Tilly

Stig Edgren no longer involved with the Elvis shows Elvis Express Radio has been given Exclusive news direct from Stig Edgren of SEG Events, that he no longer has any association with the Elvis Presley shows. In his message regarding the issue, Mr Edgren wrote, "....however, we are no longer involved and you should check the Graceland website for any future touring plans." SEG Events have been the team behind the Elvis video Concert Tours since starting out back in 1994 with 'Elvis Presley - The Tribute' and then onto Elvis Presley The Concert, In Concert and On Stage. Now what does that future hold for Elvis Live in the 21st Century? Published: august 3rd 2014 08:00 AM. Source: EER / ElvisMatters / Published by: ElvisMatters - Peter Verbruggen . Just seen this, Brian - Have you heard any more about this story?

Jerry Schilling at Official Insiders & Priscilla event Sold Out: EPE is excited to announce that Elvis' lifelong friend Jerry Schilling will be speaking at the Official Insiders Event taking place August 14, at the Elvis Week Main Stage. Jerry Schilling is a veteran music industry professional and childhood friend to Elvis Presley. He was with Elvis the day he met President Richard Nixon and he also worked with Elvis throughout his career. As his lifelong friend, he travelled around the country on Elvis' tours. Schilling co-edited the now famous "Elvis On Tour" with Martin Scorsese. He has spent forty years in the entertainment industry working as an actor, film editor, producer, and manager for acts such as the Beach Boys and Jerry Lee Lewis. He still currently resides in the West Hollywood Hills home that Elvis gave him. Go HERE for EIN's 2008 interview with Jerry Schilling http://www.elvisinfonet.com/interview_jerryschilling.html Other guests at the Official Insiders Event include The Memphis Boys’ members Bobby Wood, Gene Chrisman and Reggie Young; representatives from Sony and Warner Bros. talking about "Elvis: That’s The Way It Is; Elvis artist and fellow Insider Joe Petruccio; Elvis’ jeweller Lowell Hays; and authors of the new FTD book "Elvis Presley: Memphis To Nashville '61" Pål Granlund and David English. - In other Elvis Week news, Priscilla Presley at Conversations on Elvis has Sold Out: With both EPE regulars Jerry Schilling and Priscilla being added to the 2014 Elvis Week line-up, along with Elvis' Imperials, it seems that EPE's list of possible new and interesting guests is drying up. EIN suggests why not Billy Smith, Marty Lacker and Ginger Alden all on stage together for next year!?! Other announced guest for 2014 'Conversations on Elvis' include Elvis' Imperials Terry Blackwood and Joe Moscheo plus 'Kissin' Cousins' co-star Cynthia Pepper. Regarding Priscilla This event is now sold out, there may be a very limited amount of tickets that become available the day of the event at the door. Go HERE to EPE's Schedule of Events. http://www.graceland.com/elvisweek/schedule/ EIN's Sanja Meegin will be there to report all the stories (News, Source;EPE/ElvisInfoNet)

Looks fantastic, Brian! What I would give to see this on the big screen :yahoo:

That's a really good price, Brian. For my Elvis music, I usually go to EE, but noticed that, with postage, it would cost over £30 more :(

Guadalajara

Cover

Too Much

Thank you so much, Brian, for answering my question. I enjoyed the new show but I would love to again see the original version whilst the guys are still performing!

Thank you Autochanger for sharing this news! Here is an update. Future of Elvis’ Airplanes at Graceland in doubt?: It has been a bad week for EPE! After strong fan backlash over plans to change the name of its “Elvis Insiders” club (see report 1 July), it is again under fire, this time with apparent plans to end its agreement with the owner of Elvis’ two airplanes for their continued exhibition at Graceland. From an AP report: For 30 years, tourists from around the world have paid money to get a look at two airplanes once owned by Elvis Presley at Graceland in Memphis. Fans enjoy touring the planes for their direct connection to Presley and his jet-setting lifestyle, a sort of touchstone to the life of the King of Rock and Roll and his family. By April of next year, the planes named Lisa Marie and Hound Dog II could be gone. Elvis Presley Enterprises, which operates the Graceland tourist attraction, has written to the planes' owners saying they should prepare to remove the jets from Graceland by next spring. The planes have been a tourist attraction since the mid-1980s. They had been sold after Presley's death, and were eventually purchased by OKC Partnership in Memphis. OKC Partnership and Graceland agreed to bring the two jets to Graceland. The agreement called for OKC Partnership to receive a cut of ticket sales in return for keeping the planes there. In an April 7 letter to OKC Partnership's K.G. Coker, Elvis Presley Enterprises CEO Jack Soden says the company is exercising its option to end the agreement and asks Coker "to make arrangements for the removal of the airplanes and the restoration of the site on or shortly after April 26, 2015." Their removal could cause an uproar among fans, especially those who visit Graceland every year as part of an annual pilgrimage to events such as Elvis Week and the candlelight vigil commemorating Presley's death. Dedicated Elvis fan Paul Fivelson of Algonquin, Illinois, says he expects many fans will be upset to hear the planes may be leaving: "The people who come to Memphis for Elvis Week like seeing those planes there because it's just part of the whole aura of what Elvis was about," Fivelson said Tuesday. "It would be kind of blasphemous to take them away, and I think there are probably a lot of fans who will feel the same way." The disclosure also raises questions about the future use of the site where the airplanes now sit, across the street from Presley's longtime home. Elvis Presley Enterprises declined immediate comment. In November, New York-based Authentic Brands Group bought Elvis Presley Enterprises and the licensing and merchandising rights for Presley's music and image from CORE Media Group. As part of the deal, Joel Weinshanker, founder of the National Entertainment Collectibles Association, acquired the operating rights to Graceland, which attracts about 500,000 visitors each year. After the sale, Authentic Brands said upgrades to the tourist attraction were planned. Earlier this year, Elvis Presley Enterprises announced plans to build a 450-room hotel, theater and restaurant, with a projected opening date of August 2015. Their plan was approved Tuesday by the Memphis City Council. Today, Graceland visitors can buy a ticket that includes a tour of Presley's home-turned-museum and the two airplanes. Fans climb into the airplanes for an up-close look at their interiors. The larger plane, a Convair 880 named after Presley's daughter Lisa Marie, is like a customized flying limousine, complete with a large bed, a stereo system, conference room and gold-plated bathroom fixtures. It was renovated after Presley bought it from Delta Air Lines. Presley took his first flight on it in November 1975. When Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977, Presley's pilot flew the Lisa Marie to California to pick up Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, to bring her back to Memphis. The smaller jet, a JetStar named the Hound Dog II, was also used by Presley. At one point, after the planes were sold following the singer's death, the Lisa Marie was owned by Raymond Zimmerman, owner of the Service Merchandise chain, according to Coker. The Hound Dog II was in the hands of Hustler head Larry Flynt for a time, Coker said. OKC Partnership eventually bought the planes and the Lisa Marie was installed at Graceland in 1984. The Hound Dog II came later. Coker, 76, says OKC may sell the planes if they're removed from Graceland, but he still hopes to negotiate a deal that would keep the planes there. Coker acknowledges that he and his partners would lose money from ticket sales if the planes were removed. "I would love to see the airplanes stay where they are forever," Coker said. "Millions of fans have toured those airplanes and there's a real connection between fans and those airplanes. Those airplanes are part of the Elvis experience." EIN has received a number of messages on the issue: This one epitomizes fan feelings: Brave decision given the recent backlash to changing Elvis Insiders name (which they quickly backtracked on but of course that was much easier to do than the planes decision). Wonder if it is really because of the redevelopment plan or if EPE manoeuvring for a much better deal on the planes. Certainly would free up a lot of space and for new tourists to G/L they won’t realise what they’re missing. Of course older fans will be incensed. Progress does that to us! In response to negative backlash, Priscilla Presley apparently posted on her Facebook page: I see your posts about the planes. Please calm down, we're in the midst of negotiations. It's as simple as that. Thank you. EIN Comment: As the AP report gives NO indication the issue was actually being negotiated it was quite reasonable that fans thought the issue was NOT “....as simple as that”. The bottom line is EPE can do what they want (regardless of what fans think), however greater transparency and a more effective pr strategy would benefit them greatly with fans! It is surprising (downright worrying) EPE has not realised this over the years. After more than three decades the EPE organisation continues to not understand and therefore underestimate how fans think and feel! The reality is the owner of the planes, OKC Partnership, stands to lose a lot if the planes are no longer on display at Graceland. By themselves they would not be a huge tourist attraction except maybe as part of an airplane museum. The planes represent an important part of the Elvis story and as such it is reasonable to view the current situation as a strategic ploy on the part of EPE to obtain a significantly improved financial deal on their continued presence at Graceland. (News/Comment, Source: AP/Facebook/EIN) Will be watching this story to see what actually happens. It would be such a shame of the planes were removed as an exhibit. They are very important to the Elvis story and I would like to see an agreement reached where they can remain at Graceland so visitors in the future can still 'board' Elvis' plane.

Concert

That's All Right

Early Morning Rain

Looks like it was a real success! I was at the Birmingham show and I thoroughly enjoyed it, as usual. I will say, though, that it wasn't quite the same as the ones I'd seen before because Elvis' original band and backing singers weren't there and I have to admit, their presence always made it very special. The band and singers who were there were all great musicians though! One question, Brian, if you are able to answer it is, I know the original band are obviously all getting older, but I see the TCB band are still performing in gigs, particularly in Europe, so why were they not asked to perform in these concerts?

Dewey Phillips' Studio at SUN: Sun Records has just finished reconstructing this replica of Dewey Phillips' studio at WHBQ Radio as an addition to their daily Memphis music tour. This was Dewey's "personal" studio where he hosted his nightly "Red, Hot & Blue" radio show from 9 till Midnight. In 1954 the show claimed over 65% of the radio audience in that time slot. The tiles on the wall, the turntables, the audio board and microphone are from the original WHBQ studio on the mezzanine floor of the Chisca Hotel in downtown Memphis. It was in this studio that Sun Records founder Sam Phillips walked in one evening in July, 1954 and handed Dewey an acetate pressing of Elvis Presley's "That's Alright" to introduce on the air. And that was the beginning of PRESLEYMANIA. (News, Source;MikeFreeman/Elvis Matters/ElvisInfoNet)

Great news, Brian B-)

Audience

Edge Of Reality

Since the World Cup has started, thought I would go with A Little Less Conversation :cheer: wnyFBA9TleU

Wow! Nice one :cheer:

Thank you for posting this, MusicMaster! It certainly is great footage :dance:

It certainly was a great video, Brian, just a shame that it wasn't a genuine ad B-)

That's great news! I was there about 7 years ago and was really shocked by the condition of the ranch, so this is positive news :D

Can't Help Falling In Love

Nice one Rockabilly! That was impressive, he's certainly got the moves :dance:

I've been reading about this, Autochanger. They've been talking about building a new hotel for a few years and it looks like it's really going to happen now which is great news for even more Elvis fans being able to stay so close to Graceland, as it's going to be a lot bigger than the present Heartbreak Hotel. My only concern is, from what I've read, I think that they're going to demolish the present Heartbreak Hotel which will be a real shame. I'm sure that they could use it in some way or another. I've been lucky enough to stay there, and it was fantastic and it was at a reasonable price too! :dance: