September 19 - Charts September 2026 - Week 3

The 'EPiC' more and soundtrack kept elvis' name on the Official U.K. charts, while in the U.S. the fans still listen to the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation.

The 'EPiC' soundtrack won back seven places and climbed to No. 28 on the Official U.K. Soundtrack Album chart.

To be updated over the weekend: The DVD edition of 'EPiC' climbed slipped from No. 20 to No. 26 on the DVD charts. The Blu-ray edition managed to hang on another week to the Top 100 Blu-ray chart, losing just one spot, landing at No. 97.  

The movie lost one spot on Video chart and fell to No. 35. It remained steady at No. 1 on the Official U.K. Music Video chart for the 12th week in a row.

Irish charts

The 'Elvis Presley in Concert' DVD and Blu-ray slipped from  o. 2 to No. 4 on the Irish Irma Music Video chart. 

U.S. Billboard charts

 

The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation won back two more spots Billboard's Country Album chart, and climbed to No. 45 this week.  

(Source: Billboard / Official Chart Company / UK Mix Forum / Irma)

September 18 - King of Rock

The IDS record label released the 7-inch vinyl picture disc 'King of Rock'. 

Publicity stated: A must-have piece of Rock and Roll history! 

This strictly limited 7-inch Picture Vinyl single features two rare, historic tracks from Elvis Presley’s very first years, originally captured during his legendary early radio broadcasts. Showcasing the raw, untamed energy that launched the King of Rock and Roll into stardom, this stunning collector's item combines timeless audio treasures with a beautiful visual design. 

Tracks side A: Fever (Live On Air)  

Side B: I Can't Stop Loving You (Live On Air) 

The single is available from >>> Amazon.

Sun Records Sessions

The French RDM-Edition released the 'SUN Records Sessions'. A new CD that features the SUN Records sessions, with two bonus versions of 'My Happiness': a restored version and an acapella version.

Tracks: Harbor Lights - I Love You Because - That’s All Right (SUN 45 rpm) - Blue Moon Of Kentucky - Blue Moon - Tomorrow Night - I’ll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin’) - I Don’t Care If The Sun Don’t Shine - Just Because - Good Rockin’ Tonight - Milkcow Blues Boogie - You’re A Heartbreaker - I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone - Baby Let’s Play House - I Forgot To Remember To Forget - Mystery Train - Tryin’ To Get To You - When It Rains, It Really Pours

Bonus Songs: My Happiness (Audio Restoration) - My Happiness (Acapella Version)

The CD is available from the >>> RDM Edition webshop.

(Source: Plastic Head)

September 17 - Golden Japanese Boy Elvis

The third issue of the 2026 volume of the Golden Boy Elvis magazine has been published.

 

Publicity for this new volume stated: The petition launched to have Elvis Presley declared an ‘Ehrenbürger Of Bad Nauheim’ this August was a success, read what happened. In what is now the eleventh instalment of the successful series ‘Authentic Elvis - The Style Of A King’, the magazine explores Elvis’s time in the army and the tragic death of his beloved mother.

 

Also included are detailed analysis of the Follow that Dream releases ‘The Paradise, Hawaiian Style Sessions’ and ‘Summer Nights - June 1974’. Aside from a few technical errors, he has once again compiled all the details worth mentioning. ‘EPiC’, a revelation for us fans, has been released on three disc formats (DVD, Blu-ray and Ultra HD Blu-ray). The magazine has not only taken care of the technical details of the three formats, but also provide a meticulous ‘EPiC Timeline’. Every audio snippet from the film is assigned to the correct recording date and location. You’ll be amazed!

 

Elvis was a huge fan of the Western series ‘Bonanza’, in this magazine you read the story with interesting facts and photos of Dan Blocker (Eric "Hoss" Cartright) and Lorne Green (Ben Cartwright) on film sets with Elvis. The magazine also mourns the loss of Joan Blackman and Shelley Fabares.

The Rillen-Revue Remake focuses on the single ‘Ain’t That Loving You Baby’ / ‘Ask Me’ while the series Songs From A To Z continues with the letter ‘F’, featuring ‘Fever’, ‘Find Out What’s Happening’ and ‘Finders Keepers, Losers Weepers’. The magazine closes with a fan report of a trip to the United states, ‘USA: ‘From Memphis To Texas’ earlier this year.

This will keep you engrossed through the weekend! If you're interested in this magazine, visit the magazine's website at >>> www.golden-boy-elvis.de or contact the editors by email at >>> service@golden-boy-elvis.de.

FTD World

The two-volume discography book on the Follow That Dream catalog by David Ward and Atsushi Nakamura, titled 'FTD-World' has been re-issued by the authors. This reprint was done because the authors couldn't meet the initial demand. The  changes to this second edition are minimal. 

The first volume of this set covers the Studio Outtakes, Live Performances, Rehearsals, Private Recordings and the 'Classic Album' re-issues while the second book details the Soundtracks, the Books, the Session set and the vinyl releases by the collectors label. 

The main changes are addition of 'Music Rarities' a FTD sampler CD that came free with a DVD box set - plus very brief entries for the six FTD titles that have so far been issued in 2026. 

Go to the >>> FTD WORLD 1999-2025 webshop for more info and to order these books. Go >>> here to read the review of the first print.

The Complete Live and TV Anthology Re-issue

The Memphis Recording Service record label released the six CD-set 'The Complete Live and TV Anthology 1954 - 1961'. 

This set contains re-issues of the 'Elvis On Television', 'The Complete 1950's Live Recordings' and 'One Night in Pearl Harbor' sets. Most of this material has seen previously releases on CD, vinyl and book / CD combo packages by the same label. 

(Source: Golden Boy Elvis / UEPS)

September 16 - The Love Album

The Vinyl Champ record label announced the October 30, 2026 release of the LP 'The Love Album'. This compilation features 13 well-known ballads on red colored vinyl. 

Love Me Tender / As As I Have You / Good Luck Charm / Don't Ask Me Why / Have I Told You Lately That I Love You / Return To Sender / (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Wooden Heart / Can't Help Falling In Love / True Love / Are You Lonesome Tonight? / Love Me / Tender.

(Source: Juno)

Review Jailhouse Rock and Love Me Tender

Hot on the heels of the ‘Loving You’ album, the JAS record label released their version of the ‘Jailhouse Rock’ and ‘Love Me Tender’ soundtrack music. The first release sold out on pre-order, demanding a re-press. Will this second Elvis release on the new label follow in its footsteps? 

With so many releases coming out, the question arises as to whether the purchase is justified, given that we already have these songs in our collections multiple times, including a 1997 BMG/RCA combo of both soundtracks. Fred van Veen and Kees Mouwen spun the disc. 

Design

This CD comes in a so-called super jewel box, a choice I might not have made myself, though the producer clearly aimed for a "Deluxe" feel. The cover art is simple yet effective with Elvis’ iconic pose on the front, full-size portraits from both movies inside and smaller shots on the back. 


The 8-page booklet provides clear background information on both the films and their soundtracks. David Parker, who did the design and wrote the liner notes, selected the perfect accompanying images, making it a complete package. 

Content 

The album features the 11 songs from both soundtracks twice, once in original but cleaned Mono and once as newly created Stereo Masters. So the first 11 tracks cater to Mono purists who prefer not to have the audio converted to Stereo, and they certainly won't be disappointed. Producer Anthony Stuchbury possesses an impeccable ear for Mono sound. 


The first five tracks cover the ‘Love Me Tender’ soundtrack, including the ‘Love Me Tender’ end title. I honestly have never heard them sound this clean and fresh before. As I am not a huge fan of this soundtrack, I was surprised to find myself listening to these recordings with genuine pleasure. 

The next six Mono tracks comprise the ‘Jailhouse Rock’ soundtrack; these surpass, albeit narrowly, the quality of the material found on the earlier FTD ‘Jailhouse Rock’ CD release I have. From track 12 onwards, it is once again the turn of the ‘Love Me Tender’ soundtrack. This time, the new Stereo versions. And what a treat they are! They sound clean and fresh, but - forgive the metaphor - it’s like biting into a crisp, tart apple, with the juice washing over every taste bud on your tongue! Only here, the experience plays out in your ears, pampering your Eustachian tubes with musical bliss. Needless to say, I’m even more enthusiastic about these ‘Jailhouse Rock’ Stereo recordings. 

While we’ve previously had (almost) all these recordings in beautiful Stereo, including on Anthony Stuchbury’s ‘The Essential 50s Masters’ 4-CD set from 2024, this CD edges ahead by a nose.

As a bonus collectors get the previously unreleased 'Love Me Tender - Undubbed End Title' and CD debut of the movie version of 'Treat Me Nice', so there's even something new on this disc.

Conclusion

The question of whether it is worth buying this music all over again remains, of course, a matter of personal choice. Three hundred personal choices, to be exact, and those smart audiophile individuals chose to go for the ultimate sound quality, we did!

The CD is limited to 300 copies and is available exclusively in the U.K. from the >>> Official UK Elvis Presley Fan Club webshop and exclusively in the E.U. from Memphis Mansion.

Read the interview with recently did with >>> Anthony Stuchbury. 

Reviewer >>> Fred van Veen hosts the weekly 2-hour >>> 'Elvis Extra - The Memphis Flash' online radio show. Click the link to follow Fred and the Radio Show. Each last Saturday of the month we do a wrap-up of the news. 

September 15 - Elvis 1970: Oakland Coliseum Arena

Maria Columbus published the book 'Elvis 1970: Oakland Coliseum Arena - That's The Way it Was in Oakland' through Elvis Special.

Publicity stated: The remarkable aspect of Elvis’ legacy and life continues to make news, day by day. His legacy is debated and celebrated by millions of fans around the world. As a long-time Elvis fan, who saw Elvis in concert many times, this is a photographic memoir of one of Elvis’ concerts in 1970. These full color photos show Elvis’ artistry and performance during his concert at the Oakland Coliseum Arena on Tuesday, November 10, 1970. 

This detailed photo memoir traces everything Elvis Presley on that day from the moment Elvis stepped onto the stage to the last sounds of “Elvis Has Left The Building”. Ninety-four photographs showing the real story of Elvis’ performance, you can almost hear the music and feel the electricity and excitement. Follow Elvis’ every move, every pose during this whirlwind concert in front of 14,000 screaming fans. While you are looking at these photos you can almost hear Elvis singing “That’s Alright Mama”, “Tiger Man” or “Polk Salad Annie”.

Along with the many color photographs are selected newspaper clippings and reviews from that week in 1970.  Also included in this memoir is information on the Elvis Special fan club and some background about me as a fan and fan club president.  

The Elvis Special ran from 1969 through 1995 and was respected as a fan club from Elvis and Colonel Parker and after Elvis’ death in 1977 by Graceland Estate. The Elvis Special was a fan club dedicated to connecting Elvis fans and preserving candid and concert photography.

No other artist could justify so many publications each year, but Elvis does!  And if you thought you’d seen it all, just browse through these 120 full-color pages of my first memoir with Elvis Presley in all his glory. 

The foreword was written by Kees Mouwen, author of the popular Elvis Day By Day books. Kees has provided fans with the latest Elvis Presley news and reviews since 1999 on his website and has written nine yearbooks on “everything Elvis Presley” from 2017 to 2025. 

About the author. Maria Columbus discovered Elvis Presley in 1961 and spent the next six decades making sure the world could see him the way I did. In March 1969, she founded The Elvis Special Photo Association with Together with Jeannie Tessum. The fan club was dedicated to connecting Elvis fans and sharing candid concert photos. The club launched just months before Elvis' historic opening at the International Hotel in Las Vegas and ran for over 25 years. 

Over the years, Maria contributed photos and research to a wide range of books and magazines, with credits appearing under The Elvis Special or Maria Columbus in titles including 'Did Elvis Sing in Your Hometown Too', 'The Colonel', 'Faces and Stages', 'Bringing Him Back Elvis '70', and others.

Today her focus moved to publishing a series of high-quality photo books from her photographs, including photos of Elvis from 1969 and 1970 (performing at the International Hotel, Las Vegas), Elvis on stage in 1970 at the Oakland Coliseum Arena and San Francisco Cow Palace. This is her first photographic memoir.

The book sis available from >>> Amazon and >>> Blurb. 

For more information on the book visit the Elvis Special Publishing website.

Preparing That Celluloid Dream

The Norwegian Flaming Star fan club is finalizing the 'Celluloid Sell-out' book as part of the October 2026 Follow That Dream releases to ensure everything is ready in time for shipment to the fan clubs.

The books 'Celluloid Sell-Out! 1968–1969' have now been printed, and the accompanying CDs have been added to the sets. All that remains is to wait for our order to be shipped.

You can place your order for all new FTD titles through the >>> ElvisMatters webshop.”

September 14 - Test Your Elvis Knowledge

Kyle Slingo, creator of The EP Vault, a YouTube channel with 88,000+ subscribers, published 'The Ultimate Elvis Presley Quiz Book: 500 Questions and Fascinating Facts About the King of Rock 'n' Roll'. 

Description: From a two-room house in Tupelo to the stage in Vegas, 500 - questions covering the entire life, music, and legacy of Elvis Presley. The early years, 1956, Hollywood, the Army, the '68 Comeback, the Vegas years, the music, the Memphis Mafia, his family - it's all here.

Inside you'll find ten chapters with fifty questions each, for the from casual fan to die-hard expert, "Did You Know?" boxes with the stories behind the questions, An answer key at the end of every chapter, no flipping to the back and a scoring guide so you know your rank, from "Heartbreak Hotel" to "The King" himself

The chapters include Tupelo and the Early Years, 1956 The Year Elvis Exploded, Hollywood: The Movie Years, The Army Years, The '68 Comeback Special, Vegas and the 1970s Tours, The Music, The Memphis Mafia, Love and Family and his Legacy and Graceland. 

The book is available from >>> Amazon.

(Source: Amazon)

Review Christmas at Graceland

Have you ever fantasized about spending Christmas at Graceland? Well, you're not the only one. Released by the German label Power Station Music on their Magic of Vinyl label is a Christmas fantasy on vinyl. Let's join the party!

Design

The website of the German label states, "we offer fancy records, fan editions and CDs," and seeing the many brightly colored, marbled and splatter releases in their catalog, they are true to their motto.

This new Christmas release follows the label's format, a see-through sleeve holding a bright red and white duo-tone 180-gram vinyl disc. Behind it an LP cover with an illustration that may look like it was AI-generated, but it was created by the label's own art-department. It shows Elvis who invites you to join him for a Christmas party at Graceland, and in the background, we see the famous pink Cadillac and his Mansion decorated for the occasion like we know only Elvis could. 

Some fans will appreciate this artwork, some will not, and would probably have preferred to see a fantasy cover done like a painting. I belong to the latter group, although I must say that all the elements for the album are present. 

Content

You may say that this is a concept album, as it comes with a 16-page CD sized booklet containing a fantasy Elvis Christmas story in which all the artists we hear on the LP make an appearance.

Written from a third-person perspective, we join the storyteller who finds a note lying on the piano at Graceland. Not a program, not a set list and not a guest list. Just a sheet of paper, probably found in the kitchen, one corner slightly curled from where a glass had stood. On it were a few names, two telephone numbers without area codes, half a song title someone had crossed out again, and one word, underlined twice: "home".

This is how the story, set in the first half of the sixties, opens, and from here we join Elvis and his friends for a spontaneous Christmas get-together. Some guests hail  from his Memphis past, like Johnny Cash and Roy Orbison. Some are competitors in his own league, like Chuck Berry, while others stopping by spontaneously are big names in their own genre, or legends from the past such as Sinatra, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Helms and Perry Como. Old friends, unexpected guests, friendly chatter and songs sung by great voices of American music fill the rooms.

The presence of Brenda Lee, Eartha Kitt and Connie Francis gives the party that extra charm only ladies can bring to the party. The Christmas story is nicely written, and brings all the elements together.

The LP provides a perfect soundtrack for this Christmas fantasy with performances by all the artists mentioned above, and several others. So no, this isn't strictly an Elvis Presley release, as he only sings five of the eighteen songs featured on this compilation. But reading the booklet and playing the LP, I felt like I was at Graceland, making this an Elvis-themed record after all.

Conclusion

I found this album more enjoyable than I expected beforehand. The "concept album" really takes you to Graceland, celebrating Christmas with friends as the story ties this Christmas compilation - with Rock and Roll, Crooner Swing, Blues, Soul and timeless Christmas classics - together, in a warm, nostalgic concept album, making it more than a budget Christmas compilation.

This album will certainly find its way to my turntable in December.

The set is available from >>> Amazon US, >>> Amazon UK and >>> Amazon Germany.

September 13 - 'Frankie and Johnny Aim To Please At Christmas

The Knock Out import record label announced the October 2026 release of two new titles: the LP 'Elvis Presley – The Wonderful World of Christmas: The Alternate Album' and the double CD 'We Aim To Please: May 7th 1976 Midnight Show'. 

Publicity for The Christmas LP stated: Just in time for Christmas, Knock Out Records presents this Special Collector’s Edition of 'Elvis Presley - The Wonderful World of Christmas: The Alternate Album' Featuring Alternate Takes and new mixes, this release offers a different listening experience of Elvis’ much-loved Christmas recordings, presented in the best available sound quality.

The album is being released in two collectable colored vinyl editions, on red and on green colored vinyl. Each version also comes with its own unique 30 × 30 cm full-colour glossy bonus photograph, making both colors particularly appealing to collectors.

Publicity for the 1976 Midnight Show CD stated: Knock Out Records presents Elvis Presley’s May 7th, 1976 Midnight Show from the Sahara Tahoe, taken from an original 1st generation tape. Although this concert has previously been released by Rainbow Records, this new edition comes from a 1st generation source, providing much cleaner and clearer sound. Elvis is in great spirits throughout the performance, which runs for almost 92 minutes and includes several highlights, including a rare full version of 'The Wonder Of You' and a dedicated performance of 'I’ll Remember You'. The CD comes as a strictly Limited Collector's Edition, housed in a double digipack. 

CD 1: Also Sprach Zarathustra / C.C. Rider / I Got A Woman - Amen / Love Me / If You Love Me (Let Me Know) / You Gave Me A Mountain / All Shook Up / Teddy Bear - Don’t Be Cruel / The Wonder Of You / Happy Birthday, Sandy / That’s All Right / Are You Lonesome Tonight? / Introducing Ed Parker / I’ll Remember You (incl. Long False Start) / Ku-U-I-Po (Excerpt) / Hawaiian Wedding Song / Polk Salad Annie.

CD 2: Band Intros - Early Morning Rain / What’d I Say / Johnny B. Goode / Drum Solo (by Ronnie Tutt) / Bass Solo (by Jerry Scheff) / Piano Solo (by Tony Brown) / Electric Clavinet Solo (by David Briggs) / Love Letters / School Day / My Way / Jailhouse Rock / Love Me Tender / Hurt #1 / Hurt #2 / Heartbreak Hotel / How Great Thou Art / Polk Salad Annie / One Night / It’s Now Or Never / Can’t Help Falling In Love / Closing Vamp.

The label also re-issued their recent 'Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe - The Highlights May 1976' double LP on red colored vinyl, the third color variation for this album. This set contains selected highlights from the May 7th Dinner and Midnight Shows and the May 9th Closing Show. As a bonus it also contains unique 30 × 30 cm full-colour glossy bonus photograph, different from those supplied with the previous editions.

Frankie and Johnny

The Australian Via Vision continues its streak of re-issues of classic Elvis movies. Following this year's  DVD and Blu-ray re-issues of 'Easy Come, Easy Go' and 'Change of Habit' the label announced the October 21, 2026 release of 'Frankie and Johnny' (1966) on silver and blue colored discs. 

Description: Elvis Presley stars in 'Frankie and Johnny', a musical Western directed by Frederick De Cordova. A riverboat singer with a weakness for gambling wants to find his lucky redhead, but his girlfriend Frankie is not amused.

Note: This movie has previously been released on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber, Llamentol and Explosive Media. 

(Source: Elvis Shop London / Via Vision / The Phoenix Elvis Forum)

September 12 - 1969 Concert Folio's In Hollywood

Joseph Tunzi released 'The Concert Folios: 1955-1977' book. This book is the follow-up to the 'The Definitive Vinyl Artwork of Elvis Presley, Vol. 2' book. 

He also announced three new books for 2027: a book on Elvis in 1969 with "some new fabulous details and pictures". 

Also due next year are the books 'Elvis The Final Chapter' featuring and the original photography for postcards, posters, pocket calendars, menu's and more, and the book 'Elvis In Hollywood' containing previously unpublished candids from every single film. More information when available. 

(Source: JAT Publishing)