October 26 - New Biographies

Graphic Elvis biographer Paul Belard published the books 'Elvis January 6, 1957 - Third Ed Sullivan Show' and 'Elvis 1958 - March 14 to March 31'. 

Description 'Elvis January 6, 1957': Elvis’ third visit to Sullivan’s show, January 6th, 1957, would prove to be his last. Some have advanced that the astronomical fees his manager Tom Parker asked for future television appearances - US$300,000 with the promise of two guest spots and an hour long special - effectively killed any request from TV stations.

A huge and raucous audience turned up in to hear 'Hound Dog', 'Love Me Tender', 'Heartbreak Hotel', and 'Don’t Be Cruel', as well as newer material such as 'Too Much' and 'When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold Again', and 'Peace in the Valley'.

Many fans still believe that the gospel number was included as a wish from Elvis’ beloved mother, but a recently discovered letter suggests that the choice had more to do with a request from Ed Sullivan. During this sequence, Mr. Sullivan urged viewers to contribute to a Hungarian refugee relief fund Elvis supported.

The man who just a few months before had sworn not to have Elvis on his show, closed this evening by saying: "I wanted to say to Elvis Presley and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy, and wherever you go, Elvis, we want to say we’ve never had a pleasanter experience on our show with a big name than we’ve had with you. So now let’s have a tremendous hand for a very nice person!". 

Description: 'Elvis March 1958' features 200 pages examining the key two weeks in Elvis' life from his return from Hollywood on completing 'King Creole' to his Army induction. 

The filming of 'King Creole' is over, Elvis left Los Angeles on March 12th, wondering whether his career was now at an end. 

“Well, I started working on the shows with the guys from the Opry. Doing more TV shows. Then I came to Hollywood and filmed movies. Everything was happening in a short period of time. And right when things were going, I got drafted. And overnight it was all gone. It was like a dream. Pop! Changed!”

Elvis, or was it his manager, reportedly turned down opportunities to tour as a military entertainer or serve as a recruiting pitchman when he was drafted. His induction into the Army on March 24, 1958, turned into a media circus. After the frenzy of the first few days, officials at Fort Hood, where Elvis underwent basic and advanced training, ordered the media not to interfere any longer. From then on, he was treated as any other recruit.

Of his call to serve, Elvis said: “People were expecting me to mess up, to goof up in one way or another. They thought I couldn’t take it and so forth, and I was determined to go to any limits to prove otherwise, not only to the people who were wondering but to myself.”

Belard also announced that he is working on the books 'Elvis February and Early March 1958' and 'Elvis 1958 April - May'. These new volumes are a "work-in-progress" and set for a 2024 release. 

The books can be ordered directly from the author (pbelard@hotmail.com) or via Amazon.

Elvis Treasures

Due for re-release on August 6, 2024 is the 244-page hardcover book 'Elvis Presley Treasures: The Story of the King of Rock 'n' Roll Told Through His Personal Mementos' by Gillian Gaar.

Description: An intimate look at one of the greatest icons of the twentieth century, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, through 100 personal and iconic objects from the archives of Elvis’s beloved home, Graceland—a never-before-seen collection, until now.

For the first time, fans will see Elvis’s remarkable life through his treasured personal items, as well as the items that marked iconic milestones in his life, including:

• Elvis’ first performance guitar
• The Presley family bible and family mementos
• The famous “tablecloth contract” for his International Hotel residency
• Elvis and Priscilla’s personal photo album, featuring unseen pictures of them with Lisa Marie
• Iconic stage clothing as well as his favorite off-stage wear
• Personal effects, including his wallet and favorite jewelry
• His script from Jailhouse Rock

These treasures and so much more paint a picture of one of the greatest performers of our time.

An Intimate Look: at the life and times of Elvis Presley, through personal pieces that were collected by Elvis and insightfully annotated by music journalist, Gillian Gaar.

Never Before Seen: Many items featured in Elvis Presley Treasures have been supplied by Graceland’s private archives and have never been seen in print.

Iconic Pieces: From the gold suit of Elvis's early career, the black leather wristband from the ‘68 Comeback Special and his iconic caped jumpsuit worn at the Aloha from Hawaii performance, to his private plane the Lisa Marie and his pink Cadillac, Elvis’s most iconic and memorable pieces are on display in this book.

Official Account: Created in collaboration with the Elvis Presley estate and Graceland, fans of Elvis will get an exclusive look into the life of one of America’s most iconic figures.

A Hound Dog Tale

Recently released as an 152-page paperback by the Duke University Press in the 'Singles' series is 'A Hound Dog Tale: Big Mama, Elvis, and the Song That Changed Everything' by Eric Weisbard. Each book in the 'Singles' series tells a complex story about a single song

Description: Many listeners first heard 'Hound Dog' when Elvis Presley’s single topped the pop, country, and R&B charts in 1956. But some fans already knew the song from Big Mama Thornton’s earlier recording, a giant but exclusively R&B hit. 

In 'Hound Dog' Eric Weisbard examines the racial, commercial, and cultural ramifications of Elvis’s appropriation of a Black woman’s anthem. He rethinks the history and influences of rock music in light of Rolling Stone's replacement of Presley’s 'Hound Dog' with Thornton’s version in its 2021 “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list. Taking readers from Presley and Thornton to Patti Page’s 'Doggie in the Window', the Stooges’ 'I Wanna Be Your Dog', and other dog ditties, Weisbard uses 'Hound Dog' to reflect on one of rock’s fundamental dilemmas: the whiteness of the wail.

A Hound Dog Tale

Due for released from the Louisiana State University Press on February 7, 2024 is the 192-hardcover book 'A Hound Dog Tale' by Ben Wynne.

Description: The release of the song 'Hound Dog' in 1953 marked a turning point in American popular culture, and throughout its history, the hit ballad bridged divides of race, gender, and generational conflict. Ben Wynne’s 'A Hound Dog Tale' discusses the stars who made this rock ’n’ roll standard famous, from Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton to Elvis Presley, along with an eclectic cast of characters, including singers, songwriters, musicians, record producers and managers, famous television hosts, several lawyers, and even a gangster or two.

Praise: Wynne’s examination of this American classic reveals how 'Hound Dog' reflected the values and issues of 1950s American society, and sheds light on the lesser-known elements of the song’s creation and legacy. A 'Hound Dog Tale' will capture the imagination of anyone who has ever tapped a foot to the growl of a blues riff or the bark of a rock ’n’ roll guitar.

(Source: Paul Belard / Amazon)