June 25 - Taking Care of the Beat

Here is a pre-release copy of the upcoming "Taking Care of Business" book / CD set. The set should be due soon. 

The Beat Is Back

The E.P. Collector import-label double CD "The Beat Is Back", containing the 20.30 Show from April 21, 1976 as recorded at the Kemper Arena in Kansas City, MO., has been released.

(Source: Garfield on FECC / Elvis Aktuell)

June 24 - Unheard Vinyl Book Updates

The “Roustabout” soundtrack will be re-issued by the Friday Music label on August 19, 2016. It comes on 180 gram audiophile translucent orange vinyl as a “Limited Anniversary Edition” in a gatefold cover.

Book Updates

Erik Lorentzen has announced more details about the first of his series of books called the “Gold Standard Series”. These books will focus on highlights in Elvis’ wonderful career in the same way that 'A Touch Of Gold Lame' did.


Two books will be released later this year, both celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of the events covered in the books. “Elvis In Person - The Florida Tour Of August 1956” with a worldwide release  on August 3, 2016. “At The Mississippi Alabama Fair And Dairy Show” on September 26, 1956 Tupelo. 


Volume 8 in the “Elvis Files” series should be out soon. This marks the last chapter in this series and it covers the years 1976 and 1977 from the 1976 new year eve concert in Pittsburgh until the last months of Elvis Presley’s life in 1977.

Unheard Way Down in the Jungle Room sessions

In early May, we reported some interesting Elvis Presley happenings afoot at the Phillips Recording Service. 
Although details were vague, officials from Sony/Legacy - the custodians of the Presley catalog - and longtime Elvis TCB band members were on hand at Phillips to work on tracks for an upcoming project. Though unconfirmed officially, the work was reportedly for a 40th anniversary package marking the King's 1976 home recording sessions at Graceland's Jungle Room. 

We mixed 18 tracks from the Jungle Room sessions, and the really cool thing is James Burton, Norbert Putnam, David Briggs, Ronnie Tutt - all those guys who played with Elvis came to town and hung out while I mixed, says Ross-Spang. It's pretty interesting mixing with James Burton standing over your shoulder. Ross-Spang's work offers a sparer-sounding version of the Jungle Room material. 

Those songs were originally done on 16-track at the house, but afterward, (Elvis producer) Felton Jarvis took the tracks back to Nashville and added strings and horns and overdubs. Which was cool, but it's really great just to have the original kind of swamp-y tracks, real bare bones. I think that's where some of the material really shines.

(Source: Elvis Information Network / FECC / Amazon)

June 23 - Spiced Hollywood Takes

CMT import-label is proud to present their latest release which promises to be a winner! The STAR team has done all the edits on this album, and they made magic once more! Unlike other “import” labels, they truly were able to produce a great "new album , using many incomplete takes , to create beautiful new tracks. Their professional edits will blow you away, and will make you believe these are unreleased takes. Some new “alternate masters” were made and the result is amazing; just listen to the breathtaking version of “Steppin’ Out of Line” or the new “bluesy” opening of “Slowly But Surely".
Elvis fans have been spoiled over the years, and they all know.. “the end is near” almost every complete take available has been released, so this is as close as you can get for a “New” album, an album which won’t leave your player this summer!

The set comes in a “Deluxe Digipack” with beautiful artwork, and is strictly limited to 500 copies!

Tracklisting: 
Blue Hawaii - Spliced take 4,6,3 Almost Always True - Spliced take 6,5 Didja Ever - spliced take 1,2 * Pocketful of Rainbows - Spliced take 19,20 Steppin Out of Line - Alternate Master Slowly But Surely - Spliced take 3,4,1 (bluesy intro) If You Think I Dont Need You - Spliced take 5,7 What a wonderful Life - Spliced take 5,6 Tonights So Right For Love - Spliced take 5,6 We'll Be Together - Spliced take 8,10 One Broken Heart for Sale - Spliced take 3,5 The Bullfighter Was A Lady - Spliced take 9,7 * Ku u I po - Spliced take 2,5 Animal Instinct - Spliced take 3,4 A Dogs Life - Spliced take 5,4 C'mon Everybody - - Spliced take 1,3 King of the Whole Wide World (remake) - Spliced take 2,3 Cross My Heart Hope to Die - Spliced take 9,11 Smorgasbord - Spliced take 4,2 What's She Really Like - Spliced 16,11 Ito Eats - Spliced take 2,4,5 Girl Happy - Alternate Master * A Cane and A High Starched Collar - Alternate Master * Stay Away, Joe - Spliced take 15,16,13 Island of Love - Spliced take 4,4,8 Stop Look and Listen - Spliced take 5,6 Take Me To the Fair - Spliced take 5,7 Where Do You Come From - Spliced take 13,14 * Let Yourself Go - Spliced take 5,6 * Almost in Love - Spliced take 1,6 
Tracks marked with * are previously released.

(Source: CMT)

June 22 - Charts

Elvis Presley has no entries on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart for the week ending July 2, 2016. 

The "ELV1S: 30 No.1 Hits" is a re-entry at #22 on the Billboard Country Catalog Album Chart.
The "If I Can Dream" CD drops from #4 to #5 on the Billboard Classical Album Chart.

UK Charts

Elvis Presley's "If I Can Dream climbed from #134 to #123 on the Official UK Album chart.
On the UK Budget Albums The "The Real ... Elvis" climbed from #23 to #22 while "ELV1S 30 #1 Hits climbed from #29 to #27.

(Source: Brian Quinn / FECC)

June 21 - A Little Thing Called Life And Death

Here is the cover-art for Linda Thompson's memoir "A Little Thing Called Life" in which she sheds startling new light on three of her famous exes according to US Weekly. The book hits shelves on August 23, 2016. 

Thompson, 66, divulges all the details on her nearly five-year romance with the late Elvis Presley in the 1970s and her marriages to Olympic gold medalist Caitlyn Jenner (then known as Bruce Jenner) and Grammy-winning record producer David Foster.

The nostalgia-inducing cover includes throwback photos of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Jenner and the exes’ two sons with Caitlyn, Brandon and Brody Jenner.

Additionally, the book is chock-full of colorful stories about her songwriting, acting and modeling careers. The Memphis, Tennessee, native — and former Miss Tennessee Universe — is particularly known for voicing the Peanuts character Lucy on several Charlie Brown specials and cowriting Whitney Houston's "I Have Nothing," one of the several smash singles from the landmark soundtrack to 1992's The Bodyguard.

“My time on this planet has presented me with extraordinary circumstances, opportunities for growth and the gift of deep and abiding love. I feel a responsibility to life itself to share my experiences in the hope that others may find solace, inspiration, forgiveness, hope and a sense of connection in their own lives. That is the motivation for this memoir,” Thompson exclusively tells.

“My personal life has always taken precedence over my professional one without a modicum of regret,” she adds. “The fact that we are all human and fallible does not take away anything from the potential for greatness — it simply connects us to each other. From my heart to yours, I share my story.”

Matt Harper, HarperCollins’ executive editor of creative development, adds, “Linda’s story spans decades of entertainment history and presents a look inside some of the most enigmatic stars of our time in a way that few can. From her candid portrait of Elvis to how she dealt with Bruce Jenner’s revelation, keeping the secret for nearly thirty years, this book will raise eyebrows and cause plenty of laughs, but more than anything, it will share the messy yet human side of what her time in the spotlight has been like.”

Wayne Jackson, Trumpeter With Memphis Horns, Dies at 74

Wayne Jackson performed on recordings by numerous top-shelf artists, including Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond and U2.

Trumpet player Wayne Jackson, who played standout horn lines on rock 'n' roll, soul, R&B and pop mainstays along with Memphis Horns partner and tenor saxophonist Andrew Love, has died. He was 74.  He played on Elvis hits like "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds."

His wife, Amy, said her husband died of congestive heart failure Tuesday night at a hospital with her by his side. Jackson had been hospitalized and released June 7 before taking a turn for the worse Monday night and being readmitted.

"He led an incredible life and he left an amazing music legacy," Amy Jackson said.

Jackson and Love performed on recordings by numerous top-shelf artists, including Otis Redding, Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond and U2. Jackson and Love - the Memphis Horns - were awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in February 2012, only the second instrumental backup group in history to receive the honor at the time. According to his wife, in his acceptance speech, he said, "It's been a dance of love between me and that trumpet."

(Source: US Weekly / Twitter / Billboard)

June 17 - Showroom Charts

The Plastic Head label released the CD "Elvis Presley - In The Beginning: 14 Classic Sun Recordings" containing early live recordings and hits.

Showroom Release

The AudiRec import-release “Elvis - Hilton Showroom Volume 4” has been released. It contains the complete March 31, 1975 Dinner Show performance as recorded at the Hilton Hotel in Las Vegas.

Charts

The CD “If I Can Dream” climbed from #6 to $4 on the US Billboard Classic Album Chart. 

The CD “If I Can Dream” dropped off the Official UK Album Sales chart. On the Physical Albums sales chart the CD dropped from #65 to #87. 

The CD “If I Can Dream” dropped off the Belgian UltraPop Album chart after it’s re-entry at #193 last week. 

The DVD “Elvis – The King Of Rock’n’Roll – 30 Hit Performances And More” dropped off the Australian Music DVD charts. 

(Source: FECC / Elvis Club Berlin)

June 16 - Atlanta 1975

The MxF import-label announced the release of "Atlanta 1975" featuring the unreleased Show from Atlanta April 30, 1975 plus a bonus DVD with unreleased footage from the same tour.

From the press-release:
After the successful Las Vegas Hilton comeback, in spite a little bit overweight but with strong spirit, Elvis is ready to face his first tour of the 1975.. The rock attitude is back the performance is relaxed and superb like many critics noted…, still at the top if his ability he deliveries the classic one hour show as usually, but very intense updating the show with more contemporary repertoire, tossing away mostly of the oldies..There is a freshness that cannot be denied, Elvis was very energetic on stage, bringing back his best seventy rocker like Burning Love and his first That’s All Right Mama…and naturally his karate exercises…introducing his latest rocker single Trouble. He sang with rough power and sensitivity at the same time, delivering a solid short show, with songs like Let Be There recent hit from Olivia Newton-John” and the classic “My Boy” sang terrifically. Elvis finally started to perform again his rocking repertoire appearing to be more focused on the music.

The sound is very good for an ambient recording, considering that this kind of recording is coming from a big hall no the intimate Las Vegas showroom… We have on our hands the original mono tape of extremely good quality enabling us to carry out a simple re-mastering work, concentrating on the reduction of noise trying to achieve a more clear sound balancing the channel and put at the right speed the tape. The result a pretty dynamic tape with a great definition of the background music and for sure you can live the atmosphere of a Elvis’ concert in the seventy.

About the DVD in spite we are talking about amateur footage, we are proud of the work done..after careful remastering work in the matter to delivery the best video to date, including matching audio from the original concert in the way to get a perfect sync between audio and image with speed correction of the original footage we can say that watching this DVD you can have the perfect idea and overall, you can live the Elvis’ show in April 1975 tour…

This is the first very special Product for this label, this new CD and DVD combo will be housed in a deluxe long digi-pack, containing a 12 pages of booklet with focus and details on the four shows included in the live footage with a collection of live photographs newspapers clips and memorabilia plus a high quality glossy 135 gram paper poster of 50x25 cm size.

In matter to have a special collector item, the 500 copies will be presented with five different sleeves VARIATION, the same for the poster too. All the copies will come hand numbered and individually sealed and Please remember!! This is a limited hand numbered edition of 500 copies. The first 100 copies (variation 1 of sleeve) deluxe edition will have exclusive content. CD time about 65.00 min 

Tracklist Atlanta April 30, 1975:
01. Intro/See See Rider 02. I Got A Woman /Amen 03. Love me 04. If You Love Let Me Know 05. Love Me Tender 06. All Shook Up 07. Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel 08. I’ll Remember You 09. Help Me 10. How Great Thou Art 11. Band Intro 12. Solos 13. Band Intro 14. Hail! Hail! Rock & Roll 15. My Boy 16. T.R.O.U.B.L.E. 17. It’s Now Or Never 18. Let Me Be There 19. An American Trilogy 20. Burning Love 21. Funny How Time Slips Away 22. That’s All Right 23. Can’t Help Falling Love /Closing Vamp 

The DVD (total playing time 40  minutes) includes previously unreleased footage from Jacksonville, FL April 25 and Atlanta GA. June 1 and 2.  

April 25 1975 (8:30 pm). Jacksonville FL. Vet. Memorial Coliseum. 
Excerpts: 01. Intro /See See Rider 2,27 02. I Got A Woman 0.58 03. Burning Love 1.00 04. T.R.O.U.B.L.E 0.10 05.Can’t Help Falling Love /Closing Vamp 2.39

May 1 1975 (8:30 pm). Atlanta GA. Omni Coliseum 
Excerpts: 01.Intro /See See Rider 3.11. 02.I got A Woman 3.08 03. Love Me 0.35 04.If You Love Me Let Me Know 0.10. 05. Love Me Tender 1.30 . 06. All Shook Up 0.46 . 07.Kiss intermezzo 0.30 08.Burning Love 1.48. 09.Kiss Intermezzo 0.42. 10. Can’t Help Falling Love 0.28

May 2 1975 (8:30 pm). Atlanta GA. Omni Coliseum 
Excerpts: 01. Intro /See See Rider 3.05 02. I got A Woman 3.10 03. Love Me 0.28 04. Love Me Tender 2.00 05. All Shook Up 0.36 06.Burning Love 3.00 07.Steamroller Blues 0.50 08. T.R.O.U.B.L.E. 0.40 09. Can’t Help Falling Love 4.19 

Way Down In The Jungle Room Press-release

EPE posted a press-release on their site:


RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release "Way Down In The Jungle Room," a definitive new 2-CD collection of Elvis Presley's last studio recordings, on Friday, August 5.

The most complete and comprehensive collection of Presley's final studio recordings ever assembled in one anthology, "Way Down In The Jungle Room" is an essential and welcome addition for every fan's library. In the mid-1970s, Elvis, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, became another kind of pioneer as one of the world's first major recording artists to create fully-realized professional level records in the intimacy of his own home studio.

With original recordings executive-produced by Elvis Presley with producer Felton Jarvis (who'd helmed most of Elvis' records from 1966-1977), "Way Down In The Jungle Room" brings together, for the first time in one collection, master recordings and rare outtakes laid down during two mythic sessions (February 2-8, 1976 and October 28-30, 1976) in Graceland's den -- known as the Jungle Room -- which was converted into a professional caliber recording studio for the purpose of capturing these indelible performances. The outtakes have been newly mixed by Grammy Award-winning engineer Matt Ross-Spang at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis, Tennessee.

For these sessions, Elvis was backed by many members of his longtime touring band including: James Burton (guitar), Ronnie Tutt (drums), David Briggs (keyboards), Glenn D. Hardin (keyboards), Jerry Scheff (bass), Norbert Putnam (bass) and J.D. Sumner & the Stamps (vocals).

In 1976, when the tracks for "Way Down In The Jungle Room" were cut, Elvis Presley had been an RCA Records recording artist for 20 years, inventing the sound and attitude that defined the very essence of rock 'n' roll. That same year, RCA released The Sun Sessions, the label's first official collection of the electrifying 1954-1955 Elvis recordings that launched his career while transforming the world. 

Having entered his 40s, Elvis Presley was evolving as an artist and, rather than bask in the nostalgia of his 1950s watershed recordings, was looking for new ways to express himself musically. Needing to create new sounds for a new era, Elvis Presley--who'd been charting on Country and Adult Contemporary stations -- decided to convert the Hawaiian-themed Jungle Room (a relaxation den in his fabled Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee) into an informal home studio, where he could lay down tracks the way he wanted, outside the budget and scheduling pressures of the professional studios he'd worked in previously. With the help of RCA's mobile recording truck and longtime producer Felton Jarvis and engineer Mike Moran at the board, Elvis tackled a far-ranging mix of country and pop covers ("Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain," "I'll Never Fall in Love Again," "Danny Boy," "Solitaire") and late-period classics of his catalog, such as "Moody Blue" and "Way Down." 

Ten of the Jungle Room master takes first emerged on From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee in the spring of 1976, including the Top 10 hit "Hurt." More tracks from these sessions were later paired with live material and released in July 1977 (a month before Elvis' death on August 16) on the "Moody Blue" album. The title track would top the country charts that month; "Way Down" would follow. These were the last studio albums released during Elvis' lifetime.

According to the album's producers, "Way Down In The Jungle Room" has been resequenced to "bring a fresh perspective to the material." The material on Disc 2 - The Outtakes was mixed for this collection at the Sam Phillips Recording Service in Memphis and includes both outtakes and in-the-studio dialog, providing a "fly-on-the-wall experience of what the sessions were like." With the exception of track 13 ("She Thinks I Still Care"), the performances on Disc 2 have been sequenced in the order they were recorded.

Way Down In The Jungle Room with also be available on 150g 12" vinyl in a 2LP gatefold sleeve and as a digital collection.

Way Down In The Jungle Room may be pre-ordered now at Shop Graceland.

CD Elvis Presley - "Way Down In The Jungle Room":
CD 1: 01. Way Down 02. She Thinks I Still Care 03. Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall 04. Pledging My Love 05. For The Heart 06. Love Coming Down 07. He'll Have To Go 08. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain 09. Hurt 10. Never Again 11. Danny Boy 12. Solitaire 13. Moody Blue 14. It's Easy For You 15. I'll Never Fall In Love Again 16. The Last Farewell - CD 2: 01. Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall (Take 1) 02. She Thinks I Still Care (Take 10) 03. The Last Farewell (Take 2) 04. Solitaire (Take 7) 05. I'll Never Fall In Love Again (Take 5) 06. Moody Blue (Take 1) 07. For The Heart (Take 1) 08. Hurt (Take 3) 09. Danny Boy (Take 9) 10. Never Again (Take 9) 11. Love Coming Down (Take 3) 12. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain (Take 4) 13. She Thinks I Still Care (Take 2) 14. It's Easy For You (Take 1) 15. Way Down (Take 2) 16. Pledging My Love (Take 3) 17. For The Heart (Take 4)

Vinyl Elvis Presley - "Way Down In The Jungle Room":
Side A: 1. Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall – take 1, 2. She Thinks I Still Care – take 10, 3. The Last Farewell – take 2, 4. Solitaire – take 7 – Side B: 1. I'll Never Fall In Love Again – take 5, 2. Moody Blue – take 1, 3. For The Heart – take 1, 4. Hurt – take 3, 5. Danny Boy – take 9 – Side C: 1. Never Again – take 9, 2. Love Coming Down – take 3, 3. Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain – take 4, 4. She Thinks I Still Care – (alternate version) take 2 – Side D: 1. It's Easy For You – take 1, 2. Way Down – take 2, 3. Pledging My Love – take 3, 4. For The Heart – take 4

(Source: FECC / EPE)

June 15 - Elvis On Television CD Released

The first copies of the double CD / book "Elvis On Television 1956 - 1960 The Complete Sound Recordings" has been released. 

From the press-release: 
Continuing celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of Elvis’ first appearance on national television, Memphis Recording Service will release a 2CD/100-page set titled: ‘Elvis On Television 1956 - 1960 The Complete Sound Recordings" on June 26th 2016. 

The recordings contain the complete archival recordings of Elvis Presley’s television appearances from 1956-60. For the first time ever, these tracks been painstakingly re-mastered and restored. Fans who have enjoyed our previous mastered works will be pleased to know that our restoration techniques have now been applied to these historical television soundtrack recordings. 

The quality of these recordings are now far superior than ever released before. The recordings contain all song tracks, comedy sketch routines and interviews including the extended Wink Martindale dialogue with Dewey Phillips. The 100-page book is a chronological photo journey following Elvis from the very first in 1956, to his appearance on The Frank Sinatra show in 1960. It contains liner notes accompanied by many rare and new unpublished photographs.

Tracks: Elvis On Television 1956 - 1960 The Complete Sound Recordings

The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show (28.01.1956):
Introduction & Bill Randle Introduces Elvis Presley - Shake Rattle And Roll / Flip Flop And Fly - I Got A Woman

The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show (04.02.1956):
Introduction - Baby Let's Play House - Tutti Frutti

The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show (11.02.1956):
Introduction - Blue Suede Shoes - Heartbreak Hotel (With Orchestra)

The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show (18.02.1956):
Introduction - Tutti Frutti - I Was The One

The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show (17.03.1956):
Introduction - Blue Suede Shoes - Heartbreak Hotel

The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show (24.03.1956):
Introduction - Money Honey - Heartbreak Hotel

The Milton Berle Show (03.04.1956):
Introduction & Shake Rattle And Roll (In Part) - Milton Berle Introduces Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel - Blue Suede Shoes - Milton Berle & Elvis Presley Comedy Sketch - Blue Suede Shoes (Reprise)

The Milton Berle Show (05.06.1956):
Introduction - Hound Dog - Milton Berle & Elvis Presley & Debra Paget Comedy Sketch - Milton Berle Introduces Elvis Presley - I Want You I Need You I Love You - Milton Berle Presents Elvis Billboard Award

Wink Martindale - Top Ten Dance Party (16.06.1956):
Wink Martindale Interviews Elvis Presley & Dewey Phillips Singing Money Honey

The Steve Allen Show (01.07.1956):
Introduction / Dialogue With Steve Allen - I Want You I Need You I Love You - Hound Dog - Yippee Yi Yo Yippee Yi Yay (Comedy Routine With Steve Allen, Elvis Presley, Imogene Coca & Andy Griffith)

Hy Gardner (01.07.1956):
Calling Elvis (Interview)

The Ed Sullivan Show (09.09.1956):
Introduction And Charles Laughton Introduces Elvis - Don't Be Cruel - Love Me Tender - Ready Teddy - Hound Dog

The Ed Sullivan Show (28.10.1956):
Introduction Ed Sullivan - Don't Be Cruel - Introduction Ed Sullivan - Love Me Tender - Introduction Ed Sullivan - Love Me - Hound Dog - Elvis Talks Farewell

The Ed Sullivan Show (06.01.1957):
Ed Sullivan Introduction - Hound Dog - Love Me Tender - Heartbreak Hotel - Don't Be Cruel - Too Much - Elvis Talks - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again - Ed Sullivan Speaks - (There'll Be) Peace In The Valley - Ed Sullivan Farewells Elvis

The Frank Sinatra Show (26.03.1960):
It's Very Nice to Travelling (With Frank & Nancy Sinatra, Joey Bishop & Sammy Davis Jr.) - Fame And Fortune - Stuck On You - Frank Sinatra And Joey Bishop Talk To Elvis - Witchcraft / Love Me Tender (With Frank Sinatra) - Love Me Tender (Reprise With Frank Sinatra) - Frank Sinatra And Nancy Sinatra Farewells Elvis.

(Source: Memphis Recording Service)

June 14 - Memphis Songwriter and Producer Chips Moman Dies

Lincoln “Chips” Moman, who, as a songwriter, producer and studio owner, was responsible for numerous hits that came out of Memphis in the ’60s, has died. He was 79.

We learned this via the Commercial Appeal, saying that he was in a hospice facility in his hometown of LaGrange, Ga, and that he had been in bad health for several years. Marty Lacker, a member of Elvis Presley‘s “Memphis Mafia” and a longtime friend, confirmed the news to the newspaper.
Originally a rockabilly guitarist, Moman was part of the Stax Records crew as a writer and an engineer in its early years, working on such classics as William Bell’s “You Don’t Miss Your Water” and Carla Thomas’ “Gee Whiz.” But he left in 1962, telling Rob Bowman in his history of Stax, Soulsville, U.S.A., that label co-founder Jim Stewart had reneged on a promise to become a part-owner of the company.

He founded American Sound Studio in 1962 and, with his house band known as the Memphis Boys, the studio birthed dozens of hits that seamlessly blended rock, pop and soul, particularly between 1967 and its closing in 1972. This included the Box Tops’ “The Letter,” Neil Diamond‘s “Sweet Caroline” and Merrilee Rush’s “Angel of the Morning.” Following his 1968 comeback, Elvis Presley recorded at American Sound, cutting “Suspicious Minds,” “Kentucky Rain” and the From Elvis in Memphis album with Moman behind the boards. Dusty Springfield’s classic Dusty in Memphis — which included “Son of a Preacher Man” — was also recorded at American Sound. Moman and Dan Penn also wrote two of Southern soul’s definitive songs, Aretha Franklin‘s “Do Right Woman, Do Right Man” and James Carr’s “Dark End of the Street.”

After leaving Memphis, he settled in Nashville and became an in-demand songwriter and producer, working with such stars as B.J. Thomas — Moman wrote “(Hey Won’t You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song” — Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. He produced Highwayman, the supergroup comprised of Nelson, Jennings, Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson.
He returned to Memphis in 1985 to create another studio, but it didn’t have the success of American Sound and he eventually left Memphis for LaGrange. A plaque was erected by the Shelby County Historical Commission stands at 827 Thomas Ave., the former site of American Sound.

(Source: Commercial Appeal / Ultimate Classic Rock)

June 13 - Elegant Poster

Barry Rowe, a member of the AFAS, has created the poster for the 2016 Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance presented by Rolex. The Tour poster features the BMW 507 once owned by the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley.

“In my teens I collected car brochures, and I remember drawing the 507, with its beautiful modern lines, in my sketchbook,” said Rowe. “It’s amazing that I have now painted a poster featuring the BMW 507 on the Pebble Beach Tour!”

Barry has painted 19 Posters for Pebble Beach: 5 Pebble Beach Concours Main Event Posters and 14 Pebble Beach Tour d'Elegance Posters. His art is displayed in museums and collected worldwide. His paintings also decorate the lounges in Royal Caribbean and Cunard Cruise ships.

It's Official

The official Shop Elvis site now also added the "Elvis Way Down In The Jungle" CD and LP.

(Source: Pebble Beach Tour / Shop Elvis)