Tag Archives: Rock and Roll

August 22, 2014 · 4:36 pm

Elvis Presley – Ramblings of a Lifelong Fan – Part 9 – Graceland

Elvis bought Graceland in 1957 for $100,000 for his mother. Sadly, she died a year later. Elvis continued to live there for the rest of his life. I think it’s admirable that he remained in his home town, rather than moving somewhere more upscale or buying lavish homes all over the country. 

Graceland was opened to the public in 1982 and is the third most visited home in the United States. More than 600,000 people from all over the world come to see Elvis’ home each year. I have been to Graceland five times, and I plan to go again. Everyone, especially Elvis fans, should experience Graceland at least once. I cannot fully convey the feeling of being in Elvis’ home. I swear, you can sense his spirit. There is something humbling and awe-inspiring about entering the place where the ‘real’ Elvis dwelled, where he found refuge from the insanity of the outside world. 

 

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My trips to Graceland: 

1978 – The summer after Elvis died, I had the opportunity to go to Nashville and Memphis with a friend and her family. At the time, the house was not open, so we only toured the grounds. 

1992 – My youngest sister, Christi, my two daughters, and I were flying to San Antonio to visit another sister, Sheri. I was pregnant with my third child, my son, (who would be named Presley, although I didn’t know it at the time, because I hadn’t convinced my then husband to agree to it. :)) We had a layover in Memphis and due to various mechanical difficulties with various airplanes, our wait ended up being 12 hours. We decided to take a cab to Graceland. We had our carry-on luggage with us, and it was quite interesting going through the narrow stairway with huge bags on our shoulders. I was afraid we were going to break something priceless. 🙂 

2001 – My sister, Ruth, and her husband, Tom, took me to Graceland for my fortieth birthday. WOW, what an amazing trip that was. Not only did we spend a lot of time on Beale Street, experiencing Graceland with the person with whom I shared such a close Elvis bond was incredible and unforgettable. My brother-in-law, who had never been a big Elvis fan, was overwhelmed by Graceland and the whole ‘Elvis’ experience. Funny story, while we were there, one of the fans was arrested for jumping into the pool at Graceland. I heard she had to pay a $200 fine. I’m sure it was worth it to her to be able to tell people she took a dip in Elvis’ pool. 

2006 – I drove to Atlanta for a writer’s conference with two of my friends, Jody and Christy. We spent the night in Memphis and went to Beale Street, and they wanted to see Graceland, at least briefly. So, we stopped by and hung out for a little while in front of the gate. 

2013 – I took my adult kids, Lana, Lacey, and Presley, and my niece, Madison, on a trip to Memphis and Atlanta. (We traveled to Atlanta for Vampire Diaries stuff and Cincinnati Reds/Braves games, but spent the night in Memphis on the way). We stayed in the Heartbreak Hotel and toured Graceland. I’ll have to say, the rooms in the hotel are sub-par, but the lobby is pretty spectacular. The kids were impressed with Graceland and we all had a wonderful time. Presley was especially moved. On the tour, a lady in a wheelchair was watching an Elvis video in one of the exhibits, with tears streaming down her face. In the meditation garden where Elvis is buried, the woman’s son was taking a pic of her, and she was still crying. He said, “Stop crying so I can take your picture, Mama.” 🙂 It was so precious. We saw her after the tour in front of the house. Presley patted her shoulder and knelt next to her chair and said, “My name is Presley.” He pointed at me. “Thanks to her. She’s my Mom.” (or something along those lines) Her eyes lit up and she said, “Aww, can I shake your hand?” He gave her his hand and she squeezed it and kissed the back of it. We were all in tears. Such a poignant moment.

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Madison, Lana, Lacey, Me, Presley

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Lana, Madison, Lacey, Presley

Such beautiful memories. I can’t wait until the next trip to Graceland. I would love to go sometime during Elvis week, or especially at Christmas. I bet it is breathtaking during the holidays. Have you ever been?

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August 8, 2014 · 11:23 am

Elvis Presley – Ramblings of a Lifelong Fan – Part 7 – Anniversary of That’s the Way It Is

Elvis: That’s the Way It Is was Elvis’ first non-dramatic film, a documentary chronicling live performances from The Elvis Summer Festival at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. The film features shows Elvis performed on August 11, 12, and 13, 1970. Who would have imagined that, seven years later, he would be gone? He was so vibrant and sexy and alive at the time that it is mind boggling to think about. 

One of the things I loved about the film was that it not only showed some amazing concert performances, but it showed the ‘behind the scenes’ Elvis hanging out with his entourage, rehearsals, fans commenting on what they love about him, and celebrities such as George Hamilton, Cary Grant, Juliet Prowse, and Sammy Davis, Jr. arriving for opening night. 

I was only nine years old when the film released, and I remember watching it, enthralled. At the time, I had never been to an Elvis concert, and it was a thrill to see him perform. And, to see glimpses of the ‘real’ Elvis in how he interacted with his friends and the people who worked with him. 

That’s the Way It Is featured some fabulous songs, some that people who aren’t true Elvis fans aren’t all that familiar with, such as How the Web Was Woven. Here is a brief clip of him singing part of the song in rehearsals as he plays the piano. Watch what he does at the end: 

Here is a recording of the entire song: 

One of my very favorite songs from the performances is Just Pretend. I love it so much, I named my first romance after it (I wrote it when I was eleven). I also named my hero Lonnie Beale after Elvis’ character in the movie, Tickle Me. And, I described him as looking like Elvis. 🙂 I still have the story, written mostly in pencil with the first page missing from the tattered spiral notebook. At the end, my heroine thinks Lonnie died in a plane crash, but as it turns out, (Spoiler alert!) he’d taken a different flight and he comes to her where she’s crying on the beach, and he sings Just Pretend (which has a line, “I’ll come flying to you again.” – see how I cleverly wove that in?) It was a riveting moment, LOL. 

Here is his concert performance of Just Pretend: 

Wasn’t he so sweet to his fans? Lucky, lucky woman. 

I was excited to learn that the re-mastered version of That’s the Way It Is will be showing in select theaters this month. It is coming to Oklahoma City, and I must go. So, I’m off to check on tickets. Until next time…  

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July 25, 2014 · 6:20 pm

Elvis Presley – Ramblings of a Lifelong Fan – Part 5 – Shades of Elvis & Celebrity Quotes

One thing, among many, that proves what an impact Elvis had on the world of music, and the world in general, is the deep admiration and respect that other celebrities had for him. Priscilla Presley and photographer, Christopher Amuruoso, created a magnificent book called Shades of Elvis, where various celebrities don Elvis’ famous glasses and pose for photographs. The book is gorgeous. The photos are black and white, and they are amazing. I don’t own the book yet, but I will soon. J In addition to the photos, many celebrities contributed statements about Elvis to be published in the book. I love hearing other successful, famous people speak about Elvis.

http://www.shadesofelvis.net/

Here is a fabulous interview with Priscilla Presley about the book:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pat-gallagher/elvis-and-priscilla-presley-_b_5385183.html

Below is a just a sampling of quotes about Elvis from celebrities (These quotes are not taken from Shades of Elvis)

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“I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra’s. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness.”  ~ B.B. King

“’That period was different. When Elvis was there, they were stopping everything. Elvis had the moment for real. While I’m here, its not all about 50 Cent, but it was all about Elvis.”  -50 Cent 

“Ask anyone. If it hadn’t been for Elvis, I don’t know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me.”  -Elton John 

“He had total love in his eyes when he performed. He was the total androgynous beauty. I would practice Elvis in front of the mirror when I was twelve or thirteen years old.”  -k.d. lang 

“That’s my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you’d see pictures all over of Elvis. He’s just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it’s because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis Presley was in the f***ing room. I don’t give a f*** who was in the room with him, Bogart, Marilyn Monroe.”  -Eddie Murphy 

“There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king.”  -Bruce Springsteen 

“…it was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it.”  -Bruce Springsteen 

“When I first heard Elvis’ voice, I just knew that I wasn’t going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss…Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.”  -Bob Dylan  

“A lot has been written and said about why he was so great, but I think the best way to appreciate his greatness is just to go back and play some of the old records… Time has a way of being very unkind to old records, but Elvis’ keep getting better and better.”  -Huey Lewis 

“Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps.”  -Rod Stewart 

“He was a unique artist – an original in an area of imitators.”  -Mick Jagger 

“He was an integrator, Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn’t let black music through. He opened the door for black music.” ~ Little Richard

“Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn’t been an Elvis, there wouldn’t have been the Beatles.” ~ John Lennon

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July 18, 2014 · 7:45 am

Elvis Presley – Ramblings of a Lifelong Fan Part 4 – Impersonators

I do not care for Elvis impersonators. I have always found them a bit cartoonish and unsettling. That is not to say I don’t enjoy a respectful tribute, even if the singer is dressed as Elvis. But, I find it very annoying when people think they sound like Elvis. No one sounds like Elvis. He was the one and only, always and forever.

Often imitated, but never duplicated:

 

I will have to say, though, I do have a few fond ‘impersonator’ memories. Not long after Elvis passed away, an impersonator put on a show in Oklahoma City. I don’t even recall his name, but he was respectful, and he did a good job. My sisters and I soaked up every radio show, every interview, every tv special, etc, after his death. So, of course, we had to attend that. One thing that sticks out clearly in my mind is when the guy sang “It Won’t Seem Like Christmas Without You.” The line in the song is, “If I get the one thing I’m wishing for, then I’ll see you tonight in my dreams.” The impersonator changed it to say, “Yes, Elvis, we’ll see you tonight in our dreams.” Which, of course, made my sisters and I sob uncontrollably. 🙂

For my fortieth birthday (which, it’s kind of odd that I celebrated since I’m only twenty-five, but anyway…), my sister and brother-in-law, Ruth and Tom Zimmerman, took me to Memphis for my birthday. We were on Beale Street and a young guy dressed in a gold lamé suit was performing. He was adorable and respectful, and he sang very well, but he didn’t try to make his voice sound like Elvis.  Those are the kind of ‘impersonators’ I can enjoy. Not the fat guys with black wigs and ridiculously bushy sideburns who lower their voice and think they sound like the King.

Below is a photo of my son, Presley. Some of you probably saw it on Facebook, but I still thought I would share it here. He is not an Elvis impersonator, and he normally does not wear Elvis Presley jumpsuits. 🙂 He does, however, love Elvis music. I didn’t force it on him, I swear. He was on a cruise, and he entered a Karaoke contest singing Elvis songs. I didn’t get to see it, but I would imagine, based on his personality, he really gave them a show. He ended up winning the contest, and they gave him an Elvis costume to wear and brought him on stage for the finale.

Pres in Elvis outfit

Although I wasn’t there to see it live, he brought home a DVD, and I watched that. It was so much fun! He did a really good job and put on quite a show. And, you guessed it, he made his mama proud. 🙂

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July 4, 2014 · 11:07 am

Elvis Presley – Ramblings of a Lifelong Fan, Part 2 – The Movies

 

While Elvis’s movies are often regarded as silly and pointless, many people, including myself, find them highly enjoyable. Admittedly, they are not classic, Oscar-worthy films, and Elvis himself wasn’t pleased with the roles he played. He wanted to be a serious actor and admired other actors like James Dean and Marlon Brando. The only movie he was really proud of was King Creole, which was a wonderful film where Elvis was allowed to excercise his acting chops, and he did a fantastic job. After he returned from the army, his movies became no more than a vehicle for his singing. However, I thought they were fun and entertaining. I admit, I’m slightly biased, but even many non-Elvis fans enjoyed his movies. Some of my favorites….

Jailhouse Rock – I recently re-watched this and fell in love with it all over again. Another serious role where Elvis put on a great performance. And, there were some awesome songs in this movie, such as Don’t Leave Me Now, Treat Me Nice, Young and Beautiful, and of course, Jailhouse Rock. Sadly, Judy Tyler, who co-starred with Elvis in Jailhouse Rock, was driving home from Los Angeles to Manhattan with her husband, when they were in an auto accident, and she was killed instantly, at twenty-four years old, before the movie was released. Her husband died in the hospital the following day. People close to Elvis said he took her death hard, and was never able to watch the movie.

This is my favorite scene in any Elvis movie, ever. (Ignore the foreign subtitles and enjoy…)


Fast forward to his final movie in 1969, Change of Habit, where he played Dr. John Carpenter and Mary Tyler-Moore co-starred with him. Yep, still sexy…


Another movie I loved was Live a Little, Love a Little, for many reasons, but a big one is that he said my name in the movie…and hearing Elvis say my name was a thrill! 🙂 A few of my other favorites were Tickle Me and Girl Happy. But, I could go on and on, of course. Because, well, I’m a huge Elvis fan, if you haven’t already guessed. Not only was it fun to watch Elvis in the roles, what made his movies even better was that he starred with a lot of well-known actors, such as Charles Bronson, Nancy Sinatra, Ann-Margaret, Richard Egan, Angela Lansbury, and Bill Bixby.

I remember when we were young, my sisters and I going to the movies at the Chieftan in Oklahoma City and watching Elvis on the big screen. Heavenly!

Listening to Elvis radio now, I hear a lot of interviews with his co-stars and all of them have great things to say about him, about what a nice guy he was, how easy he was to work with, how he didn’t act like a star, and the women say he was a great kisser. I can only imagine. 🙂

As I stated previously, I mention Elvis in almost all of the books I write. So, of course I’m going to mention him a lot in a story set in 1957. Below is a snippet from my upcoming short story, End of Lonely Street, releasing with The Wild Rose Press on January 7, 2015.

 

EndofLonelyStreet_w9180_FINAL

Blurb:

All Toby Lawson wants is to go to college to become a teacher and to be free of her alcoholic mother and some painful memories. But when her mother nearly burns the house down, Toby must put her dreams on hold and return home to care for her. The only time she isn’t lonely and miserable is when she’s listening to her heartthrob, Elvis Presley. His music takes her away and helps her escape from everything wrong in her life.

Noah Rivers has always loved Toby, but no matter what he says, she can‘t get past the fact that her drunken mother once kissed him. He soon realizes the true problem lies in Toby’s belief she’s not good enough for him and in her fear she will be just like her mother.

What will it take to prove to her that she deserves to be happy, and that he would give anything to be the man to make her dreams come true?

Excerpt:

Noah glanced around the diner. Toby followed his gaze. The counter was lined with customers. A jukebox sat in the corner. Patsy Cline’s “Walkin’ After Midnight” now belted from its speakers. “What happened to college? I thought you were getting your teaching degree.”

She shrugged and took the dish cloth from her apron pocket. “That was the plan.” She wouldn’t go into how she’d had to put off her schooling to come home and see after her mother. Surely he’d heard the story about Constance falling asleep with a lit cigarette and almost burning down the house—with her inside it—from the town gossip mill. “I finished my three years at University. Now I have to complete my Post-Graduate Certificate of Education. I had to put that on hold for a while, so in the meantime, I’m doing this.”

“Great. That means I’ll see you often. Maybe we can get together for a movie or something? Jailhouse Rock is showing at the Bijou.”

Elvis and Noah at the same time? Her heart wouldn’t take it.

Before the break-up, she’d gone to the drive-in to see Rebel Without a Cause with him. James Dean had died less than a month earlier, and she cried throughout the entire movie. Noah had held her, comforted her. Let her cry on his shoulder. That was their last movie together. The night remained a sad memory for more than one reason.

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Did you like watching Elvis movies when you were younger? Or, even now? What ‘guilty pleasure’ movies have you enjoyed over the years?

 

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June 27, 2014 · 11:50 am

Elvis Presley – Ramblings from a Lifelong Fan, Part 1

Elvis Presley has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. I have always loved him—I don’t even recall the first time I discovered him. It just seems as though he was always there. My sister, Ruth, however, does remember when she discovered him, and I’m a little jealous of that memory, since I don’t have my own. (Nor do I remember the incident, so I’m telling her version, which is very short :)). She was five and I was seven (but, it’s really odd how, all these years later, she’s somehow older than me…hmmm…) 😉 Anyway, I digress. She said that I called her into the living room where Elvis’s movie, Harum Scarum, was playing (on our black and white television. This was around 1967, but we didn’t yet have a color tv), and I pointed Elvis out to her and said, “Look, isn’t he cute?” From then on, she and I grew up sharing our devotion to Elvis.

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I can’t explain exactly how I feel about Elvis; only another true fan really ‘gets’ it. But, he was more than just an entertainer. He had this special, magical quality that I can’t name, but I know exists. Otherwise, why would millions of people all over the world love him so much? Why would they—nearly 37 years after his death—travel thousands of miles just to see his home? (And, they still do, daily in droves of thousands, from places as far as Australia, Ireland, England, etc.) Because, he touched people in a way no other entertainer has before or ever will again. Even if you are not an Elvis fan, you can’t deny the impact he had on the world. Yes, there are other successful, talented, well-loved performers. But, seriously, another Elvis? I don’t think so.

Although I have never wavered in my love for Elvis, I’ve recently gained a new appreciation of him now that I listen to Elvis radio on Sirius XM. It’s so awesome that they have an entire channel devoted to him. Nothing but Elvis, 24/7. And, that is all I ever listen to. Seriously, all the time, Elvis Radio. Not only do they play a ton of his great music, including rare recordings, but they have guests who knew the real Elvis. They share their memories of him, and hearing the intimate details of his life makes him all the more special.

Because of my adoration of Elvis, I have mentioned him in almost all of my published works. Here’s a little sample from “Poetic Injustice” a Romantic Suspense Novella (one of my older titles published through The Wild Rose Press) CLICK ON THE COVER FOR MORE INFORMATION

6. Poetic Injustice 6.7.11

Snippet:

Samantha put in an Elvis CD and cracked the window just a bit. She loved the fresh smell of rain, and a little moisture wouldn’t hurt anything.

Love Coming Down, one of Elvis’ more obscure releases from the 70’s, was playing. The damp evening air and Elvis’ powerful voice filled the car, surrounding her, calming her. She released a breath and, along with it, some of the tension of the past few weeks.

Do you have any special moments to share about Elvis, or any other entertainer?

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January 1, 2014 · 5:29 pm

Wednesday’s Want, Wed, Waste: Talk Show Hosts – Giveaway – 99¢ Ebooks!

Hello and welcome to my version of the game, ‘F*@#’, Marry, Kill. This week we are WWW’ing talk show hosts.

 

Myself and some of my friends are sharing our Want, Wed, and Waste choices from this week’s list:

Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman

carson lenbo letterman

Click on book titles below to learn more and to be taken to a buy link

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Me (Alicia Dean). FOUR different Ebooks on sale for a limited time from Amazon: 99¢ each! Lady in the Mist, Death Notice, Liberty Awakened, Liberty Divided. Click here for info and links: Alicia Dean Kindle Book Sale

Want: Johnny Carson. He was funny and adorable. Definitely the sexiest of the three. I think I would actually rather be married to him than David Letterman, but when I think of ‘want,’ Johnny definitely comes to mind before David. So, since I can’t Wed and Want Johnny, he gets the ‘want.’ (Who made up these stupid rules, anyway? J)

Wed: David Letterman. He’s not sexy at all, but he’s really funny. We would have a chaste marriage, but I would have a lot of laughs.

Waste: Jay Leno. He is NOT attractive, and I find him the least funny of the three. I’m SO glad Jimmy Fallon  is taking over for him on Late Night. Now, talk about a ‘want’…

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Callie Hutton, author of An Angel in the Mail, Angel never wanted to be a mail order bride, but now she’s facing a stranger with five children.  Website: www.calliehutton.com

Want: Johnny Carson, cause in his own way he’s ‘bad little boy’ sexy

Wed: Jay Leno, cause he’d always have me laughing

Waste: David Letterman. ::sigh:: It seems I wouldn’t need a reason, cause he really is a ‘waste.’

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SILVER JAMES, author of CHRISTMAS MOON  What’s a Wolf to do? Save the girl or save Christmas? Website: http://silverjames.com

Want: Johnny Carson. I went to bed with this man every night for years and I still miss his particular brand of humor. I just wish he was still breathing.

Wed: Jay Leno. He’s rich, funny, has a garage full of really hot classic cars–what’s not to get cuddly over that pre-nup with?

Waste: David Letterman. Yeah. He is sooooo not my type. Snide, arrogant, and there’s nothing socially redeeming about him, IMO.

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Linda McLaughlin, author of LADY ELINOR’S ESCAPE A runaway heiress leads her would-be rescuer on a merry chase in this sweet Regency romance. ON SALE for ONLY 99¢ at Amazon & B&N. Website: http://www.lindamclaughlin.com/ladyelinor.html

Want: David Letterman who has such an off-the-wall sense of humor. Though if I had my choice, it would be the adorable and equally off-the-wall Charleston dandy, Stephen Colbert. He’s such a hoot.

Wed: Jay Leno, who seems to be an all-around good guy. Plus have you seen his classic car collection? I’d love to go tooling up Pacific Coast Highway in a classic convertible with him some Sunday afternoon. I grew up with old cars and love them.

Waste: Johnny Carson, mostly because I’m not into necrophilia. 😉

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M.J. SCHILLER, author of BETWEEN ROCK AND A HARD PLACE (Even rock stars aren’t immune to murder.), http://www.amazon.com/BETWEEN-PLACE-ROCKING-ROMANCE-COLLECTION-ebook/dp/B00H0SPAAA/ Website: www.mjschillerauthor.blogspot.com

GIVEAWAY!!! M.J. is offering a FREE copy of Trapped Under Ice to one lucky commenter! Name will be drawn Monday, January 6, 2014 – Be sure to leave your email address along with your comment.

Want: Okay, I’m going purely on looks here for the want. Johnny Carson is the most attractive of the three, although he’s much older than I am and I probably wouldn’t be interested, no offense. But if you’re going straight looks, Johnny’s my pick.

Wed: Well I can’t say Letterman, because I think it was rumored that he’s had affairs. I’ve never heard that about Leno, so I’ll stick with him.

Waste: Wow, that leaves me wasting Letterman, who I have no real desire to waste. Sometimes this game is cruel.  …but I still LOVE it!

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Now we’d like to hear from you….which of these Talk Show Hosts would you Want, Wed, and Waste?

Thanks for playing!

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