February 28 - From Florida to Hawaii to Vegas to the U.K.

Audio engineer Anthony Stuchbury announced a new Mono II Stereo release which will come out on the French RDM Edition record label, 'From Florida To Hawaii' featuring newly created Stereo Mixes of the movie's soundtrack. 

The announcement stated: Now, thanks to the inimitable work of producer Anthony Stuchbury, fans can enjoy all of the original 'Follow That Dream' Masters in studio quality Stereo that matches the Outtakes already available for the first time.   

In contrast whilst the ‘Girls! Girls! Girls!' album was released in both Mono and Stereo formats, the original stereo mix, which featured all of the instruments on the left channel, Elvis centred, and only The Jordanaires on the right, has been crying out for a sympathetic remix for over sixty years now. 

Subsequently, we now present the 13 Great Songs featured on the original album in a fresh new stereo mix, along with a previously unreleased performance, for your further listening pleasure.

More information on the tracks and release-date is to follow. Watch this space! 

The Elvis Workshop

Rick Crofts was kind enough to feature 'Elvis Day By Day 2024' on his Elvis Workshop YouTube channel, sharing his no bullshit opinion on it with his friend Warren. They also did a catch-up on recent releases and collector items they found. 

An insightful and enjoyable show to watch, have a look for yourself! And don't forget to subscribe. 

If you like what you see, here is the link to the >>> Poplar Tunes webshop to get it, or visit you local >>> Amazon outlet.

Elvis Day By Day In Brazil

Brazilian Elvis author Waldenir Cecon, who created his own variations of the Elvis Yearbooks, posted on the Elvis Presley Brazil website: 

Now available, by author Kees Mouwen, the last book in the series 'Elvis Day By Day - The Year In Review'.

With 480 full-color pages, there is all the relevant news about what happened in Elvis' world in the last twelve months.

'Elvis Day By Day 2024' features all the news, including a complete overview of all the new music, available on CD and vinyl. Plus, it covers every worthwhile book and magazine, every movie and TV special released on DVD, Blu-ray, and streaming services. Plus "everything else about Elvis" that mattered.

ELVIS is still impacting the world we live in. His legacy is truly impressive. To appreciate Elvis' lasting impact, we need a 'Year By Year' summary where we can absorb it all - and that's what 'Elvis Day By Day 2024' provides.

Throughout the 480 pages, there is much to discuss, much to debate and always impressive images. Plus some delicious reviews of many new releases.

Our 2024 fan club releases are also listed in the book. You can buy the book directly from the Brazilian >>> Amazon website.

Elvis UK – Compact Volume 2 

Elvis authors Gordon Minto and John Townson announced the release of the paperback edition of 'Elvis UK – Compact Volume 2 The Ultimate Guide To Elvis Presley’s British CD Releases 1983-2005'. 

Publicity stated: 'Elvis UK Compact Volume 2' is the second volume of this major series of books (comprising three soft-backed print volumes) will be published and available to buy in early March, continuing the story from where the already successful and widely acclaimed Volume 1 left off.  

Volume 2 opens with CD 170 and concludes with CD 422. As with Volume 1, apart from minor changes to the layout and revised cover artwork, the print copy edition will contain exactly the same content as the downloadable, digital flip book version (entitled Elvis UK3 The Ultimate Guide To Elvis Presley’s British CD Releases 1983-2005), first issued in early 2021.  Nothing has been added; nothing omitted. 

This trilogy of books represents the first major attempt by anyone to chronicle in exhaustive and painstaking detail the rise of Elvis’s compact disc releases from 1983 onwards – cross-referenced, where relevant, with vinyl versions. And while focused on UK releases, there is a huge amount of overlap with other territories – especially Europe - which makes it of major interest to Elvis collectors throughout the world.  

On buying the three volumes, each buyer will receive a complimentary copy of the 23-track CD entitled Beyond The Legend, completely free of charge.     

More details to follow soon. Watch this space! Please note that Volume 1 is almost sold out.  

Priced at £50 (which, for U.K. collectors, includes p&p costs) this book will only be available to buy via the website >>> Elvis Books U.K.

Reed the >>> review of 'ELVIS UK - Compact Vol 1'.  

 

March Video News Report

Emiel Maier posted the March 2025 Video news report video, wrapping-up news from February 2025. The video includes ticket sales for the Elvis Evolution A.I. Show in London, the new FTD collector’s CD with 4 shows from 1975, a replica of the Graceland Gates in Australia, Elvis art made from parts of The Colonel’s office and much more.  

(Source: Anthony Stuchbury / The Elvis Workshop / Rick Crofts / Emiel Maier)

February 27 - First Look at the Evolution

The U.K. based Layered Reality company shared a first look at the virtual 'Elvis Evolution' experience that opens May 2025. During the show you will travel to worlds Elvis inhabited and hear the electrifying sounds that shaped him.

Here are the first looks at the 'Elvis' Dressing Room', 'Backstage at NBC Studios' and 'Bob's Burbank Diner'. 

New Visual Biographies

Graphic biographer Paul Belard published two new 222-page photo-journal in his visual biography series: 'Elvis October 1958, Vol.2' and 'Elvis November 1958'.

Publicity for 'Elvis October 1958, Vol.2' stated: When all his soldier’s duties were completed, Elvis got a three-day leave and joined his father, his grandmother, Red West and Lamar Fike at the Ritters Park Hotel in Bad Homburg.

Being Elvis, he started to date as soon as he arrived in Germany. This time, it was Margit Buergin, a typist. They saw each other for a few months.

At the end of the month, Elvis and his dependents left this hotel for a health spa located in Bad Nauheim, the Hotel Grunewald.

Publicity for 'Elvis November 1958' stated: The second month of Elvis in Germany was spent at the U. S. Army Training Area in Grafenwohr, Bavaria, in winter maneuvers. Grafenwöhr is a town in the district Neustadt, in the region of the Upper Palatinate in eastern Bavaria, Germany.

Effective on November 27, 1958, Elvis was promoted to Private First Class. This rank was symbolized by one chevron on each sleeve.

You can order the books >>> 'October 1958 Vol. 2' book and here for the >>> 'November 58' on Amazon U.S. and Amazon U.K. at >>> 'October 1958 Vol. 2' book and here for the >>> 'November 58' 

 (associate links).   

(Source: Elvis Evolution / Nigel Patterson  / Elvis Book Discussion Group)

February 25 - Annett Wolf Died

Danish director, writer producer, interviewer for TV documentaries, feature films and stage plays, Annett Wolf died. She was 88. R.I.P. 

In 1977, director Dwight Hemion and producer Gary Smith were commissioned by the CBS television network to produce a one-hour special, 'Elvis in Concert'. The show became Elvis Presley's final tour. Wolf was hired to cover all the behind the scenes activities and to interview Elvis's fans. 

One of the most haunting moments she captures is Elvis Presley, just before going on stage, bowing his head in prayer. During the tour it becomes clear that Presley’s physical condition is deteriorating. Out of respect Annett decides to cancel her scheduled interview with the King. 

Back in L.A. while editing the show Annett learns of the King’s passing from his manager Colonel Parker. Annett persuades Elvis’ father Vernon Presley to give his eulogy seated in his son’s study surrounded by tens of thousands of letters from fans around the world.

On FECC a list of the filmed sequences done by Annett and her crew in June and July 1977, as they appear in the finished TV-Special:

• Interviews with fans outside arena (Cincinnati?)
• Shots from Lincoln, on highway from Omaha to Lincoln
• Interview with Omaha building manager Charlie Mancuso
• Lisa Marie arrival at Indianapolis airport, Elvis deplaning
• Interviews with fans in a salon
• Driving on Memphis-Arkansas Bridge into Memphis
• Driving on West Des Moines highway
• Presley MC Al Dvorin backstage, preparing items for sale
• Fan speaking about polio poster child
• Fan talking about Sioux City tornado (event happened on 6-16-1977)
• More fan interviews
• U.K. fans in Cincinnati, including Todd Slaughter
• Vernon interview in Sioux Falls on 6-22-1977
• shots of Graceland property, including Vernon by horses

She obviously did a lot of work in a lot of cities, with Memphis the final stop. The interview with Vernon was captured in his Sioux Falls Holiday Inn hotel room.

She was the last person to film Elvis alive at the Indianapolis Airport on June 26th 1977 together with her cameraman, Don Stern. The live show was aired October 3, 1977, two months after Elvis Presley's death.

House For Sale

A Beverly Hills home that Elvis Presley owned hit the market for $24.5 million.

Located in the high-end neighborhood of Trousdale Estates in Los Angeles, the part-modern, part-French Regency home was designed in 1958 by architect Rex Lotery. Presley bought the home in 1967 for US$400,000, according to Architectural Digest. Presley, along with his wife, Priscilla, and daughter, Lisa Marie, reportedly lived there for six years. 

The asking price is nearly US$1 million less than what it last sold for in 2019, property records show. The owner, who bought the property using a limited liability company, couldn’t be identified by Mansion Global.

House Not For Sale

A Missouri woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to a federal charge accusing her of concocting a brazen plot to defraud Elvis Presley’s family by trying to auction off his Graceland mansion and property before a judge halted the mysterious foreclosure sale.

During a hearing in front of a Memphis federal judge, Lisa Jeanine Findley pleaded guilty to a charge of mail fraud related to the scheme. She previously pleaded not guilty to the two-count indictment, which also includes a count of aggravated identity theft that will now be dropped.

When asked by the judge if Findley was admitting guilt and accepting responsibility, she said “Yes.”

Findley will be sentenced on June 19. She would have faced up to 20 years if convicted, but she is expected to receive less than that under the plea deal.

Findley, of Kimberling City, falsely claimed Presley’s daughter borrowed $3.8 million from a bogus private lender and had pledged Graceland as collateral for the loan before her death in January 2023, prosecutors said when she was charged in August 2024. She then threatened to sell Graceland to the highest bidder if Presley’s family didn’t pay a $2.85 million settlement, according to authorities.

Findley posed as three different people allegedly involved with the fake lender, fabricated loan documents, and published a fraudulent foreclosure notice in a Memphis newspaper announcing the auction of Graceland in May 2024, prosecutors said. A judge stopped the sale after Presley’s granddaughter sued.

Experts were baffled by the attempt to sell off one of the most storied pieces of real estate in the country using names, emails and documents that were quickly suspected to be phony.

In May, a public notice for a foreclosure sale of the 13-acre (5-hectare) estate said Promenade Trust, which controls the Graceland museum, owes $3.8 million after failing to repay a 2018 loan. Riley Keough, Presley’s granddaughter and an actor, inherited the trust and ownership of the home after the death of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley.

The judge halted the foreclosure sale of the beloved Memphis tourist attraction, saying Elvis Presley’s estate could be successful in arguing that a company’s attempt to auction Graceland was fraudulent.

After the scheme fell apart, Findley tried to make it look like the person responsible was a Nigerian identity thief, prosecutors said. An email sent May 25 to the AP from the same email as the earlier statement said in Spanish that the foreclosure sale attempt was made by a Nigerian fraud ring that targets old and dead people in the U.S. and uses the internet to steal money.

In a statement, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti called the scheme “nonsense” and praised the work of federal authorities.

“Graceland matters so much to so many people around the world – just go to Memphis during Elvis Week and listen to all the different accents and languages of fans who make the pilgrimage,” Skrmetti said. “All of Tennessee is glad that Graceland remains safely in the possession of Elvis’s heir and that it will remain a celebrated Memphis landmark for generations to come.”

Elvis' Black Mamba Ferrari Dino On Display

Graceland announced that Elvis Presley’s 1975 Ferrari Dino 308GT4 Coupe makes its way from Graceland in Memphis to Charlotte Motor Speedway, April 3-5. The sleek, black-on-black, Italian-made masterpiece nicknamed “Black Mamba” will be on display all weekend, giving fans an up-close look at one of the king’s prized rides.

“In the entertainment world, there is no bigger name than Elvis Presley,” said Greg Walter, president and general manager of Charlotte Motor Speedway. “To be able to showcase a piece of his personal car collection at AutoFair is to relive an iconic era of music history and pay tribute to his legendary life and career. We can’t wait to welcome fans to reconnect with Elvis through this rare piece of history.”

Unlike most of his personal collection – which Presley bought new – he made an exception for this Ferrari, which he purchased for US$21,000 in October 1976, simply because he loved the way it handled on the road.

The story of Presley’s Ferrari Dino is almost as iconic as the singer himself. After being named an honorary captain of the Memphis Police Department in 1976, he equipped the Ferrari with dashboard police lights. Staying true to his larger-than-life persona, instead of pulling people over to issue tickets, he was known to tell them to slow down and leave them with an autograph as opposed to a fine. 

Elvis Presley's Graceland also unveiled a refreshed Elvis: Dressed to Rock exhibit, showcasing 15 newly-displayed jumpsuits making their debut after more than two years off display at Graceland while traveling the world as part of Direct from Graceland exhibition series. 

This marks the first major update since the popular exhibit opened in 2022. To complement the new additions, the existing jumpsuits in the exhibit were also rotated to give visitors a fresh perspective.

Located within the Elvis: The Entertainer Career Museum, the exhibit features a stunning 21-foot floor-to-ceiling display of Elvis' iconic stage costumes, offering visitors an unprecedented view of his legendary jumpsuits.

Some of the highlights include:

• White & Black Cossack Suits from Elvis’ first Las Vegas engagement at the International Hotel in 1969.
• Rope Collar Suit featured on the cover of Elvis’ On Stage album.
• Blue Brocade Suit worn in Las Vegas in February 1970.
• Webbed Fringe Suit worn only once at the Forum in Los Angeles on November 14, 1970.
• Black Butterfly Suit from early 1972 which Elvis famously wore during a spontaneous photo session in his hotel suite.
• Additional jumpsuits include Amber Stone Suit, Pontiac Suit, Arabian Suit, Black Conquistador Suit, Dragon Suit, Embordered Flame Suit, Green & Red Dude Suits, and Orange Target Suit.

The jumpsuits that are being rotated out of the display are returning to the Graceland Archives for some rest and preservation until they make their next debut.

“These jumpsuits are not just costumes or pieces of stage wear, they are pieces of art,” said Angie Marchese, Vice President of Graceland Archives and Exhibits. “They made Elvis' already-powerful stage performances even more memorable - defining what true rock style was.”

In addition to jumpsuits, the exhibit also features Elvis’ beautifully detailed capes, his numerous belts, two-piece suits, studded boots, jewelry, and more. Some iconic highlights include: 

• Aloha from Hawaii jumpsuit and show cape, worn for the first-ever satellite concert
• Aztec Sun jumpsuit, the last jumpsuit Elvis wore on stage
• Original Drawings by Bill Belew, designer of Elvis’ stage wear and personal wardrobe from 1968-1977
• The Elvis: Dressed to Rock is just one of the many new and refreshed exhibits happening at Graceland in 2025.

In January, Graceland opened the 90 for 90 Exhibit that features 90 curated stories told through items specially selected from the over 1.5 million artifacts housed at the Graceland Archives. Throughout 2025, Graceland will also welcome the opening of: 

• Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii Experience featuring captivating visuals, sounds, and artifacts from Elvis' iconic 1973 performance.
• Graceland in Red in August, will recreate Elvis' 1974 Living Room transformation with its original red French Provencal decor and furniture.
• The Colonel exhibit, delving into the life of Elvis's manager, opens in August.
• In addition, Graceland’s newly renovated Elvis in Hollywood section at the Elvis: the Entertainer Career Museum, which already offers photo op vignettes from Elvis’ movie career – including a New Orleans “King Creole” set, Jailhouse Rock prison setting, and western saloon, will introduce more movie set photo ops in 2025, including a beach, a carnival, and a garage. 

(Source: FECC / IMDB / Annett Wolf/ Mansion Global / AP / Graceland)

Live Stream Elvis Day By Day on the Elvis Archival Preservation Society

I had a great talk with John and Jamie from the Elvis Archival Preservation Society on the 'Elvis Day By Day 2024' book, and why it's important to preserve new Elvis history too. 

You can watch the show on the Elvis Archival Preservation Society's YouTube channel >>> EAP Society's YouTube channel, enjoy (and don't forget to subscribe).

February 23 - Keeping The Show Alive (again)

The SR import record label released the Ultimate Edition of their ‘Keeping The Show Alive’ album. 

 

Publicity stated: The Ultimate Edition box-set is limited to 15 copies and comes in 3 variations of 5 copies each. The music and video elements on the 3 variations is the same, but the packages differ. 

Each variation comes with its own box and contains the five original colors LP wrapped in exclusive OBI, a ‘Thank You’ card, an exclusive digipack that includes the original bonus CD and an exclusive DVD-R (three different DVD labels), an 8-page glossy booklet (three different covers), a certificate printed on heavy ivory paper (three different) and a T-shirt (three different designs). 

All the box-sets are wrapped with an exclusive numbered OBI.

(Source: Pascal Matteo)

Review 200 Elvis Concerts

Celebrating the fan club’s 50th anniversary, president David Trotter compiled the book ‘200 Elvis Concerts - By The Fans For The Fans,’ filled with personal memories from fan-club members about the concerts they attended and, for some lucky ones, their experiences meeting Elvis in person.

Design

The self-published book features a great photo by Judy Palmer Bendewald of Elvis on stage at the Las Vegas Hilton on September 3, 1972 (inside we can read how various fans experienced that show, which was released various times in 2024). It is the only picture in the book. This was a little disappointment, as I had hoped to find a few candids to go along with the personal stories in the book. 

The pages are easy to read, but Trotter chose to write Elvis’ name and all song titles in capitals, which disrupts the layout of the page a bit for me.

 
Content
 
The book has 9 chapters, all with a fitting Elvis song as the title, and each chapter contains a selection of personal memories from 20 fans who shared them over the years through the fan club.
 
This book is a labor of love, and you can really feel it when you read the personal accounts of the primarily female fans. It is almost as if you are sitting there next to them, or experiencing the concert through their eyes. I couldn’t help thinking: what would I do when the lights went down in the showroom and I heard the orchestra play the opening notes of ‘Also Sprach Zarathustra’ … what would I do when Elvis leaned over to me for a kiss - although I think I would probably get a firm handshake and a smile - and what would I say to Elvis when opportunity knocked and I had the chance to go backstage and meet the man? What would I do when I saw one of the members of the entourage walk by with a dirty jumpsuit on his way to the cleaners?
 
In this book, you read what the ladies did and how they experienced it, written down lovingly and dedicatedly on paper 50-plus years ago.
 
So don’t expect to read reviews from experts who completely dissect a concert, Elvis, his musicians, the orchestra, and the concert hall, sometimes placing them in a historical context with the knowledge on Elvis and the state of his life and career we have so many years later. And do not expect articles such as original reviews from professional journalists comparing the Elvis they saw with the young man from the fifties or with the man dealing with divorce, health, or drug problems as featured in the tabloids in the seventies.
 
Fans who made the journey to Vegas and Lake Tahoe describe what happened as it happened and how they saw or experienced it. It was fun to read what fans noticed; from the cold shivers they felt when the lights went out and the Opening Theme came on, to seeing Elvis for the first time: “He was smaller than I thought.” Some ladies noticed the texture of his face, his soft and wet hands when he touched them making the rounds, others remembered the light shining through his chest hair when he knelt for a hug or kiss. Others described his attire and suits (which didn’t have the names we use now), detailing design, textures, or the way the stones were attached. Apparently, he tore out of his suits more often than I thought, having to change and sometimes throwing clothes into the audience according to the reports.
 
We also read what happened on stage and how Elvis “had fun on stage fooling J.D. Sumner or Charlie Hodge, making Glen D. Harding angry after throwing too much water on him and his equipment. Some of the 'events' we know from records, like Elvis entering the stage on Lamar Fike's back, having fun with the plush monkey that joined him, or singing while lying on his back on a bed. Sitting in the front rows, some fans only saw the side of the bed but not what Elvis was doing behind it. First-row seats aren’t always the best seats in the house!
 
Others share how they managed to get a scarf. How they had to wrestle other fans for it or managed to simply slide it off Elvis' neck with his OK when he came close for a song or a kiss. Others kept track of the songs he sang, counted how many times he bent his knee during a song, or noted which one he sang the best.
 
All these reports were shared through paper fan-club newsletters over the years. It must have been great to read these “live” experiences through those newsletters! In today’s digital day-and-age, news and reviews reach us in real-time, which is fun, but reading these personal accounts gave me a completely different experience. Anne E. Nixon is one of the fans who contributed, so there may be some overlap with her 'King of the Hilton' book.
 
This book also made me jealous of all those lucky fans who were able to attend a concert, some of them attending all the concerts from an engagement or hooking up with Elvis several years in a row and some lucky ones ending up backstage.
 
Conclusion
 
I haven’t read too many books or old magazines with personal accounts like these. There are some good books out there like Donna Lewis' ‘Hurry Home Elvis’ trilogy or Virginia Coons book ‘… and Then There Was Elvis'. I think this one is a good addition to those books. Actually, this book will please many fans, as these warm and personal accounts of seeing and experiencing Elvis live in concert as a fan are priceless. These are the kind of stories that bring Elvis closer to us. Even though some describe an almost religious experience seeing Elvis in person, other stories make the man very real when we read about the tone of his skin, his soft lips and soft black hair, his smell, the details of his suits, or … Many of the big photo and fact-driven books we buy lack this personal touch.
 
That said, this book lacks two things: pictures from the fans, and if that wasn’t possible, a picture of the LP or CD that contains the concert whose experience we are reading about. Listening to those concerts with real-life experiences in mind will probably be a different listening experience.

You can contact author David Trotter by >>> email to buy the book, You can join his fan club's >>> Facebook group.

February 22 - Charts February 2025 - Week 4 (Updated)

Elvis Presley’s name can usually be found on the U.S. Billboard and Official U.K. charts, but that's no longer the case unfortunately. Here are the rankings for week 4 of February 2025. 

 

Official U.K. charts

Hugh McIntyre wrote for >>> Forbes: Elvis Presley may have gotten his start in the music world in America, but he quickly reached beyond its shores, and his music found its way to people all around the world. Decades after his passing, he remains a global superstar, and he's on the rise again on multiple charts in a nation that embraced him warmly when he first broke out.

This frame, the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' manages to become a top 40 smash again. Many years after the hits-packed set was first released, it breaks back into the top 40 on the Official Albums Streaming chart. This time around, it lifts from No. 41 to No. 38.

The same title is also gaining ground on the Official Albums chart, though it doesn’t quite manage to crack the top 40. On the U.K.’s list of the most-consumed full-lengths and EPs, Presley ascends from No. 53 to No. 47.

It’s not unusual for Presley to appear on the main albums chart in the U.K., he is usually featured on the Album chart every week. It's also not odd for him to continue selling his work long after his death. 

But the fact that the rocker performs best on the streaming list is notable as these platforms wouldn’t exist for many years after his heyday, and certainly after his passing. The fact that his catalog is still resonating with people who use these sites, who are usually younger, is a testament to his ongoing popularity, and of the power of his work.

'Elvis at the Movies' DVD climbed from No. 36 to No. 25 on the Music Video chart while 'Elvis The Searcher' fell off the chart.

On the other side of the Atlantic Elvis' streams seem to have collapsed, as the 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' fell off both the Top Country Album, and Top Rock and Alternative Album charts this week. The album was respectively listed at No. 38 and No. 49 last week.  

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

February 22 - Selected Release

Just released are volumes 1 to 4 of the of the '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: Various)

February 21 - Fools Live At The Houston Astrodome 1974

The Memphis Recording Service announced the April 25, 2025 release of the LP and Digibook CD sets ‘Live At The Houston Astrodome 1974’. 

Publicity stated: Near the start of his extensive tour on March 3, 1974, Elvis made a major appearance at one of the country’s biggest venues, The Astrodome in Houston Texas, entertaining well in excess of 88,000 fans that day. 

The CD contains Elvis’ performance from March 3, 1974, and for the first time ever, this recording is presented in stereo. The booklet includes rare photographs and memorabilia from the event which set the scene for this historic performance. The LP version will be available on both black and clear vinyl. 

Side A: See See Rider / I Got A Woman – Amen / Love Me / Tryin’ To Get To You / All Shook Up / Love Me Tender / Johnny B. Goode / Hound Dog / Fever / Polk Salad Annie / Why Me, Lord?

 

Side B: Suspicious Minds / I Can’t Stop Loving You / Help Me / How Great Thou Art / Let Me Be There / Funny How Time Slips Away / Elvis Talks / Can’t Help Falling In Love / Closing Vamp.

Note: The CD also includes the band introductions after ‘Suspicious Minds’.

Note from the Elvis Information Network: The Houston show is a truly important performance since there was no room for the usual orchestra and so it was just Elvis, the TCB Band and Backing-Vocalists. Playing on a stage in the middle of the huge Astrodome and without any orchestra back-up this would have been a challenging concert but luckily Elvis was full of energy and both he and the band worked hard to compensate for there being no orchestra. The recording is totally unique, demonstrating that in 1974 Elvis could still play with just his core musicians to create that 'Presley Magic' for that massive Texas crowd.

April Fools Day

The Infinity Records import recordlabel released 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'.

Kaminoge

Elvis is featured on the cover of the Japanese  Pro Wrestling magazine Kaminoge (No. 157). This magazine was released January 5th 2025, celebrating Elvis 90th birthday. 

(Source: Plastic Head / Pascal Matteo / Facebook / Elvis Information Network)

Review 'Elvis 56' Re-issue

In 1996, almost 20 years after Elvis’ death, BMG released the original version of 'Elvis 56', and now, another 30 years later, Sony Music’s vinyl sub-label Music On Vinyl, offers fans a re-issue of this album on blue-colored vinyl. 

And while we’re counting years, the classic recordings on this LP are 69 years old this year! So let's go back to 1956 by spinning this disc.

Design

The design of the original album was an instant classic. Elvis sitting on the floor of RCA’s Studio 1 on 155 E. 24th Street in New York on July 2, 1956, listening to the playback of the new music he just recorded, captured so well by Alfred Wertheimer. With the modern typography, simply stating his first name and half a year, no other text was needed to summarize the record's content. 

The LP is a copy of the original release, including the nicely printed inner sleeves and replica label, but there are a few changes as well. A plus is the blue-colored vinyl, a nice novelty for vinyl fans. A drawback is that the first edition contained a 24-page booklet, while every re-issue since then only came with a 4-page booklet.

The cover does mention “Collector’s Edition,” but that is something we also find on all versions of this LP. Oddly enough, the year on the back is 2014, but that is probably due to the use of an older print file.

That said, this eye-catcher stood out in the record store 30 years ago, and it still does today! The packaging as a whole is attractive and a great show-off to anyone who is interested in Elvis and you want to show them just 1 album from your collection. I for one am glad to see the album back on the shelves of my favorite record store.

Content

When Elvis moved from Sun Records to RCA, the suits in New York were in a hurry to get a return on their investment, and were quick to re-issue Elvis’ Sun singles on their own label, followed by new recordings made on January 10 and 11, 1956, at the RCA studio located at in Nashville. ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ was one of the new songs with a new sound that catapulted Elvis into stardom, securing the first part of RCA’s investment and cementing Elvis musical career. 

When you look at the track listing of Elvis’ debut album that followed, you will find tracks that were recorded between 1954 and 1956, so it didn’t reflect the new rock-and-roll sound, and it omitted the single hits like 'Heartbreak Hotel'. I won't say that is was a rush-release, but looking back now, some more thought could have gone into the album.

On this 1956 compilation, we get the album that perhaps should have been released to cash in on the new rock-and-roll craze. A new album with new music, recorded by a new artist who switched from the local amateur level to the major league of music, and adapted himself almost instantly without losing the raw, unfiltered energy that made him a star and a legend! 

Elvis' SUN recordings may have earned him his place in music history, the first recordings for RCA, as captured on this LP, cemented his breakthrough and career. 

The album is built around the A- and B-sides of his first five singles for RCA, along with another five songs from his self-titled debut album, completed with six selections from his second album. All songs featured here were recorded and released in 1956, with the exception of “Too Much’, which was released in January 1957.

If only the A-side of this record with the songs ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘My Baby Left Me’, ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘So Glad You’re Mine’, ‘Tutti Frutti’, ‘Paralyzed’, ‘Ready Teddy’, ‘Hound Dog’, ‘Don’t Be Cruel’, ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’, ‘Rip it Up’, ‘Money Honey’ and ‘Blue Moon’ had been released as an album, it would perhaps have made an even bigger impression and lasting impression than Elvis’ debut album did. There isn't a bad track in this side. And yes, when you turn the vinyl of this 1956 compilation around, the B-side could easily have followed in the footsteps of the A-side as a follow-up LP.

The music on this album is presented as it was recorded, in Mono, so it doesn’t get more original than this for the fans of the pure and original Elvis sound. The blue 180 gr. vinyl feels solid, is as flat as it should be, and free of noise, so the music really shines. Fans of high-resolution audio may complain that 22 tracks on 1 LP is a bit much, squeezing the music and the vinyl grooves together, but I didn't hear a "thinner" sound (but perhaps I was enjoying the songs too much).

And although it “just” encompasses the first year of Elvis' career with RCA, all the music is part of our shared history. Where his debut album featured rockabilly, rhythm and blues, tearjerking country, and ballads, this album primarily concentrates on the rocking part of his new catalog, showcasing the rebel rocker that drove both dads and their daughters crazy, albeit for different reasons.

Conclusion

The Music On Vinyl label has built a solid reputation with quality reissues, and this 'Elvis 56' album is no exception. The album collects many of the important recordings from Elvis’ first professional year at RCA, where he had to prove his worth as an artist and earn back his weight in gold. This album proves he did! 

I really enjoyed playing this set again. If you are an Elvis fan or a serious music fan, this compilation should be in your collection, period!  And if you’re just looking for a collection of some of the King’s finest work, but don’t necessarily want a 'Greatest Hits' compilation, ‘Elvis 56’ is just the ticket. So thank you Music On Vinyl for returning this album to the record store with the blue colored vinyl as a nice novelty bonus.

If I can make just two requests: please press more than just 2,000 copies, because this album deserves a permanent presence in music stores, because there is too much mediocre music out there that doesn’t do the legacy of our man justice. And secondly, please do a follow-up for 1957.

The album is available from the >>> Music on Vinyl webshop, and >>> Bennies Fifties webshop. 

February 18 - Rethinking Elvis and Check-up For James (Updated)

The release if the academic book 'Rethinking Elvis' by Mark Duffett (editor) has been pushed back for the umpteenth time. 

It was originally due out on February 23, 2025, but according to the Amazon US site, the publication date is now set for April 22. The book is yet to be listed on the publisher's website, the Oxford University Press.

Synopsis: 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).

Checking James

James Burton, 85 years old, shared an update:

Hello friends, we have a major update on James.  

He had medical tests on his heart today and all the tests came back showing that his heart is good, so thank God for that. However, they did find 2 blockages and will have heart cath surgery tomorrow.

Please keep praying for another miracle and thank you all so much!!!  

James & Louise Burton

Update 20/02. According to the Burton Family the prayers helped, an posted: 

A complete miracle. They went into his heart and found no blockage! Even though they saw blockage in the previous test.

God is great! Thanks everyone for your prayers.

(Source: Elvis Book Discussion Group on Facebook / James Burton on Facebook)