April 06, 2002

DeSoto approves rezoning for Elvis resort
   By Maria Burnham (The Commercial Appeal) April 04, 2002


Before a packed house, the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors voted 4-0 Wednesday to approve the rezoning request for the Elvis Presley-themed Circle G Ranch Resort.

"I'm elated and very excited to get started on the project," said Paul D'Agnese, president of Alpharetta, Ga.-based EPR Enterprises, the company developing the site.

More than 70 people crowded the standing-room-only meeting. No one spoke against the project.

"This puts us on the map as a destination instead of a passing-through point," said Supervisor Gerald Clifton, who represents the district where the development is to be located.

Among those speaking in favor of the resort were nearby residents, contractors, local officials and Elvis Presley's first cousin, Donna Presley Early.

"Speaking for the Presley family and for fans worldwide, this is something we all want to show support for," Early said.

She didn't speak on behalf of Elvis Presley Enterprises, she said, the company that licenses Presley's image and name. Representatives of EPE have threatened legal action if the developers use Elvis's name without permission.

The development will bring much-needed jobs and tax dollars to the western part of the county, said Horn Lake Mayor Mike Thomas. The land is in an area approved for Horn Lake to annex.

The project is expected to create at least 2,500 jobs.

The Circle G Ranch Resort would stretch over 808 acres at the corner of Goodman Road and Miss. 301. It is based around the old Elvis Presley-owned Circle G Ranch and would feature artifacts from the Presley era.

The resort would include two 18-hole golf courses, shops, theaters, convention halls, a video arcade, day care facility, two hotels, condos, a day spa and swimming pools.

Developers expect more than 3 million visitors a year.

"This will be a world-class resort," said J.D. Stacy, vice present of EPR Enterprises. "People will be coming from all over the world."

The project's developers also announced that Philadelphia, Miss.-based W.G. Yates and Sons Construction Co. will be the project's construction supervisor, overseeing all aspects of the project.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for August, and Yates plans to build the resort in two years. It will take 60 days to finish the master plan, which must be submitted for final approval by the Board of Supervisors.

March 28, 2002

'Mr. Television' dies at age 93
    Milton Berle

 (National Post) The Associated Press - March 28, 2002

LOS ANGELES - Milton Berle, the acerbic, cigar-smoking vaudevillian who embraced a new medium to become "Mr. Television," died yesterday at the age of 93.

Mr. Berle died of colon cancer at his Los Angeles home, his publicist, Warren Cowan, said. Mr. Berle's wife, Lorna Adams, and several family members were by his side.

"He was responsible for the television set in your home today," Mr. Cowan said. "He put television on the map."

"Uncle Miltie" was the king of Tuesday nights. Store owners would put up signs: "Closed tonight to watch Milton Berle"; and the popularity of his program spurred sales of television sets.

Born Mendel Berlinger in New York City on July 12, 1908, he was pushed into the limelight by his mother at the age of five. He started out as a child model for Buster Brown shoes in 1913. Soon he was doing child leads in silent films. He appeared with Charlie Chaplin and Marie Dressler in Tillie's Punctured Romance, and with Mary Pickford in Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm.

As a teenager he toured the vaudeville circuit as a stand-up comic and began bringing his brand of humour to radio.

Then came 1948 and the advent of television. Mr. Berle was signed as host for a variety series -- The Texaco Star Theater. It aired on June 8, 1948, and was renamed The Milton Berle Show.

March 27, 2002

BMG CELEBRATES ELVIS PRESLEY DURING 25TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR OF WORLD'S BEST-SELLING ARTIST

-------------------------------------  (New York, NY - March 26, 2002)

BMG Spearheads Unprecedented Multi-Platform Worldwide Elvis Presley Campaign With Elvis Presley
   Enterprises

RCA Records Headlines Celebration with Release of ELV1S 30 #1 Hits

BMG, the global music division of Bertelsmann AG and owner of RCA Records, will mark the 25th anniversary year of Elvis Presley's death with an unprecedented multi-platform marketing and promotion campaign and the October release of RCA's ELV1S 30 #1 Hits, it was announced today by Rolf Schmidt-Holtz, the company's Chairman and CEO.

The campaign, which is being conducted with the full participation of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE), will span the globe and every medium to include cross- marketing alliances with a world-class roster of integrated marketing partners including Bertelsmann's Gruner + Jahr and Random House, as well as AOL, Lycos and NASCAR, among many others. In addition, RCA and EPE have licensed six songs for Disney's upcoming animated film, "Lilo & Stitch." In the coming months, a number of strategic alliances will be announced with a "who's who" of leading worldwide brands in the automotive, sports, credit card, apparel, retail, food and beverage sectors.

"BMG is poised to play a lead role in this year's celebration of an artist who is not only an icon around the world but whose achievement is the benchmark by which artistic success is measured," said Schmidt-Holtz. "Our goal is to lead the charge in reintroducing Elvis and his music to a new generation of music fans."

Presley's musical contributions are unsurpassed: He holds the record for most top 10 Pop singles (40) and the most gold and platinum awards, with 132 different albums and singles reaching gold, platinum or multiplatinum status. He is the world's best selling artist, having sold more than one billion albums and singles worldwide. His popularity remains intact to this day with worldwide sales of close to 50 million units for the last decade alone, making Presley among the top 40 best-selling artists for the same period.

In addition to RCA's ELV1S 30 #1 Hits, which will for the first time assemble Elvis Presley's 30 No. 1 hits on one disc, BMG Heritage will release a 4-CD box set, available in July, which will feature more than 100 as-yet unreleased versions of Presley classics.

"Elvis Presley left an indelible mark on our culture and a musical legacy that is second to none," said Bob Jamieson, Chairman, RCA Music Group. "The release of ELV1S 30 #1 Hits is a testament to the profound influence he has had on several generations of artists and the hold he continues to have on the imaginations of music lovers everywhere."

Bertelsmann's Random House, the world's largest trade book publisher, will release three Elvis Presley titles during the second quarter of this year: The Elvis Treasures (Villard), a photographic coffee table biography; Girl's Guide to Elvis (Broadway Books), an overview of Presley's career and romantic relationships; and Lilo & Stitch (Random House Children's Books), a children's book companion to the animated Disney film of the same name. In July, Bertelsmann's Gruner & Jahr, the world's second largest magazine company, will release a book-a-zine featuring rare interviews and photos of Presley.

Other Bertelsmann companies participating in the company-wide Elvis Presley marketing campaign include the Direct Group, the world's largest direct-to-consumer operation and RTL Group, Europe's number one television and radio network. A rundown of the 25th Anniversary campaign along with musical content will be featured started this spring on BMG's official Elvis Web site www.elvisnumberones.com, which will link to the Official Elvis Web site (EPE) www.elvis.com.

BMG is the global music division of Bertelsmann AG, one of the world's leading media companies, with annual revenues of $17.86 billion. BMG owns more than 200 record labels in 42 countries including Arista Records, RCA Records, RCA Label Group - Nashville, and Ariola. In addition, BMG owns one of the world's largest music publishing companies.

March 10, 2002

Promotional Blitz To Support Elvis Anniversary
   By Brian Garrity (Billboard) March 22, 2002

As early as next week, BMG Entertainment and RCA Records are expected to unveil plans for a massive global marketing and promotional campaign to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, Billboard exclusively reveals in the March 30 issue. Presley died of heart failure on Aug. 16, 1977, at the age of 42.

The initiative will center on a one-disc retrospective of the artist's top hits -- akin to Capitol's Beatles retrospective, "1." The album, "ELV1S 30 Number One Hits," is set for a late-October release on RCA. It will be the first time Presley's 30 No. 1 singles have been assembled on one CD. In addition, BMG Heritage will release a four-CD boxed set in July with more than 100 previously unreleased versions of Presley classics.

In support of the effort, BMG is teaming with Bertelsmann Content Network (BCN), the media giant's internal synergies unit, to create cross-promotional opportunities between the label group and its sister companies. BMG and RCA are also working on promotions with the likes of AOL, Lycos, NASCAR, and Elvis Presley Enterprises. In the works, too, are strategic alliances with leading automotive, sports, credit card, apparel, retail, and food-and-beverage companies.

Meanwhile, the battle over Presley's enduring ability to attract tourists to Memphis, where his Graceland mansion is located, is very much alive. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Presley's official estate is fighting a rival project -- an Elvis theme park that would be just eight miles from Graceland.

Elvis Presley Enterprises owns the Elvis trademark. But a property magnate from Atlanta plans to build a $500 million Elvis-themed resort on a ranch once owned by the singer, where Elvis and Priscilla Presley honeymooned in 1967. A Graceland spokesperson said the proposed theme park could go forward as long as it has a name that doesn't involve trademarked words such as "Elvis," "Presley," and "Graceland."

March 10, 2002

Developers of Elvis resort request EPE meeting
   By William C. Bayne (The Commercial Appeal) March 09, 2002



Developers seeking to build a resort centered on the Elvis Presley Ranch have asked for a meeting with Elvis Presley Enterprises, though details have not been completed.

EPR Enterprises LLC and DelPiano Enterprises LLC, both of Alpharetta, Ga., asked for the meeting with those who control use of the Presley name and image.

They want permission to use Presley's name, image and likeness in a proposed $500 million golf and entertainment resort. The complex would be built on 808 acres near the intersection of Goodman Road and Miss. 301.

Jack Soden, president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, said earlier that the firm would seek legal blocks to stop the use of Elvis's name without permission.

But Todd Morgan, public affairs director for Elvis Presley Enterprises, said Friday EPE "has had some communications" with the developers.

"We're trying to arrange a meeting, but no definite arrangements have been made," he said.

Michael Gavenchak, president of Titan Network, the Atlanta-based marketing and public relations firm hired by the developers, said the meeting likely would be in the Memphis area.

"The parties are trying to set a date and time for the meeting. All that could be worked out in the next two days or so."

J. D. Stacy, a principal in EPR Enterprises, has told officials in DeSoto County that he does not need permission to use the name Elvis Presley Ranch on the huge development.

Presley owned the old Circle G Ranch, where he and Priscilla spent their honeymoon in 1967. Presley later sold the 154-acre ranch, all of which would be incorporated in the resort development.

In appearances before the Horn Lake area Chamber of Commerce Feb. 18 and before the DeSoto County Planning Commission Feb. 28, Stacy said attorneys from what he termed "two prominent firms," assured him he would have no problem using Elvis's name on the resort.

"We wouldn't be spending all this money if we weren't pretty sure we could proceed," he said to both groups.

And he said the development in DeSoto County would be a direct benefit to Graceland, Presley's mansion in Memphis, because the resort would help draw more visitors, particularly international visitors, to the Mid-South.

After Stacy's presentation to the chamber, Soden said the developers would proceed "at their own peril" without approval by Elvis Presley Enterprises.

Following an 11-0 vote by the Planning Commission recommending approval of the planned unit development zoning sought by the developers Feb. 28, Soden issued a statement indicating that Elvis Presley Enterprises was preparing to take legal action against the developers.

The zoning request is scheduled to be presented to the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors April 3.

March 10, 2002

Premier like Sun reunion at Orpheum
   By Bill Ellis (The Commercial Appeal) March 09, 2002

The Sun tributes keep pouring in. Last year, Seattle's Experience Music Project gave a monthlong toast to the famed Memphis label - which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year - followed by an acclaimed American Masters documentary, Good Rockin' Tonight, and companion CD.

And recently, the Memphis chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy organization, unveiled the wonderfully made video Sounds of Memphis, which focused largely on Sun and Stax.

Now comes the 17th annual Premier Player Awards, a related fete from the Recording Academy's Memphis branch that honors Sun Records in a March 28 show at the Orpheum.

"To me, it's one of the most important anniversaries in the history of Memphis, not just Memphis music," says local chapter executive director Jon Hornyak. "And we're inviting every Sun artist and descendant of Sun artists to attend the show, so we want it to also be like a Sun family reunion."

Founded by legendary producer Sam Phillips, the Sun label touted not only the rockabilly roster of Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and plenty others, but also blues and R&B artists such as Rufus Thomas, Little Milton, James Cotton, Rosco Gordon and Junior Parker. And that doesn't count the important pre-Sun recordings Phillips made of B. B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Ike Turner and others.

Phillips summed it up well when he told The Commercial Appeal a few years back: "Creatively, Memphis and the Mississippi Delta set the fields on fire with talent. . . . The world is a helluva lot more fun and friendlier."

Among slated artists at the Premier Players: Sun greats Billy Lee Riley and Sonny Burgess; Presley drummer D. J. Fontana teamed with the North Mississippi Allstars (guitarist Scotty Moore may also join); Carl Perkins's son Stan Perkins doing Blue Suede Shoes with former Perkins and Cash drummer W. S. 'Fluke' Holland; Jim Dickinson and Marvell Thomas giving the late Rufus Thomas his dues in a rendition of Bear Cat; Alvin Youngblood Hart in a Cash tribute; a Keith Sykes songwriters segment with Sun veterans Jack Clement and Dick ie Lee; plus Sun devotee Billy Swan, his daughter Planet Swan, Charlie Rich Jr. and Reba Russell.

The house band will include Sun stars Ace Cannon on sax and J. M. Van Eaton on drums, as well as rockabilly guitar pioneer Paul Burlison, guitarist James Lott, electric bassist Dave Smith, upright bassist Joe Fick of the Dempseys and horn pro Jim Spake.

Hornyak says a few slots are still being filled, including a blues segment and, one would hope, an appearance by the Killer himself, Jerry Lee Lewis.

In conjunction with the tribute, "Seeing Sun Records," a Sun-inspired exhibit at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, runs through April 2. The small yet diverse collection, on display at the museum's Chandler Gallery, aims to show the impact Sun has had beyond music. It features pieces by outsider artists Howard Finster, Joe Light and Lamar Sorrento as well as George Hunt, Tommy Foster and the photos of William Eggleston.

Expect a few changes for this Premier Player Awards. For one, it moves to the Orpheum after three years at The Pyramid. Indeed, The Pyramid - scaled back as it was for a smaller crowd - always felt hollow and somewhat cold given the intimate party vibe of this perennial showcase.

"We had a very good experience with the folks at The Pyramid; they were very good to us," says Hornyak. "But I think this (the Orpheum) is a more friendly venue for a show like this."

The biggest change is one that aims to correct an ongoing criticism of the show, namely its perceived cliquishness and why the same people always seem to win. Addressing that legitimate concern, the Memphis chapter has established a Hall of Fame for musicians who have won five or more times in a particular category. Consequently, those winners no longer are eligible in that category, though they can still be nominated in other categories.

Retired for winning umpteen times are: Tommy Burroughs and Peter Hyrka, strings; Jimmy Davis, male vocalist; Jim Dickinson, producer; John Hampton, engineer; Wayne Jackson and Scott Thompson, brass; Steve Potts, drums; Dave Smith, bass; Jim Spake, woodwinds, and Tony Thomas, keyboards.

New faces are a key to the show's lasting appeal, after all, as is bringing in the bigger voice of the Memphis music community.

The Premier Players are voted on by the chapter's 831 members. The chapter's 32-member board selects final nominees in four categories: Newcomer, Outstanding Achievement, Community Service and Music Teacher.

March 03, 2002

Commission OK's Presley-themed resort
   By William C. Bayne (The Commercial Appeal) March 02, 2002
 



Hurdles remain for developers of a proposed Elvis Presley-themed resort, even though they now have Planning Commission approval behind them.

The commission endorsed the project unanimously Thursday night after more than two hours of discussion before a packed house in Hernando.

Residents living near the site complained of traffic and changes that the project would bring to the semirural community. Officials, as well, raised questions and said the commission's 11-0 approval was only the beginning.

"I'm looking at this as a work in progress,'' Michael Garriga, the county's chief planner, said Friday. "The rezoning is just the first step.''

Georgia developer J. D. Stacy and son Chase Stacy are principal partners in the proposed development, which calls for a massive resort on 808 acres, the bulk of which is south of Goodman Road and east of Miss. 301.

They're proposing a complex that would include two hotels, a museum with Presley memorabilia, a Go Kart racingcomplex and reproductions of the White House and Graceland.

The Planning Commission's action Thursday night rezoned the property from agricultural and agricultural-residential to a planned unit development.

The final decision is in the hands of the Board of Supervisors, which is expected to consider the proposal April 3.

Before then, officials say there are plenty of issues to be resolved.

Among questions raised by Garriga were the location of a wastewater treatment plant and a water tower to serve the complex; a statement of financial responsibility by the developers; a traffic impact study on neighboring roads, and the parking plan.

"Whatever improvements we need to make, we will work to make," said Zan Thompson, an architect with Gresham, Smith & Partners in Atlanta, which has served as chief planner for the project.

Another lingering issue, not under the control of engineers, is use of the Presley name.

Jack Soden, president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, said the company would seek legal remedies to prohibit any unauthorized use of Presley's name, likeness or image.

Ginger Morris of Titan Communications Group in Atlanta, the firm hired by the developers for public relations and marketing, said Friday no meetings have been arranged with Elvis Presley Enterprises.

"We hope to meet with them soon, but no meeting has been set at this time," she said.

Residents living near the property have concerns that have nothing to do with the Presley name or infrastructure issues.

"Walls is a peaceful place," said Willie Griner of Walls. "If you let these people in, you might as well let in the casinos, too."

But Don Wilkinson, executive director of the Horn Lake area Chamber of Commerce, said the proposed resort "is the biggest thing to hit Mississippi since Nissan. I think it's even bigger than Nissan because the car plant won't pay taxes for years and years. These people will be paying taxes immediately on completion."

The elder Stacy did not reveal the names of the institutions that would provide financing for the $500 million resort, but he said financing was not a concern.

"We have it available, it's just a matter of making a choice,'' he said. "We have no intention of failing on this.''

February 28, 2002

EP park foes see bad jam session in traffic
   By William C. Bayne (The Commercial Appeal) February 28, 2002



Where developers see a $500 million Elvis-themed resort, Elsie Marsh of Walls sees a mammoth traffic magnet.

"We don't need any more traffic on Goodman Road. It's bad enough as it is,'' said Marsh, who lives in the nearby Allen subdivision.

Tonight, increased traffic will be among the concerns as the DeSoto County Planning Commission considers a rezoning proposal to allow the Elvis project to advance.

The project, described for officials in Horn Lake last week by J. D. Stacy of Alpharetta, Ga., includes golf courses, wedding chapels, retail space, and replicas of Graceland and the White House, among other features.

The development's impact, traffic and sewage disposal will be of particular concern tonight, said Jim McDougal, a contract planner with the planning commission.

And McDougal said the commission staff has asked Stacy to provide a traffic assessment study.

"Once we receive that I'm sure we would contact MDOT (Mississippi Department of Transportation) to see what could be done to alleviate traffic congestion,'' he said.

The meeting begins at 7 tonight at the Board of Supervisors hearing room in the county's administrative services building in Hernando.

Although some residents dread the congestion the massive project might bring, others see a major economic boost.

"Once the announcement was made we were literally swamped with telephone calls and faxes from companies that want to be a part of this,'' said Don Wilkinson, executive director of the Horn Lake Chamber of Commerce.

"The response was overwhelming, and it was all positive,'' he said.

All of the land sought for the development except for 25 acres is within the Horn Lake annexation target area.

A special chancellor approved the annexation of 8.8 square miles of land by the city in a ruling announced Sept. 16, 2000. That decision has been appealed by a group of homeowners to the state Supreme Court, where a decision is pending.

Action by the 15-member county planning commission is not final in a rezoning case. The commission only makes recommendations to the county Board of Supervisors, but the board usually supports the commission.

Stacy has said he won't have anything further to say about the development until the planning commission considers the rezoning request.

The Georgia developer has a tumultuous history in NASCAR auto racing, owning various racing teams on the circuit in the early 1980s, including such drivers as Terry Labonte and the late Dale Earnhardt. In 1983, he owned seven of the cars entered in one NASCAR race.

Stacy said he has also been involved in diamond and gold mining, but he's reticent about sharing much else.

Last week, he said although he presented the proposal, the project will actually be spearheaded by his son, Chase Stacy.

Developers want to call the resort the Elvis Presley Ranch, but officials with Elvis Presley Enterprises said last week they will guard against that.

"If (Stacy) thinks he's entitled to exploit a trademarked, copyrighted name just because Elvis Presley owned that farm for a short period of time, (that) is a shaky legal situation," Jack Soden, president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, said.

The ranch is where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon in 1967.

The planning commission sent out more than 600 notices to homeowners and landowners within a mile of the proposed 808-acre development at Goodman Road and Miss. 301.

Stacey Turner, a teacher at Walls Elementary who lives in the nearby Kings View subdivision, said she likes the area just the way it is.

"I love my new home, but I do not want to be bombarded by tourists 365 days a year," she said.

February 20, 2002

Financier plans to build $500 million Elvis resort on old Circle G Ranch
   By William C. Bayne (The Commercial Appeal) February 19, 2002
 
A developer wants to build a resort on the property in DeSoto County where Elvis and Priscilla Presley spent their honeymoon in 1967.

J. B. 'Chase' Stacy said he has options to buy land near Goodman Road and Miss. 301 and will go before the DeSoto County Planning Commission Feb. 28 to seek zoning for the $500 million development.

Monday night, Stacy outlined his plans for the Elvis Presley Ranch Resort for the Horn Lake area Chamber of Commerce.

Plans include two championship golf courses, retail, entertainment and residential areas, and replicas of the famed honeymoon cottage for rent.

Stacy said he holds options on more than 500 acres south of Goodman Road, including the old Presley property, about 200 acres north of Goodman, and more land west of Miss. 301.

But, he said, the project is contingent on zoning approval.

His attorneys, Stacy said, believe he won't need permission from Elvis Presley Enterprises to use the name "Elvis Presley Ranch" because the ranch once belonged to the entertainer.

Elvis Presley Enterprises exercises tight control over the use of Presley's name. Efforts to reach the company for comment late Monday were unsuccessful.

"It seems to me that this development is going to benefit everyone," Stacy said. "I would have no problems with a contract with (Elvis Presley Enterprises), but we do not have one."

When Presley owned his part of the property, it was known as the Circle G Ranch. He sold it in 1974.

Stacy likened the development to Disney theme parks. "We expect to have 75,000 visitors a day," he said.

The residential areas would largely be condominiums, he said, and he plans to market them internationally. "The condos are designed for high-dollar golf enthusiasts and will range in price from $600,000 to $1.2 million each," he said.

"I wouldn't even try to market any of them locally. I don't think there's a market here for that," he said.

The development would also have a convention center, concert halls, a spa, two hotels and replicas of the White House and Graceland.

Horn Lake Mayor Mike Thomas said the White House replica would be part of the development because Presley said it was his "dream home" after visiting President Nixon in Washington.

Stacy, who said he's put together "10 or 12 major developments," said he was mining diamonds and gold in Africa when his partners told him the options on the land had been acquired.

"I dropped what I was doing and came on," he said.

He said financing has been secured through three as yet unnamed sources.

Stacy said groundbreaking is targeted for August on the anniversary of Elvis's death.

Completion would be roughly 24 months later. Stacy expects to have 2,500 construction workers involved in the project and to create at least 2,500 jobs when the development is finished.

February 10, 2002

Scotty, ex-Stray Cat back on Mystery Train
   By Bill Ellis (The Commercial Appeal) February 9, 2002

 
The February issue of rock music magazine Spin touts "The 50 Greatest Bands of All Time," a list that begins with the Beatles, ends with the Red Hot Chili Peppers and goes for the obvious in between (Kiss graces the cover), although the hipper it tries to be - the OutKast and Korn greatest bands? - the more dubious it becomes.

And where are such Memphis vanguards as Booker T. & the MGs and Big Star? The most unforgivable omission is arguably the first great rock and roll band: the Blue Moon Boys, otherwise known as Elvis, Scotty & Bill.

It matters little to Scotty Moore, the legendary rockabilly guitarist who - with leader Elvis Presley, bassist Bill Black and, joining a short time later, drummer D. J. Fontana - pioneered what rock was and would become on such seminal Sun and RCA classics from the '50s as That's All Right, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Mystery Train, Heartbreak Hotel, Jailhouse Rock and countless other sides.

In fact, Moore at 70 is basking in the limelight like few times in his life. He was among the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame's "Side-men" category in 2000 and was featured in both last year's Good Rockin' Tonight American Masters documentary and the companion disc tribute to Sun Records.

And while critics may show the occasional lapse of judgment, musicians know. That includes Paul McCartney (he of Spin's Greatest Band No. 1), who recorded That's All Right with Moore and Fontana for the Good Rockin' Tonight album (and who, as an electric bass player, came up with his own solution to the upright bass slapping that gave early rockabilly its rhythmic drive).

"He sang it and played bass at the same time," says Moore from his Nashville home. "Then he overdubbed a little knee-slapping thing to give it the slapped bass sound. That was fun, really neat doing that with Paul. I expected him to show up with a whole entourage. He had one little guy with him. And his girlfriend (Heather Mills) came in later. Just a prince of a guy, like you knew him all your life."

Another admirer of Moore's is former Stray Cats bassist Lee Rocker (Long Island-born Leon Drucker), who hits the road with Moore for a Midwest tour that ends ever so appropriately in Memphis next Saturday at the Gibson Beale Street Showcase Lounge.

"What better way to return to Memphis, man?" says Rocker by phone. "It's really a dream come true to get to be out there and do some shows with him. As you know, Scotty invented the vocabulary of rockabilly guitar playing along with a couple of other cats. Obviously, I've always been a huge fan of his. Even in the Stray Cats, we were always aiming towards that tone that Scotty got - his tone is the thing that always grabbed me the most."

Says Moore of the coming gigs - and he talks the way he plays guitar, with utter economy - "Well, I'm going to find out if the man still has any get-up-and-go."

The tour will take the two famed musicians from Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago to Minneapolis, Omaha, Kansas City and the Bluff City. Rocker says West and East Coast tours will likely follow.

This isn't the first time Moore has paired with Rocker, whose Stray Cats trio - with guitarist frontman Brian Setzer and drummer Slim Jim Phantom - brought about its own rockabilly revival in the '80s with hits such as Stray Cat Strut and Rock This Town. The mentor and protege did some West Coast dates a few years back and have been giving props to each other ever since Moore played on "Big Blue," the 1994 album Rocker made in Memphis at Kiva Studios. That year they also teamed with Fontana for The Pyramid extravaganza, "Elvis Aaron Presley: The Tribute."

Rocker next played on "All the King's Men," the 1997 album Moore and Fontana recorded with a who's who of rock legends from Rolling Stones royalty Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood to Cheap Trick and Jeff Beck, all artists indebted in one way or another to Moore's six-string trailblazing.

Rocker, for one, is happy about Moore's continued acclaim.

"I can imagine sort of the shadow - in a good way - of working with Elvis, (but) for Scotty, it really seems like he's come out from that," says Rocker. "From the Hall of Fame on, musicians have always recognized and revered him, but it seems like he's in a whole other place now at this point."

For this tour, expect a mix of repertoire from Elvis and Carl Perkins tunes to some Stray Cats hits, blues and newer songs by Rocker.

"For me, the most fun is getting Scotty to play on stuff that he's not known for, like a Hank Williams song, and seeing how that works," says Rocker.

The backing band will be Rocker's group of the past few years: guitarists Brophy Dale and Tara Novick and drummer Jimmy Sage.

"The first half of the show, I'll go up with my band," says Rocker. "I'll do a variety of stuff more with my stamp on it, which tends to be a little louder, a little faster. Then we bring Scotty up and sort of reel it back to his take on it, which is, the volume comes down, there's usually an acoustic guitar going, and the tempos come back.

"The funny thing with Scotty is when I first had to work with him, I'm going, 'Wait a second, we're slower.' Then I put on the original and I go, 'No we're not, we're right where it was!' It's not further back than Mystery Train was in '56, but, for some reason, my recollection of hearing it was. And it was just the intensity; it wasn't the speed of it. One of the nicer things Scotty always says to me: 'Turn it down,' and, 'Why do you play so fast?' I'm putting that on the cover of my press kit."

Moore may hold Rocker back, though it's something he couldn't do ultimately with Presley, who, sans Scotty, became King of the Las Vegas appearance.

"That's what would make me mad with Elvis when he got into the '70s and Vegas," says Moore. "He started throwing away all the early stuff. He'd do them in a medley and real fast, just fast as he could do them to get rid of them. That's all tease. He forgot, didn't he?"

Moore hasn't. He says he never gets tired of playing the old hits, especially his signature tune Mystery Train. After almost 50 years, he still learns a thing or two from it.

"I have to play it just about anywhere I go. I'm not like these people who go, 'God, I've sung this song a thousand times. I'm so tired of it.' If it's feeding you, son, sing this sucker again! And grin while you're doing it!"

Moore and Rocker play the Gibson Beale Street Showcase Lounge, 145 Lt. George W. Lee, on Saturday, Feb. 16. Doors open at 7 p.m. Tickets are $15. Call 544-7998.

Rockabilly women

Speaking of rockabilly, the International Rock-A-Billy Hall of Fame in Jackson, Tenn., will hold auditions for an all-female rockabilly band to represent the nonprofit museum that opened last year in Carl Perkins's hometown.

Plans include booking the group at several rockabilly festivals in the United States and Europe as a way of promoting the hall. It would play opening sets at festivals from the Viva Las Vegas show and Rockin' '50s Rockabilly Festival in Green Bay, Wis., to the Rockabilly Rebel Weekend in Indianapolis and the Hemsby Rock and Roll Weekender in Great Britain, according to hall president and founder Henry Harrison, who runs a Jackson concrete block and brick business, Concrete Products Co.

"We will have our band represent us at those festivals and the one in Jackson," says Harrison, whose annual rockabilly event runs Aug. 9-11 this year. "And we think that is better publicity than buying an ad in (rock memorabilia magazine) Goldmine."

Harrison says he has already received some 15 entries from across the country. While veteran rockabilly women including Wanda Jackson, Cordell Jackson and Barbara Pittman maintain loyal followings, the genre largely remains a male-focused music - which lends credence to having an all-female group beyond mere novelty, says Harrison.

"Rockabilly, like many musical things, has been dominated by males," he says. "It doesn't mean there are no females, but it has been a male-dominated field. If we have an all-female band in full costumes, fully choreographed, and do a 45-minute to an hour show, it would be better publicity for the Hall of Fame - and for the girls."

Auditions will take place every Friday through March 1 beginning 6 p.m. at the Hall's 105 N. Church St. address in downtown Jackson. An in-house band is available to back performers. There is no try-out fee. Register by calling (800) 562-6824.

January 27, 2002

Playwright chose Elvis, then held on Dealing with estate a drama in itself
   By Christopher Blank (The Commercial Appeal) January 25, 2002

 
It wasn't so much that Ronnie Claire Edwards was a devotee of Elvis Presley when she wrote the play Idols of the King, opening this weekend at Playhouse on the Square.

She just needed a powerful subject, a figurehead to rally her characters around. Who better than Elvis Presley, the King?

"I'd seen a show about Patsy Cline and I wanted to write about the people who were caught up in the magic," she said. "I also wanted the play to be a gift for an actor, roles that I myself would want to play."

So Edwards, along with collaborator Allen Crowe, created a script for two actors playing 17 parts. The characters tell their stories: a couple on their way to see a concert in Vegas, a hippie with (maybe) Elvis's love child, and a disabled Vietnam veteran who is helped by the King.

"Originally I thought about portraying the people who knew Elvis, like his chauffeur, his makeup artist. But I decided to write about ordinary people," she said.

Edwards is no ordinary playwright, however. Starting out as an actress, she portrayed Corabeth Walton Godsey on the 1970s television drama The Waltons. She's won numerous awards for her stage performances.

Written in 1995, Idols of the King debuted at the Arkansas Repertory and toured 35 states. This will be its first time in Memphis. Edwards will attend this weekend to sign copies of her recent memoirs, The Knife Thrower's Assistant.

For both Edwards and any theater wanting to do the play, a new production means monstrous legal wrangling. The problem, Edwards said, is about finding the third actor, he that plays the King.

Between the monologs, Elvis appears and sings some of his most popular tunes. This addition meant getting permission from Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE) about all aspects of the production, from the script to the posters and programs, to the person who imitates Elvis.

"I was very naive when I started writing," she said. "Once I realized what I was up against I don't think Elvis would have been my first choice."

One song, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, didn't make the show because the estate wouldn't release the rights. Because of copyright restrictions, the play can never be published. Elvis is, after all, a trademark.

The biggest obstacle was - and still is - hiring an Elvis who meets Graceland's approval. In Playhouse's case, an actor had been signed months in advance, one who had already been through the lengthy selection process, which includes sending an audition tape to EPE.

Shortly before rehearsals, the actor backed out of his contract. Playhouse director Jackie Nichols feared it would take too long to find a replacement, but using local contacts at Graceland and in New York, Nichols shotgunned an equity actor past EPE lawyers and received approval within days.

This is the King's return to Playhouse, a stage built in a former movie theater where Elvis used to hang.

"It's is a very thrilling experience to finally see it up and running," Edwards said. "You just hope it transfers well from paper onto the stage."

Idols of the King opens 8 tonight at Playhouse on the Square, 51 S. Cooper. Shows are 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays through March 3.

January 20, 2002

Giving an Irish 'lad' his due
   By M. Scott Morris (Tupelo Daily Journal) January 18, 2002

The It's Friday Department is all about giving credit where credit is due.

During the unveiling of the 350-pound bronze statue of a 13-year-old Elvis Presley, Henry Dodge, chairman of the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation, mentioned that a fan from Ireland suggested the idea for the statue.

That's what I wrote in the story, but Dodge was more precise than that. In fact, Maurice Colgan of Swords, Ireland, was the fellow who first dreamed up the idea.

Colgan was initially left out of the story for a very important reason: I wasn't sure how to spell his name.

"Sure," you say, "but you could have asked somebody."

I asked a lot of people a lot of things and could have asked that, but it fell through the cracks.

So I get this call the other day from a very nice gentleman with an Irish accent. He says his name is Maurice Colgan.

"I was reading your story about the statue on the Internet," he says. "You never say whose idea it was."

"It was you, right?"

"Well," he says, "I'm such a fan. It would be nice to have it mentioned in Elvis Presley's hometown paper, you know?"

"How does Friday sound?"

First off, it was pretty cool to get a phone call all the way from Ireland. The guy even waited patiently on hold while I finished up another interview.

Secondly, if everybody who called to complain was as polite as Colgan, I'd be leaving all kinds of names out of the paper.

Thirdly, it's great to have it reinforced yet again what kind of following that 13-year-old boy eventually commanded.

But Colgan isn't just your average European Elvis fan. He's got a personal connection to the King of Rock 'n' Roll that few in Tupelo can claim.

It's all documented at Colgan's Web site, quicksitebuilder.cnet.com/melvis3, how he was walking down the street during a "lad's night out in England in 1957," when he heard an Elvis tune blaring from a nightclub.

He went inside and met the lovely Maureen, and the two danced while a romanticrecording of Tupelo's favorite son provided the soundtrack.

Marriage bells rang in 1959, then trouble hit in 1961. Maureen became critically ill.

Colgan decided to drop the King a line and let him know about his wife's situation, and less than a week later a pair of letters arrived at the Colgan home.

Maureen's letter reads: "Just a short note to say I hope you are feeling much better. Take care of yourself and don't worry - everything will be alright." It was signed "Elvis Presley."

Colgan's letter reads: "I sent your wife a get well message. Take care of her and yourself. May God bless you both." It was signed "EP."

Many years later, the Colgans received another letter from another son of Tupelo.

"Your story is indeed very impressive!" wrote Mayor Glenn L. McCullough Jr. "Even in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis' birthplace, to have a letter written by Elvis himself is quite unique."

Colgan, who's visited Tupelo and Memphis, said he likes to spread word of the letters so people will know that at the height of his fame, Elvis took time out to send encouraging words to complete strangers.

"You hear about the bad things. A lot of people focus on that," Colgan said. "It's good to let people know what a good person he was."

And now there's a statue that focuses on, as Dodge said, "the humbleness and innocence" of Presley's Tupelo youth.

There are many people to thank for bringing that 350-pound statue to Tupelo, and Maurice Colgan of Swords, Ireland, certainly deserves his due.

January 10, 2002

King's Birthday - Statue highlights Elvis' Tupelo roots
   By M. Scott Morris (Tupelo Daily Journal) January 10, 2002

Elvis Presley was such a world-shaking celebrity, it's hard to imagine he was ever a kid.

Now, the Elvis Presley Birthplace features a permanent reminder in the form of a 350-pound bronze statue showing the 13-year-old Tupelo native who would become the "King of Rock 'n' Roll."

Created by sculptor Michiel VanderSommen, the statue, titled "Elvis at 13," was unveiled Tuesday before more than 125 fans, media and city officials. The unveiling coincided with the 67th anniversary of Elvis' birth.

"I'd seen him all the time after he got famous," said Billie Clayton of Lake Piomingo, who didn't quite recognize the statue's face. "I don't guess many people know what he looked like when he was 13."

Joe Pacula, who was visiting with his wife, Pat, from Toronto, Canada, was impressed by the decision to capture Elvis' early years in bronze.

"I think the concept is brilliant," he said. "You couldn't do another Graceland. You had to do something different."

The Paculas' traveling companion, Barbara Sheasby of Australia, was equally impressed.

"I've taken photos of (the statue) covered and uncovered," Sheasby said. "They'll die for it in Australia."

Henry Dodge, chairman of the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation, said the idea of portraying Elvis as a young teen-ager was first suggested by a fan from Ireland who wrote a letter to Tupelo Mayor Larry Otis.

"We chose 13 because that was the age his family left and went to Memphis," Dodge said. "He lived here until he was 13 and nobody can really take that from us."

Dodge said the goal was to depict Elvis in his "innocence and humbleness." The chief challenge to getting the right look was the lack of photos depicting Elvis at that age.

A pair of old photos helped. Dodge also talked with Elvis' contemporaries to find out how tall the boy was, how he dressed and how he carried his guitar.

The final product depicts a boy who doesn't quite resemble the face the whole world knows. The 13-year-old dressed in overalls carries a guitar at his left side with his right hand reaching forward.

"The most important thing in the sculpture is the gesture he makes," VanderSommen said. "The gesture I tried to depict is him moving forward to the future."

Another 13-year-old Tupeloan, David Pittman, served as the model for the statue's stance and posture. Pittman said he enjoyed his hours as the young King, and VanderSommen gave the model high marks.

"He's the best model I've ever had," VanderSommen said. "I wish I could use him all the time."

The $50,000 cost of the statue was footed by the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau. Numerous people in the community donated time, labor, materials and expertise for the project.

Dodge said the budget for completing the long-range plans at the Birthplace should be between $1.5 million and $2 million.

"We've already spent $400,000," Dodge said.

Most of that money funded a recently completed renovation of the gift shop, which also was unveiled Tuesday.

Future plans include creating a story wall that will feature stories about Elvis' time in Tupelo. There are plans to develop a walking path around the small lake that sits behind the Birthplace.

Parking lot improvements, playground renovations and many other changes are expected in the coming months and years.

There is something of a rush.

"The people who knew him as a boy are getting older," Dodge said.

Between 50,000 and 75,000 people visit the Birthplace each year. Dodge said the goal behind the improvements is to double or triple the amount.

"We want Tupelo to become a destination stop for people," he said. "We want them to stay for days, not hours."

New statue of Elvis in Tupelo (photo) | ... more photos >>

January 08, 2002

Fans Marking Elvis' 67th Birthday
   By Woody Baird (Associated Press Writer) January 07, 2002
  

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) - Fans are commemorating Elvis Presley the soldier this year as they gather to celebrate his  birthday.

Following the September 11 terrorist attacks, a focus on Presley's military service seemed appropriate, said Todd Morgan, a spokesman for Graceland, the singer's Memphis residence.

"Elvis was a patriot", Morgan said.

The fans, and the managers of Presley's multimillion-dollar estate, like to remember that the King of Rock 'n' Roll served a two-year Army hitch, discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1960.

A birthday dance marking the 67th anniversary of Presley's birth Tuesday had the theme: "GI, Red, White and Blues.'' (The singer died at age 42 in 1977.)

During the dance, Presley's film "GI Blues'' will play on a big screen in a hotel ballroom decorated with a "patriotic red, white and blue theme that reflects Elvis' dedication to his country", a flier for the event said.

Fans also will gather Tuesday on Graceland's front lawn to sing "Happy Birthday'' and cut a cake.

The birthday party generally draws several hundred fans each year from around the country and abroad, and this year's attendance is expected to be about average, Morgan said. (Graceland draws some 700,000 visitors a year.)

January 07, 2002

Happy Birthday, Baby - 67 candles light way to Memphis from all corners
   By Aimee Edmondson (The Commercial Appeal) January 06, 2002

 
Helen Brown didn't think twice when it was time to buy her plane ticket from Great Britain to Memphis for her twice-yearly pilgrimage.

Terrorist threat or not, the president of Britain's North Hampton fan club just had to be here for Elvis's birthday week celebrations.

"If we stop coming, the terrorists have won," said Brown, 39, making her 21st visit to Memphis.

She and about 350 official fan club presidents from across the globe Saturday filled the Memphis Marriott East ballroom for their annual luncheon to celebrate Elvis's birthday.

This year's theme is based on the Elvis film Follow That Dream, and the movie's leading lady, Anne Helm, was on hand to toast the King for what would have been his 67th birthday.

Roy C. Bennett, who wrote 45 Elvis songs, also attended, as well as several other friends and associates of Elvis.

Ira Jones author of Soldier Boy Elvis, was another special guest. Jones was Elvis's platoon sergeant in Germany.

But what drew the loudest applause from the crowd was a sneak peek at selected clips from the animated Disney movie, Lilo and Stitch, which features six Elvis songs.

The movie comes out this summer, and the fan club presidents were the first group outside the studio to see clips.

Patsy Anderson, who organizes fan club activities on behalf of Graceland, also played Elvis's rendition of America the Beautiful, featured on a CD released in October as a fund-raiser for disaster relief efforts stemming from September 11.

As of mid-December, she told the crowd, $164,000 had been raised to benefit the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund.

Elvis fan club members worldwide raised an additional $12,000-plus for the Red Cross and presented the check at the luncheon.

"Elvis gave so much for charity," Brown said. "We want to continue the work he did."

January 05, 2002