January 08 - A Special Day For Elvis Fans - Updated
If the King of "Rock 'N' Roll" had lived, Elvis Aaron Presley would have turned 91 years old on January 8th. And while he has been gone for nearly half a century, his music and legend live on.
Born in a shotgun shack in East Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935, Elvis Presley achieved legendary status. He transformed the industry with his unique sound and style, leaving a legacy that still resonates on his 91st birthday year. A remarkable aspect of Elvis is that his posthumous legacy, like his life, continues to produce news, day by day. His legacy is still enjoyed every day by millions of fans around the world.
Elvis revolutionized Rock and Roll, but his true strength lay in his humanity. In his voice, his charisma, his vulnerability, and his warmth. He knew how to touch people, connect them, and bring them joy, something he continues to do to this day. His music lives, his stories live, and his legacy grows every day. But For many, was and remains so much more than just a musical pioneer.
Elvis 91st Birthday proclamation: Elvis' 91st birthday celebration was held at Graceland with short speeches and the 'EPiC' cake-cutting. Priscilla and Riley Keough were notably absent from this year's festivities, but plenty of fans still converged on the front lawn to celebrate Elvis' special day.
During his speech Graceland Holdings' Joel Weinshanker became charmingly emotional when he recalled how one of Lisa Marie's last appearances was at the Birthday Celebration in 2023 and that Elvis family member Sirius DJ 'Big Jim' also recently passed away.
He said, "In the Elvis family, we often talk about loss but we often talk about remembrance. What Elvis' birthday is about, what Graceland is about, is remembering; remembering great people who did amazing things ... who changed our lives, who changed generations' lives. So, we're going to be working diligently to bring amazing, new things to Graceland. To bring amazing things into the world for Elvis."
Jerry Schilling talked lovingly about his times in Graceland and gets emotional about his friend and meeting Elvis when he was only 19 years-old. The proclamation of Elvis Presley Day was read by Memphis and Shelby County officials. Weinshanker was joined by 'EPiC' film editor, Jonathan Redmond, and Jerry Schilling with the trio joyfully cutting the massive cake.
Elvis, Nashville '56
The French RDM-Edition announced the April 14, 2026 release of the 10-inch LP 'Elvis, Nashville '56' featuring updated Mono II Stereo' mixes for six Elvis classics from 1956.
Publicity stated: A release celebrating 70 years since Elvis’ first RCA recording sessions. Containing both sides of Elvis’ very first RCA hit single, this collectors edition 10-inch 45rpm contains all the tracks recorded by Elvis Presley in Nashville during his pivotal breakout year of 1956.
Newly remixed and remastered from Mono to Stereo by acclaimed producer Anthony Stuchbury you’ll now hear a more familiar stereo mix with backing vocals panned to the side enabling a listening experience like never before!
Tracks Rockin’ Side A: I Got A Woman / Heartbreak Hotel / Money Honey.
Romantic Side B: I’m Counting On You / I Was The One / I Want You, I Need You, I Love You.
The current expected release date is 14th April 2026, 70 years to the very day that Elvis recorded the final track on this release.
You can listen to an interview with Anthony Stuchbury and a first preview track on Matt Shepherd's >>> Golden Hour radio show (MixCloud) which celebrates Elvis at 91.
EPiC U.S. Premiere
'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert' had its official American premiere at Graceland. Nearly a thousand Elvis fans gathered in the TCB Showroom at The Guest House at Graceland to experience this long-awaited film for the first time in the United States.
The evening began festively, with the screenings in the theater being introduced by Jonathan Redmond, EPiC's editor and a longtime creative partner of Baz Luhrmann.
And as soon as the film started, it was immediately clear: EPiC resonates with fans. Throughout the entire 96 minutes, there were bursts of applause, cheers, and loud enthusiasm during legendary scenes and musical highlights. Classics like Hound Dog and Suspicious Minds evoked familiarity and energy, while impressive performances of songs like Bridge Over Troubled Water and Yesterday also made a deep impression.
One of the most emotional reactions in the audience was during footage of baby Lisa Marie, which is featured in EPiC. The audience reacted visibly moved, a moment that further emphasized the special personal side of the film.
The film's distributor Neon has now released the second official poster for 'EPiC: Elvis in Concert' while another posted was released to promote the movie's run at the Imax theaters.
EPiC Soundtrack
Shop Elvis unveiled the details of the 'EPiC' soundtrack album which will be released on CD, vinyl and digitally. The CD will be available February 20th, the 2-LP on April 24, 2025.
Here is the official press release from Sony:Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, and RCA Records will release the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert on February 20th, a collection of 27 recordings heard in the upcoming film, featuring updated mixes of iconic live performances alongside new remixes and medleys of classic Elvis recordings.
The soundtrack release will accompany the theatrical premiere of EPiC: Elvis Presley In Concert, coming to theaters with a one-week exclusive IMAX engagement on February 20th, followed by a global theatrical release from NEON and Universal Pictures International on February 27th. EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert delivers a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience in which Elvis sings and tells his story like never before.
While making his 2022 film ‘Elvis’, Luhrmann and his team uncovered a treasure trove of long-hidden film negatives and footage in the Warner Brothers vaults, originally captured for the documentary films Elvis: The Way It Is (chronicling his August 1970 residency in Las Vegas) and Elvis On Tour (shot throughout his 1972 concerts across the U.S.), as well as never before seen 8mm footage and never before heard audio of Elvis speaking about his life. Luhrmann and his team spent years restoring this material, collaborating with Academy Award nominee Jonathan Redmond, Peter Jackson’s Park Road Post Production as well as many others. What was revealed apart from Presley’s iconic, one of a kind performance energy was the man behind the myth “totally at ease on stage, able to feel the true love of his fans and communicate himself with an intimacy and humanity, unlike any other artist,” as Luhrmann describes.
Coupled with remixes and medleys that blend, reimagine and interpret Presley in bold new directions, the resulting film and soundtrack are a testament to Elvis’ 1970s performances as “startlingly ahead of their time” (Variety) and “the singer at his most mesmerizing” (The Guardian). The soundtrack album is executive produced by GRAMMY nominated Luhrmann.
Listen to “Wearin’ That Night Life Look” today, which draws from four classic Presley recordings (“Wearin’ That Loved On Look,” “Night Life,” “I, John,” “Let Yourself Go”) to “create an entirely new track from Elvis DNA,” as envisioned by Luhrmann and the film’s GRAMMY nominated music producer Jamieson Shaw.
Says Luhrmann of the inspiration behind the new medleys and remixes on the album, “We were constantly asking ourselves, what would Elvis do if he were around? How might he experiment, where might he go? He was always a musical searcher, looking for different flavors and sounds.”
The soundtrack will be released on digital and CD formats on February 20th, in conjunction with the film’s IMAX premiere. The soundtrack’s 2-LP vinyl release will follow on April 24th. The 2-LP will also include two color variants, a Graceland exclusive Red Marble vinyl, and an Amazon exclusive Translucent Orange and Yellow vinyl.
From Sony Music Vision, Bazmark, and Authentic Studios, EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert debuted to; critical acclaim, a standing ovation and dancing in the isles at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival. EPiC marks Luhrmann’s second major project centered around Elvis Presley, following Elvis in 2022, which earnedeight Academy Award® nominations, won multiple BAFTA’s® and Golden Globes®, and grossed nearly US$300 million worldwide. With EPiC, Luhrmann transforms unearthed archival material into an electrifying cinematic odyssey that captures Elvis at his best; raw, human, eccentrically humorous, intimate and electric.
Description for the soundtrack: Discover Elvis like never before with the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's 'EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert'.
Executive produced by Baz Luhrmann, this collection features the showstopping performances featured in the film, including new mixes and fresh remixes of classic Elvis hits, along with two exclusive new tracks that blend and reimagine iconic Elvis performances, delivering bold, innovative interpretations that celebrate the King in an entirely new way.
Amazon will release an exclusive 2-LP is pressed on translucent orange colored vinyl and on translucent yellow vinyl.
Graceland will release an exclusive 2-LP is pressed on red marbled colored vinyl.
Side A: Can't Help Falling In Love (EPiC Intro) - Also Sprach Zarathustra / An American Trilogy (EPiC Version) - Thats All Right (EPiC Version) - Tiger Man (EPiC Version) - Wearin That Night Life Look - Hound Dog (EPiC Version) - Polk Salad Annie (EPiC Version)
Side B: You've Lost That Loving Feeling (EPiC Version) - Little Sister / Get Back (EPiC Version) - Burning Love (EPiC Version) - Never Been To Spain (EPiC Version) - Love Me (Jamieson Shaw Remix)
Side C: I Cant Stop Loving You (EPiC Version) - Are You Lonesome Tonight (EPiC Version) - Always On My Mind (EPiC Version) - How Great Thou Art (EPiC Version) - Oh Happy Day (EPiC Version) - Big Hunk O Love (EPiC Version) - Bridge Over Troubled Water (EPiC Version)
Side D: In The Ghetto (Jamieson Shaw Remix) - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (EPiC Version) - Suspicious Minds (EPiC Version) - Bring The Curtain Down (EPiC Outro) - Cant Help Falling In Love (EPiC Version) - American David (EPiC Version) - A Change Of Reality (Do You Miss Me?)
Tracks CD: Can't Help Falling In Love (EPiC Intro) - Also Sprach Zarathustra / An American Trilogy (EPiC Version) - Thats All Right (EPiC Version) - Tiger Man (EPiC Version) - Wearin That Night Life Look - Hound Dog (EPiC Version) - Polk Salad Annie (EPiC Version) - You´ve Lost That Loving Feeling (EPiC Version) - Little Sister / Get Back (EPiC Version) - Burning Love (EPiC Version) - Never Been To Spain (EPiC Version) - Love Me (Jamieson Shaw Remix) - I Cant Stop Loving You (EPiC Version) - Are You Lonesome Tonight (EPiC Version) - Always On My Mind (EPiC Version) - How Great Thou Art (EPiC Version) - Oh Happy Day (EPiC Version) - Big Hunk O Love (EPiC Version) - Bridge Over Troubled Water (EPiC Version) - In The Ghetto (Jamieson Shaw Remix) - Walk A Mile In My Shoes (EPiC Version) - Suspicious Minds (EPiC Version) - Bring The Curtain Down (EPiC Outro) - Cant Help Falling In Love (EPiC Version) - American David (EPiC Version) - A Change Of Reality (Do You Miss Me?) - Dont Fly Away (PNAU Remix)
Sony released the track 'You're Wearing That Nightlife Look' from the upcoming soundtrack, a medley of boldly reimagined Elvis classics. It draws on four Presley recordings: 'Wearin’ That Loved On Look', 'Night Life', 'I, John' and 'Let Yourself Go' - besides a few others "influences" - to create something new.
In an exclusive interview with The Commercial Appeal, Joel Weinshanker talked about 'EPiC', the 50th anniversary of Elvis' death and more. The main take-a-ways:
On the 'EPiC' Movie
Weinshanker said developing the 'EPiC' documentary has been a priority throughout his tenure. "I've been involved with Elvis Presley Enterprises for 12 years, and for 11 of those years, I've been trying to convince Warner Brothers to go into the salt mines and pull out all of this footage," he said. "I had a real understanding, even watching the original films, that there would be a tremendous amount of material there."
The project became possible following the success of Baz Luhrmann's 2022 'ELVIS' biopic and the director's relationship with Warner Brothers. "In my first meeting with Baz at Graceland, before he even agreed to do the biopic, I told him the story of all of this amazing footage. And Baz turned around and said, 'Boy, I want to make a documentary out of that.' And because of Baz's gravitas, very frankly, we were able to do it."
According to Weinshanker, the documentary features Elvis as narrator. "What I've always said is that the best person who should speak about Elvis is Elvis," Weinshanker said. "When you see this film, that's really what Baz did. Elvis is the storyteller, you hear about his life in his voice. This movie is just an amazing opportunity for someone to get Elvis' story from Elvis."
On the Elvis Hologram Concert
Weinshanker revealed that an Elvis hologram concert experience is close to being announced. "We're getting very close to announcing a location for an Elvis hologram," he said.
He explained EPE's approach to new technology: "Every time there's a new technology, they ask first about using Elvis with that new technology. Often, we say no for a long time, or maybe forever. And then sometimes we just say no until the technology gets to a place where it makes sense. The technology has finally gotten to the place where it can be an amazing experience. We feel it's going to be great for our brand, and great for Elvis."
On the 50th Anniversary of Elvis's Death
The 50th anniversary of Elvis's death will be commemorated in August 2027 with year-long programming and events at Graceland. "We're 12 months out from what will be a year-long focus," Weinshanker said. "That's really going to be about us creating incredible storytelling and having as much of that storytelling coming from Elvis as possible. And it is a phenomenal story — it's the story of America, it's the story of our pop culture."
On the Future of Elvis Presley's Memphis
EPE is planning further development of the Elvis Presley's Memphis complex, which underwent a US$130 million renovation and expansion in 2017. Weinshanker said EPE is eyeing 2030 as "a time where we would have something really rolling out that would be finished and be the next iteration."
Two new exhibits debuted on January 8. "Our ability to constantly update and change is going to define the future for us," said Weinshanker. "We're lucky in that we have an incredible collection of artifacts and we've barely scratched the surface in terms of that material. So we're looking forward to showing people things they've never seen before."
Weinshanker concluded: "Ultimately, what we're trying to share is this incredible story of Elvis being told by Elvis, through us. What we're going to build and how we're going to expand is really going to be based upon that."
Read the complete interview on the >>> Commercial Appeal website where you also find coverage of the Birthday Celebrations and previews of the new exhibitions.
Eternal One-Sided Love
Elvis Presley Society of Japan published the softcover book 'Eien ni Kataomoi' by Reiko Yukawa. There is no official English title, but it translates to 'Eternal One-Sided Love' and is sub-titled 'A Book for Elvis in Heaven'.
The book contains a collection of essays, conversations and speeches by Japanese music critic and lyricist, Reiko Yukawa, a lifelong Elvis fan who, as can be seen from the book's cover, got to meet him. Ms. Yukawa will turn 90 this month. The B5-sized 228-page book was edited by Atsushi of Studio Art L.
FTD World 1999 - 2025
Elvis authors David Ward and Atsushi Nakamura announced that they plan to release a Japanese version of their December 2025 'FTD World 1999 - 2025' discography book in black and white at the end of January. The cover-art is still tentative.
The Secret Story of the Creation of Elvis's Great Songs 1972-77
Atsushi Nakamura also announced the June 2026 release of his book 'The Secret Story of the Creation of Elvis's Great Songs 1972-77'. The cover-art is still tentative.
(Source: David Ward / Matt Shepherd's Golden Hour / Anthony Stuchbury / Paul Sweeney / Pascal Matteo)
