January 31 - Elvis Video News Report

Emiel Maier published the Elvis Presley Video News Report for February 2025. This wrap-up of the news from January 2025 covers items like Baz Luhrmann's teaser for a new Elvis movie which gets a release later this year, showcasing of items from the book 'Christmas at Graceland', a number of Elvis books with a 2025 release date, a look at the Parkes Elvis Festival in Australia and the No. 1 Elvis song according to the British fans and much more.

Happy Birthday!

Congratulations to Elvis' former bass player Jerry Scheff who celebrates his 84th birthday and Angie Marchese, Vice President of Graceland's Arhives, who's age is stored in the Graceland archives :-) 

(Source: Emiel Maier / Various)

January 30 - April Fools Releases

The Infinity Records import recordlabel announced the release of the double CD 'April Fools Day'.

Publicity stated: Infinity Records is back and kicking off 2025 with an exciting release that you won't want to miss! This year marks the 50th anniversary of Elvis' last regular studio sessions for his 'Today' album, and we're thrilled to celebrate this occasion with two incredible shows from April 1st, 1975, one of Elvis' most fun-filled performances!

 

We've expertly mixed the Dinner Show to deliver stunning Stereo Matrix sound quality! By combining the Soundboard and Audience Recording, we can confidently say this show has never sounded better!

But that's not all! To complete this package, we’re including the Closing Show, which has been freshly remastered from its Audience Recorded source. Elvis himself acknowledges during this show that he couldn't have too much fun during the earlier Dinner Show, so he cranks up the fun for the last show of the season! 

He sings the theme song to 'The Mickey Mouse Club' after receiving Mickey Mouse ears, and even Colonel Parker makes a surprise appearance dressed as Santa Claus, accompanied by the festive tunes of 'Jingle Bells'. And of course, Elvis delivers unforgettable performances of classic hits like 'Burning Love', 'My Boy', the recently recorded 'And I Love You So', 'Help Me Make It Through the Night', 'It's Midnight' and 'Steamroller Blues', among many others.

 

Don’t miss your chance and grab this set and join us in celebrating 'Elvis April Fools Day' because if you don't, the joke's on you!

Disc 1: The Dinnner Show 01. C.C. Rider * 02. I Got A Woman / Amen * 03. Love Me 04. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 05. And I Love You So 06. Big Boss Man 07. The Wonder Of You 08. Burning Love 09. Introductions 10. What'd I Say 11. Drum Solo 12. Bass Solo 13. Piano Solo 14. Keyboard Solo 15. School Days 16. My Boy 17. I'll Remember You 18. Let Me Be There 19. How Great Thou Art 20. Hound Dog 21. Fairytale 22. Can't Help Falling In Love 23. Closing Vamp 

*Tracks 1 and 2 have been taken from a soundbooth recording to present the complete show. 

Disc 2: The Closing Show 01. Also Sprach Zarathustra 02. C.C. Rider 03. I Got A Woman / Amen 04. Love Me 05. If You Love Me (Let Me Know) 06. And I Love You So 07. Big Boss Man 08. lt's Midnight 09. Burning Love 10. Introductions 11. What'd I Say 12. Drum Solo 13. Bass Solo 14. Piano Solo 15. Keyboard Solo 16. School Days 17. Jingle Bells 18. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me 19. The Wonder Of You 20. Let Me Be There 21. An American Trilogy 22. Help Me Make It Through The Night 23. Mickey Mouse Club March 24. Little Darlin' 25. Don't Be Cruel 26. Steamroller Blues 27. Can’t Help Falling in Love 28. Closing Vamp.

Note: The Dinner Show was released on the Follow That Dream set 'Las Vegas 1975', the Audience recorded Midnight show on the bootleg 'Rocking with the King April's Fool Day'.

Live In Los Angeles

The first 2025 release from the U.K. based Memphis Recording Service, the double LP 'Live In Los Angeles', has arrived with the first fans / reviewers. The official release date was February 21, 2025.

Description: The 2-LP set contains Elvis’ live performance show in Los Angeles during his five-day tour of California on 11th May 1974. This particular show included an attendance by the legendary British rock band, Led Zeppelin, whom he met afterwards. For the first time ever, the material from these shows is presented in stereo.

Note: The concert was released in 2024 by the Millbranch import label with an almost identical cover.

(Source: Facebook: Elvis Presley Collectors Group / FECC) 

January 29 - Linus Presley

Elvis Presley graced the cover of the January 2025 edition of the Linus magazine, the most important Italian magazine dedicated to comics and illustration. It features a special insert dedicated to the myth of Elvis Presley, who was born 90 years ago, with the extraordinary cover designed by Sergio Ponchione.

Inside articles on how the "boy from Tupelo" became the King of Rock and Roll, the myth of Elvis Presley, his iconic looks and how they influenced fashion and world culture, Elvis in the cinema and Elvis as a reflecting mirror of America: yesterday and today. All illustrated by various comics and illustrations of Elvis by Italian artists.

(Source: Linus)

January 27 - Catching A Falling Star

The VV import record label announced the (late) February release of the 2-LP / CD-set ‘Catching A Falling Star’. 

Publicity stated: ‘Catching A Falling Star’  will focus on Elvis’ November 1976 tour, featuring a show from November 30, 1976, previously unreleased on vinyl.

 

This November concert has previously been released on CD, but this is the first time on vinyl format with an incredibly superior sound. The vinyl will be accompanied by a CD compilation that combines the best of four shows from the tour, giving us a completely new ideal fantasy show, including some previously unreleased material. All the audio for the LP and CD has been digitally restored and remastered. A must-have!

VV records wants to present Elvis at his peak, and Elvis’ final Anaheim's concert from the November 1976 tour is undoubtedly one of the best moments by Elvis from this year. The performances are very good, and the show is surely the best one from the tour.

 

Elvis is very active on the stage and delivers a dynamic show, showcasing the best songs from his repertoire from the previous years, including the last 1976 single ‘Hurt’, and we hear him playing guitar on the classic ‘Blue Christmas’ and his first single ‘That’s all Right Mama’, combining all genres as only he could. The show includes oldies ‘Love Me’ and ‘Jailhouse Rock’, power pop with ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’, the tender ‘Hawaiian Wedding Song’, the autobiographical ‘You Gave Me a Mountain’ before ending with the magnificent ‘Polk Salad Annie’. The enthusiasm that shines through is undeniable, a woman screaming “Here He Comes” at the beginning of ‘See See Rider’ on the Bonus CD is worth the price of the ticket alone!

This new double LP comes housed in a Deluxe 300 Gr. gatefold sleeve that also holds the CD. 

To make it a collectable, the 500 copies of this set will come on two colors vinyl; a Limited Edition of 400 copies on smoked silver colored vinyl with a 30 x 30 cm art-card and a Deluxe Edition of 100 copies on smoked yellow colored vinyl with a 30 x 30 art-cart and other bonus items. 

LP 1 - Side A:  See See Rider - I Got A Woman / Amen - Love Me - If You Love Me - You Gave Me A Mountain

Side B: Jailhouse Rock - It’s Now Or Never - All Shook Up - And I Love You So -  Teddy Bear / Don’t Be Cruel - Fever - Bridge Over Troubled Water

LP 2 - Side C: Polk Salad Annie - Introductions - Love Letters - School Day - Hurt

Side D: Hound Dog - Hawaiian Wedding Song - Blue Christmas - That’s All Right - Can’t Help Falling Love - Closing Vamp

Bonus CD. All the tracks were digitally restored and remastered (running-time 68 minutes): Beethoven's Fifth (Joe Guercio & The Hilton Horns - 25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Comedy Act (Jackie Kahane - Incomplete - 25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Sweet Inspiration (The Sweet inspirations - 25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - If You Leave Me Now (The Sweet Inspirations - 25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - See See Rider (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - I Got A Woman (26.11.196 Portland, OH) / Amen (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Love Me (27.11.1976 Eugene, OR - Incomplete) - If You Love Let Me Know (26.11.1976 Portland, OH) - You Gave Me A Mountain (26.11.1976 Portland, OH) - Jailhouse Rock (26.11.1976 Portland, OH) - It’s Now Or Never (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - America (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Steamroller Blues (27.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Bridge Over Troubled Water (29.11.1976 San Francisco, CA) - Polk Salad Annie (28.11.1976 San Francisco, CA) - Piano & Electric Piano Solo (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR - Incomplete) - Hurt (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Hound Dog (29.11.1976 San Francisco, CA) - Funny How Times Slip Away (26.11.976 Portland, OH) - Hawaii wedding Song (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Blue Christmas (26.11.1976 Portland, OH) - That’s All Right (26.11.1976 Portland, OH) - Mystery Train / Tiger Man (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR) - Can’t help Falling In Love (25.11.1976 Eugene, OR)

Note: The unreleased audience recorded material appears to be taken from the CD-R release 'Kings and Ducks' and the other audience recorded material from the Memory release 'Rockin' The Nortwest' (2005).

(Source: Pascal Matteo / FECC)

January 25 - Charts January 2025 - Week 4

Elvis Presley’s name can always be found on the U.S. Billboard and Official U.K. charts, here are the rankings for week 4 of January 2025. 

Sales appear to be down this week on both sides of the Atlantic where Elvis Presley's music is listed on the various charts, but there is hope, looking at the Greek Album chart!

Official U.K. charts:

• On the Official Album chart, the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped 2 spots, from No. 38 to No. 40. 
• On the Official Streaming Album chart, the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' lost 3 spots and dropped to No 35. 

Irish IRMA charts: 

• Official Irish Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' couldn't continue the climb from the past few weeks, and dropped from No. 74 to No. 81.  this week.  

U.S. Billboard charts:

• The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation dropped off the main Billboard Top 200 Album chart after last week's re-entry at No. 200. 
• Top Country Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' remained steady at No. 34.  
• Top Rock and Alternative Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped from No. 46 to No. 50. 

Greek Charts:

• Greek IPFI Album Top 75: the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' returned to the chart at No. 10!
• Greek IPFI Album Top 75: 'The Wonder of You' (with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra) makes an unexpected re-entry at No. 65. 

(Source: Billboard / Official Chart Company / IRMA / UK Mix Forum/ IPFI / Amazon / NY Times / Publisher's Weekly / Entertainment Weekly / ARIA / Forbes) 

January 24 - Record Store Day Releases

Available for pre-order on April 12, 2025 are the Record Store Day releases from the French V.P.I. record label. The label will release the single LP 'Elvis Sings Sid Tepper & Roy C. Bennett - Just For Old Time Sake' and the triple LP-set 'Elvis 1960: Everybody's Got The Fever'. The LP's will also be released on vinyl-replica CDs). More information when available, official announcements regarding Record Store Day follow from February 6, 2025.

JoCathy Brownlee Elkington

JoCathy Brownlee Elkington, who dated Elvis during the late summer and fall of 1975, has died. 

JoCathy met Elvis at a World Football League game at the Liberty Bowl Stadium in Memphis, Tennessee, on the night of August 2, 1975 while she was I was working part-time as a hostess in the press box for the Memphis Southmen Grizzlies. 

"When I met him, I was absolutely thrilled. The whole night he called me 'JC,' and would say 'JC, get me a piece of pizza, a Big Mac or a Coke,' and he wouldn't ask the other hostess for anything."

She dated Elvis until the end of October, 1975. The only time that they were apart was right after Elvis had to cut his Las Vegas Summer Tour short in late August and was admitted to Baptist Hospital in Memphis. Once he was released from the hospital, we were together until the end of October.

She has been interviewed for various books, and publications like 'Careless Love' by Peter Guralnick and 'Elvis The Final Years' by Jerry Hopkins.

 
(Source: CeDe / Alanna Nash / Today / Tumlr)

January 23 - The Many Faces of Elvis

Re-issued by the MPO Group record label is a white colored vinyl edition of the 'The Many Faces of Elvis'. 

The two discs, which come housed in a gatefold cover, feature recordings by Elvis Presley with "a small circle of friends" like the Million Dollar Quartet or with the Blue Moon Boys, songs by his band-members Bill Black and originals of the hits made famous by Elvis. 

(Source: Juno)

January 22 - Baz Luhrman Announcement

Baz Luhrmann hasn’t gotten The King out of his system. He’s using the voracious amount of research he put into the 2022 'ELVIS' film he co-wrote into a second feature film, this one closer to documentary than narrative feature. He shared an advance look at a teaser trailer on where he’s going. 

Luhrmann posted a new video on Instagram: "I’m really thrilled that I am finally able to announce that we have all been working hard and collaborating on unearthing and showcasing a treasure trove of unseen footage, sound and other materials to create something special for the big (and small) screen ⚡️ TCB!"

The trailer states: "After 10 years away from the stage Elvis made his triumphant return in Las Vegas. For over 50 years there have been rumors of lost footage.. During the production of Baz Luhrmann's Elvis it was found"

Watch the announcement on >>> Instagram.

He told Deadline: There has always been talk amongst Elvis’ fans, both longtime fans and newer fans brought in by our film Elvis, of missing reels and never-before-seen concert footage,” Luhrmann told Deadline. “During the making of Elvis, from very early on in my process I had the privilege to access the studio’s vaults deep in the salt mines of Kansas, where troves of old film negatives are stored. We were astonished by the sheer volume of unused footage from Elvis: That’s the Way It Is, the film of Elvis’ legendary 1970 Summer Festival in Las Vegas – all shot on anamorphic 35mm – and also from Elvis’s road concert film from two years later, Elvis on Tour.

“Equally exciting was that we found not only picture that has never been seen at this quality but also rare behind-the-scenes audio that had been feared lost, especially some fascinating recordings of Elvis telling stories from his own life in his own words.”

Luhrmann added: “We’re still very much in the middle of creating this work, but there has been so much talk and such enthusiasm for this, that I felt now it was time to share what has been happening with it. I can’t say much more about it, except that I wouldn’t call it a documentary, or a concert film; our aim here is to make something new in the Elvis canon. My creative team at Bazmark is being led by my longtime editor, Jonathan Redmond, and we’ve partnered with the terrific teams at Authentic Studios and Sony Music Vision, with great support from Warner Bros., to bring something to the screen that befits the magnitude of Elvis as a performer but also offers deeper revelations of his humanity and inner life.”

Bazmark and Authentic Studios are producing the documentary. The film is presented and distributed by Sony Music Vision, in partnership with Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment.

(Source: Baz Luhrmann / FECC / Deadlne)

  

January 21 - Retrospective 1968

Due for release on February 4, 2025 are volumes 1 to 4 of 'Retrospective 1968 - Selected Recordings'.

Publicity stated: contains all known alternate recordings from the soundtrack recordings for “Live A Little, Love A Little”, “Charro” and “The Trouble With Girls” spread over four CD’s, but also contains other recordings from 1968.

 

Including hard to find tracks, some for the first time available on cd and some previously unreleased!

Alternate takes, Mono single masters, Movie versions, Acetate recordings, Score sessions for the movies, Radio spots and more! All in the best - remastered - sound! Many tracks (*) not released on CD by Elvis' record company! This is an unique collection for Elvis fans and collectors worldwide and a great addition to the official releases in your collection. 

Volume 1: Unfinished & Unedited Masters 01 Clean Up Your Own Backyard Backup (Vocal Overdubs Before Brass Overdubs)* 02 Too Much Monkey Business (Undubbed Master / Take 14) 03 Let’s Forget About The Stars (Vocal Overdub / Master Take 5 / Rough Mix) 04 Edge Of Reality (Unedited Master / Take 8) 05 Wonderful World (Unedited Master / Take 17 / Alternate Mix)* 06 A Little Less Conversation (Unedited Single Master / Take 16 / Alternate Mix)* 07 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Female Backup Vocal Overdubs Before Brass Overdubs)* 08 Charro (Unedited Undubbed Master) 09 Stay Away (Undubbed Master / Take 15) 10 Almost (Undubbed Master / Take 31) 11 It Hurts Me (Take 10 / Used For Soundtrack Road Medley)* 12 Guitar Man Alley (Take 6 / Used For Soundtrack Road Medley)* Almost In Love Sessions 13 High Key - Test Track Take 2 (Instrumental) 14 Take 1 15 Take 4 16 Take 5 17 Take 6 18 Low Key - Track Take 4 (Instrumental / No Backing Vocal)* 19 High Key - Track Take 2 (Instrumental)* 20 High Key - Vocal Overdub Take 4 21 Low Key - Vocal Overdub Take 2 (Vocal Only) 22 Low Key - Vocal Overdub Take 3 (Vocal Only) Live A Little, Love A Little Scoring Sessions 23 Edge Of Reality (Movie Version / Master With Musical Score And Overdubs)* 24 Score ‘Don’t Let Him Get Away, Albert!’ (Instrumental)* 25 Score ‘Back To The Beach’ (Instrumental)* 26 Score ‘A Little Less Conversation’ (Instrumental)* 27 Score ‘Double Duty’ (Instrumental)* 28 Score ‘End Theme’ (Instrumental)* Live A Little, Love A Little Radio Spots 29 Radio Spot 1* 30 Radio Spot 2* 31 Radio Spot 3* 32 Radio Spot 4*

 

Volume 2: January 17 Studio Jam 01 Wings Of An Angel / The Prisoner’s Song (Unedited)* Mono Single Masters 02 U.S. Male* 03 Stay Away* 04 A Little Less Conversation* 05 Almost In Love* 06 If I Can Dream* 07 Edge Of Reality* 08 Memories* 09 Clean Up Your Own Backyard* Album Master 10 Almost In Love* March 7 Studio Sessions 11 Wonderful World (Take 1) 12 Wonderful World (Take 2) 13 Wonderful World (Take 3) 14 Wonderful World (Take 7) 15 Wonderful World (Take 14) 16 Wonderful World (Take 15) 17 Wonderful World (Take 16) 18 Wonderful World (Take 17) 19 Edge Of Reality (Take 1) 20 Edge Of Reality (Take 2) 21 Edge Of Reality (Take 3) 22 Edge Of Reality (Take 5) 23 Edge Of Reality (Take 6) Charro Scoring Sessions 24 Charro (Movie Version / Master With Musical Score)* 25 Charro (End Theme)* 26 Musical Score ‘Charro’ (1)* 27 Musical Score ‘Charro’ (2)* Charro Audio Featurette 28 With Barbara Werle, Charles Marquis Warren (Producer), Ina Balin (Talking Track Only)* Charro Radio Spots 29 Radio Spot 1* 30 Radio Spot 2* 31 Radio Spot 3* 32 Radio Spot 4* 33 Radio Spot 5* Track Recordings 34 Let’s Forget About The Stars (Track Only)* 35 Charro (Track Only)*

Volume 3: March 7 / Studio Sessions 01 Almost In Love (Movie Version Transfer / Original Movie Mix / Mono)* 02 Edge Of Reality (Take 8 / Unedited Master / Different Mix)* 03 Wonderful World (Take 7 / Movie Master / Different Mix)* 04 A Little Less Conversation (Take 1) 05 A Little Less Conversation (Take 2) 06 A Little Less Conversation (Take 4) 07 A Little Less Conversation (Take 5) 08 A Little Less Conversation (Take 6) 09 A Little Less Conversation (Take 7) 10 A Little Less Conversation (Take 9) 11 A Little Less Conversation (Take 10 / Master Take Used For Album Version) 12 A Little Less Conversation (Take 11) 13 A Little Less Conversation (Take 12) 14 A Little Less Conversation (Take 16 / Master Take Used For Movie / Single Version) Acetate Recordings 15 A Little Less Conversation (Dubdown To Backing Track)* 16 Wonderful World (Movie Version Transfer / Mono)* 17 A Little Less Conversation (Movie Version Transfer / Mono)* 18 Almost In Love (Low Key - Track Take 4 With Backing Vocals)* June 30 / Vocal Overdub Sessions 19 Guitar Man (Alley / Take 1)* 20 Guitar Man (Alley / Take 2)* 21 Guitar Man (Alley / Take 3)* 22 Guitar Man (Alley / Take 4)* 23 Guitar Man (Alley / Take 5)* August 9 Overdub Session 24 Beyond The Reef (Without Backing Vocals) 25 Beyond The Reef (With Backing Vocals) Session For Stay Away, Joe 26 Stay Away (Movie Version)* Stay Away, Joe Radio Spots 27 Radio Spot 1* 28 Radio Spot 2* 29 Radio Spot 3* Bonus Track 30 A Little Less Conversation (Take 16 / Master / Different Mix)*

 

Volume 4: October 23/24 Studio Sessions 01 Clean Up Your Own Backyard (Undubbed Master) 02 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Undubbed Master With The ‘Mello Men’) 03 Signs Of The Zodiac (Duet - Master Take 9) 04 Far Above Cayuga’s Waters (Alternate Mix)* 05 The Whiffenpoof Song 06 Violet 07 Clean Up Your Own Backyard (Original Movie Mix)* 08 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Dub / Backing Vocals ‘Mello Men’ Removed)* 09 Hello Susan Brown (Two In The Middle) / No Elvis* 10 Almost (Take 1) 11 Almost (Take 2) 12 Almost (Take 3) 13 Almost (Take 4) 14 Almost (Take 6) 15 Almost (Take 10) 16 Almost (Take 11) 17 Almost (Take 13) 18 Almost (Take 14) 19 Almost (Take 15) 20 Almost (Take 16) 21 Almost (Take 22) 22 Almost (Take 23) 23 Almost (Take 24) 24 Almost (Take 25) 25 Almost (Take 27) 26 Almost (Take 28) 27 Almost (Take 29) 28 Chautauqua (March Tempo Variation Of ‘Almost’)* 29 Almost (Original Movie Mix)* 30 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Original Movie Mix / Taken From The Movie / Incomplete)* Acetate Recording 31 Almost (Take 31)* The Trouble With Girls Radio Spots 32 Radio Spot 1* 33 Radio Spot 2* December Overdub Session 34 Swing Down Sweet Chariot (Backing Vocals By The Blossoms + Strings & Brass Overdubs) Bonus Track 35 College Song Medley

(Source: Pascal Matteo)

January 19 - Elvis '56 Vinyl

A few days before the official release on January 24th 2025 the Music On Vinyl released a Collector's Edition of the ‘Elvis 1956’ album on 180 gram audiophile blue colored vinyl. The first fans received their copies.

Publicity stated: Elvis 56 - originally released in 1996 - is a compilation of studio master recordings made by Elvis Presley in 1956. The sessions on this LP took place at RCA studios in Nashville and New York, as well as at Radio Recorders in Hollywood.

 

Comprising the most complete and essential overview of The King's first year at RCA, 'Elvis 56' is the definitive rock 'n' roll album, including "Heartbreak Hotel," "Blue Suede Shoes," "Hound Dog" and "Rip It Up". Album also includes an insert with rare photos and complete recording data.

'Elvis 56 - Collectors Edition' is available as a limited edition of 2,000 individually numbered copies on blue colored vinyl.

Tracks: 1. Heartbreak Hotel 2. My Baby Left Me 3. Blue Suede Shoes 4. So Glad You’re Mine 5. Tutti Frutti 6. One-Sided Love Affair 7. Love Me 8. Anyplace is Paradise 9. Paralyzed 10. Ready Teddy 11. Too Much 12. Hound Dog 13. Any Way You Want Me (That’s How I Will Be) 14. Don’t Be Cruel 15. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy 16. Shake, Rattle and Roll (Alternate Take 8) 17. I Want You, I Need You, I Love You 18. Rip It Up 19. Heartbreak Hotel (Alternate Take 5) 20. I Got a Woman 21. I Was the One 22. Money Honey.

The LP is available from >>> Amazon Germany and >>> Amazon.UK (associate link)

(Source: Facebook)

Elvis Day By Day 2024 Released

The yearbook you have been waiting for all year long, has been released! 'Elvis Day By Day 2024 - The Year In Review', the 7th volume in the series, is now available as a paperback and hardcover edition from Amazon, the Poplar Tunes webshop and soon from your local fan-club. 

This new yearbook wraps up 2024 until December 31st, and includes in-depth reviews if all the latest Follow That Dream and other relevant releases from the last quarter of 2024.

Description: In 1954, Elvis came crashing through the doors of popular music, and he hasn't stopped rocking since. This new Elvis yearbook is proof of that! Packed into a colorful 480 pages is all the relevant news of what happened in the Elvis world. It serves as a guide, and reference book about Elvis from all corners of the world in 2024.

'Elvis Day By Day 2024' features all the news, including a complete overview of all new music, available on CD and on vinyl at 33, 45, and even 78 RPM. Additionally, it covers all the worthwhile books and magazines, all the movies and TV specials released on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming services. Plus “everything else Elvis” that mattered, while skipping the nonsense.

"Highlights include the true story about the ‘That’s All Right’ acetate as played by Dewey Phillips on WHBQ in July 1954. The tale of the scam to "steal Graceland" and of course an in-depth look at Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir as completed by her daughter Riley Keough. Added to that is a complete day-by-day overview of all the Sony, Follow That Dream, and bootleg releases, most of which are reviewed in-depth by well-known Elvis experts, authors, and fans. Interviews with authors and producers provide the backstory to these publications and releases.

You will also find the details of the newly discovered 1956 live performance and the many Mono to Stereo, and undubbed releases of Elvis’ SUN recordings, his greatest hits, the soundtrack albums, and his concert performances. Enjoy the stunning colored and even "liquid" vinyl releases and some of the really special and oddball Elvis releases that make collecting fun!

From the “young man with the big beat,” it is a small step to Elvis’ former drummer, Jerome "Stump" Monroe, who provided the beat behind the King as part of the Elvis Presley Show in the seventies, and who wrote the foreword for this year’s edition. Seventy years after the release of Elvis’ debut single, "the beat goes on," and "that’s all right!"

As Colonel Parker would say, there is "something for everyone," or perhaps we should say, "perhaps too much for any fan." Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just starting your journey into the King’s world, this yearbook is the definitive guide to everything Elvis from 2024 in one physical reference.

This annual "Bible for Elvis fans" is a valuable keepsake for years to come. And don’t just take our word for it; this is what fans of the series are saying:

 

“I thought I knew what was happening in the Elvis world, but I found so much news that I completely missed!”

​

“If you consider yourself a serious fan, you ought to have these books.”

​

“Fascinating, interesting, enlightening! Need I say more? Just quit whatever you are doing and go out and get this wonderful piece of work before it sells out."

The 'Day By Day 2024' softcover edition is available on-line, the clip shows a small preview. 

 

Go to the Poplar Tunes webshop for signed copies of the >>> paperback edition or the >>> hardcover edition.

You can also visit your local Amazon store through these direct links:

>>> Paperback edition from >>> Amazon.co.uk.

>>> Paperback edition from >>> Amazon.com. 

>>> Paperback edition from >>> Amazon.de. 

>>> Paperback edition from >>> Amazon.ca.

>>> Paperback edition from >>> Amazon.co.jp.

>>> Paperback edition from >>> Amazon.com.au.

On the first day, the book climbed to the No. 1 spot on Amazon US Pop Culture Encyclopedias best seller list and on the Hot New Releases lists for the categories 'Almanacs & Yearbooks' and 'Pop Culture Encyclopedias'.

 

January 18 - Charts January 2025 - Week 3

Elvis Presley’s name can always be found on the U.S. Billboard and Official U.K. charts, here are the rankings for week 3 of January 2025. 

The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation made a re-entry on the main Billboard Top 200 Album chart! Billboard and Luminate also linked sales back to the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation instead of 'The Essential Elvis Presley' compilation. So both titles swop places on the Billboard charts thuis week. 

Official U.K. charts:

• On the Official Album chart, the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' dropped 4 places, from No. 34 to No. 38. 
• The '50 Greatest Hits' compilation fell off the Official Album Download chart after last week's re-entry at No. 31.
• On the Official Streaming Album chart, the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' lost 1 spot and dropped to No 32. 
• On the Music Video chart 'Elvis The Searcher' rose from No. 33 to No. 23 while the 'Elvis at the Movies' DVD reentered the chart at No. 48.

Irish IRMA charts: 

• Official Irish Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' continued its rise on the chart, gaining another 5 spots to land at No. 74 this week.  

U.S. Billboard charts:

• The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation made a re-entry on the main Billboard Top 200 Album chart at No. 200. 
• Top Country Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' re-entry at No. 34. 
• Top Rock and Alternative Album chart: 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' re-entry at No. 46. 

Greek Charts:

• Greek IPFI Album Top 75': the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' fell off the chart after jumping from No. 75 to No. 54 last week. 

Hugh McIntyre noted for >>> Forbes: Elvis Presley is one of a number of musical legends that can almost always be found on the Billboard charts. Most of the other soloists and bands that keep their names on the weekly lists do so with one single, or perhaps a greatest hits compilation that never disappears. Presley is in a league of his own, though, as he is so popular, there are several collections that bounce onto and off of the rankings.

This week is the third in a row in which Presley has landed on two different genre-specific tallies. That’s not unusual, even though it’s not common for the same legacy act to straddle the line between separate styles. What makes the late musician’s showing so odd is that he’s traded one album for another in each of the past three frames.

This week, Elv1s: 30 Number 1 Hits returns to a trio of charts in the U.S. It reappears on both the Top Country Albums (No. 34) and Top Rock & Alternative Albums (No. 46) rosters, as well as the Billboard 200. On that last list, he barely makes space on the competitive ranking, coming in last place, at No. 200.

Presley didn’t appear on the Billboard 200 last week, but he did find space on both the country and rock charts—only with a completely different album. The Essential Elvis Presley also returned to both of those rosters just days ago, surging onto the Top Country Albums list at No. 34 (another weird coincidence), as well as the Top Rock & Alternative Albums ranking, at No. 45.

One week prior, the rock and roll—and country—superstar was rising on both of those tallies with a seasonal favorite. The Classic Christmas Album surged to its all-time peak on the two charts, hitting No. 4 on the Top Country Albums ranking and the runner-up rung on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums tally.

The first time Presley swapped one title for another wasn’t strange, as his Christmas album fell out of favor after the holiday passed. In the days following the most wonderful day of the year, his non-timely compilation reappeared, as his catalog remained popular, as is always the case in America. His latest switch is a bit stranger, though not necessarily unheard of when it comes to big names like him.

Luminate reports that Elv1s: 30 Number 1 Hits shifted 7,500 equivalent units in the U.S. last week. Most of those are streaming equivalents, as his compilation isn’t selling like it once did—though that’s common for projects like his.

(Source: Billboard / Official Chart Company / IRMA / UK Mix Forum/ IPFI / Amazon / NY Times / Publisher's Weekly / Entertainment Weekly / ARIA / Forbes / UltraTop) 

January 17 - B-Side Vinyl

Due for release from the Italian Sprea Editori in the GLI LP Da Collezione series on January 19, 2025, is a Celebration Edition of the 16-track compilation LP 'Elvis B Side'. 

Description: This compilation of the King of Rock and Roll's vinyl, collects 16 recordings that were originally released as "B-sides" for his hit-singles in the U.S. in the fifties and sixties. Usually, the B-sides of records were considered 'less appealing', but 'Elvis the Pelvis' managed to make them equally iconic. 

As a bonus, the 12-page booklet tells the story of those eras and the songs on this album. The LP is also available through news-stands in Italy.

Side A: Don't Ask Me Why - I Got Stung - (Now And Then There's) A Fool Such As I - My Wish Came True - Fame And Fortune - A Mess Of Blues - I Gotta Know - Lonely Man.

Side B: Wild In Th Country - Little Sister - Rock-A-Hula Baby - Anything That's Part Of You - Just Tell Jim Said Hello - Where Do You Come From - Pleas Don't Drag That String Around - Witchcraft.

Jan Shepard Died

Actress Jan Shepard, died. She was 96.

Shepard portrayed Mimi, the sister of Presley’s Danny Fisher, in the Michael Curtiz directed movie 'King Creole' (1958) and the wife of Danny Kohana (James Shigeta), who partners with Presley’s Rick Richards in a helicopter business, in 'Paradise, Hawaiian Style' (1966).

Her other notable film credits include Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959).

She got her part in 'King Creole', which she called “the break of her life,” with the help of her good friend, Dolores Hart, who played Presley’s love interest in the movie. 

Presley gave her a pair of 10-cent earrings as a joke while they worked on the Paramount film, then presented her with a huge stuffed tiger and a movie camera when Hart threw a surprise birthday party for her.

Reflecting on her first encounter with the Rock and Roll, Shepard once shared a humorous anecdote: "When you’re assigned a film role, you have to go to the doctor, because of the insurance company. They have to make sure you don’t have a bad heart, any of that nonsense. They made my appointment for me at the studio, so I was there and I had on a white shirt and these slacks my mother had made for me that were like wine colored. I went in the office and I was waiting to be called in. In walks Elvis with two of his buddies. I looked at him and he looked at me and we started to laugh. His jacket was the identical material and color of my slacks. He looked at me and he said, ‘Honey, I’m either going to have to give you my jacket or you’re going to have to give me your pants’ (laughing). That was my first meeting with Elvis.”

On Elvis' acting: Oh, he was just marvelous! I will never forget. You know every person that sings is a good actor. Because they have the sense of timing, the sense of rhythm, a sense of what words mean. He was a brilliant actor because he didn’t need any advice. He knew automatically what to do and act, as the show was going on. I kept saying to him, “Oh, Elvis, for God sake, you’re doing such a great job.”

On the last time she saw Elvis: I saw him in Las Vegas. We went to a Caeser's Palace and I was so disappointed because he was into the karate stuff and he was turning his back to the audience all the time. And I just wanted to just go up there and spank him, you know.

Outside of her film career, Shepard was a prominent presence on television, appearing in westerns like Rawhide, The Virginian, and Gunsmoke. Her remarkable contributions to film and television, especially her iconic collaborations with Elvis Presley, cement her status as a cherished figure in Hollywood’s golden age. 

(Source: Pascal Matteo / Sprea Editori / Hollywood Reporter / eBay / Legacy / Joe Krein)

January 14 - Rethinking Elvis Vinyl

Oxford University Press announced that the publication of the 360-page book 'Rethinking Elvis' by Marc Duffett  has been postponed to March 25, 2025. 

Description: Decades after his passing, Elvis Presley remains one of popular music's greatest icons. He was among the most successful, influential, socially significant, and controversial performers of the twentieth century, with a celebrity so indelible that every recent American president has negotiated its orbit. 
While much of the coverage of Elvis' life concerns his personal history and musical ability, Rethinking Elvis pushes beyond the familiar to address Elvis' branding, historical and geographic reception, heritage, and fan phenomenon. 

Using Elvis' iconography as a point of departure, popular music scholars and historians contend with issues related to the performer's whiteness, Southern identity, and gender, among others, in turn offering myriad opportunities to pursue new approaches in the emergent field of Elvis studies.

The book is available from the >>> Oxford University Press webshop,  >>> Amazon U.K. and >>> Amazon U.S. (associate links).

Seventy Three Vinyl

The Reel Trax import record label released a 2-LP vinyl version of their 2024 CD 'Elvis Seventy Three' on splattered vinyl.

Publicity stated: Reel Trax is back with another great 2-LP release – actually the first one in 2025 and it is out now!

Last year, we released the double CD 'Elvis Seventy Three', which was very well received. We noticed that the album sold out quickly, and many people asked if it would also be released on vinyl. We were initially unsure about this, but we believe the concept is perfectly suited for a vinyl album. This album is now available in a special run of just 150 copies, pressed on exclusive splatter vinyl. 

'Elvis Seventy Three' is now available as a special vinyl release, featuring Elvis Presley’s iconic Closing Night performance from September 3, 1973, during his Summer engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton. 

This limited-edition album has been meticulously mixed in Matrix sound, combining soundboard and audience recordings to deliver superior sound quality and a more immersive experience. The mix reveals nuances and audience interactions previously unheard, capturing Elvis at his most unique and entertaining.

To ensure the best listening experience, we made an important change for the vinyl edition: the beginning of the show, originally recorded as an audience tape, has been placed on Side D. While we felt it wasn’t ideal to start the album with an audience recording, those who want to enjoy the full concert can simply play Side D to complete the experience.

The Closing Night concert is legendary for its humor and spontaneity. Highlights include Elvis being carried on stage by Lamar Fike with a toy monkey on his back, a red velvet bed placed on stage during 'What Now My Love', and a playful mashup of 'Suspicious Minds' and 'Bridge Over Troubled Water'. Yet the concert also delivers rare and heartfelt performances, such as 'Help Me Make It Through The Night', and a stirring rendition of 'How Great Thou Art' with multiple reprises.

Particularly noteworthy is the version of 'Softly As I Leave You', where Elvis sits alone on a chair with only his head illuminated on the stage. In this recording, we can also hear the background music accompanying the song - something that was not captured on the original soundboard recording.
 
This vinyl release comes in a highly limited edition of just 150 copies, pressed on exclusive splatter vinyl. Collectors better grab it now, before it's too late.

Tracks: September 3, 1973 – Closing Show, Las Vegas Hilton Hotel (Matrix Recording) 

Side A: 1. Rock Medley 2. Love Me Tender 3. Fever 4. What Now My Love 5. Bridge Over Troubled Water 6. Suspicious Minds.
Side B: 1. Suspicious Minds 2. Introductions of Band & Celebrities 3. My Boy 4. I Can’t Stop Loving You 5. An American Trilogy 6. A Big Hunk O Love 
Side C: 1. The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face 2. Mystery Train - Tiger Man 3. How Great Thou Art (two reprises) 4. Help Me Make It Through The Night 5. Softly As I Leave You 6. Can’t Help Falling In Love - Closing Vamp 
Side D: 1. See See Rider* 2. I Got A Woman* - Amen* 3. Love Me* 4. Steamroller Blues* 5. You Gave Me A Mountain* 6. Trouble* 
* Tracks 1 to 6 from Side D are sourced from an ambiance recording, as these songs were not on the soundboard tape.

Da Qui Fino All'Ignoto

Lisa Marie Presley's autobiography 'Da Qui Fino All'Ignoto' ('From Here To The Great Unknown') was published by the Piemme publishing house. The book is currently in 1st place in the "Rock Music" category on Amazon.it!

(Source: Amazon / Oxford University Press / For Elvis Vinyl Lovers Facebook Group / Italian Elvis Presley Fan Club)