late June 2007
- Jack White talks about portraying Elvis Presley onscreen
(Yahoo! News / NME, June 26, 2007)
Jack White had spoken about his new film in which he stars as Elvis Presley. The White Stripes singer is set to star as the King in the film Walk Hard, staring Magnolia actor John C. Reilly.
"John C. Reilly called me up and asked if I would do it. They were filming in a couple of days," explained White. "I said, 'OK, but what year is it supposed to be?' He said 1957, so that was OK. I thought it was just going to be for cable or something but he said, 'Oh no, this is one of the biggest films this company is going to to put out this year.' He sent the script over and it was really funny."
White previously acted in Cold Mountain and appeared in Cofee And Cigarettes, both released in 2003. He told Pitchfork: "It's a parody of musical biopics and John C. Reilly plays this made-up character who goes through these different periods, and at one point he plays on a bill with Elvis Presley. And that's me." No release date for the movie has been set yet.
- TV Land and the City of Honolulu to Honor Elvis Presley With Life-Sized Sculpture on July 26, 2007
(Yahoo! Finance / PRNewswire, June 26, 2007)
Network Presents 'Elvis Month,' An On-Air Tribute Throughout August Featuring Films, Concerts, Documentaries and Original Special Myths and Legends: Elvis
TVLand.com to Offer Extensive Elvis Content Online
TV Land and the city of Honolulu, Hawaii, will dedicate a life-sized bronze sculpture of Elvis Presley on Thursday, July 26 at 10 a.m. (HDT); it was announced today by Larry W. Jones, President, TV Land, and Mufi Hannemann, Mayor of the City and County of Honolulu. The statue will grace The Neal S. Blaisdell Center, formerly The Honolulu International Center, the site of Elvis' 1973 Aloha from Hawaii concert. The sculpture - which commemorates this historic Aloha from Hawaii event seen globally on television -- portrays the King of Rock 'n' Roll as he appeared in that performance and pays tribute to him during the 30th Anniversary year of his passing. Then, in August, TV Land will celebrate Elvis Presley's work with a month-long tribute commemorating his legacy. This ultimate showcase includes: the '68 Comeback Special, Aloha from Hawaii, the documentary Elvis By The Presleys, his much-loved films like Love Me Tender and Wild in the Country, and the original special Myths and Legends: Elvis, which provides insight into some of the long-standing mysteries surrounding Presley.
TVLand.com will be the home of everything Elvis and pays tribute to the King. The site will offer images of the statue, an Elvis photo gallery, statue dedication footage and more.
"Elvis Presley is undoubtedly the ultimate icon of pop culture and one of the greatest entertainers of the 20th century," states Larry W. Jones. "TV Land is thrilled to celebrate his life with this statue dedication and to honor him with a programming showcase this August so that fans will forever be reminded of his amazing legacy that continues to endure."
The tribute to Elvis includes:
Sculpture
This bronze sculpture is the network's sixth work to honor people, places and moments from pop culture by recognizing the site as a "TV Land Landmark." The network's landmarks include: a bronze statue of Ralph Kramden of The Honeymooners at the entrance of New York City's Port Authority Bus Terminal; a sculpture of Mary Tyler Moore from The Mary Tyler Moore Show at Nicollett Mall in downtown Minneapolis, MN; The Andy Griffith Show statue in Raleigh's Pullen Park; a bronze statue of Bob Newhart commemorating his role as Dr. Robert Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show in Chicago and most recently, a tribute to the beloved series Bewitched with a life-size statue depicting a magical view of character Samantha Stevens, played by actress Elizabeth Montgomery, in Salem MA. Fans can visit TVLand.com to see photos, virtual tours of the statues as well as streaming video of some of the dedications.
Studio EIS, a three-dimensional design and sculpture studio in New York founded by brothers Ivan and Elliot Schwartz, is creating the life-sized bronze sculpture. The studio also created The Andy Griffith Show statue, the statue commemorating Bob Newhart's role as Dr. Robert Hartley on The Bob Newhart Show and the statue of Samantha Stevens from Bewitched.
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. has granted permission for this special tribute and is involved in the approval process of the sculpture.
Elvis Month - TV Land's On-Air Tribute
The statue coincides with TV Land's tribute to Elvis throughout the month of August. In a monumental event, TV Land will showcase a number of Presley's treasured work by airing films, concerts, documentaries and interstitial programming starring and about the King of Rock 'n' Roll throughout the month. The network will also premiere an original special, Myths and Legends: Elvis, a look at some of the most popular mysteries surrounding the icon. ...
- Las Vegas Elvis to represent Longview in national contest
By GLENN EVANS
(news-journal.com, June 26, 2007)
Trent Carlini of Las Vegas will carry the Longview mantle to the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition in the King's hometown in August, after besting 18 other tribute artists in the local preliminaries Saturday. "Love Me Tender in Longview, Texas," was one of 24 rounds taking place nationally in the first Elvis tribute competition authorized by Elvis Presley Enterprises.
Trent Carlini of Las Vegas will be Longview's entry in the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist competition Aug. 12 in Memphis, Tenn. He bested 18 other Elvis tribute artists in the local preliminaries Saturday. ...
- Boyz II Men rule crowd in county fair comeback
By Roman Gokhman
(insidebayarea.com, June 25, 2007)
What if Elvis or the Beatles didn't disappear suddenly and publicly, but rather faded away slowly and quietly? What if after several underwhelming albums, they performed at the Alameda County Fair; would you be excited?
That was the scenario Sunday night, as late'80s and early'90s sensations Boyz II Men performed at the fair. In their heyday, they broke The King's record for consecutive weeks spent at No. 1 on the Billboard charts and became only the third act, after Elvis and the Beatles, to replace one chart-topper with another. But by the late'90s they had been replaced by numerous boy bands and have not had a top-40 hit since 1998. ...
- Swedish heiress loses court fight for custody of Andy Warhol painting of Elvis
(Pravda, June 25, 2007)
In an opinion released Monday, the Connecticut Supreme Court unanimously said Brant was the owner of the 1962 silk screen that features 36 identical images of Elvis Presley's face. Brant bought "Red Elvis" seven years ago from Lindholm's art dealer, who was later convicted of stealing it. Brant, a longtime Warhol collector, paid $2.9 million to buy the painting while it was on exhibit in Europe.
In 2003, Swedish art dealer Anders Malmberg began serving a three-year term in Sweden on criminal theft charges in connection with the sale of "Red Elvis." Lindholm had filed a civil suit alleging that Brant and Malmberg conspired to buy the painting without her permission. But Superior Court Judge Chase Rogers ruled in 2005 that Brant made a reasonable effort to confirm that Malmberg was authorized to sell the painting. The Supreme Court agreed, noting that Brant hired an attorney to conduct an investigation and insisted on a formal contract.
- MAN ON THE SCENE: Promoter Pete Bennett shaped key moments in rock history
By MARK VOGER
(Asbury Park Press, June 24, 2007)
Stories? You want stories? Pete Bennett's got stories.
"Did I ever tell ya 'bout the time I saved Eric Clapton's life?" he'll say in his staccato Noo Yawk delivery.
Or the time John Lennon requested Bennett drop his pants so Lennon could kiss his rear end?
Or the time Elvis Presley gave Bennett the diamond pinky right right off his finger?
Bennett - once knighted by Billboard as the "top national promotion man" - was a music promoter for The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, The Who, the Dave Clark Five, Herman's Hermits and the Animals, among many acts. On Friday, Bennett is set to host an evening of talk and music billed as "Behind the Scenes of the British Invasion" at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. ...
- Memphis blues
By Carl Grover
(globegazette.com, June 24, 2007)
If you ever get the chance to visit Memphis, Tenn., I highly recommend that you do. Beale Street is a piece of history that refuses to budge for this trivial idea we call progress. It's a few blocks of old buildings that look much like our own downtown surrounded by a bustling city. The music that flows out of the juke joints is a blend of rock, soul, jazz and country music. Memphis is "the home of the blues" and the legendary Sun Records, considered to be "the birthplace of rock and roll."
Memphis is also the home of Elvis Presley.
As I stood at the doors of Graceland, "my heart beat so it scared me to death." Standing a few feet away from Elvis's final resting place somehow I felt strangely at peace. It's amazing that the King of Rock and Roll has been gone for 30 years but he still lives on in the hearts of his fans.
At some points in history there are moments of clarity. Moments of racial harmony. This was especially true for those folks who simply had a love of music at Stax Records. Sadly, after Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis on April 4, 1968, everything seemed to change overnight. The riots that broke out destroyed much of Beale Street and racial harmony was shattered. In the middle of all the chaos, most of the master recordings at Stax Records were taken to another location for safe keeping. Sadly, it just wasn't the same after that.
While the city has continued to grow and move forward, its wisest move was to protect their musical roots. If Memphis can survive one of the most difficult times in our nation's history then, by God, there's still a little hope for us yet. As a tourist I looked at the hats and the shirts. As a music lover I bought the CDs that represents the music of Memphis.
There's something very special about Memphis. And though it's great to he home, I've got me a bad case of the blues. A bad case of the blues.
- Potter casts spell on location vacations
(news.com.au, June 24, 2007)
FOR tourism chiefs eager to entice "set-jetters" to Britain, Harry Potter offers the ideal location vacation – and the latest book and film look certain to stoke renewed Pottermania. The teenage wizard certainly knows how to wave his magic wand over cathedrals, colleges and castles. Being featured in a Potter movie is a ticket to tourist success. ... Tours inspired by movie and TV locations - known in the trade as "set-jetting" - are enjoying a boom.
The Lord of the Rings gave New Zealand tourism a massive fillip after the fantasy trilogy was set there. From Indiana Jones to Elvis Presley, Hawaii proved a perfect backdrop. The global success of Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code gave specialist tour operators a big boost in Britain - but nothing matches Potter's longevity. ...
- 15 great cover songs
By Greg Kot
(freep.com / Chicago Tribune, June 24, 2007)
The best covers accomplish one of two goals: They reinterpret a song and improve on it, or they draw attention to the underappreciated original. Here are 15 songs arranged chronologically that succeed in doing both (with the artist who originally performed the song in parentheses):
* Elvis Presley, "Mystery Train," 1956 (Junior Parker): The original is terrific, but Presley's doom-ridden reading is transcendent.
* The Beatles, "Money (That's What I Want)," 1964 (Barrett Strong): ...
- Local author takes on the 1950s
By Dan Daly
(Rapid City Journal, June 24, 2007)
Writer John Quinn usually writes about business and finance, not Ernest Hemingway, Dwight Eisenhower or Elvis Presley. However, Quinn's new book, "American Zenith, The Fabulous '50s," deals with those subjects and more as he looks at America's watershed decade.
But the Rapid City writer said his idea for this book grew out of his business experience. Initially, he planned to write a series of profiles of most influential business moguls of the 1950s: Entertainment entrepreneur Walt Disney, financial giant Charles Merrill, McDonald's Ray Kroc and Levittown's William Levitt. Each changed the way we live, eat, invest and entertain ourselves, he said.
From there, Quinn expanded the scope of his book to examine all of the other events and trends that trace back to the 1950s. In the past he studied the Roaring '20s and the Soaring '90s. "The third really super, big-boom decade of the 20th century was the 1950s," he said. "I decided to go back and take a look at the 1950s, because I was a kid and I remember all that stuff." ... In the '50s, construction began on the 41,000-mile interstate highway system, the largest public-works project in history. The GI Bill opened the doors of education and housing to an entire generation of men. Rock 'n' roll was born. So was television. ...
- Elvis Competition Held In Longview
By Bob Hallmark
(kltv.com, June 23, 2007)
The popularity of Elvis Presley was accented today in Longview with the ultimate Elvis tribute artist contest. Eighteen contestants took the stage at T.G. Field Auditorium for the Love Me Tender in East Texas regional Elvis competition.
"I've been doing him about three or four years now," said Florida Elvis Impersonator Al Joslin. "I got to like him when I was a senior in high school. Once I heard his music I couldn't get enough of it."
"Of course, you have to have a good voice," said Oklahoma Elvis Impersonator Tim Keef. "You have to sound somewhat like Elvis, and then you also have decent hair or a decent hairpiece. Sanctioned by Elvis Presley Enterprises, there were 18 competitors showing various stages in Elvis life. Among them, Army Elvis, On Tour Elvis, Teen Elvis and Las Vegas Elvis. Some weren't even born before Elvis passed away. Contestants were judged on vocals, authentic appearance, performance, and overall tribute to Elvis.
"If you're big fan of Elvis, you're going to try to put your whole heart and soul into the show," said Keef. His legacy has the ultimate compliment. As long as his memory lives, there will be those who want to be Elvis. The winner will go on to the national competition in Memphis later this year. Proceeds from the event go to Neal McCoy's East Texas Angel Network.
- Statue of Elvis goes up July 26 at Blaisdell
By Wayne Harada
(Honolulu Advertiser, June 23, 2007)
A date has been set for the public unveiling of a life-size bronze statue of Elvis Presley, appearing in the famous beaded and studded costume he wore in a historic 1973 concert from Hawai'i. It will be installed at the Blaisdell Center at 10 a.m. July 26. The statue - weighing between 1,000 and 1,200 pounds - will be 6 feet 2, Presley's height [a slight exageration - Presleys in the Press.]. His connection with Hawai'i will be detailed in an accompanying plaque.
TV Land, a cable channel devoted to classic TV programming, is behind the statue's installation. It's keyed to the 30th anniversary of Presley's death on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42. The Honolulu concert - a TV "milestone" - is the reason Hawai'i was selected to remember the rock music icon.
The widely-viewed program, "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii," was the first musical event beamed around the globe by satellite, reaching viewers in 40 countries, with more than half the nation's television viewers watching in the U.S. "With a great deal of affection, we're very excited to pay tribute to Elvis and that great event that was seen by 1.5 billion around the world," said Rob Pellizzi, TV Land senior vice president of marketing.
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