January 8 2007
- Elvis robot a crowd pleaser at CES
(KATC3 / Associated Press, January 8, 2007)
LAS VEGAS A company known for its robotic chimpanzee heads is now selling a human robot. With the backdrop of Las Vegas, what better subject than Elvis Presley at the annual International Consumer Electronics Show.
The robot from Wow Wee features the head, neck and shoulders of the King of rock n' roll. It comes complete with the signature Elvis sideburns and big sunglasses. The robot also sings. There is a cartridge in the back that has eight songs and there is dialogue from the King. You plug in the microphone and you can sing like Elvis or you can sing with Elvis. If you have an iPod or C-D player, the robot will interact with whatever music is playing. The Elvis robot from Wow Wee goes on sale in August for 349 dollars.
- A date which will live in slack-jawed disbelief: Nixon library opens exhibit honoring bizarre meeting of president and Elvis
(msnbc.msn.com, January 8, 2007)
The improbable meeting between two of the most visible cultural icons of the 1970s lasted all of 30 minutes, but it has fascinated the nation for years. A photo of a cloaked and bejeweled Elvis Presley solemnly shaking hands with a grim-faced President Nixon remains the No. 1 requested document from the National Archives, nearly four decades after the secret meeting took place on Dec. 21, 1970.
Now, on what would be Elvis' 72nd birthday, the Richard Nixon Presidential Library & Birthplace is giving the curious public a good, long look at the relics of the coming together of The King and The President - and it's got Elvis fans all shook up.
The free exhibit, which opened Monday and will run several months, includes the outfit Elvis wore (a black velvet overcoat, a gold-plated belt and black leather boots); Nixon's outfit (a gray woolen suit, tie and size 11 1/2 black shoes); letters; and a World War II .45-caliber Colt revolver that Elvis gave to Nixon. "The two of them together somehow is almost incomprehensible," said Bud Krogh, Nixon's former deputy counsel who set up the impromptu meeting that day 36 years ago. "The king of rock and the president of the United States shaking hands in the Oval Office doesn't compute for a lot of people." ...
This handout file photo shows President Richard Nixon, left, meeting with Elvis Presley on Dec. 21, 1970, at the White House
- Coco Palms units hit the open market
(Kauai Garden Island News, January 8, 2007)
Let the bidding begin. Coco Palms Ventures, LLC, developer for the soon-to-re-open Coco Palms Resort in Wailua, launched residential sales this week for the revamped resort made famous by Elvis Presley and the movie ³Blue Hawaii.² Pricing starts at $1 million. ...
- Growing jackpot beckons dreamers
By Santosh Rao
(Kalamazoo Gazette, January 8, 2007)
Some Michigan residents are dreaming about how they'd spent $122 million. ``I'd be like Elvis Presley, like if I saw a person who couldn't afford something that they really needed, I'd buy it for them,'' said Ed Schultz, 52, of Kalamazoo. Schultz was at the 7-Eleven store on West K-L Avenue on Sunday to buy tickets for the big multistate Mega Millions lottery drawing. ...
- Still Larger Than Life
By Steve Eighinger
(Quincy Herald-Whig, January 8, 2007)
Mary O'Brien may be able to gauge the never-ending adoration of the late Elvis Presley better than anyone in Quincy. O'Brien coordinates the audio visual department for the Quincy Public Library and says Elvis is still king, more than 29 years after his death at age 42. Presley's movies and CDs remain in constant demand, more than any other artist or group the library offers. "Elvis' longevity of popularity is unmatched," O'Brien said. "He's an icon, he's timeless, he's a historic figure ... and his music is good."
If Elvis were alive, he would turn 72 today.
O'Brien says Presley's popularity spans all age brackets, but that most who visit the library to check out an Elvis movie or CD are female. "We have 49 of his movies and CDs and all of them are popular, from Gospel to rock and roll," O'Brien said. "Anything we have of Elvis goes out." O'Brien said the most popular movie request might be "Viva Las Vegas" with Ann-Marget, but others such as "Blue Hawaii," "Jailhouse Rock," "Change of Habit" (with Mary Tyler Moore), "Clambake," "Speedway" and "Love Me Tender" are not far behind.
O'Brien said the "big five" musical requests at the library are Elvis, Frank Sinatra, the Beatles, Beach Boys and Rolling Stones. "But Elvis is No. 1," she said.
Pam Clow, head of circulation at the library, echoes O'Brien's feelings. Clow said a new Elvis book is due out and there is already a waiting list of patrons. The library often shows Elvis films for public viewing and also offers Elvis impersonators. There are always big crowds for those events, said Clow, who is also a fan of the King.
Elvis died on Aug. 16, 1977. There remains much confusion and contradiction surrounding his death, which most blame on some sort of combination of overwork, obesity, depression, bad diet and abuse of prescription drugs. That kind of post-death baggage would scuttle many would-be legends.
But not Elvis.
"It amazes me how even the younger kids know the words to his music," said Mary Alice Bybee, 59, of Quincy. "I remember seeing him when I was young on the Ed Sullivan Show on television. My mom didn't like him." ...
- Battle of the Bands!
By Robert Fontenot
(oldies.about.com, January 8, 2007)
Here are the results of our Christmas oldies poll:
"The Christmas Song" (Nat King Cole) ... 23%
"Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" (Brenda Lee) ... 19%
"Blue Christmas" (Elvis Presley) ... 14%
"Jingle Bell Rock" (Bobby Helms) ... 12%
"Santa Baby" (Eartha Kitt) ... 6%
"Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" (Darlene Love) ... 5%
"White Christmas" (The Drifters)
"Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" (Gene Autry) ... 4%
"Please Come Home For Christmas" (Charles Brown)
"Run Rudolph Run" (Chuck Berry) ... 3%
Battle of the Bands pits classic oldies tunes against each other.
- Elvis' Birthday Scavenger Hunt
(KITV, January 8, 2007)
Graceland is sponsoring a "Bears on Tour" scavenger hunt tonight to celebrate The Big E's 72nd birthday. For $25 ($12.50 for children) participants get an evening tour of Graceland and the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum and a limited edition collectible teddy bear.
- On Birthday, Those Who Knew Elvis Remember The King
By Morgan Palmer
(KITV, January 8, 2007)
It's a pilgrimage twice a year -- once on the date of his birth, and once on the date of his death. Monday at Graceland, notes and memories left by those who love Elvis. "I love Elvis," said a passer-by. "Enough to decorate my whole beauty shop in Elvis." Jerry Folden has been collecting Elvis memorabilia for years. He says Elvis's legacy is impossible to describe, or those times. Though many youth of today respond with blank stares. "A lot of people don't even know you know who he is, or what he was." Folden says.
Radio man Tom Perryman and his wife Billie welcomed the young Elvis into their home, as the performer traveled from Dallas to Shreveport. Those were the days of the Louisiana Hayride. "He was a very shy young man when we first met him," Billie remembers. "I was just honored and privileged to be here at the time, and be associated with him," says Tom, who organized several appearances in East Texas in 1954 and 1955.
On a shoestring budget, Presley and the other players played Tyler, Gilmer, Gladewater and more. Before the legend was made, and the stories of a wild Elvis emerged. "Elvis was never anything but a gentleman in our home and on the stage," Billie recalls.
At 104.1 "The Ranch" radio station, Tom marked this day on the air with the King -- his music. And says that no matter the era, when one looks at the superstars that defined the generation or even the 20th century. "They will be talking and comparing Elvis for centuries, for now, and as long as music will be played. But it was a phenomenon."
- Paper cup gifted by Elvis Presley to a fan sells for $204.03
(New Kerala / ANI, January 8, 2007)
A paper cup gifted by Rock 'n' roll legend Elvis Presley to a fan at a gig in 1976, has been auctioned at ebay for more than $200. The winner paid $204.03 for the cup that comes with a cassette recording of the show, snaps taken at the concert and footage of a fan asking for the cup, according to the Post Chronicle. The cup that was passed on by the legend in Robert Stadium in Indiana was previously auctioned on eBay in 2005 and it sold for $300 (£154). The cup was also the inspiration for the song 'The Elvis Cup' from Philippine Presley impersonator Renelvis.
- Elvis Presley Remembered On Anniversary Of Birth
(WKRN, January 8, 2007)
It was this day in 1935 that Elvis Presley was born. Earlier Monday, Graceland, Elvis' Memphis home, hosted its annual birthday proclamation ceremony on its front lawn. Memphis, Shelby County and Graceland have proclaimed January 8, "Elvis Presley Day." If still alive, Elvis would have been 72 years old.
Tennessee's own Elvis is known the world over by his first name. He won over every girl with his hip shakes.
Elvis was born in Tupolo, Mississippi, but spent much of his time growing up in Memphis where he began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label. In 1960, at the height of his career, Elvis meet the new bass singer for the Jordanaires, Elvis' legendary backup band of singers.
In RCA’s Studio B on Music Row, it was Nashville's Ray Walker who made a suggestion that led to one of Elvis' finest performances, "How Great Though Art." It was at Studio B, that Walker gave the King a few voice lessons for his hit "Surrender." The Jordanaires first sang with Elvis in 1956 and then recorded on nearly every record after that for the next 14 years. ...
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