early May, 2006
- Dennis Hopper schedules memoirs: Hopper's book will cover everything from his childhood in Kansas to his impressions of Marlon Brando and Elvis Presley
(USA TODAY / AP May 9 2006)
The autobiography of Dennis Hopper, the Easy Rider star and Hollywood rebel whose friends and acquaintances have included James Dean, Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson, is scheduled to come out in 2008. "This is going to be the most exciting and unrestrained memoir to come out in years," Michael Pietsch, senior vice president and publisher of Little, Brown and Company, said Monday in a statement. Hopper's book is called Out Takes and, according to Little, Brown, will cover everything from his childhood in Kansas to his work in Easy Rider,Rebel Without a Cause,True Romance and other films to his impressions of Brando, Dean, Elvis Presley and many others. ...
- NAMES & FACES: 'Idol' Chatter
(Washington Post May 8 2006)
Hankering for "American Idol" news? Read on! As the show's four finalists stopped by Graceland over the weekend, welcomed by Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley, the recently dismissed Kellie Pickler returned to her home town of Albemarle, N.C., where she was honored at a parade. Riding through town in a 1968 Ford Mustang during the 20-minute event on Saturday, Pickler was greeted by thousands of fans wearing pink, purple, green and yellow Pickler T-shirts. "It looks like a bag of Skittles poured on Albemarle," the 19-year-old singer said. Pickler ignored restrictions against outside singing set by the show's producers by belting out "The Star-Spangled Banner" for the crowd. She also appeared onstage with family members, including her father, Bo Pickler, who was recently released from a Florida prison. He had served time for stabbing a man three years ago and trying to run down pursuing police Meanwhile, in Memphis, the finalists arrived at Graceland to shoot part of the show's next installment. Amid cameras and screaming fans, contestants Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin waved and took pictures as their sports utility vehicle inched through the mansion's gate. ...
- Presleys welcome Idol finalists
(Edmonton Sun / AP May 8 2006)
Calling Elvis Presley America's "first idol," Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley welcomed the finalists of American Idol to Graceland amid cameras and screaming fans. The Presleys and finalists Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin were at the rock legend's home on Saturday to shoot the TV show's next instalment with an Elvis theme and a critique by music producer Tommy Mottola. The show airs tomorrow. Priscilla Presley said the show's presence at Graceland was appropriate because her late ex-husband shared many of the Idol contestants' experiences. "Elvis, too, had to audition," she said. "He was laughed at. He was basically booed off stage. He had to struggle with the fact that he came from very humble beginnings and didn't have opportunities to have others experience his talent."
- Could Elvis Presley Win on American Idol?
(Memphis Flyer May 8 2006)
Legend has it that in his struggling years Elvis Presley aspired to appear on the Ted Mack Amateur Hour (the American Idol of the 1950s), but flunked the tryout.
A writer named Lea Brandenburg included the story in a list of inspiring factoids for the Web site creativityforlife.com. Her version goes this way: "In the 1950s, one of the best ways struggling new talent could start on the road to fame and fortune was to appear on a nationally televised program called the Ted Mack Amateur Hour. A singer from Tennessee tried out for the show, but failed the audition. Today few people under 50 remember the Ted Mack Amateur Hour or any of the 'winners' of the audition the singer failed, but every year the legend of the young man from Tennessee, Elvis Presley, grows."
For comparison's sake, some of those who did win on Mack's highly rated TV show were Pat Boone and the Rock 'n Roll Trio, a Memphis group that included Tommy and Dorsey Burnette and Paul Burlison, all of whom became well-known in their own right.
True or not, the question took on a quirky relevance last week when American Idol sent its four remaining competitors to Graceland for some instruction from record exec Tommy Mottola. Proving that in pop music as in life, what goes around comes around. Sooner or later.
- Idol finalists visit Graceland; Priscilla Presley says Elvis auditioned too
(Canoe / AP May 7 2006)
Calling Elvis Presley America's "first idol," Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley welcomed the finalists of American Idol to Graceland amid cameras and screaming fans. The Presleys and the finalists were at the rock legend's home Saturday to shoot the TV show's next installment with an Elvis theme and a critique by music producer Tommy Mottola. The show will air Tuesday. Priscilla Presley said the show's presence at Graceland was appropriate because her late ex-husband shared many of the Idol contestants' experiences. "Elvis, too, had to audition," she said. "He was laughed at. He was basically booed off stage. He had to struggle with the fact that he came from very humble beginnings and didn't have opportunities to have others experience his talent."
Contestants Chris Daughtry, Taylor Hicks, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin waved and took pictures of the yelling crowd as their sport utility vehicle inched through the mansion's gate. Nearly four years after its debut, Idol continues to rule the ratings. It has attracted 25 million to 33 million viewers each telecast this season. The winner will be crowned May 25. Priscilla Presley, who with her daughter had lunch with the contestants, said she's been a fan of the show for years. "I think it's a great thing. I love the fact that these are people from all over the United States who probably would never have had the opportunity to be in this position," she said.
- Favre says he'll stick to his guns
By BOB MCGINN
(KRT Wire / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel May 6 2006)
Both Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley did their own inimitable versions of ``My Way'' late in their recording careers. Get ready, Wisconsin. Brett Favre has no intention, either, of going out in a shy way if the 2006 season does indeed turn out to be the 16th and final rendition of his one-of-a-kind quarterbacking career. ...
- American Idol: Elvis Presley Theme Week and Taylor Hicks
By Jewels Richardson
(blogcritics.org May 6 2006)
Behind the Elvis Theme Week on American Idol one only has to look for a man named Robert F.X. Sillerman. He's a Wall Street operator and sort of a 'Donald Trump' of the media business. A little background: he sold a group of radio stations to Westinghouse (now Viacom) in 1989 for $389 million. Less than a decade later he sold more stations to Hicks Muse for $2.1 billion. He had dealings with Clear Channel in 2000 when he sold a company that owned concert venues for a reported $3 billion. A real wheeler dealer.
Sillerman's latest publicly traded corporation is titled CKX. The CK stands for "content is king," while the 'x' is a reference to one of his middle initials. It's unknown what they stand for but I'm leaning towards 'effects' abbreviated, you know, like seen on the cable FX station, or on an SUV made by Infinity Motors. It is his little secret. Sillerman made a business deal with Lisa Marie Presley in 2004, then moved to buy the smash-hit TV show American Idol and other properties from a company called 19 Entertainment (19E), which was previously owned by British pop mogul Simon Fuller. So you can see where this is leading. Regarding the business arrangements brokered with Lisa Marie Presley, what the man owns is Elvis Presley Enterprises. EPE generates $40 million in annual revenue from Graceland tours, onsite retailing, licensing, an apartment complex, and the much promoted Heartbreak Hotel. American Idol, Bob Sillerman, and 19E create a tangled but understandable money making thread, therefore we have American Idol able to throw an Elvis Presley Theme week and Sillerman able to promote his EPE ventures. Win-win for Sillerman and Elvis Presley entertainment from the final four contestants remaining on Idol.
Taylor Hicks and his compatriots will visit Graceland where they will have a tour accompanied by Priscilla Presley. To prepare for the competition this week, insight and guidance will be provided by Tommy Mattola. (I haven't figured that one out yet). I've been reading about the fortunate A.I. fans able to commute or that live in the vicinity, staking out Graceland with the hope of seeing their favorites. Ah, yes, I can just picture myself hanging on the music themed wrought iron entry gates of Graceland... Screaming like a giddy fangirlly freak, "Taylor! Taylor! Tay...!"
Snapping back to a semblance of reality, and back to topic, the overwhelming challenge the contestants will face under this theme is the dreaded 'Karaoke' label. This should pose a real test of their individual artistic abilities. (I'm not just talking about taking an Elvis song like "Burning Love" and giving it the "Creed" alt-rock treatment to 'make it their own,' ala the "Live" turn of "Walk the Line," performed by Daughtry.) Definitely a challenging genre, creating lots of speculation and excitement for this crazily popular talent show.
It's a given that Taylor Hicks will have the highest hurdle to jump this week to avoid the dreaded "K" label. Hicks is proving he is not a stupid man, I am confident The Soulman will carefully consider all options. Overall, Taylor has been demonstrating that he is a winner, a champion performer with a heart for success. Like Secretariat, Taylor Hicks "knows how to run a great race", he hasn't won all the Idol races so far, but the ones he has had the other contestants 20 lengths behind, blinded by flying sand. On-line, Hicks has the largest confirmed fanbase and is all ready demonstrating his growing international appeal. The man has true star power evidenced by his performances of "Taking it to the Streets", "Living for the City", "Trouble," and the brilliant combination of "Play That Funky Music White Boy," by Wild Cherry teamed with George Harrison's "Something." No doubt, I am biased.
It may be inevitable that no matter what Taylor Hicks performs, a certain ascerbic judge may have already penned the dreaded "K" label on his index card. Conversely, when considering some of the 'master-minds' behind the Idol scenes such as the obviously brilliant Bob Sillerman, Hicks should be garnering the recognition, internally, within the monied fraternization needed to promote and develop his career.
My advice to Taylor Hicks, "Lay it all on the stage, baby, and don't look back!"
Groove on Soulman!
- A Palisades balladeer: You can put him in a sun-dappled Westside cafe, but you can't take the mystic Englishman out of worldly songwriter Richard Thompson
(calendarlive.com / Los Angeles Times May 7 2006)
By Scott Timberg
IN one, a poor woman from the west coast of Ireland flies, to the strains of a lonely Celtic melody, to Graceland to pay homage to Elvis Presley. In another, a British soldier wounded in World War II wanders London, recalling the days when he danced to the music of a long-dead big band singer. In yet another - the beat is faster now - a reckless young man who loves vintage English motorcycles and red-headed girls tangles with the law. The law wins. They're all songs by Richard Thompson, a mild-mannered, middle-aged Englishman often called the finest rock songwriter after Dylan and the best electric guitarist since Hendrix. ...
- US: 1000 issues, and still rolling - Anniversary issue of Rolling Stone magazine commemorates pop culture's eternal stars
(AsiaMedia / The Age May 5 2006)
By Dean Goodman
Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner has assembled 154 of his best friends on the bold cover of the 1000th issue, which hits newsstands this week. The hefty volume has a 3-D lenticular attachment featuring a Sergeant Pepper's-style collage of some of the biggest names in music, film, TV and literature of the past four decades. A few world leaders also made the cut. Wenner said the cover cost about $US1 million ($A1.32 million) to produce, with the expense offset by a $US2 increase in the cover price to $US5.95, and "a huge amount" of advertising. Inside, the magazine spotlights its 100 greatest covers, spanning Wenner's 1967 interview with John Lennon in the first issue, through to rapper Kanye West's Jesus Christ pose in issue 993 in February.
But the magazine is more than a forum for pretty faces and the work of such photographers as Annie Leibovitz, Baron Wolman and Herb Ritts. Writers included Hunter S. Thompson, P. J. O'Rourke and Tom Wolfe, and virtually every pop culture notable sat down for an interview: Lennon, Mick Jagger, Elvis Presley and Jimi Hendrix, all the way down to Nick Lachey in issue 999. Rolling Stone will vie for three national magazine awards on May 9. ...
- Paris says adieu; Hicks stays around
(Birmingham News May 4 2006)
By MARY COLURSO
Taylor Hicks has the go-ahead to shop for a pair of blue suede shoes this weekend. The Birmingham singer, 29, survived Wednesday's cut on "American Idol." As a result, Hicks will choose and perform two Elvis Presley songs on Tuesday's 7 p.m. broadcast. So will the other three remaining contestants: Chris Daughtry, Katharine McPhee and Elliott Yamin. Paris Bennett, 17, a singer from Fayetteville, Ga., received the fewest votes from viewers this week, host Ryan Seacrest said. She was eliminated from the Fox TV reality series. Before the next show, Hicks and his fellow finalists will travel to Graceland and meet music executive Tommy Mottola there, Seacrest said. Nigel Lythgoe, an executive producer for "Idol," told Tvweek.com that Priscilla Presley also will be on hand. ...
- Elvis' first house hits $450k on eBay
(Yahoo! News UK May 3 2006)
By Lester Haines
Any reader with a spare $450k+ burning a hole in his pocket and interested in acquiring Elvis Presley's first house should make his way down to eBay and get busy with the bidding: Presley bought this Memphis des-res in 1956 with the royalties from Heartbreak Hotel, according to the blurb. It comes with all the expected trappings of musical success, including swimming pool, soundproofed recording area and "the original music note themed wallpaper from 1956!" Interestingly, it appears cutlery-molesting Israeli mystic Uri Geller has made a number of bids topping out at $351,000, but is currently trumped by a top offer of $450,100. Potential buyers should note that "all bidders will need to be prequalified before placing a bid in order to ensure financial means as well as seriousness of the bid". They'll also need a strong stomach for 1950s interior design ...
- Elvis weekend kicks off with Thursday's Village Fest
(Desert Sun May 3 2006)
By Stefanie Frith
In honor of Elvis Presley's 39th wedding anniversary weekend, VillageFest and MainStreet will host a night of Elvis-themed events Thursday from 6 to 10 p.m. on Palm Canyon Drive in downtown Palm Springs. Local television/radio celebrity, Craig Michaels will be the
emcee, hosting such free events as 50's, 60's, and 70's karaoke and a children's Elvis & Priscilla Cos tume contest at 7:30 p.m. The grand prize is a one-night stay the Elvis Honeymoon Hideaway, the home Elvis and wife Priscilla stayed in on their honeymoon in Palm Springs. There will also be a hula hoop contest and "Game Show Mania," where your knowledge of the King will be tested. Everyone is encouraged to dress up 50's and have fun with it. Information: 320-3781.
- PRISCILLA PRESLEY TO HIT THE LONDON STAGE
(contactmusic.com May 2 2006)
ELVIS PRESLEY's ex-wife PRISCILLA PRESLEY is considering an offer to star on the London stage. The NAKED GUN actress, 60, is earmarked to star in an unnamed comedy, and is motivated by the opportunity to test herself in front of a live audience in the British capital's famous West End. She says, "I've been offered a fantastic role that can't say too much about, but it's a comedy with a serious message. "I've never really done stage before but that's the challenge of being an actress."
- Elvis Impacts Faith And Religion
(WKRN.com May 1 2006)
It has been nearly 30 years since the death of Elvis Presley, yet fans continue to flock to his Memphis home. While it is obvious the mark Elvis made on rock and roll was enormous, he also made quite a mark on faith in America. Fifty years ago, no one had ever seen or heard anything like Elvis Presley. Elvis ushered in the sexual revolution, but he might also be the man who introduced Christianity to the American pop culture. There is another side to Elvis, a private side that very much involved Gospel music.
Elvis developed his musical chops in the Pentecostal Church where dancing and shaking were just part of worship. He went to church and Sunday school nearly every week and it was there where Elvis met his high school sweetheart. Dixie Locke and Elvis dated for two years and went to the prom together. When Elvis' shaking pelvis drew the ire of ministers, Locke wanted to tell them they had it all wrong. Locke said it was just a way of worship for him and in no way was it meant to be a sexual thing.
In 1960, at the height of his career, Elvis met the new bass singer for the Jordanaires, Elvis' backup band of singers and at RCA's Studio B on Music Row, it was Ray Walker who made a suggestion that led to Elvis' finest performance. Walker told Elvis to record "How Great Thou Art" and it will be his signature song and he’ll be the signature of the song. The song, gave Elvis two of his three Grammy awards; one for the album in 1967, and then for the song in 1974. Somewhere in between, Elvis, who grew up a Christian, started dabbling in Buddhism and new age religions. That, and his growing taste for prescription drugs, caused some to wonder if the man who often sang of his deep faith, had lost his way.
Elvis once told a minister he had gone too far to turn back. Did Elvis trade the gates of Graceland for the pearly gates of heaven? It is a question that's been debated over and over since 1977. Perhaps a better question is about his impact on faith in America. Was his life and music edifying or a distraction? Did he bring people closer to God or did he lead us into temptation?
For a discussion of Elvis and his spirituality, visit www.faithandethics.com .
- Departing Flight
(am850.comMay 1 2006)
After touting their service to Elvis Presley's hometown of Memphis in 2004, Northwest Airlines in now leaving the building. The carrier had their last flight out of Gainesville Regional Airport today. Airport CEO Rick Crider says when Northwest announce the cancelation in February, the airport was surprised. By flying to Northwest's hub in Memphis, many more destinations were available to travelers out of Gainesville. With now only Delta and Continental at Gainesville Regional, Crider says they are looking at a new carrier. While Northwest is leaving, Crider claims a new small jet facility at the airport will draw about 160 new jobs.
|
