May 24 - Congratulations

Priscilla Presley celebrates her 80th birthday today, congratulations!

Her granddaughter Riley Keough posted: "HBD queen" she wrote alongside a vintage photo of her grandmother in the 1960s posing in the driver’s seat of a car.

In four months Priscilla will publish her second memoir 'Softly, As I Leave You', covering the years after het divorce from Elvis Presley. 

Publicity states: The long-awaited memoir by Priscilla Presley chronicling her difficult, inspiring journey beyond the walls of Graceland and behind the elegant image the world sees.

Priscilla Presley's divorce from Elvis left his fans incredulous. How could she leave the man every woman wanted? From the outside, life in Elvis's mansion looked glamorous and enviable, and in many respects, it was. But inside the mansion, her husband was constantly surrounded by a male entourage while at the gates, lines of beautiful women waited hopefully for an audience with the King. From the time she was seventeen years-old, that life was all Priscilla had known. During her ten years with Elvis, it became painfully apparent that she had no idea who she was outside Elvis's world. The only way to find herself was to leave that world and seek a new life of her own, because leaving was the only way to survive, for herself and for her daughter.

'Softly, As I Leave You', is the deeply personal story of what Priscilla lost and what she found when she walked away from the man she loved. Despite the legal separation, their love for one another transformed into a touching and tender dynamic that endured until Elvis's untimely death four years later. Shattered by Elvis's passing, she had to reinvent herself a second time as the single mother of a talented, often headstrong daughter who never really recovered from her father's death. Priscilla's dedication to motherhood was enriched by the birth of her second child, and she gradually found her footing as a businesswoman, actress, designer, and legislative advocate. She transformed Graceland into an international destination and helped guide the development of Elvis Presley Enterprises. But the unexpected, shattering loss of three immediate family members years later brought Priscilla to her knees. She shares her journey with a quiet dignity that will comfort and reassure anyone who has suffered - and survived - seemingly unbearable loss.

A passionate, compassionate, and inspiring story of finding your place in the world, 'Softly, As I Leave You', is a sweet Southern melody that will take the reader with Priscilla on her long road home.

The book is available for pre-order from >>> Amazon (associate link).

May 23 - Alien at Graceland

Stitch, the co-star of 'Lilo and Stitch' visited Graceland earlier today. The lovable renegade alien, who happens to love the music of Elvis Presley, arrived at the gates to Graceland Mansion in a pink convertible before going across the street to view the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s jumpsuits and pink Cadillac at Elvis Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex. 

The 2025 remake, scored again by Alan Silvestri, features many of the same classic songs from the original 2002 version: 'Devil in Disguise', 'Hound Dog' and 'Heartbreak Hotel', along with a new cover of 'Burning Love' produced by Bruno Mars and performed by Nyjah Music and Zyah Rhythm.

A special screening of the film is scheduled to take place this evening at the theater at Graceland’s resort hotel, The Guest House at Graceland.

The live-action reimagining of Disney’s 2002 animated classic, 'Lilo and Stitch' premiered May 17, 2025 in the United States and hit the movie theaters on May 23rd.

Memorial Day Weekend

Also at Graceland, for the Memorial Day Weekend, Graceland will honor Elvis Presley's U.S. Army service (1958-1960) with special tours of Graceland Mansion. Private Presley Graceland Tours, offered for the first time to Graceland visitors, will run from May 23 to 26, daily between 2 PM and 4 PM.

The tours will feature live guides throughout the mansion sharing stories of his military service and how Graceland was a part of the journey - from receiving his draft notice during Christmas 1957 to his homecoming press conference in his father's office. Special artifact displays commemorating his time in the U.S. Army will also be featured throughout the mansion during the weekend.  

  

At Elvis Presley’s Memphis entertainment complex, located across the street from the mansion, guests will also be able to visit our Private Presley exhibit, a permanent exhibit that expands on the story of Elvis’ military service through photos, videos and additional artifacts. 

For more details, visit the >>> Graceland website.

The Definitive Vinyl Artwork of Elvis Presley, Vol. 2

Joseph Tunzi's book 'The Definitive Vinyl Artwork of Elvis Presley, Vol. 2: The Back Covers' should be available from June 5, 2025. The book was originally scheduled to be releases in February this year.

Publicity stated: This is a follow up to The Definitive Vinyl Artwork, which focused on all front cover artwork and photographs that were part of 45 RPM singles, extended play and long play albums.

This new volume takes you on a journey of those same albums, focusing this time, on back cover  artwork. Also featured on the 200-plus pages are over 800 rare photos, including the original photos (not altered), documents, letters, rejected artwork which contains some fascinating covers not used or modified by RCA and much more! 

Note: The back covers were included in the first volume, for 45 singles only. The price-tag for the book is between US$146 to US$195.00.

Congratulations

Elvis' former girlfriend Linda Thompson celebrates her 75th birthday, congratulations!

(Source: Graceland / Remind / Bear Family)

May 22 - The Million Dollar Quartet and the Challenges of Oral Testimony

Steven K. Rogstad published his 72-page paperback 'The Million Dollar Quartet and the Challenges of Oral Testimony'.

Description: An event like it had never happened before. The probability of it ever occurring again remains slim to none. It was a brief episode in the origins of rock and roll music that has achieved mythical proportions and inspired a major Broadway musical that continues to tour the United States to large audiences. Some events occur as a result of a collision of unforeseen or spontaneous circumstances, which preclude them from being repeated or chronicled. 

When something fun or exciting happens extemporaneously, the people involved rarely notice that what is taking place may be significant or worthy of remembrance. What they do recall afterwards - especially if it has been clothed in historical significance - is often filtered through the distorted lens of time and influenced by their role in it. This story is about such an occurrence, when four young recording artists - Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley - grouped around a piano and sang themselves into music history.

It started when Elvis Presley unexpectedly walked into the recording studio at Sun Records in Memphis and sat down on a bench in front of a piano, playing and singing “Blueberry Hill.” He caught the attention of his friends Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash, who also happened to be in the room and began harmonizing with him on a few gospel songs. Then Jerry Lee Lewis appeared and joined the trio, adding his high vocals to more songs Elvis was in the mood to sing. Perkins would later describe the group as “scooting around the piano” with his band “kinda knocking along.” 

As Presley played the piano and sang lead for the quartet, a technician eventually turned on a taping machine, while someone else called a local newspaper for a reporter and a photographer to capture the event for posterity. A few hours later the impromptu jam session was over and the group went their separate ways. But a few photographs had been taken and numerous songs had been recorded. It would be the only time the four men would ever sing together as a quartet. “It could have happened only at Sun Records,” one music historian has determined, “and probably only in Memphis….”

You can check this out yourself, the book is available through >>> Amazon (associate link).

(Source: Elvis Information Network)

Review - Jailhouse Rock LP

Just three weeks ago, I received the 2025 Danish reissue of the ‘Girls! Girls! Girls!’ soundtrack LP, retitled ‘Piger! Piger! Piger!’ from the Danish Memphis Mansion record label. And now the producers take us to South Africa with their reissue of the only original full 33 RPM LP release of the ‘Jailhouse Rock’ soundtrack album.

 

The warden threw a party in the county jail, and you’re all invited, according to the press release. Let’s give this album a spin and see if it is a criminally good release … or if the producers need to be sent to jail for messing with a classic!

 

Design

 

Where the design of the ‘Piger! Piger! Piger!’ soundtrack was a variation of the original LP, the design for this new release follows the label’s 2023 design for their version of the ‘Blue Hawaii’ soundtrack.

 

And I can only say that designer Søren Karstensen deserves a “get out of jail free” card again. The gatefold cover is a beauty! He turned well-known photographic elements from the movie into drawings which together form an attractive and well-balanced picture.

 

Inside is a coffee table with pictures from the movie and a copy of The Middlehaven Herald newspaper containing the liner notes and recording information. 

The record label deserves a mention too, it is a lock, with the spindle of the record player “unlocking” your music. A great detail that shows that illustrates the dedication from the label to deliver a top-notch album.

The album comes on red-colored vinyl and transparent pink marble-colored vinyl. And because I already saw a translucent yellow-colored vinyl test pressing, I expect that variation to pop up soon too. As for the vinyl itself, Nordsø Records knows their vinyl, and they delivered again. 

 

Content

 

The musical part of the LP is newly created Stereo Mixes by the label’s favorite engineer, Anthony Stuchbury. We have praised his mixes plenty of times, and he doesn’t disappoint here either. In part, that's because the album contains mixes previously available on his ‘Essential 50’s Master’s box set, released here by “popular demand,” but also because he has added some nice surprises for the audio freaks out there.

 

New here is the Stereo Version of the Movie Version of ‘Treat Me Nice’, and as technology evolves, Stuchbury has created new mixes of ‘Baby I Don’t Care’ and ‘Good Rockin’ Tonight’. 

The latter is the engineer’s favorite because, for the first time, he was able to do what until now only Peter Jackson’s team (that worked on the Beatles' material) was able to do, separate the acoustic guitar so it can really shine. Compared to ‘Shake, Rattle and Roll’ - kind-of the same type of song - it is indeed higher in the mix, so you can hear that he had more instruments to play with. 

Overall it is an album that demand to be played loud! So, here too, no reason to send someone to jail.

 

The Verdict

 

Warden Henrik Knudsen, the “executive producer” of this ‘Jailhouse Rock’ party album, delivered together with his team. This is a great-looking and great-sounding LP of the soundtrack that should have been released back in 1958; it would have been a classic album in 50’s Rock and Roll history. 

Fortunately, that has been corrected 2025 style, with a touch of authenticity in both the design and the presentation of the upgraded audio. So if you always wanted to add a full 'Jailhouse Rock' album to your collection, this edition is certainly worth considering. 

The album is available from the >>> Memphis Mansion webshop. 

May 21 - Teasing Some More

It looks like Baz Luhrmann is starting the "buzz" for his new Elvis Presley in Concert (working title 'EPiC') movie. Today he posted another teaser: "Midweek sneak-peek from the workspace ... 👀".

King Creole Teaser

Anthony Stuchbury announced the release of a 10-inch vinyl edition of 'King Creole' on the French RDM-Edition. The release-date is to follow later.

He stated: This new Mono II Stereo 'King Creole' movie soundtrack release is remixed and sequenced to better represent the movie itself. Also included are the movie versions of five songs which haven’t officially been available elsewhere. 

This release is 45 percent previously unreleased on any of the productions I’ve produced in collaboration with David Parker and RDM-Edition, and it is RDM’s very first Elvis vinyl release!

It’s been a very rough ride to get this release to this point, but let me give major credit to David Parker for his outstanding patience and artwork creation. Just look at it, in fact you did, before you even read this, and it really caught your eye, didn’t it?

Side 1: 01 Turtles, Berries and Gumbo - King Creole instrumental - Crawfish - Movie Version / 02 Steadfast, Loyal and True - Undubbed Movie Edit / 03 Lover Doll - Movie Version / 04 Trouble / 05 Dixieland Rock.

Side 2: 01 Young Dreams / 02 New Orleans - Movie Version / 03 Hard Headed Woman / 04 King Creole - Movie Version / 05 Don't Ask Me Why / 06 As Long As I Have You. 

(Source: Baz Luhrman / Anthony Stuchbury)

May 20 - The Harum Scarum Sessions

The Follow That Dream collectors label announced the June 2025 release of the 'Harum Scarum Sessions' triple CD-set. 

Publicity stated: FTD is pleased to announce the release of 'The Harum Scarum Sessions – the 60th Anniversary Edition!'

Newly mixed and mastered by Sebastian Jeansson and Vic Anesini, the masters and outtakes now offer far superior audio to the original 1965 soundtrack album. For purists, the original Masters are also featured on Disc 3.

As always, the set is packaged in a beautifully designed 8-inch digipack with a booklet containing the backstory on the sessions, recording information and rare photos, memorabilia and documents from the sessions.

Tracks CD 1 - Remixed Masters: Harem Holiday - My Desert Serenade - Go East, Young Man - Mirage - Kismet - Shake That Tambourine - Hey Little Girl - Golden Coins - So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) - Animal Instinct - Wisdom Of The Ages.

Outtakes: Shake That Tambourine (Take 2001 - 2008) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2009 - 2011) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2012 - 2017) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2018 - 2019) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2020 - 2024) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2025) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2026 - 2027)

CD 2 - Outtakes: Shake That Tambourine (Take 2028 - 2032) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2033) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2034 - 2040) - Shake That Tambourine (Take 2041) - Shake That Tambourine (Splice Of Take 2041 And 2027 / Master) - So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (Take 2042) - So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (Take 2043 - 2044) - So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (Take 2045) - So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) (Splice Of Take 2044 And 2045 / Master) - My Desert Serenade (Take 2046 - 2048) - My Desert Serenade (Take 2049 - 2051) - My Desert Serenade (Take 2052) - My Desert Serenade (Take 2053) - My Desert Serenade (Take 2054 - 2055) - My Desert Serenade (Take 2056 - 2057 / Master) - Wisdom Of The Ages (Take 2058 - 2059) - Wisdom Of The Ages (Take 2060) - Wisdom Of The Ages (Take 2061) - Wisdom Of The Ages (Take 2062 / Master) - Kismet (Take 2063 - 64) - Kismet (Take 2065 - 2067 / Master) - Hey Little Girl (Take 2068 - 2069) - Hey Little Girl (Take 2070) - Hey Little Girl (Take 2071 - 2072 / Master) - Golden Coins (Take 2073 - 2076) - Golden Coins (Take 2077 - 2078) - Golden Coins (Take 2079 - 2080).

CD 3 - Outtakes: Golden Coins (Take 2081 - 2082) - Golden Coins (Take 2083) - Golden Coins (Take 2084 - 2088) - Golden Coins (Splice Of Take 2088 And 2083 / Master) - Animal Instinct (Take 2089 - 2091) - Animal Instinct (Take 2092) - Animal Instinct (Take 2093) - Animal Instinct (Take 2094 / Master) - Harem Holiday (Take 2095 - 2096) - Harem Holiday (Vocal Replacement Of 2096 / Unedited Master) - Go East, Young Man (Track: Take 2097 - 2098) - Go East, Young Man (Track: Take 2099) - Go East, Young Man (Vocal Overdub To Take 2099 / Master) - Mirage (Track: Take 2100 - 2104) - Mirage (Vocal Overdub To 2104 / Master).

Original 1965 Stereo Album Masters: Harem Holiday - My Desert Serenade - Go East, Young Man - Mirage - Kismet - Shake That Tambourine - Hey Little Girl - Golden Coins - So Close, Yet So Far (From Paradise) - Animal Instinct - Wisdom Of The Ages.

Regarding the tracklisting, the Elvis Information Network noted: This  sessions set includes 30 previously unreleased Outtakes of 'Shake That Tambourine', 6 new outtakes of 'My Desert Serenade', 4 new (previously available on bootleg) of 'Wisdom Of The Ages', 4 new (previously available on bootleg) 'Kismet', 1 of 'Hey Little Girl', 12 unreleased 'Golden Coins' Outtakes and one  of 'Animal Instinct'. The vast majority of these Outtakes are, of course, False Starts. 

Additionally, the set contains the backing tracks for 'Go East, Young Man' and 'Mirage'.

The new set is available for pre-order from the >>> ElvisMatters webshop.

(Pascal Matteo / Now Dig This / Elvis Information Network / Pascal Matteo / Memphis Mansion)

May 19 - Elvis Site Off-line (Updated)

Many fans were inconvenienced this weekend because some key Elvis websites were inaccessible: the For Elvis Collector's website and Forum, the Phoenix Elvis Forum, Keith Flynn's Elvis site and the London Elvis shop.

The server hosting these sites has been compromised due to "external infringement", but webmaster Jordan Richie hopes the make the sites available within a week in the worst case scenario.

Update: Keith's Elvis Pages are available again at a new url >>> www.keithflynn.uk. Please update your bookmarks and feel free to share this new link with others who may be looking for it. All content has been safely moved over.

The webmaster of the For Elvis CD Collectors Only website and forum informed visitors that they are working on building a new and improved version.

Teaser

Director Baz Luhrmann has Elvis on his mind as he revealed a never-before-seen color photograph of Elvis Presley, showcasing him in his iconic gold lamé jacket, likely from his historic concert on November 10, 1957, at Honolulu Stadium in Hawaii.

The event drew over 14,000 enthusiastic fans as Elvis performed twice that day, at 3:00 PM and 8:15 PM, dressed in his signature golden jacket, black shirt, and black trousers. He was joined on stage by his band and vocal group The Jordanaires.

Luhrmann posted on Facebook: "Staring at this screen day and night, can't wait to share it with you!!"

(Source: Jordan Richie / Baz Luhrmann)

May 17 - Norwegian Vinyl

The two debut releases on Erik Lorentzen's new TCB Records record label are finally being pressed according to pictures found on Facebook. 

The albums were first announced almost 10 months ago, but still have May 2025 as the release date on Lorenzen's website. Part of the delay was caused by the bankruptcy of the pressing plant.

Live in Concert - March 16th and 17th 1974 Mid-South Coliseum' and 'Live in Concert - March 14th and 19th 1974 Murfreesboro' contain newly created Stereo mixes of these concerts, pressed on black, white and blue splattered vinyl, housed in two separate sleeves per title, with and additional 45 RPM bonus single.

(Source: Patrick Van de Walle on Facebook)

May 17 - Charts May 2025 - Week 3 (Updated)

Elvis seems to have found his way up the charts again in the United Kingdom, but he is still not back on the U.S. Billboard charts.

The 'ELV1S 30 #1 Hits' compilation won one spot on the Official Album chart this week, climbing to No. 61. The album gained four places on the countries' Streaming Album chart and climbed to No. 50. 

Last week the 'Elvis at the Movies' DVD-set re-entered the Music DVD chart at No. 34, replacing 'Elvis - The King of Rock and Roll' DVD which fell off the chart. This week it is the other way around with 'Elvis at the Movies' made another re-entry at No. 36 on the chart, replacing 'Elvis - The King of Rock and Roll'. 

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

May 16 - Jailhouse Rock

The warden threw a party in the county jail, and you’re all invited! The Danish Memphis Mansion record label released the LP 'Jailhouse Rock'. 

You can listen to a preview and interview with Anthony Stuchbury on Matt Shepherd's >>> Golden Years radio show.

Publicity stated: Based on the original South African release, the only place in the world that released a 'Jailhouse Rock' long playing 33 RPM album in 1958, this new Memphis Mansion LP pays tribute to that classic album. 

This 2025 edition comes on red colored vinyl (300 copies) and transparent pink marble colored vinyl (100 copies), housed in a gatefold sleeve, and features newly created Stereo Mixes by Anthony Stuchbury of the original tracks and several bonus tracks, including the Stereo debut of the movie version of ‘Treat Me Nice’. This LP is limited to 300 copies worldwide. The label also has a small number of "test pressings" available for fans, on black, on transparent pink marble and translucent yellow colored vinyl. 

Tracks side A: Jailhouse Rock / Young and Beautiful / I Want To Be Free / Baby I Don't Care / Don't Leave Me Now / Treat Me Nice.

Side B: I Beg of You / Don't / Playing For Keeps / Shake, Rattle and Roll / Good Rockin' Tonight / I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine / Treat Me Nice (Bonus Movie Stereo Version).

The album is available soon from the >>> Memphis Mansion webshop. For the test-pressings you can contact producer Henrik Knudsen by >>> mail. 

Anthony Stuchbury posted on Facebook: "Throughout Elvis’ career you’d see Colonel Parker using phrases like ‘By Request’ and ‘By Popular Demand!’ 

With that it mind I’m going to explain that I’ve recently completed a couple of projects that I had no intention of moving forward with, until now.

People have asked, people have pestered, so there is clearly a demand for them. So, now, by request and by popular demand, here is the first of them."

(Source: Henrik Knudsen / Anthony Stuchbury)