August 08 - Asian Elvis Releases Book

From the Elvis Presley Asian Vinyl Facebook page:

Last week, work started on the first book about Elvis vinyl from Asia. The first batch of 400 LP records and 200 10 inch records have been scanned and the next batches will follow the coming weeks. There will be stories in the book explaining why and where these records made. We'll also explain where and how these records were sold and how they survived time.

It will be a 28x28 cm, hardcover book. The release should be out late December 2020 (if international shipping return to normal).

(Source: Kempo Dick on Facebook)

August 07 - Charts August 2020 - Week 2

The weekly global Elvis Presley chart updates. 

U.S. Billboard chart updates:

• Billboard Top 200 Album chart: ‘The Essential Elvis Presley’ climbed from #176 to #175. 
• Billboard Top Christian Album chart: ‘Elvis: Ultimate Gospel’ dropped from #43 to #49. 
• Billboard Top Country Album chart: ‘The Essential Elvis Presley’ dropped from #20 to #21.
• Billboard Top Rock Album chart: ‘The Essential Elvis Presley’ climbed from #22 to #21.

Official U.K. charts:

• Official U.K. Album chart: ‘The 50 Greatest Hits’ climbed from #71 to #65. 
• Official U.K. Streaming Album chart: ‘The 50 Greatest Hits’ climbed from #54 to #48. 
• Official U.K. Music DVD chart: ‘Elvis Lives - Live From Memphis’ re-entry at #16.
• Official U.K. Music DVD chart: ‘Elvis The Searcher’ climbed from #39 to #29.

Official Scottish Album charts:

• Official Scottish Album Top 100 chart: ‘ELV1S 30 #1 Hits’ re-entry at #63.

(Source: UK Mix / Official Chart Company)

August 07 - Summer Vacation Special

A new CD release from Elvis One label in the New Album Series.

From the press release: 'Summer Vacation Special - Elvis Presley by Special Request' contains 25 tracks including original mono single and album versions, alternate takes and more! A total of 8 tracks + a lot of the Mono versions are previously unreleased by Elvis official record company on cd, including a previously unreleased "Girls! Girls! Girls! / Fun In Acapulco" radio spot taken from the original promo disc! Also including are the original Summer Vacation Special single tracks (released on single in 1964, 1966 and 1967) "There's Always Me", "Judy" and "Such A Night" in original Mono. A great album compilation for this summer!

Tracks: Rock-A-Hula Baby (Mono Single Version) - Girls! Girls! Girls! (Mono Album Version) - Such A Night (Mono Single Version) - C’mon Everybody (Composite Movie Version) - Moonlight Swim (Mono Album Version) - Mexico (Dubbed Movie Version) - Dixieland Rock (EP Version) - Everybody Come Aboard (Take 5) - Down In The Alley (Screaming Grls Version Take 1) - There’s Always Me (Mono Single Version) - Slicin’ Sand (Mono Album Version) - Take Me To The Fair (Take 3) - Come What May (Take 1) - Viva Las Vegas (Take 6) - Island Of Love (Mono Album Version) - Paradise, Hawaiian Style (Take 3) - It’s Carnival Time (Movie Version) - Sand Castles (Take 1) - Blue Hawaii (Mono Album Version) - Judy (Mono Single Version).

Bonus Songs: What A Wonderful Life - I Think I’m Gonna Like It Here (Take 5) - Riding The Rainbow (Take 6) - Anyplace Is Paradise - Girls! Girls! Girls! & Fun In Acapulco (Radio Spot).

Follow That Reprint

The demand for the new FTD 50th Anniversary Release of the 'Elvis: That's The Way It Is' is more than anticipated. The initial release of 2,500 copies sold out in pre-orders alone, a new for the label. The label announced that the set will see a second release September 2020 to fill the remaining pre-orders. 

Ernst Jorgensen received his copy from the authors.

Digital Single

Sony Legacy released the track 'I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water' as a digital single through Spotify, Apple Music and other digital outlets to promote the upcoming 'From Elvis In Nashville' set.

(Source: FECC / UEPS / Facebook / Phoenix Elvis Forum)

August 06 - Press Release: From Elvis In Nashville

RCA / Sony Legacy released a press release on the upcoming 'From Elvis In Nashville' set. 

RCA/Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment, is pleased to announce the forthcoming release of 'From Elvis In Nashville', a 4CD collection presenting the long-awaited definitive chronicle of Elvis Presley's mythic 1970 marathon sessions with the "Nashville Cats". 

Recorded live in RCA's Studio B in Nashville over the course of an epic five day/night run in June 1970 (with an additional session on September 22), Elvis' performances from those sessions formed the core of three of his most successful studio album releases from the 1970s: 'Elvis: That's the Way It Is', 'Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)' and 'Love Letters from Elvis'. 

Now, for the first time, the master recordings from the 1970 Studio B sessions may be enjoyed together as a single official Elvis album. On 'From Elvis In Nashville', Presley's studio tracks from the 1970 marathon sessions are presented in pristine audio, newly mixed by acclaimed engineer Matt Ross-Spring (John Prine, Jason Isbell) without the added overdubs or orchestration appearing on earlier releases. 

'From Elvis In Nashville' will be available in a 4-CD boxed edition including two bonus discs of rare and/or unreleased outtakes from the 1970 sessions. A highlights package will be available in a 2-LP 12 inch vinyl pressing. 

At the close of the 1960s, Elvis Presley, the atomic-powered singer of the 1950s, put his stamp on the rock revolution decade, reestablishing himself as a musical and cultural force to be reckoned with. His electrifying Elvis '68 Comeback special made television history and his long-awaited return to non-soundtrack recordings – captured at Chip Moman's American Sound Studio in Memphis, January-February 1969 – yielded major chart hits including 'In The Ghetto', 'Don't Cry Daddy', 'Kentucky Rain', and 'Suspicious Minds' (Elvis' final #1 single) and well as a pair of acclaimed 1969 album releases, 'From Elvis In Memphis' and the studio/concert hybrid 'From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis'. 

'From Elvis In Nashville' serves as a mirror and companion to his earlier Memphis recordings, bringing fresh fire, exuberance, humor and emotional resonance to the Studio B sessions. 

For his first recordings of the 1970s, Elvis revisited the blueprint that made his American Sound sessions so successful. Because he hated doing overdubs, he wanted to cut loose live in the studio with a band in sync with his sensibility. Freed from obligations to music publishers, Elvis was able to pick and record songs that were contemporary, relevant and meaningful to him, from covers – including his transcendent interpretation of 'Bridge Over Trouble Water' – to the epic material then powering his Las Vegas residencies and return to live performing. In 1970 alone, Elvis performed two-month-long engagements at the International, playing two shows a night.

If the American Sound recordings in Memphis opened the door for Elvis' return to the stage and top of the charts, his next recordings – the fabled 1970 Marathon Sessions – would lay the groundwork for another revolution in pop music. Under the direction of producer Felton Jarvis, Elvis joined forces with one of the most potent studio ensembles ever assembled to create an often underrated chapter in Presley's rich legacy. Working with the fabled »Nashville Cats« for his first album of 1970, Elvis Presley connected to a circle of contemporary musicians that included Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, George Harrison and others. 

In June 1970, Elvis – who'd upended country music radio in the 1950s when he introduced rock 'n' roll music to the mainstream--returned to RCA Studio B to create a new sound for a new decade. From 1958-1971, Elvis recorded more than 200 tracks at Studio B, beginning with five songs – including 'A Fool Such As I' – before shipping off to Germany with the US Army in September 1958; he recorded 'Elvis Is Back!', his first post-army album, at Studio B in March-April 1960. For his 1970 Nashville sessions, Elvis was able to handpick his own repertoire and, delve into the rich variety of American music in his marrow, combining elements of bluegrass, honky tonk, Western swing and the rockabilly he'd virtually invented with contemporary pop, ballads and epic showstoppers. Bringing a fresh and vital new approach to pop and country music, Elvis' performances on 'From Elvis In Nashville' presaged and encompassed emerging trends from countrypolitan and Americana to outlaw country. 

These sessions are widely recognized as among Elvis' best because of the undeniable chemistry between Elvis and his astonishing studio band comprised of multi-instrumentalist Charlie McCoy (whose resume includes Bob Dylan's Highway 61 Revisited, Blonde On Blonde, John Wesley Harding and Nashville Skyline as well as work with Paul Simon, Tanya Tucker, Bob Seger, Willie Nelson and many more); bassist Norbert Putnam (Roy Orbison, Al Hirt, Henry Mancini, Dan Fogelberg, Linda Ronstadt, J. J. Cale, Tony Joe White, more); and pianist David Briggs (who's worked with Dean Martin, Joan Baez, Nancy Sinatra, B.B. King, Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Waylon Jennings, Tony Joe White, George Harrison, Todd Rundgren, Roy Orbison, The Monkees, J. J. Cale, Kris Kristofferson, Alice Cooper, among others). Known colloquially as the "Nashville Cats", this finely-honed studio ensemble, like Elvis himself, connected the worlds of pop, rock and country music. For the June sessions, Elvis brought in his longtime on-stage guitarist James Burton; Eddie Hinton – who, like Putnam ad Briggs, was part of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section – played lead guitar on Elvis' September 22 session. Elvis plays acoustic guitar throughout the June sessions. 

The five-day "marathon" sessions—with work starting in the early evening and continuing until dawn – yielded a wide variety of material including a spirited rendition of Willie Nelson's 'Funny How Time Slips Away', the heartrending 'I've Lost You', a powerful take on Simon and Garfunkel's 'Bridge Over Troubled Water', and a new version of 'Love Letters', which Presley first cut in 1966. A wild, single-take version of 'Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On' was one of the highlights of the September 22 single day session. 

The music Elvis created in his 1970 'Marathon Sessions' – presented here without layers of overdubbing heard on the original releases – stands among Presley's best and has proven immensely influential. It established musical directions he pursued the rest of his career, predicted his late-in-life pop- and-country radio successes, and modeled sounds for countless country stars to come. 'From Elvis In Nashville' provides an intimate glimpse into the world of Elvis and the way he made music that lasts forever. 

Track listing

Disc 1 - Masters

01. Opening Jam (Mystery Train)

02. Twenty Days And Twenty Nights

03. I’ve Lost You

04. I Was Born About Ten Thousand Years Ago

05. The Sound Of Your Cry

06. The Fool

07. A Hundred Years From Now

08. Little Cabin On The Hill

09. Cindy, Cindy

10. Bridge Over Troubled Water

11. How The Web Was Woven

12. Got My Mojo Working/ Keep Your Hands Off Of It

13. It’s Your Baby, You Rock It

14. Stranger In The Crowd

15. I’ll Never Know

16. Mary In The Morning

17. It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing)

18. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me

19. Just Pretend

20. This Is Our Dance

21. Life

22. Heart Of Rome

Disc 2 - Masters

01. When I’m Over You

02. I Really Don’t Want To Know

03. Faded Love

04. Tomorrow Never Comes

05. The Next Step Is Love

06. Make The World Go Away

07. Funny How Time Slips Away

08. I Washed My Hands In Muddy Water

09. Love Letters

10. There Goes My Everything

11. If I Were You

12. Only Believe

13. Sylvia

14. Patch It Up

15. Snowbird

16. Where Did They Go, Lord

17. Whole Lot-ta Shakin’ Goin’ On

18. Rags To Riches

Disc 3 - Outtakes

01. Jam 2 (Tiger Man)

02. I’ve Lost You – take 1

03. The Next Step Is Love – takes 3-6

04. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me – rehearsal

05. Patch It Up – take 1

06. Twenty Days And Twenty Nights – takes 5,6 & 8

07. How The Web Was Woven – take 1

08. Mary In The Morning – takes 3-4

09. Just Pretend – takes 1-2

10. Stranger In The Crowd – takes 1-5

11. Bridge Over Troubled Water – rehearsal, take 1

12. Patch It Up – take 9

13. The Sound Of Your Cry – take 3

14. Where Did They Go, Lord – takes 2-3

15. Rags To Riches – take 2

Disc 4 - Outtakes

01. Jam 3 (I Didn’t Make It On Playing Guitar)

02. Faded Love – rehearsal (country version)

03. The Fool – take 1

04. A Hundred Years From Now – take 1

05. Little Cabin On The Hill – take 1

06. Tomorrow Never Comes – takes 10-11

07. Snowbird – take 1

08. Faded Love – take 3

09. It’s Your Baby, You Rock It – take 3

10. There Goes My Everything – take 1

11. Love Letters – take 1

12. If I Were You– take 5

13. Heart Of Rome – take 1

14. Cindy, Cindy – take 1

15. I’ll Never Know – take 3

16. Sylvia – take 9

17. It Ain’t No Big Thing (But It’s Growing) – takes 1-2

18. Only Believe – take 3

19. Life – take 2

Graceland released an exclusive colored vinyl edition.

Listen to a >>> preview. 

(Source: RCA / Sony Legacy / graceland / JPC)

August 05 - From Elvis in Nashville

Sony Legacy shared the cover art for the upcoming / postponed 'From Elvis in Nashville' 4-CD / 2-LP set featuring recordings from June 1970 sessions in Nashville. The songs from these sessions ended up on the albums 'That's The Way It Is', 'Elvis Country', 'Love Letters from Elvis' and 'Elvis Now'.

There is no definitive confirmation on the release date or track listing. A close look at Side A on the 2-LP reveals: 01. You Don't Have To Say You Love Me / 02. Mary In The Morning (Takes 3, 4) / 03. Stranger In The Crowd (Take 5) / 04. How The Web Was Woven (Take 1) / 05. Got My Mojo Workin' - Keep Your Hand Off

(Source: Robert Frieser on Facebook)

August 04 - Elvis' Love For ...

Darrin Memmer released the 272-page book 'Elvis Presley's Abiding Love for Almighty God, The Prophet & Maggie Smith: A Testament of Respect for Catholicism and The Jewish People'. 

(Source: Amazon)

August 03 - Billy Goldenberg Died

Billy Goldenberg, Emmy-winning composer and musical director of Elvis Presley's 'Comeback Special', died. He was 84. R.I.P.

He further wrote the score for ‘Change of Habit’, starring Presley and Mary Tyler Moore.
Flying In Twice

The E.P. Collector import label released the 2-CD 'Flying in Twice' featuring the July10th and July 18th 1975 Evening Show performances. 

(Source: Varety / Deadline)

August 02 - Retro Party

The Big 3 label announced the release of the 3-CD set 'Party' with September 18th as the release date. 

Synopsis:
From the opening bars of ‘(Let's Have A) Party’ through to the closing moments of ‘Got A Lot Of Livin' To Do’ we present 60 examples of prime Elvis guaranteed to get the party swinging with a selection of Rock 'n' Roll and ballads to suit any mood.

Yours Retro Magazine

The August 2020 edition of UK Yours Retro magazine featured an article on Kay Wheeler, founder of the first Elvis Presley fan club and how she taught him some of his dance moves. 

(Source: Amazon)

August 01 - Sold!

Bidding ended for the Gotta Have Rock and Roll auction of Elvis Presley's 1942 Martin D-18 guitar. The guitar sold for the minimum bid of US$1,200,000 with an estimate of US$2,000,000 - US$3,000,000. The price is US$1,320,000 with commissions, becoming just the tenth guitar in history to sell for more than $1.0 million and the sixth guitar to sell for more than $1.0 million in the last 14 months.

This guitar was used by Elvis Presley for two recordings while at SUN in March 1955, ‘Baby Let's, Play House’ and the flip-side ‘I'm Left, You're Right, She's Gone’. Elvis Presley used the instrument for live performances from late November 1954 to late May of 1955. 

From the auction site: 

Elvis Presley’s most important guitar ever to come to auction, this is his historic 1942 Martin D-18 guitar, Serial Number 80221, which he owned between 1954 and 1956, is often referred to as his “Sun Sessions” guitar. Elvis used this actual guitar extensively while recording at the iconic Sun Studios in Memphis, TN and while performing on stage during this period.  He can be seen playing the guitar in many, many photographs from this time, two of which are featured here. Elvis purchased the guitar at O.K. Houck’s Piano Store in Memphis, trading in his Martin 000-18. He decorated the body of the guitar with adhesive metal letters spelling out his name, "ELVIS". The letters "ELVI" remain with the "S" missing. The extensive wear visible on the guitar due to Elvis’ hard strumming is testament to its considerable use by Elvis. During this period Elvis recorded some of his most classic songs, songs that catapulted him into his meteoric rise to fame, including “That’s All Right (Mama)”, “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, “Good Rockin’ Tonight” and many more.

This historic guitar is currently on display at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio and was also featured in the Play It Loud: Instruments of Rock & Roll exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from April 8 to October 1, 2019. The exhibition was organized by The Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was the first major exhibition in an art museum dedicated entirely to the iconic instruments of rock and roll. 

Another guitar, used by Elvis Presley in the movie ‘The Trouble with Girls’ for the song ‘Clean Up Your Own Backyard’  was sold for US$10,000. The estimate for this instrument was US$15,000 - US$20,000, 

(Source: Gotta Have Rock and Roll)

August 01 - Charts August 2020 - Week 1

The weekly global Elvis Presley chart update. Very little chart-movement while approaching Elvis week 2020. Both titles remain steady sellers. 'The Essential Elvis Presley' compilation marked one year on the chart while 'The 50 Greatest Hits' was awarded a Triple Platinum Award by the British Phonographic Indurty (B.P.I.) in the United Kingdom last week. 

U.S. Billboard chart

• Billboard Top 200 Album chart: ‘The Essential Elvis Presley’ dropped from #167 to #176.
• Billboard Top Christian Album chart: ‘Elvis: Ultimate Gospel’ dropped from #42 to #43. 
• Billboard Top Rock Album chart: ‘The Essential Elvis Presley’ dropped from #21 to #22. 
• Billboard Top Country Album chart: ‘The Essential Elvis Presley’ remained steady at #20. 

Official U.K. charts

• Official U.K. Album Top 100: ‘The 50 Greatest Hits’ climbed from #73 to #71.
• Official U.K. Streaming Album Top 100: ‘The 50 Greatest Hits’ climbed from #55 to #54.
• Official U.K. Music DVD chart: 'Elvis The Searcher' re-entry at #39.

(Source: UK Mix / Official Chart Company)