coach Renee Grant-Williams. "He was the perfect singing machine." "Elvis had all the right moves," claims Grant-Williams. "He had very strong legs, which he used as the basis for his support. He literally pushed into the floor using that karate-type crouch. He kept his entire upper body very loose so that it could resonate. And the way he cocked his head over the microphone really allowed the sound to vibrate freely."
"Did he know what he was doing?" Grant-Williams asks. "Probably not, but he had extraordinary instincts and in his own way, I think he truly studied singing. He used to sit out on the back porch for hours on late summer nights with the guitar his mother gave him, trying to imitate the singers he heard at gospel churches and nightclubs."
Grant-Williams teaches the wisdom of using Elvis' techniques to stars such as Randy Travis, Faith Hill, The Dixie Chicks, Tim McGraw, Larry Gatlin, Linda Ronstadt and Huey Lewis.
"I think my students are surprised and grateful to have someone familiar they can relate to," Grant-Williams says. "In fact, when I first worked with Tim McGraw on using his body to support his voice, he looked up with mischief in his eyes and mumbled in true Elvis-style, 'Thank you. Thankyouverymuch.'"
Grant-Williams feels that even Elvis' famous lip curl gave his voice an edge. "As sound leaves your body it needs to resonate against something specific," she says. "You have options - you can direct that flow of sound to the nose, the throat, the jaw or to the sinus cavities in the face. But, I think what Elvis did - as evidenced by his lip curl - was to aim the vibration stream right at his teeth."
"This was ingenious," Grant-Williams says. "Because you can find a kind of sweet spot at the front of your teeth where you can focus vibrations and still pick up resonance from all these other areas." "Because his moves and techniques live on, Elvis will never completely leave the building," adds Grant-Williams.
Grant-Williams offers more advice in her book, "Voice Power: Using Your Voice to Captivate, Persuade, and Command Attention" published by AMACOM Books, New York. This book is endorsed by Paul Harvey and was selected by "Soundview Executive Book Summaries" as one of the best business books of 2002. ...
- Sky' is another high for Kurt Russell: The 54-year-old actor returns to the kind of Disney film that launched his career
By Tom Long
(Detroit News, July 26 2005)
He has played Elvis Presley, Wyatt Earp and a one-eyed pirate named Captain Ron. He's worked with Meryl Streep, Tom Cruise, Robert De Niro and a chimpanzee. At the age of 54, he has been a movie star for more than 40 years. And now Kurt Russell, who began making movies for Disney in the early '60s, has come full circle. This Friday, he stars in another Disney film, "Sky High," and it's just the sort of clean-cut spirited family outing that launched his diverse career more than four decades ago. "When I read (the script), I thought, this reminds me of the old Disney stuff," he says on the phone from Hollywood. "It has a lot of good sight gags and a lot of good lines, and it has something to say." It also allows Russell to don a superhero costume for the first time in his life.
Disney Enterprises
Kurt Russell plays Commander Stronghold in "Sky High"
- Can Hootie win another lottery?
By TOM NETHERLAND
(TimesDispatch.com, July 26 2005)
Elvis Presley didn't do it. Frank Sinatra didn't do it. Neither Madonna nor the Rolling Stones nor KISS nor Metallica did it, either. Pearl Jam? Nope. Ditto Nirvana. They never sold more than 16 million copies of one album. Hootie & the Blowfish did. ...
- LENOIR-RHYNE COLLEGE CONDUCTS SCIENCE ACADEMY
(LKN Living, July 25 2005)
Twenty high school students from all over the state are participating in the 2005 Summer Academy of the Carolina Institute for the Multicultural Approach to Science at Lenoir-Rhyne College. The three-week program that runs through July 29 offers enhanced learning opportunities in mathematics and science to ethnic minority students entering ninth and 10th grades. This select group of scholars is involved in three types of hands-on activities, including mathematical problem solving, scientific research and multicultural outreach. ... The summer academy scholars are divided into three groups who rotate between activities. One week is spent investigating a crime scene to determine whether a victim is Elvis. They study rigor mortis, hair samples, finger printing, blood typing and DNA extraction and analysis to determine cause of death. ...
- Powers-Jarvis mansion going on the auction block
By TONY REID
(Herald and Review, July 25 2005)
Rhonda Glidewell believes those who don't learn to buy from the past are doomed never to save it. So when the Powers-Jarvis mansion at 357 W. Decatur St. comes up for auction Aug. 15, Glidewell and her husband, John, will be throwing their hats into the ring. It's likely to get expensive - opening bids for the almost 100-year-old, 9,400-square-foot home are to start at $342,000. ... The house was built in 1909 by business magnate Charles Powers, whose family was one of the biggest landowners in Macon County. It has passed through many owners and many stories since then.
In the early 1960s, when it was owned by oil tycoon Vernon Jarvis, it had regular brushes with Hollywood stars; Nancy Walters, the sister of Jarvis' wife, often stayed at the home and was there in 1961 after she finished shooting "Blue Hawaii" with Elvis Presley. ...
- Elvis and Fischer Black: Analyzing Perfect Capital Markets
By Arnold Kling
(Tech Central Station, July 25 2005)
"Cause Elvis is a perfect being.
We are all moving in perfect peace and harmony towards Elvisness"
-- Mojo Nixon, Elvis is Everywhere
To economists, Fischer Black is like Elvis Presley. Both were legendary, and both died relatively young. Black's untimely death from cancer clearly cost him the Nobel Prize, which is never awarded posthumously. A Nobel went to Myron Scholes, whose sole claim to fame was co-authorship of an important paper with Black on option pricing. Black, for his part, produced a number of other memorable and stimulating analyses beyond the option pricing formula. ...
- King lives in man's tribute performances
By GLORIA ALEFF
(WCF Courier, July 25 2005)
When Alan Stuva sang "Don't Cry My Daddy" during the Heritage Days parade, many people thought he was lip-syncing the performance. Until the event stopped.
Stuva continued singing "In the Ghetto" without benefit of a background sound track. And it was apparent: Elvis lives. ... Stuva's son, Alan Elvis, is serving in the army in Baghdad. Others at home --- Jaimie, Amber and Tony --- help out as stage hands and bodyguards. "I am into the older Elvis. More heartfelt. I can almost hear his agony," Stuva said. But he intends on maintaining his own identity. "I don't want to be exactly like him," he said. And he isn't. In Stuva's tribute performances, there aren't any of Elvis' rockabilly moves. He does wear the high-collar costume, black hair, square sideburns and flashy jewelry. He has the look and the voice. He sings with eyes closed, holding the microphone close to his chest. "I just want to do it right," Stuva said. ...
- Kelly vs. Jackson: Public has polar views of both
By Mark Caro
(Chicago Tribune, July 24 2005)
Why have R. Kelly and Michael Jackson met such contrasting fates over child-related charges? The theories abound.
1. Molesting prepubescent boys is a greater taboo than seducing teenage girls.
"It may be morally questionable or legally wrong, but it's not weird behavior that an older guy wants to be with a younger girl," author/filmmaker Nelson George ("Hip Hop America") said. "What guy in his 30s has not seen a high school girl and had morally impure thoughts?" The popular music world also has a notorious history with the older guy/younger girl dynamic. Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Elvis Presley, Bill Wyman, Steven Tyler and Jimmy Page all have crossed that line. ...
- Did Natalee Holloway Run Away?
By Patrick Hurley
(Useless Knowledge Mag, July 24 2005)
Yep, she sure did! And...Elvis is in Michigan, we never walked on the moon and John F. Kennedy is being kept alive on a Greek Island. For all of you conspiracy theorists out there, we are grateful for your unique insights by taking an average crime that could be reasonably explained and resurrecting it into something far more implausible! ...
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