The newspaper headlines titled it "Emperor Elvis Still Has It: Memphis Music. Vegas Touch“ and "Elvis Wows 'Em“ – can you ask for more? Even the reporters were entertained and satisfied with the shows they attended – their reviews and comments can be found along with dozens of pictures from the actual shows in the accompanying booklets of the 2 new releases. The Montgomery performance has never been released in its entirety until this day.
The quality of the show recording is very clear and even the fans that usually avoid audience recordings should give this CD a try – they won’t be disappointed. The booklet features also a review by the person who taped the show plus some interesting and official paperwork from the tour itself.
For the second cd, the Savannah show the producers had access to the archive of Savannah’s press and staff photographer Bob Morris who made some high class shots of Elvis in action. He also took a couple of shots of the audience - you can even see the band setting up the stage and tuning the guitars.
A total of four newspaper articles are included which set a great spotlight on the situation of Elvis‘ arriving, his security and the show itself. Elvis himself is in a good mood and gives more than a solid performance with highlights like "Little Sister“, "Tryin‘ To Get To You“ and "Polk Salad Annie“.
JAT Publishing published the cover of their "On Tour" book which was released July 2010.
BBC To Stage Major Elvis Concert?
A rumor poppet up that BBC Radio 2 is planning a major concert in Hyde Park to celebrate the life and music of Elvis Presley. Details of the event have still to be confirmed by the broadcaster, but it is understood the concert - which is being held to mark what would have been Presley’s 75th birthday - will be hosted in Hyde Park this September.
It will feature an array of musical talent performing hits from Presley’s career.Earlier this year, Radio 2 broadcast a season of documentaries to mark what would have been Presley’s 75th birthday, and a source close to the network said the idea behind the Hyde Park event is to conclude the celebrations.The source said: “If Elvis had lived he would have been 75 this year. Radio 2 had a big Elvis season in January and the event in Hyde Park will be an Elvis night featuring all of his songs and back catalogue.
”The Elvis concert follows last year’s Radio 2 Abba celebration in Hyde Park, which featured performances from Kylie Minogue, and 2008’s celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music.It is being produced by Anthony Cherry.A spokeswoman for Radio 2 said the broadcaster was not currently able to “confirm any details”.
New Elvis Auction
Elvis Presley's Solid Gold and Diamond Medallion - Estimate £725,000 - £1,000,000
This incredible, enormous Medallion was given to Elvis Presley By Barron Hilton, former co-chairman of The Hilton Hotel group, on the closing night of Elvis Presley's 1975 tour at the Hilton in Las Vegas. Elvis wore the Medallion with his 'Rainfall Jumpsuit' The Medallion is fabricated of f Solid Gold surrounding a rare 1924 St Guadens $20 gold coin. Within the gold there are 40 round cut diamonds each 1.6mm in diameter colour H clarity VS2. There are an additional 12 round cut brilliant diamonds measuring 3.45 mm colour H clarity VS2. The total weight of all diamonds is 2.60 ct. The gold weighs 870 grams and the chain is a fox-tail design 18kt gold with a length of 30”.The Medallion comes with jewellers appraisals, and a history of the medallion's provenance from Elvis Presley's ownership until the present date.
A Las Vegas menu signed by Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker
A menu from Leonardo's restaurant at the International hotel in Las Vegas, signed and inscribed on the cover in blue ballpoint:
"To Sharon, My best wished, Elvis Presley,"
Also autographed on the back cover by Elvis and countersigned by Vernon and Dee Presley, Colonel Tom Parker and Charlie Hodge. This is an exceptional item in fine condition. Mounted, framed and glazed.
Elvis Presley Electric Sitar. Estimate £3,000 - £5,000
This amazing instrument was designed by Vincent Bell a veritable guitar maestro who played the sitar and various other guitars parts on some of the most famous pop records in modern history. This particular guitar was played by Memphis guitar legend Reggie Young on Elvis Presley's greatest recording session 'The Suspicious Minds Sessions' at the American Recording Studios in Memphis, resulting in Elvis' groundbreaking soulful album 'From Elvis in Memphis'. It was this recording session that began the turnaround in Elvis' career and paved the way for his well known subsequent concerts up until his untimely death. The sessions were overseen by Lincoln 'Chips' Moman, one of the most successful and respected record producers songwriters and studio musicians in the history of American popular music, indeed it was Chip's intervention over Presley's record company that enabled Elvis to make these historic recordings instead of the film-based drivel that he had been turning out in the previous years. Moman and Elvis had long been friends and so it was no surprise that Elvis, hearing of the success of the studio, chose to record there. The Sitar belonged to Chips, and was kept it in the studio. It was used on many tracks for many artists. During the sessions for RCA that took place between January 13-16 and 20th-23rd 1969 The Sitar can be very clearly heard on the track, "You'll think of Me' recorded by Elvis on the 14th January between 7and 10pm, the track ended up as the B-side to Suspicious Minds. The intro is all Sitar! It was also used on Stranger in My Own Home Town and Rubberneckin'. Aside from Elvis, Reggie also played the Sitar on many other hits including Dusty Springfield's 'Don't You Forget About Me'
Elvis Guitar, Amp Lead and Army collection - Estimate £25,000 - £30,000
Elvis Guitar, Amp Lead and Army collection. An amazing collection of Elvis Presley items from his army period includes the golden guitar seen clearly on a number of photographs as Elvis plays piano for friends. During this period Elvis would relax at friends and family's houses and would listen to and play music. There are many documented photographs of Elvis playing pianos, guitars and accordians during his army years. The guitar in question is an Alden Solid body copper/bronze finish guitar produced circa 1958 derived from the Harmony H44 Stratatone, the Alden has a distinctive "A" emblem on the headstock. The guitar comes with it's original Valve amplifier and lead and can be seen quite clearly with Elvis in a number of photographs. It is likely that the guitar was given to Captain Betts, Elvis' CO as it is accompanied by personal unpublished photographs and a newspaper article relating to Elvis's visits to Captain Bett's home in Germany. The photographs include Five candid slides of Elvis relaxing and playing piano along with six b/w 8x10 photographs of Elvis posing and helping to erect a war memorial in Germany. 2 of the photographs bear a stamp instructing that the photos are for private use only and must not be published. With a signed letter of authentication from The Walt Disney Attractions Merchandise and a photograph showing Elvis with the guitar in his military uniform in Germany.
Elvis & Scotty Moore Elvis Presley's Record Collection - Estimate £100,000 - £125,000
My friendship with Elvis Presley was something which changed my life. The music we made with Bill Black, later D.J. Fontana and the Jordanaires has lived on now 50 years later. We had a lot of fun in those early days. Little did we know at the time, what we were creating…don't blame us! I first met Elvis when he came to my house in Memphis to audition for me on the 4th of July 1954. The next day Elvis, Bill Black and I recorded “That’s Alright” at Sun Studios. I am proud of our first band “Elvis Presley and The Blue Moon Boys”. I am happy to be a part of that rock ‘n’ rock history as Elvis’ first guitarist, first manager and “right hand man” in the early years. Elvis and I recorded 500 songs together – that is a whole lot of music! I write this letter to confirm that I own a very special collection of records that used to belong to Elvis, and to confirm the story of the records: In early January 1968 I got a call from Elvis. We were soon to meet in Nashville to record at RCA’s Studio B. Elvis asked if I could transfer his old favourite 78 RPM records to reel-to-reel tape for him at my studio. I told him yes. When we met at the sessions in Nashville, which took place on January 15th and 16th 1968, Elvis brought with him a briefcase with 26 78s wrapped in the January 14th edition of the Memphis news-paper “The Commercial Appeal”. Elvis left me the briefcase with the records and asked me to mail the tape back to his house in Memphis, which I did. I made a safety copy for myself and kept the records and tape in my studio in Nashville. Elvis never asked for the records to be returned. Later in that year 1968, Elvis called me to get our old band together for a program which later has become known as the “NBC Comeback Special”. We rehearsed and taped the program, and after the program was filmed, Elvis asked me and D.J. Fontana if we would go to Europe for a tour with him. We all agreed, but Elvis went to Las Vegas instead of Europe. This was the last time I saw Elvis. Some years later – around 1973, I believe, I was cleaning out my studio when I noticed the briefcase with the 78 RPM records. I called Graceland who took notice of the titles, and I took the records back to my home studio in Nashville where they have been kept safe in my home ever since. For 40 years, the records have never left my possession. These records were some of Elvis’ first and all time favourite records. They influencedElvis as a musician and vocalist for sure. They were to be part of the recorded music Bill and I created with Elvis back in the 1950's. After Elvis, Bill and I recorded “That’s Alright” / “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, we were thinking of other songs we like to record. From this collection of 78s we recorded “Blueberry Hill”, “I Got A Woman”, “Lawdy Miss Clawdy”, “Your Cheatin’ Heart”, “Let’s Play House” and “Hound Dog”. I hope the records will end up in a museum for all in the world to see. They have Elvis’ DNA all over them! I wish Elvis and Bill Black were still around to see the influence our music has on later generations of fans and musicians. The 78s were a large part of that musical journey for Elvis and later Bill and I. The record collection shows Elvis' wide range of musical tastes and his passion for the music and the song. I want to show the world and everyone now listening, the impact these recordings had on Bill, Elvis and me. Here are the records which helped inspire us to create the music which later inspired the ones who came after us.Joe Turner - Corrine Corrina / Boogie Woogie Country Girl; The Dominoes - That's What You're Doing To Me / When The Swallows Come Back To Capistrano; Ivory Joe Hunter - It's A Sin / Don't You Believe Her ;Roy Brown - Hurry, Hurry Baby / Travelin' Man; Fats Domino - Blueberry Hill / Honey Chile; The Crickets - You're Mine / Milk And Gin; Tommy Edwards - It's All In The Game / All Over Again; Ray Charles - I Got A Woman / Come Back; Hank Snow - I'm Gonna Bid My Blues Goodbye/ Just A Faded Pedal From A Beautiful Bouquet; Louis Jones & His Band - Rock And Roll Bells / All Over, Goodbye; Lowell Fulson - Reconsider Baby / I Believe I'll Give Up; The Four Lads - Moments To Remember / Dream On, My Love, Dream On; Johnny Ace with The Beale Streeters - My Song / Follow The Rule; Roy Hamilton - Hurt / Star Of Love; Sammy Davis Jr. - Because Of You Parts 1 & 2; Fats Domino - Ain't It A Shame / La-La ; Lloyd Price - Lawdy Miss Clawdy / Mailman Blues; Brownie McGhee - I'm 10,000 Years Old / Cherry Red; Buddy Blake - Rosie / You'll Cry For Me; The Pearls - Your Cheatin' Heart / I Sure Need You; Ivory Joe Hunter - Since I Met You Baby / You Can't Stop This Rockin' And Rollin'; Carl Perkins - Matchbox / Your True Love; Billy Ward & His Dominoes - Rags To Riches / Don't Thank Me ; The Billy Vaughn Orchestra - The Shifting.
Elvis Presley's Solid Gold TCB Necklace - Estimate £6,000 - £7,000
TCB Gold necklace given to Norman Taurog Elvis Presley TCB Gold necklace given to Norman Taurog. Elvis was known to be generous to those around him and one of the ways that he would show his generosity would be to award his friends with a TCB necklace. The initials are for Taking Care of Business in a flash. The flash is represented by a lightning flash. One recipient of one of these special gifts was Norman Taurog, the Director of the 1960 G.I. Blues and eight other Elvis films. Elvis was a big fan of Taurog. With a copy of a letter from Norman Taurog's son.
Elvis Presley's Fingerprints – Only Known Example - Estimate £50,000 - £75,000
Elvis Presley Fingerprints Elvis Presley Fingerprints The only record of Elvis Presley's fingerprints that are known to exist. Elvis Presley in applying for a gun permit for a concealed weapon was asked for full sets of his fingerprints as well as other personal information. The details of which make up the State of California file copy where he records his driving license and social security numbers, his residential and his business address. The application notes that Elvis is applying for a concealed weapon permit for his Colt revolver 38 as well as a Berette(sic) Automatic 7.6 . The document has been stamped Oct 30 1970 and is signed on the reverse side by the applicant, where he also includes details of his sex hair and eye colour, height, weight, and date of birth and full sets of prints for both left and right digits. It is well know that Elvis would never leave the house without the protection of a weapon, he was even known to carry a small derringer in his boot whilst on stage. To obtain a fire arm he would have had to apply for a license in every state that he travelled through. In normal circumstances these written licenses and full set of fingerprints would be filed until the owner died at the local sheriffs office and after death of the licensee would be shredded. Somehow this perfect set escaped the shredder as a testimony to one of Elvis Presley's favourite pastimes, collecting weapons .Over the past 15 years over 300 of his hand guns and rifles have come to auction in the USA.
A 1957 Black and Pink Cadillac originally owned by Elvis Presley. Elvis purchased a large number of cadillacs when he first found fame. this particular model VIN number 5762037142 4 door hard top sedan current license plate 3 Elvis, was owned by Elvis Presley from new. This car currently is situated in the USA and is being sold as is. The interior and exterior original chrome-ware is currently unattached but comes with the car. Mechanics report states that the car is in working order and running smoothly. Estimate £175,000 - £200,000
(Source: Elvis Unlimited / For Elvis CD Collectors / ElvisNews)