Posted March 19, 200817 yr Bill Burke in hospital http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/elvis1959/billburke.jpg Since the mid 1950's, the name Bill E. Burk has been synonymous with authoritative journalism about the life and career of Elvis Aaron Presley. Bill E. Burk is a native Memphian whose fascinating background is the stuff of a "Boys Own World Annual": • an international pilot with more than 9000 hours logged • a standout athlete in three sports • a retired lieutenant colonel from the Air National Guard who served in two wars - Korea and Vietnam In addition, as a journalist, Bill ("007") has written countless articles about his "friend", Elvis Aaron Presley, a friendship that stretched from the 1950s to Elvis' untimely death in August 1977. Apart from his books about The King, Bill and his wife Connie are the energy behind the quarterly magazine, "Elvis World", now in its 20th year of publication. Elvis World is renowned around the world for its honest and accurate reporting about the King of Rock & Roll. Bill Burke has been taken to the hospital with a few complications following lung surgery to repair the pleural effusion he has had since November 2007. Bill, a fixture and personality of the local Memphis scene, also publishes ‘Elvis World’ and spent several years as a Journalist for the local newspapers until he got laid off. In 1976 he wrote his last news paper article about Elvis, which was not flattering at all. To most Elvis fans, he’s now known as publisher of “themed” books, and organiser of events, tours and get togethers for Elvis fans and Tourists in general that come to Memphis. It’s unclear how long he will remain in the hospital. The office of “Elvis World”, his fanclub, is closed until later notification. List of his books: DOT ... DOT ... DOT ... The Best of Bill E. Burk One-on-One (with Dean Sylvester) 1985 - Elvis, A 30-year Chronicle 1987 - Elvis Through My Eyes 1990 - Early Elvis: The Humes Years 1990 - Elvis: Rare Images of a Legend 1992 - Soldier Boy Elvis (with Ira Jones) 1992 - Elvis: Tidernas Story (Swedish translation of Elvis Through My Eyes) 1994 - Early Elvis: The Tupelo Years 1994 - Elvis Memories: Press Between the Pages 1996 - Elvis in Canada 1996 - Elvis Through My Eyes 1997 - Early Elvis: The Sun Years 2003 - Early Elvis: The Humes Years (re-issue) 2005 - Elvis Aaron Presley: A Candle In The Wind Published: march 19th 2008 07:33 AM. Source: ElvisMatters - Peter Verbruggen / EIN Wishing Bill a speedy recovery :) Edited March 19, 200817 yr by Tilly
March 28, 200817 yr Author Posted on FECC – Update on Bill Burk Here's an update from Bill's wife Connie: "From: Bill Burk Subject: Update on Bill Date: Thursday, March 27, 2008 8:51 PM Thank you, everyone, for all the prayers and good thoughts you are sending our way, plus all the cards that are pouring into the PO Box! Your prayers have worked their magic -- Bill is now doing a little better. He has been in the ICU since March 16 and remains there for now. When he gets a LOT better, I will let him tell you all about what has happened, but for now, let me just tell you that complications arose a couple days after his surgery, and he has been very sick. And he will still need a long time yet to get better. He was much more alert when I was with him this afternoon, so just MAYBE he will be able to watch his beloved Memphis Tigers play basketball tomorrow night! Connie P.S. While I do check his e-mail inbox, please understand that I cannot reply to individual e-mails. I understand and appreciate your concern, but there is only so much time in the day for me and Bill comes first. Now off to heat up dinner at almost 8 pm.... Bill E. Burk Publisher, Elvis World Magazine"
March 31, 200817 yr Author More bad news :( Hugh Jarrett, former Jordanaire, injured in car accident: http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/elvis1959/HughJJordanaires_2.jpg Hugh Jarrett who worked with Elvis as bass-singer of the Jordanaires up until 1958 has been hurt in a car accident - and is reportedly "not doing well". After recording and appearing in the film King Creole, Hugh Jarrett left the group to work at Nashville radio station WLAC. There he created the character of Big Hugh Baby Jarrett. He has since been a radio host at WPLO-AM and WQXI-AM and most recently Victory 91.5. He also hosted a variety show on WXIA-TV at one point. He was inducted into the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in 2004 and the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame in 2007. The photo shows Elvis and The Jordanaires with Hugh Jarrett on the far right. (News, Source;EIN/ElvisExpert@aol) Wishing Hugh a speedy recovery :)
April 25, 200817 yr Author Bill Burk passes away: It is with deep sadness that EIN has to report the passing of Elvis World's "007", Bill E. Burk. To say Bill was highly respected throughout the Elvis world is a vast understatement. Bill was one of the greatest promoters of the Elvis legacy the world has known, and through his many books and long running magazine, Elvis World, was renowned for disspelling many of the myths which had grown up around Elvis. Bill's legacy is indeed a great one. EIN expresses its very sincere condolences to Bill's wife, Connie, and his family. http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/elvis1959/billburk_elvis.jpg Bill (left) with Elvis during Elvis' Army stint We received this message from Bill's wife, Connie: It is with such great and abiding sadness that I am telling you that Bill passed away peacefully today at Baptist Hospital at 10:10 am, surrounded by his 3 children -- Gary, Jennifer, Randy -- and me. He had irreversable brain damage from cardiac arrest suffered Monday afternoon, and it was his living will that he not be kept alive artificially in a situation like that. It is terribly painful for those of us left behind, who will miss him so dearly, but Bill is now in a much better place. Services will be at Memphis Funeral Home, Poplar Avenue. Visitation on Sunday, April 27, 3-6 pm. Service Monday, April 28, 1 pm. Burial at West Tennessee Veterans Cemetery at a later date next week. We ask that any memorials be donated to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, www.stjude.org, in Bill's name. Thank you for all your prayers and support throughout Bill's illness. We both truly appreciated it! Connie Source : EIN Another sad loss to the Elvis world :( Bill will be sadly missed by Elvis fans the world over. RIP Bill.
April 26, 200817 yr Author From the Commercial Appeal in Memphis :) http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/...areer-of-elvis/
May 23, 200817 yr Author More sad news :( Our thoughts are with Hugh and I hope he recovers from this. Update On Hugh Jarrett Elvis Unlimited spoke with Gordon Stoker who informed them that Hugh suffered a heart attack last Wednesday. Hugh is now in critical care. Hugh Jarrett is a former member of the Jordanaires who worked with Elvis in the fifties. Hugh Jarrett was badly injured in a car accident recently while his wife was driving him to his doctor for an appointment in regards to a car accident he previously had. Source: Elvis Unlimited / Updated: May 23, 2008
June 1, 200817 yr Author Sad news to report :( Former Jordanaire Hugh Jarrett Died http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y48/elvis1959/people_hugh_jarrett.jpg The picture shows the Jordanaires from 1954 to 1958 (Top L to R): Hoyt Hawkins, Gordon Stoker (Bottom L to R): Neal Matthews, Hugh Jarrett. Hugh Jarrett, the bass singing member of The Jordanaires who sang backup for Elvis Presley, died May 31, 2008. Hugh's death resulted from injuries sustained in an auto accident March 25th. He had been hospitalized since that time. Funeral services are pending as his grandson was killed Thursday morning in an auto accident and his services are tomorrow. Nashville, Tennessee native, Hugh Jarrett, grew-up in a musical family. In his early teens he formed or participated in local barbershop quartets that competed regularly on the programs at Centennial Park in that city. He began his music career in radio with a brief stint in Greeneville, SC, moving to Jackson, TN where he worked with Wink Martindale, then WKDA, Nashville and WHIN in nearby Gallatin. It was while at WHIN that he staged his first record hop. He continued to sing with various groups in Nashville. In the early 1950s Jarrett joined The Jordanaires, then members of the Grand Ole Opry, as their bass singer. They toured and recorded with various artists and appeared with Eddie Arnold in a series of weekly television shows from Chicago. It was at an Eddie Arnold concert at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, that Elvis Presley told Jordanaires member, Hoyt Hawkins, that if he ever became as famous as Eddie Arnold he wanted them as his back-up singers. With his meteoric rise to fame, Elvis' wishes were granted and The Jordanaires became an integral part of his recordings and appearances for the next several years. The Jordanaires first Atlanta appearance with Elvis was as part of six acts booked at The Fox Theater on March 15-16, 1956. Hugh served as emcee for this and subsequent Elvis shows. They returned to Atlanta with Elvis for a show at the Paramount Theater June 22-24, 1956. The Jordanaires appeared with Elvis on most of the now famous TV shows, in the movies Loving You and King Creole and on the soundtrack for Jailhouse Rock. Hugh's bass voice is heard on over 50 of Elvis recordings including the ten-plus million selling Don't Be Cruel. He left The Jordanaires about the time Elvis was drafted into the Army. Together with Buzz Cason and Richard Willliams, Hugh formed The Statues. They produced the hit Blue Velvet for Liberty records. By 1960 Hugh was back into radio when he joined WLAC in Nashville, and the famous nighttime lineup of Herman Grizzard and John R. While at WLAC he resumed his record hops, but on a much larger scale. The Big Hugh Baby Hops became a major outlet for artists such as Connie Francis, Bo Diddley, Ben E. King, Jimmy Reed to promote their records to crowds of 1,500-2,300 at the National Guard Armory. Hugh then moved to Atlanta where he joined WPLO and then WFOM with Jimmy Davenport. WFOM supported his successful Big Hugh Baby Hops in the Atlanta area. Then Hugh was off to KBBQ in Burbank, CA, the leading country music station in the LA area. During his three years there he started the Hugh Jarrett Singers and was the singing emcee at the famous country music club, The Palamino. In 1970 Hugh settled permanently in Atlanta. He has worked at WPLO, been emcee for Lanierland, served as Artist Relations Manager for Bill Lowery Music Group, hosted local television and radio shows, been voice talent for commercials and documentaries, and starred in Heat of the Night with Carroll O'Connor and Murder in Coweta County with Johnny Cash. Source: Elvis Australia / Updated: Jun 1, 2008
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