2006 – Producer Dallas Austin is jailed in Dubai for alleged drugs offenses. The hit-maker – who has crafted songs for TLC, Gwen Stefani, Madonna, and Michael Jackson – faces the full Midnight Express treatment if found guilty.
Dallas Austin (born December 29, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include TLC, Boyz II Men, P!nk, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Leona Lewis, Texas, and Brand New Heavies.
2007 – Bob Dylan and his brother bought Aultmore House a mansion in the Scottish Cairngorms National Park, near Nethybridge, Inverness-shire.
Bob Dylan has just purchased a sprawling Scottish estate. Britain’s The Telegraph reported that Dylan and his younger brother David Zimmerman purchased the secluded property for over $7.8 million under the family name, Zimmerman. The property, called Aultmore House, sits in the foothills of the Cairngorms, near Inverness in the central Highlands — a local that Dylan immortalized in his 1997 song “Highlands,” which closed his Grammy Award-winning Time Out Of Mind album.
The property was built at the turn of the 20th century for a wealthy owner of a Moscow department store, and in recent years has become an upscale wedding venue. The mansion has “ten bedrooms, a billiard room and a garden room with mosaic floor and the interior features pillars, arches and marble fireplaces.”
Dylan, who is an avid golfer and plays off a 17 handicap at Malibu Country Club near his California estate, will be situated close to the Abernethy golf club. Jack McCool, the club’s treasurer, said that Dylan is welcome to come play for the day, but should he decide to become a member, no special privileges will be afforded him due to his celebrity, explaining that, “Mr. Dylan would have to apply in writing just like everyone else and be vetted by the committee.”
Rolling Stone magazine’s associate editor Austin Scaggs told us that Dylan has made a concerted effort over the past decade to seem less enigmatic to the public: “It’s obvious that in the past few years, you know, Dylan it seems has made has kind of made a point to strengthen out some of the historical inaccuracies of what the press has written or what’s been perceived about him.”
Bob Dylan kicks of a 26-date European tour on March 28th in Stockholm.
2006 – Producer Dallas Austin is jailed in Dubai for alleged drugs offenses. The hit-maker – who has crafted songs for TLC, Gwen Stefani, Madonna, and Michael Jackson – faces the full Midnight Express treatment if found guilty.
Dallas Austin (born December 29, 1970) is an American songwriter, record producer, and musician, based in Atlanta, Georgia. Some of his most notable clients include TLC, Boyz II Men, P!nk, Monica, Madonna, Gwen Stefani, Janet Jackson, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Stacie Orrico, Another Bad Creation, Leona Lewis, Texas, and Brand New Heavies.
2005 – Clifford Antone, who ran Austin’s famous music club Antone’s, dies aged 56. Since opening in 1975, Antone’s played host to blues stars like B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Clifford Jamal Antone, known to his lifelong friends as C.J., passed away May 23, 2006 at his home in Austin, Texas. Antone was noted as founder of the internationally known nightclub Antone’s, best known as Austin’s Home of the Blues. Cause of death is pending.
Clifford was born October 27, 1949 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Port Arthur, Texas, middle child of Jamal and Georgette Antone, also of Port Arthur. His immediate living family includes sisters Susan Antone and Janelle Antone Raad, and niece Georgette Raad, 13, and nephew Jamal Raad, 6. He leaves behind an uncle and two aunts along with many cousins, and a large extended family of fine friends.
Antone graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in Port Arthur and relocated in the late Sixties to Austin, where he attended the University of Texas. Clifford was preceded in death by his parents, grandmothers Pauline Ashy and Jamille Antone, grandfather Elias Antone, his loving aunts Onnie Hyslop and Aunt Gloria Farha, uncles K.E. Antone, J.E. Antone, and Fred Ashy, and cousin Craig Ashy.
Clifford Antone opened the original club July 15, 1975 at 6th and Brazos in an old furniture warehouse with zydeco king Clifton Chenier. Bringing in the blues and soul legends of the day such as Muddy Waters, Jimmy Reed, Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Fats Domino, Sunnyland Slim, Hubert Sumlin, Eddie Taylor, Walter “Shakey” Horton, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells, Pinetop Perkins, Albert King, James Cotton, Calvin Jones, Willie “Big Eye” Smith, Bobby Blue Bland, and B.B. King made Antone’s the premier blues club in Texas. He furthered the career of regional R&B artists such as Albert Collins, Barbara Lynn, Clifton Chenier, Miss Lavelle White, and Lazy Lester. Yet what truly made Antone’s Austin’s Home of the Blues was its cultivation of local talent such as Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble, Jimmie Vaughan, Angela Strehli, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Derek O’Brien, Lou Ann Barton, Guy Forsyth, Doyle Bramhall II, Sue Foley, Bob Schneider, and Charlie Sexton.
In recent years, Clifford Antone broadened his base of interests to work with numerous social and educational organizations. He created the “Help Clifford Help Kids” fundraiser for American Youthworks in 2000 and was among the first to respond to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 with his all-star benefit, “Neighbors in Need.” He loved teaching music at the University of Texas in Austin and at Texas State University in San Marcos. Antone was in the process of writing a book about the history of the blues and rock & roll with Sarah Rucker. Teaching and writing were among the work he most loved, along with being at his nightclub.
At the family’s request, donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the Clifford Antone Memorial Fund, care of Prosperity Bank, or via this web site. Visitation is open to the public at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar, Thursday and Friday May 25 and 26, 6-8 PM. A public memorial and celebration of Clifford’s life is being planned for next week and will be announced through the local media. Private burial services will be in Port Arthur, Texas.
Clifford Antone truly loved the blues with all of his heart, and his home in Austin, Texas. Peace and love. Hook ‘em Horns!
1997 – Elvis Week begins in Memphis to commemorate the 20th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death on August 16.
Elvis Week 2008 Event Calendar & Ticket Information
Saturday, August 9 – Sunday, August 17
Below is the current Elvis Week 2008 calendar of events along with ticket purchase information for each event. Updates to the calendar will be made as additional guests, details and events are confirmed. Please check back often to get the latest updates.
Some ticketed events below are sold through Graceland. Other events are sold through Ticketmaster.
For the Elvis Week Fun Package and other tickets sold through Graceland, the ticket prices below include sales tax. There is a $4.50 per transaction service fee for each order placed through Graceland. This includes orders made over the phone or online orders. Tickets available through Graceland reservations will be on sale through August 5. After August 5, they will be available in person at Graceland Guest Services or at the door of the event, pending availability. All tickets below sold through Ticketmaster will be subject to tax and Ticketmaster fees.
All ticket sales are final and non-refundable.
Please note, if you are ordering your tickets to tour Graceland at the same time as ordering your Elvis Week event tickets, the $4.50 order fee for Graceland tickets is a separate charge from the $4.50 order fee for Elvis Week tickets and will appear as two separate order fees on your final order listing
Want to be alerted whenever we make significant updates? Sign up for our FREE e-newsletters service.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9
26th Annual Elvis Presley International 5K Run to Benefit United Cerebral Palsy
8:00 a.m. Starts at the Graceland gates. Join thousands of Elvis fans and runners in front of Graceland for the 26th Annual Elvis Presley International 5K Run to benefit United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) of the Mid-South. Runners and walkers will enjoy more than the typical 5K. More than 2,000 entrants from around the world will join in the family fun while enjoying the festive atmosphere of Elvis Week 2008 and raising money for UCP. After the race, join everyone across from the mansion as UCP hosts one of the best post-race parties in town. Entertainment will be provided by The AIMS Gang, one of the best bands in Memphis. Pre-registration is $20; race day registration is $25. Click here to register for the race online or call Joanie Nuchols at (901) 761-4277.
D&N’s Mardis Gras Beads for Elvis and United Cerebral Palsy
D&N’s Elvis Presley Fan Club invites you to support UCP of the Mid-South and honor Elvis’s memory by purchasing a Guitar Mardis Gras beads for $2. You don’t have to come to Memphis to be a “spirit runner” in the 26th Annual Elvis Presley International 5K Run. You may register as a “spirit runner” to receive the cool “King Creole” Elvis Race Shirt for 2008 and Guitar Mardis Gras beads. Click here to register online or visit D&N’s site for more information.
Elvis Presley – His Home, His Story – DVD Theatrical Premiere
Three screenings: 9:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:00 a.m. Malco’s Studio on the Square, 2105 Court Avenue, Memphis. Enjoy the theatrical premiere of the new Graceland tour DVD on the big screen. See stunning footage of Graceland while watching the story of Elvis’s life at Graceland and his amazing career. The new DVD features photos from the Graceland archives, home movies and more. Tickets for the event are free, however you must have a ticket to attend. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
Elvis Meetup at Marlowe’s Benefiting the Memphis Humane Society
12:00 noon. Marlowe’s, 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis. No cover charge, but attendees must pay for their own food, drinks and tips. Special guests have been invited. Elvis door prizes will be given. RSVP to Sharon Parker by calling 615-830-5126 or emailing elvismeetupatmarlowes@hotmail.com.
Memphis Welcomes the Fans Redbirds Baseball Game
6:10 p.m. AutoZone Park, 200 Union Avenue (corner of Third & Union) in downtown Memphis. On behalf of the citizens of Memphis, grateful to Elvis fans and all they mean to our city, the Memphis Redbirds baseball team and AutoZone Park celebrate Elvis and welcome the Elvis fans to town with this Elvis Week 2008 kick-off event. Enjoy Elvis-themed entertainment, fireworks and more. For more information call 901-721-6000 or visit their web site to buy your tickets today.
Elvis Week Kick-Off Party at EP’s Delta Kitchen
10:00 p.m. – 3:00 a.m. EP’s Delta Kitchen, 126 Beale Street, Memphis. After the Redbirds game, the official kick-off party is at the EP’s Delta Kitchen on Beale Street. The event will feature live music by Elmo and the Shades. General admission is $20. VIP admission is $40 and includes a food buffet. Cash bar. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000. Please note, this event venue has changed from the original location to EP’s Delta Kitchen, located at 126 Beale Street.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 10
Elvis Gospel Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Elvis Presley Car Museum, Graceland Plaza. Enjoy brunch in the Elvis Presley Car Museum while listening to Elvis Gospel music and watching Elvis videos on the drive-in theater movie screen. Tickets are $33.00 per person. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
Memorial Luncheon for Bill Burk
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Marlowe’s, 4381 Elvis Presley Blvd., Memphis. Celebrate the life of Bill Burk at a special Elvis Week memorial luncheon. All of Bill’s friends – the fans and the famous – have been invited to come to remember Bill and share memories. An open mic will be available for comments, stories, songs, poems, photos…whatever you would like to do. There will also be a special presentation to Bill’s family. Everyone in attendance will receive a special memento. Reservations are a must. Tickets are $15 and include your lunch and beverage. Please send your check, made out to Nancie Craft, to her at 6607 Cindy Lane, Houston, TX 77088. Part of the ticket includes a donation in Bill’s name to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.
Graceland Scavenger Hunt – Bears on Tour
5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Starting at the Graceland Ticket Office. Guests are invited to tour Graceland Mansion (no audio tour) and the Elvis Presley Automobile Museum while simultaneously participating in a trivia scavenger hunt. Adult and junior versions of the scavenger hunt will be available. Prizes for both adult and junior versions to be announced. All ticket holders receive a complimentary limited-edition Elvis bear from Limited Treasures. Admission: $29.00 Adults; $14.00 children 7-12. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
Club Elvis
8:00 p.m. – 12:00 Midnight. Elvis Presley Car Museum, Graceland Plaza. Come hang out and enjoy a private party with your fellow Elvis fans. A disc jockey spins Elvis records for your listening and dancing pleasure. Cash bar featuring adult beverages (ID’s checked) and soft drinks. Outdoor smoking area designated – no smoking inside. A wristband ticket allows you to come and go from Club Elvis as much as you like during the evening in order for you to enjoy all the other activities on the property. Admission $25.00. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
MONDAY, AUGUST 11
A Celebration of Fans – Fan Club Presidents’ Event
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. Join Elvis Presley fan club presidents from independent Elvis fan clubs from around the world at this special event. At this year’s August Fan Club Presidents’ Event, Elvis Presley Enterprises will open the doors to let more people know about the amazing work that fan clubs do. For the August 2008 fan club presidents’ event, the public will be invited to purchase tickets to the attend the event and hear from some of the fan clubs who work hard to continue on Elvis’s name and memory. All fans are invited to attend this event where they can learn more about what official Elvis Presley fan clubs do, while also enjoying a program of EPE company updates, special announcements and a special guests. This year’s special guests for the Elvis Presley Fan Club Presidents’ Event will be members of The Imperials – Joe Moscheo, Terry Blackwood and Sherman Andrus. The Imperials sang backup vocals for Elvis in Vegas. The event this year will spotlight the Humane Society of Memphis and Shelby County and EPE will be collecting donations for the organization at the door of the event. Click here for a wish list of donation items. Elvis Presley fan club presidents’ will receive an invitation to the event directly from EPE in early June to reserve their complimentary ticket for the event and do not need to call Graceland Reservations. Tickets for additional fan club members and the general public are $8.00 and can be reserved through Graceland Reservations. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
Elvis Week Memphis Meetup & Meet ‘n’ Greet
12:30 p.m. Downtown Marriott’s Magnolia Grille Restaurant on the main level. It is a buffet-style lunch at $12.99 per person. Seating is limited to 50, so please email Gigi at ballester_gigi@yahoo.com if you are planning on attending. This event will benefit the Todd Morgan Sound Fuzion Performance Enrichment Fund. They will be collecting donations for the fund. Anyone not attending can mail a check for donation to Gigi. Email Gigi Ballester at ballester_gigi@yahoo.com for details.
Music and Movies at Graceland – Day One
7:00 p.m. (Gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Front lawn, Graceland Mansion. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket and make yourself at home on the front lawn of Graceland to enjoy a live concert by Andy Childs and his band while the sun begins to set. Then, stay for a screening of Jailhouse Rock under the stars. Refreshments available in a vendor area outside the mansion gates. Food, beverages and coolers may not be brought onto the mansion grounds. Also during Music and Movies will be a celebration of the launch of Elvis: Viva Las Vegas, with clips from the special and appearances by Jerry Schilling and George Klein. For more information about Elvis: Viva Las Vegas and to enter the sweepstakes, click here. For more about Jailhouse Rock on DVD and other Elvis Warner Home Video releases, visit www.elvisondvd.com. One day Music and Movie admission is $44.00. If you plan on attending both days of Music and Movies, you can purchase a two day ticket for $75.00 Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000. In addition, you can purchase special VIP seating for this event by purchasing the Elvis Week Fun Package. A special rate is also available for groups of 15 or more who purchase tickets for this event in one transaction. Groups of 15 or more will receive a discount of $5.00 off each one night ticket or $10.00 off each two night ticket. Tickets must be purchased in one transaction, via phone only and all tickets will need to be picked up by same person who placed order. To order at the group rate, contact Graceland Reservations at 800- 238-2000 or 901-332-3322.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 12
Malco Theatre’s Elvis Film Fest 5
Presented by The DeHart Group
9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Studio on the Square, 2105 Court Avenue, Memphis. Celebrate the 5th anniversary of the now-legendary Elvis Film Fest with special showings of King Creole, GI Blues, Blue Hawaii, Girls!Girls!Girls! and Paradise Hawaiian Style. Admission is $5.00 per film and all proceeds benefit the Todd Morgan Sound Fuzion Performance Enrichment Fund at the University of Memphis. Tickets go on sale Friday, June 6, at www.malco.com and the Malco theatre box office. So, make a date to take a memorable trip down memory lane with your friends from the The DeHart Group and Malco Theatres.
Elvis Presley Fan Club Reception at The MED
10:00 a.m. The MED’s cafeteria. For more information, contact Marsha Evans at 901-545-6405 or email mevans@the-med.org.
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Meet ‘n’ Greet
11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EP’s Delta Kitchen, 126 Beale Street. Private event reserved for those who have purchased the platinum seating package for the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. Please note, this event has moved from its original location to EP’s Delta Kitchen, located at 126 Beale Street.
Shawn Klush in Concert
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. Enjoy an amazing concert by 2007 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest winner Shawn Klush. Opening act will by comedian Sammy Shore, who opened for Elvis in Las Vegas in 1969-1972. Tickets are $30.00 and $22.00. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 901-525-1515.
Music and Movies at Graceland – Day 2
7:00 p.m. (Gates open at 5:30 p.m.) Front lawn, Graceland Mansion. Bring your lawn chair or a blanket and make yourself at home on the front lawn of Graceland to enjoy a live concert by Terry Mike Jeffrey & Band, members of the TCB Band and The Imperials. Then, stay for a screening of Elvis – That’s The Way It Is under the stars. Refreshments available in a vendor area outside the mansion gates. Food, beverages and coolers may not be brought onto the mansion grounds. For more about Elvis – That’s The Way It Is on DVD and other Elvis Warner Home Video releases, visit www.elvisondvd.com. One day Music and Movie admission is $44.00. If you plan on attending both days of Music and Movies, you can purchase a two day ticket for $75.00. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000. In addition, you can purchase special VIP seating for this event by purchasing the Elvis Week Fun Package. A special rate is also available for groups of 15 or more who purchase tickets for this event in one transaction. Groups of 15 or more will receive a discount of $5.00 off each one night ticket or $10.00 off each two night ticket. Tickets must be purchased in one transaction, via phone only and all tickets will need to be picked up by same person who placed order. To order at the group rate, contact Graceland Reservations at 800- 238-2000 or 901-332-3322.
Club Elvis
9:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Elvis Presley Car Museum, Graceland Plaza. Come hang out and enjoy a private party with your fellow Elvis fans. A disc jockey spins Elvis records for your listening and dancing pleasure. Cash bar featuring adult beverages (ID’s checked) and soft drinks. Outdoor smoking area designated – no smoking inside. A wristband ticket allows you to come and go from Club Elvis as much as you like during the evening in order for you to enjoy all the other activities on the property. Admission $25.00. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13
Elvis Expo 2008 – Day 1
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. South Hall, Memphis Cook Convention Center, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. . The ultimate Elvis tradeshow with more than 75 booths and 35,000 square feet of Elvis that includes all the latest Elvis music, movies, merchandise, celebrity autograph sessions, authors, artists and photographers, and lots of Elvis freebies and samples. Admission is $15.00 per day. Elvis Insiders Conference attendees are admitted free by showing their conference badge. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
Guests confirmed to appear in the showroom are: actress Darlene Tompkins, who appeared with Elvis in the movies Blue Hawaii and Fun in Acapulco; dancer Tanya Lemani George, who appeared in Elvis’s 1968 television special; Joanne Cash, singer; The Imperials, gospel group and backup vocals for Elvis in Vegas; Celeste Yarnall, Elvis co-star in Live A Little, Love a Little; DJ Fontana, Elvis’s original drummer, who worked with him from 1955-1968; Chris Noel, who appeared with Elvis in Girl Happy; Charles Stone, who helped arrange tour schedules and security for Elvis in the ’70s; Marian Cocke, Elvis’s friend and private nurse from 1975-1977; Sandi Pichon, an Elvis fan who became a REAL Elvis Insider by getting to know and socialize with Elvis and his inner circle of friends; Edward Faulkner, Elvis’s co-star in GI Blues and Tickle Me; Francine York, Elvis’s co-star in Tickle Me; Nancy Rooks, Elvis’s maid and Author of Inside Graceland: Elvis’ Maid Remembers. Cydney Miller, Elvis fan and current Mrs. Tennessee, representing the state in the Mrs. America pageant. More guests to be announced.
The Official Elvis Insiders Conference – Day 1
10:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. Hosted by Tom Brown, Vice President of Original Production at Turner Classic Movies. Enjoy two full days of special guests and programming put together by Elvis Presley Enterprises, including on-stage interviews with people who were part of Elvis’s life and career. Conference attendees will receive a welcome kit loaded with Elvis-themed gifts and everyone will win a door prize. The Elvis Expo 2008 will be open nearby and admission to the showroom is included with your Elvis Insiders Conference ticket. Tickets are $85.00 for a two-day ticket. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 901-525-1515. In addition, you can purchase special VIP seating for this event by purchasing the Elvis Week Fun Package. Click here for details on the Elvis Week Fun Package.
Special guests for August 13: Dixie Locke Emmons, who dated Elvis early in his career; Mike Stoller, part of the Leiber/Stoller song writing team who wrote “Jailhouse Rock”, “King Creole”, “Hound Dog”, “Treat Me Nice”, “Love Me” and many more; Sammy Shore, comedian who opened for Elvis from 1969-1972 in Las Vegas; Celeste Yarnall, Elvis’s co-star in Live A Little, Love A Little; Francine York, Elvis’s co-star in Tickle Me; Edward Faulkner, Elvis’s co-star in GI Blues and Tickle Me .
Special guests for August 14: Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CKX Inc., parent company of Elvis Presley Enterprises; Susan Henning, appeared in Live A Little, Love A Little and the ’68 Special; Joe Guercio, Elvis’s musical director and conductor for concerts from the summer of 1970 to the summer of 1977; Jerry Schilling, one of Elvis’s closest friends; Steve Binder, producer of Elvis’s ’68 Special.
D&N’s Humes Benefit Dinner and Silent Auction
4:30 – 5:30 PM Silent Auction; 5:30 Dinner. Humes Room at Club Superior, 159 Beale Street, Memphis. D&N’s Elvis Presley Fan Club invites you to join them for a fabulous 3 course dinner in the private Humes Room at Club Superior. Enjoy the large collection of Humes memorabilia, including unique items of Humes famous graduate, Elvis Presley, formerly displayed at Anna’s Steakhouse. Silent auction benefiting Elvis’s Alma Mater, Humes. Advance ticket purchase only. Reserved seating. Tickets are $35 per person. Mail checks to: Nancie Craft, 6607 Cindy Lane, Houston, TX 77008. Please enclose a self addressed, stamped envelope for tickets to be mailed. Click here for more information.
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Semifinals
7:00 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. Semifinal round of competition for the 2008 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. Attendees to the show will see the best Elvis tribute artists from around the world performing and competing on stage for their chance to move onto the finals round on August 14. Elvis Tribute Artists will receive their chance to showcase their talents and why they should be named Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2008. Finalists chosen from these rounds will return on August 14th to compete for the title of Elvis Tribute Artist of the Year. The Exspence Account Band will perform with the contestants. Visit the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest page to find out about the finalists.
Tickets are only available in a set that includes one ticket to the semifinals on August 13 and one ticket to the finals on August 14. Platinum package seating for the event is $140.00 and includes a special Meet ‘n’ Greet with the semifinalists. (Tickets for the Meet ‘n’ Greet will not be mailed out with the semifinals/finals tickets. Ticket holders who are entitled to attend the Meet ‘n’ Greet will just need to show ID at EP’s Delta Kitchen on August 12.) Gold package seating is $80.00. Silver package seating is $50.00. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 901-525-1515.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 14
Elvis Expo 2008 – Day 2
9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. South Hall, Memphis Cook Convention Center, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. The ultimate Elvis tradeshow with more than 75 booths and 35,000 square feet of Elvis that includes all the latest Elvis music, movies, merchandise, celebrity autograph sessions, authors, artists and photographers, and lots of Elvis freebies and samples. Elvis Expo special guest information coming soon. Admission is $15.00 per day. Elvis Insiders Conference attendees are admitted free by showing their conference badge. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
Guests confirmed to appear in the showroom are: actress Darlene Tompkins, who appeared with Elvis in the movies Blue Hawaii and Fun in Acapulco; dancer Tanya Lemani George, who appeared in Elvis’s 1968 television special; Joanne Cash, singer; The Imperials, gospel group and backup vocals for Elvis in Vegas; Celeste Yarnall, Elvis co-star in Live A Little, Love a Little; DJ Fontana, Elvis’s original drummer, who worked with him from 1955-1968; Chris Noel, who appeared with Elvis in Girl Happy; Charles Stone, who helped arrange tour schedules and security for Elvis in the ’70s; Marian Cocke, Elvis’s friend and private nurse from 1975-1977; Sandi Pichon, an Elvis fan who became a REAL Elvis Insider by getting to know and socialize with Elvis and his inner circle of friends; Edward Faulkner, Elvis’s co-star in GI Blues and Tickle Me; Francine York, Elvis’s co-star in Tickle Me; Nancy Rooks, Elvis’s maid and Author of Inside Graceland: Elvis’ Maid Remembers. Cydney Miller, Elvis fan and current Mrs. Tennessee, representing the state in the Mrs. America pageant. More guests to be announced.
The Official Elvis Insiders Conference – Day 2
10:00 a.m. – 4 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. Hosted by Tom Brown, Vice President of Original Production at Turner Classic Movies. Enjoy two full days of special guests and programming put together by Elvis Presley Enterprises, including on-stage interviews with people who were part of Elvis’s life and career. Conference attendees will receive a welcome kit loaded with Elvis-themed gifts and everyone will win a door prize. The Elvis Expo 2008 will be open nearby and admission to the showroom is included with your Elvis Insiders Conference ticket. Tickets are $85.00 for a two-day ticket. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 901-525-1515. In addition, you can purchase special VIP seating for this event by purchasing the Elvis Week Fun Package. Click here for details on the Elvis Week Fun Package.
Special guests for August 13: Dixie Locke Emmons, who dated Elvis early in his career; Mike Stoller, part of the Leiber/Stoller song writing team who wrote “Jailhouse Rock”, “King Creole”, “Hound Dog”, “Treat Me Nice”, “Love Me” and many more; Sammy Shore, comedian who opened for Elvis from 1969-1972 in Las Vegas; Celeste Yarnall, Elvis’s co-star in Live A Little, Love A Little; Francine York, Elvis’s co-star in Tickle Me; Edward Faulkner, Elvis’s co-star in GI Blues and Tickle Me .
Special guests for August 14: Robert F.X. Sillerman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of CKX Inc., parent company of Elvis Presley Enterprises; Susan Henning, appeared in Live A Little, Love A Little and the ’68 Special; Joe Guercio, Elvis’s musical director and conductor for concerts from the summer of 1970 to the summer of 1977; Jerry Schilling, one of Elvis’s closest friends; Steve Binder, producer of Elvis’s ’68 Special.
Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest Finals
7:00 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. The finals of the 2008 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest. Top finalists from semifinals on August 13 compete for the title of Elvis Tribute Artist of 2008. Elvis Tribute Artists will receive their chance to showcase their talents and why they should be named Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2008. The Exspence Account Band will perform with the contestants. Visit the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest page to find out about the finalists.
Tickets are only available in a set that includes one ticket to the semifinals on August 13 and one ticket to the finals on August 14. Platinum package seating for the event is $140.00 and includes a special Meet ‘n’ Greet with the semifinalists. (Tickets for the Meet ‘n’ Greet will not be mailed out with the semifinals/finals tickets. Ticket holders who are entitled to attend the Meet ‘n’ Greet will just need to show ID at EP’s Delta Kitchen on August 12.) Gold package seating is $80.00. Silver package seating is $50.00. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 901-525-1515.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 15
Blue Hawaii Breakfast at Graceland with Darlene Tompkins – SOLD OUT
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Elvis Presley Car Museum, Graceland Plaza. Have breakfast in the Elvis Presley Car Museum while enjoying Elvis music and watching Elvis videos on the drive-in theater movie screen. Darlene Tompkins, who co-starred with Elvis in Blue Hawaii and Fun in Acapulco, will be the special guest at breakfast and will meet ‘n’ greet with fans and sign autographs. This event is now sold out.
Elvis Presley – His Home, His Story – DVD Theatrical Premiere
Three screenings: 9:30 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:00 a.m. Malco’s Studio on the Square, 2105 Court Avenue, Memphis. Enjoy the theatrical premiere of the new Graceland tour DVD on the big screen. See stunning footage of Graceland while watching the story of Elvis’s life at Graceland and his amazing career. The new DVD features photos from the Graceland archives, home movies and more. Tickets for the event are free, however you must have a ticket to attend. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
David Garibaldi’s Rhythm and Hue Performance Art Show
1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. Graceland Plaza. World famous artist David Garibaldi will be showcasing his “Rhythm and Hue” performance art show, where he creates 6-foot portraits of pop icons in under 7 minutes to music. David will also be available to meet fans during an autograph session following his performance from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Special pieces and artwork in addition to Garibaldi’s new coffee table book will be available for purchase at Graceland during the performance and signing session. Free.
Presley Place Open House and Tours
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Les Passees Center for Children and Families and Presley Place, 715 St. Paul Ave, Memphis. Free of charge. During this open house and tour, see Presley Place, a 12-unit apartment property affiliated with MIFA Housing Opportunities. This program provides transitional housing for families who have been homeless, as well as valuable life skills education to help them live independently and productively. Supported by the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation and Elvis fans across the globe, Presley Place has been a safe haven for more than 100 families since its inception in July 2001. You can also see the Elvis Music room, which has inspired young people for years, as well as meet families who have lived at Presley Place. Other activities and refreshments will also be available. This event is sponsored by the Jennings Osborne family of Arkansas. For more information, contact MIFA at 901-529-4544.
Mass In Memory of Elvis Presley
3:00 p.m. St. Paul Catholic Church, 1425 E. Shelby Drive, Memphis, TN 38116. On the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mother, St. Paul Catholic Church will celebrate a special Mass for the repose of the soul of Elvis Presley. St. Paul Church is located at 1425 E. Shelby Drive (south of Graceland–approx. 2 1/2 miles). Recorded music: 2:15 p.m. Choir: 2:45 p.m. Mass: 3:00 p.m. Come together to pray and remember Elvis. Spaghetti Dinner follows.
Candlelight Vigil
8:30 p.m. Gates of Graceland Mansion. After an opening ceremony at the gates of the Graceland Mansion property, fans are invited to walk up the driveway to Elvis’s gravesite and back down carrying a candle in quiet remembrance. Free admission. No tickets or reservations. Gates remain open until all who wish to participate in the procession have done so, which typically takes until the early morning hours of August 16, the anniversary date of Elvis’s passing. Free secured parking at the Graceland visitor center complex after 6:00 p.m. Prior to Elvis Week, posted here will be a link to the text of the special information and guidelines flyer for the Vigil that is handed out at Graceland during Elvis Week.
Can’t be here for the Vigil? Enjoy live coverage from Graceland by Elvis Radio/Sirius Satellite 13. They also will have special Elvis programming throughout Elvis Week.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 16
George Klein’s Elvis Memorial Service
12:00 noon. Main Theatre Building, University of Memphis. Free admission. Annual event hosted by George Klein, longtime friend of Elvis. Speakers will include friends and family of Elvis and celebrity guests. For more information, contact the U of M Department of Communication at (901) 678-2565.
Elvis: From Broadway to Memphis with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra
Two Shows: Matinee Show – 2:00 p.m. Evening Show – 8:00 p.m. Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, 255 North Main Street, downtown Memphis. An all new, never-before-seen show! Enjoy a sophisticated and fun celebration of Elvis music with Leah Hocking, from the Broadway cast of “All Shook Up” and Austin Miller, television and Broadway star. The show will also star Elvis Presley, via video, accompanied by live music on stage during some special segments of the show. All will be accompanied by the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. Included in the exciting show will be Elvis fan favorites, The Dempseys and lots of surprises. Tickets to the matinee event are $70.00, $50.00 and $30.00. Tickets to the evening show are $125.00, $85.00, $65.00 and $45.00. Tickets are now on sale through Ticketmaster. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 901-525-1515. (The special $125.00 ticket package includes access to the rehearsal of Elvis: Broadway to Memphis on August 15, a seat in the orchestra pit section, a reception during intermission of the show with light hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar, a complimentary Elvis Insiders membership or renewal, a special collectible lanyard from the event and two Elvis champagne flutes. All package items (excluding ticket) will be available for pickup at Graceland on August 8-16 from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM.)
SUNDAY, AUGUST 17
Elvis Gospel Breakfast
8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Elvis Presley Car Museum, Graceland Plaza. Enjoy brunch in the Elvis Presley Car Museum while listening to Elvis Gospel music and watching Elvis videos on the drive-in theater movie screen. Tickets are $33.00 per person. Tickets are now on sale through Graceland Reservations. Click here to purchase your tickets online or call 800-238-2000.
MULTIPLE DATE EVENTS
Morning and Evening Walk-ups for Meditation Garden
Daily throughout the year, there is a special period of time for free admission walk-up visits to the Meditation Garden at Graceland. The summer hours for free walk-ups are 7:30 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. daily, then the garden becomes part of the regular ticketed Graceland tour. There will be no morning walk-ups on the morning of August 16 due to the Candlelight Vigil. As a special courtesy to fans, there is always an additional schedule of evening walk-up times during Elvis Week. Evening walk-up times will be from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on August 9, 10, 13, 14 & 16.
Elvis Week Entertainment Tent at Graceland Crossing Sponsored by Elvis Collector’s Edition Tins
August 8-16. Continuous presentation of Elvis music performed live by various singers and bands, plus other activities. Children and youth karaoke also featured. Free admission. A detailed schedule will be available at the Elvis Week information table in the Graceland Plaza as Elvis Week begins.
Elvis Week Art Contest & Exhibit
August 9-15. Ticket office pavilion in Graceland Plaza. Free admission to view this exhibition of Elvis-themed artwork from amateur and professional artists from around the world. Click here for a Art Contest Rules, Guidelines and Entry Form for artists who would like to submit their work. Deadline to submit artwork is July 31.
Children’s Elvis Week Art Activities
August 9: 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and August 10: 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Ticket office pavilion in Graceland Plaza. Children will get the opportunity to create Elvis art to hang in the 2008 Elvis Week Art Contest & Exhibit as part of the exhibit only category. Each participant will receive a certificate of participation. Free.
Kids Karaoke
August 9: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 pm; August 12: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 pm. Elvis Week Entertainment Tent sponsored by Elvis Collector’s Edition Tins, Graceland Crossing. Children and youth aged 2 to 17 are invited to perform karaoke Elvis songs. Free admission to perform and to be in the audience.
Children’s Activities
August 11-15. 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Graceland Ticket Pavilion. Craft activities for children aged 2 to 12. Free.
Elvis Fan Club Festival
August 12-16. 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Airport Inn, 1441 E. Brooks Rd., Memphis. Free admision. This year is the 30th anniversary of the original Elvis Fan Club Festival. Vegas atmosphere with EPE, Inc. items from 1956 to present. Continuous Elvis music.
Artwork of Betty Harper Exhibit
August 13 & 14: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Everything Elvis, Graceland Crossing. Betty will be exhibiting her artwork and meeting fans.
Tours of The MED and Elvis Presley Trauma Center
August 12-17. Contact Marsha Evans at 901-545-6405 or mevans@the-med.org for details.
1995 – Jimmie Vaughan, Eric Clapton, B.B. King, Buddy Guy and Robert Cray reunite for a tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan in Austin, Texas, the late blues guitarist’s hometown. All five played with the guitarist at his last concert Aug. 26, 1990, before his Deaths in a helicopter crash.
1986 – Farm Aid II features appearances by Willie Nelson, the Beach Boys, and Julio Iglesias. The Austin concert raises $1.3 million for financially strapped farmers.
1955 – Elvis Costello (Declan McManus) is born in London. His biggest hit is the top 20 song “Veronica” in 1989, which he writes with Paul McCartney.
Elvis Costello (born Declan Patrick MacManus 25 August 1954) is an English musician and singer-songwriter, with Irish ancestry. Costello came to prominence as an early participant in London’s pub rock scene in the mid-1970s, and later became associated with the punk rock and New Wave musical genres, before establishing his own unique voice in the 1980s. Steeped in wordplay, the vocabulary of Costello’s lyrics is broader than that of most popular songs, and his music has drawn on dozens of genres. Critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote, “Costello, the pop encyclopedia, can reinvent the past in his own image”.
Costello and Canadian jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall were married on December 6, 2003 at Elton John’s estate outside London. Their first children together, twin sons Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James, were born December 6, 2006 in New York City.
Biography
Early life
Costello was born Declan Patrick MacManus[3] in St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington in London, the son of Mary (née Costello) and Ross MacManus, a musician and bandleader.[4] Costello lived in Twickenham, attending what is now St Mark’s Catholic Secondary School in neighbouring Hounslow.[5] With a musically inclined father (his father sang with The Joe Loss Orchestra), Costello’s first broadcast recording was alongside his dad in a television commercial for R. White’s Lemonade (“I’m a Secret Lemonade Drinker”). His father wrote and sang the song; Costello provided backing vocals. The ad won a silver award at the 1974 International Advertising Festival.
Costello moved with his Liverpool-born mother to Birkenhead in 1971. It was there that he formed his first band, a folk duo called Rusty. After completing secondary school at St. Francis Xavier’s College Liverpool, he moved back to London where he next formed a band called Flip City,[6] which had a style very much in the pub rock vein. They were active from 1974 through early 1976. Around this time, Costello adopted the stage name D.P. Costello.
To support himself, he worked a number of office jobs, most famously at the Elizabeth Arden cosmetics firm — immortalised in the lyrics of “I’m Not Angry” as the “vanity factory” — where he worked as a data entry clerk. He worked for a short period as a computer operator at the Midland Bank computer centre in Bootle, Liverpool. He continued to write songs, and began actively looking for a solo recording contract. On the basis of a demo tape, he was signed to noted independent label Stiff Records. His manager at Stiff, Jake Riviera, suggested a name change, using Elvis Presley’s first name despite Costello having a small antipathy towards Presley, and Costello comes from his great grandmother’s name[7] to form Elvis Costello.
1970s
The first Costello single for Stiff was “Less Than Zero” b/w “Radio Sweetheart (single mix),” released on March 25, 1977. Two months later, Costello’s first album, My Aim Is True (1977), was a moderate commercial success (No. 14 in the UK and Top 40 in the US) with Costello appearing on the cover in his trademark oversize glasses, bearing a striking resemblance to a menacing Buddy Holly. A highlight of the album was the country-influenced ballad “Alison” with a typically biting Costello lyric. Costello’s backing on this first album was provided by American West Coast band Clover, a roots/country outfit living in England (contrary to rumor, Clover did not exactly become Huey Lewis and the News – Huey Lewis did play with Clover shortly before the recording of My Aim Is True, but he and Sean Hopper, who appears on Costello’s record, struck out on their own later). Costello was originally marketed as a punk artist. Later on, as the term New Wave was applied to the first post-punk bands, Costello was classified as new wave for a time.
The same year, Costello recruited via auditions his own permanent band, The Attractions, consisting of Steve Nieve (born Steve Nason; piano), Bruce Thomas (bass guitar), and Pete Thomas (drums; unrelated to Bruce Thomas). He released his first major hit single, “Watching the Detectives,” which was recorded with Nieve and the pair of Steve Goulding (drums) and Andrew Bodnar (bass), both members of Graham Parker & The Rumour (whom he had used to audition for The Attractions).
Stiff’s records were initially distributed only in the UK, which meant that Costello’s first album and singles were initially available in the US as imports only. In an attempt to change this, Costello was arrested for busking outside of a London convention of CBS (Columbia Records) executives, “protesting” that no US record company had yet seen fit to release Elvis Costello records in the United States. Costello signed to CBS in the US a few months later.
Elvis Costello, Cardiff, 1979
Elvis Costello, Cardiff, 1979
In December 1977, Costello and The Attractions appeared on Saturday Night Live as a last minute fill-in for the Sex Pistols, but Costello ended up causing some controversy himself, and was banned from the program for over a decade. Following a whirlwind tour with other Stiff artists (captured on the Live Stiffs album, notable for Costello’s recording of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David standard “I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself”) the band recorded the frenetic, raucous This Year’s Model (1978). Some of the more popular tracks include the British hit “(I Don’t Want To Go To) Chelsea” and the subversively anthemic “Pump It Up”. His U.S. record company saw Costello as such a priority that his last name replaced the word “Columbia” on the label of the disc’s original pressing. A tour of the US and Canada also saw the release of the much bootlegged promo-only “Live at the El Mocambo,” which finally saw an official release as part of the “2½ Years” box set in 1993. It was during the ensuing United States tour that Elvis met and developed a relationship with former Playboy model, Bebe Buell (mother of Liv Tyler). Their on-again-off-again courtship would last until 1984 and would allegedly become a deep well of inspiration for some of Costello’s most lovelorn songs. 1979 would arguably see the peak of Costello’s commercial success with the release of Armed Forces (originally to have been titled Emotional Fascism, a phrase that appeared on the LP’s inner sleeve). Both the album and the single Oliver’s Army went to #2 in the UK. Costello also found time in 1979 to produce the debut album for 2 Tone ska revival band, The Specials.
1980s
Live at Metropol-Theatre, Berlin, May 1980
The soul-infused Get Happy!! would be the first, and—along with King of America—possibly most successful, of Costello’s many experiments with genres beyond those he is normally associated with. The single, “I Can’t Stand Up For Falling Down” was an old Sam and Dave song (though Costello increased the tempo considerably). The brevity of the songs (20 tracks in under 50 minutes) suited the band’s new style (the Thomas’ typically melodic rhythm section and Nieve’s reasonable impersonation of Booker T. Jones) as well as the frantic and stressful conditions under which it was written and recorded, live at a rock concert and fuelled by excessive drinking. Lyrically, the songs are full of Costello’s signature wordplay, to the point that he later felt he’d become something of a self-parody and toned it down on later releases. He has mockingly described himself in interviews as “rock and roll’s Scrabble champion.” The only 1980 appearance in North America was at the Heatwave festival in August near Toronto.
1981′s Trust, despite its eclecticism (“Different Finger” had a distinct country feel) had a more pop sound than Get Happy!! Still, overall the album was clearly affected by the growing tensions within the band, particularly between Bruce and Pete Thomas. In the US, the single “Watch Your Step” was released and played live on Tom Snyder’s “Tomorrow” show, and received airplay on FM rock radio. In the UK, the single “Clubland” scraped the lower reaches of the charts; follow-up single “From A Whisper To A Scream” (a duet with Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze) became the first Costello single in over 4 years to completely miss the charts.
Following Trust, Costello released Almost Blue, an album of country music cover songs written by the likes of Hank Williams (“Why Don’t You Love Me (Like You Used To Do?)”), Merle Haggard (“Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down”) and Gram Parsons (“How Much I Lied”). The album was a tribute to the country music he had grown up listening to, especially, George Jones. Some avid fans dismissed the album because it was inconsistent with earlier recordings. It was not a country-rock album (a la The Byrds or Eagles), which might have been more palatable to his established audience and to reviewers, but rather an undiluted country album. It received mixed reviews, some of which accused Costello of growing soft. Perhaps in anticipation of the inevitable accusations of apostasy, the first pressings of the record in the UK bore a sticker with the message: “WARNING: This album contains country & western music and may cause offence to narrow minded listeners”. Almost Blue did spawn a surprise UK hit single in a version of George Jones’s “Good Year For The Roses” (written by Jerry Chesnut), which reached #6.
Imperial Bedroom (1982) marked a much darker, almost baroque sound for Costello, due in part to the production of Geoff Emerick, famed for engineering several Beatles records. Imperial Bedroom remains one of his most critically acclaimed records, but again failed to produce any hit singles. Costello has said he disliked the marketing pitch for the album, weak ads consisting only of the phrase “Masterpiece?”. Imperial Bedroom also featured Costello’s song “Almost Blue”; jazz singer and trumpeter Chet Baker would later perform and record a version of this song.
1983 saw another sidetrack with the pop-soul of Punch the Clock, featuring female backing vocals (Afrodiziak) and a four piece horn section (The TKO Horns), alongside The Attractions. Clive Langer (who co-produced with Alan Winstanley), provided Costello with a melody which eventually became “Shipbuilding”, an oblique look at the political contradictions of the Falklands War: the controversial military build-up provided jobs for Britain’s struggling shipyards. The song featured a trumpet solo by Chet Baker. Prior to the release of Costello’s own version, a version of the song was a minor UK hit for former Soft Machine drummer and political activist Robert Wyatt.
Equally political was “Pills And Soap”—a UK hit for Costello himself under the pseudonym of “The Imposter”—an attack on the changes in British society brought on by Thatcherism, released to coincide with the run-up to the 1983 UK general election. (The electorate was seemingly unswayed.) Punch the Clock also generated an international hit in the single “Everyday I Write the Book”, aided by a prophetic music video featuring lookalikes of the Prince and Princess of Wales undergoing domestic strife in a suburban home. The song became Costello’s first top forty hit single in the US. Also in the same year, Elvis provided vocals on a version of the Madness song “Tomorrow’s Just Another Day” released as a B-side on the single of the same name. Tensions within the band were beginning to tell, and Costello announced his retirement and the disbandment of the group shortly before they were to record Goodbye Cruel World (1984). Costello would later say of this record that they had “got it as wrong as you can in terms of the execution”. The record was poorly received upon its initial release, and even many ardent Costello fans see Goodbye as his weakest album (the liner notes to the 1995 Rykodisc re-release, penned by Costello, begin with the words “Congratulations!, you’ve just purchased our worst album”). Costello’s retirement, although short-lived, was accompanied by two compilations, Elvis Costello: The Man in the UK, Europe and Australia, and The Very Best of Elvis Costello & the Attractions in the U.S.
In 1985, he appeared in the “Live Aid” benefit concert in England, singing The Beatles’ “All You Need is Love” as a solo artist. (The event was overrunning and Costello was asked to “ditch the band”). Costello introduced the song as an old northern folk song, and the audience was invited to sing the chorus, which they did.
In the same year Costello teamed up with good friend T-Bone Burnett for a single called “The People’s Limousine” under the moniker of The Coward Brothers. That year, Costello also produced Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash for the punk/folk band The Pogues. It was then that he met his second wife, Pogues bassist Cait O’Riordan.
By 1986, Costello was preparing to make a comeback. Working in the US with Burnett, a band containing a number of Elvis Presley’s sidemen (including James Burton and Jerry Scheff), and minor input from the Attractions, he produced King of America an acoustic-guitar-driven album with a country sound. Around this time he legally changed his name back to Declan MacManus, adding Aloysius as an extra middle name. The Attractions felt understandably insecure about the ease with which they could be dropped considering their boss had cut a new album largely without them, and was planning to undertake a major tour showcasing the King of America material with his new musical partners. To allay their fears, Costello retooled his upcoming tour to allow for multiple nights in each city; playing one night with The Confederates (James Burton et al.), one night with The Attractions, and one night solo acoustic.
In May 1986, Costello performed at Self Aid, a benefit concert held in Dublin that focused on the problem of chronic unemployment which was widespread in Ireland at that time. Later that year, he returned to the studio with the Attractions and recorded Blood and Chocolate, which was lauded for a post-punk fervour not heard since 1978′s This Year’s Model. It also marked the return of producer Nick Lowe, who had produced Costello’s first five albums. While Blood and Chocolate failed to chart a hit single of any significance, it did produce what has since become one of Costello’s signature concert songs — “I Want You”. It is on this album that Costello adopted the alias “Napoleon Dynamite”, the name he later attributed to the character of the obnoxious emcee that he played during the vaudeville-style tour to support Blood and Chocolate. (The pseudonym had previously been used in 1982, when the B-side single “Imperial Bedroom” was credited to Napoleon Dynamite & The Royal Guard, and was later appropriated by the 2004 film Napoleon Dynamite, which does not have anything to do with Costello.) In 1989, Costello, with a new contract with Warner Bros., released Spike, which spawned his biggest single in America, the Top Twenty hit “Veronica”, one of several songs Costello co-wrote with Paul McCartney in that timeframe (see “Collaborations” section below).
1990s
In 1991, infamously having grown a long beard, Costello released Mighty Like a Rose, which featured the single “The Other Side of Summer”. He also found time to co-compose and co-produce, with Richard Harvey, the title and incidental music for the acclaimed mini-series G.B.H. by Alan Bleasdale. This entirely instrumental, and largely orchestral soundtrack garnered a BAFTA, for “Best Music for a TV Series” for the pair.
In 1993, Costello tested the classical music waters with a critically acclaimed collaboration with the Brodsky Quartet on The Juliet Letters. Costello returned to rock and roll the following year with a project that reunited him with The Attractions, Brutal Youth. In 1995, Costello released Kojak Variety, an album of cover songs recorded 5 years earlier, and followed in 1996 with an album of songs originally written for other artists, All This Useless Beauty. This was the final album of original material that he issued under his Warner Bros. contract. In the spring of 1996, Costello played a series of intimate club dates, backed only by Nieve on the piano, in support of All This Useless Beauty. An ensuing summer and fall tour with the Attractions proved to be the death knell for the band. With relations between Elvis and bassist Bruce Thomas at a breaking point, Costello announced that the current tour would be the Attractions’ last. The quartet performed their final U.S. show in Seattle, Washington on September 1, 1996, before wrapping up their tour in Japan. To fulfill his contractual obligations to Warner Bros., Costello released a greatest hits album titled Extreme Honey (1997). It contained an original track titled “The Bridge I Burned”, featuring Elvis’ son, Matt, on bass. In the intervening period, Costello also served as artistic chair for the 1995 Meltdown Festival, which gave him the opportunity to leverage his increasingly eclectic musical interests. His involvement in the festival yielded a one-off live EP with jazz guitarist Bill Frisell, which featured both cover material and a few of his own songs. In 1998, Costello signed a unique multi-label contract with Polygram Records, sold by its parent company the same year to become part of the Universal Music Group. Costello released his new work on what he deemed the suitable imprimatur within the family of labels. His first new release as part of this contract involved a collaboration with famed sixties pop songwriter Burt Bacharach. Their work had commenced earlier, in 1996, on a song called “God Give Me Strength” for the movie Grace of My Heart. This led the pair to write and record Painted From Memory, released under his new contract in 1998, on the Mercury Records label. They also recorded an updated version of Bacharach’s song “I’ll Never Fall in Love Again” for the soundtrack to Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, with both appearing in the film to perform the song. He also wrote “I Throw My Toys Around” for The Rugrats Movie and performed it with No Doubt.
In 1999, Costello contributed a version of the classic “She”, most famously released in 1974 by Charles Aznavour and Herbert Kretzmer, for the soundtrack of the film Notting Hill, with Trevor Jones producing. For the 25th anniversary of Saturday Night Live, Costello was invited to the program, where he re-enacted his abrupt song-switch: This time, however, he interrupted the Beastie Boys’ “Sabotage”, and they acted as his backing group for “Radio Radio.”
2000 to present
Costello performing with The Imposters in 2005.
Costello performing with The Imposters in 2005.
In 2000 Costello appeared at the Town Hall Theatre NYC, in Steve Nieve’s opera Welcome to the Voice, alongside Ron Sexsmith and John Flansburgh of “They Might Be Giants”.
In 2001, Costello was announced as the featured “artist in residence” at UCLA (although he ended up making fewer appearances than expected) and wrote the music for a new ballet. He produced and appeared on an album of pop songs for opera singer Anne Sofie von Otter.
In 2002 he released a new album, When I Was Cruel, this time on Island Records, and toured with a new band, the Imposters (essentially the Attractions but with a different bass player, Davey Faragher, formerly of Cracker). On February 23rd, 2003, Costello, along with Bruce Springsteen, Steve Van Zandt, and Dave Grohl performed a version of The Clash’s “London Calling” at the 45th Grammy Awards ceremony, in honor of legendary Clash frontman Joe Strummer, who had died in December of the previous year. In March 2003, Elvis Costello & The Attractions were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In May, his engagement to Canadian jazz singer and pianist Diana Krall was announced. September saw the release of North, an album of piano-based ballads concerning the breakdown of his former marriage, and his falling in love with singer Diana Krall.
In 2004, the song “Scarlet Tide” (co-written by Costello and T-Bone Burnett and used in the film Cold Mountain) was nominated for an Academy Award; he performed it at the awards ceremony with Alison Krauss, who also sang the song on the official soundtrack. Costello co-wrote many songs on wife Diana Krall’s 2004 CD, The Girl in the Other Room, the first of hers to feature several original compositions. In July 2004 Costello’s first full-scale orchestral work, Il Sogno, was performed in New York. The work, a ballet after Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, was commissioned by Italian dance troupe Aterballeto, and received critical acclaim from the classical music critics, while being scorned by the popular music press.
Costello’s hand prints on the European Walk of Fame, Rotterdam
Costello’s hand prints on the European Walk of Fame, Rotterdam
While composing it, Costello deliberately avoided listening to the previous interpretations by Mendelssohn and Britten in order to ensure his own originality. A range of musical moods and styles are used to represent the different elements of the cast—satirical pomp for the courtiers, jazz for the faeries, and for Bottom a deliberately intrusive “brass band” motif. Performed by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Michael Tilson Thomas, the recording was released on CD in September by Deutsche Grammophon. Costello released another album that same month: The Delivery Man, recorded in Oxford, Mississippi, and released on Lost Highway Records. Mainly blues, country, and folk, The Delivery Man received early acclaim as one of Costello’s best albums, and continues Costello’s personal quest to release an album on each of Universal’s record labels.
In July 2005, a CD recording of a collaboration with Marian McPartland on her show Piano Jazz was released. It featured Costello singing six jazz standards and two of his own songs, accompanied by Marian McPartland on piano. In November 2005 Costello started recording a new album with Allen Toussaint and producer Joe Henry. The River in Reverse was released in the UK on the Verve label on 29 May 2006.
In 2006 the studio recording of Nieve’s opera “Welcome to the Voice”, for Deutsche Grammophon, Costello interpreted the character of Chief of Police, with Barbara Bonney, Robert Wyatt, Sting and Amanda Roocroft.
Also released in 2006 was a live recording of a concert with the Metropole Orkest at the North Sea Jazz Festival, entitled My Flame Burns Blue.
In 2007 Nieve’s opera “Welcome to the Voice was released on CD by Deutsche Grammophon, reaching #2 in the Billboard classical charts.
Costello has been commissioned to write a chamber opera by the Danish Royal Opera, Copenhagen, on the subject of Hans Christian Andersen’s infatuation with Swedish soprano Jenny Lind, called The Secret Songs. Some of the songs were previewed on the Opera’s main stage in October 2005. However, since Costello has repeatedly missed deadlines, plans have been changed: extracts from the projected opera will be interspersed with songs from The Juliet Letters for performance in the Opera’s studio theatre (Takelloftet) in March 2007. It will be directed by Kasper Bech Holten and will feature Danish soprano Sine Bundgaard as Lind.
On May 6th, 2008, Fender Musical Instruments releases the Elvis Costello Jazzmaster, an exact representation of his late-1960′s heavily modified Fender Jazzmaster guitar he had used to record his first 1977 album, “My Aim Is True”, honoring one of the most recognized Jazzmaster players in music history. Uniquely Costello-inspired features include a post-’68 neck design, a walnut stain finish and a tremolo with easier and greater travel, essential for that “Watching the Detectives” tone, or what Costello calls that “spy movie” sound. This signature release comes during the 50th anniversary of Fender’s introduction of the Jazzmaster guitar, which first appeared in 1958.
On April 22nd, a new Elvis Costello and the Imposters album, “Momofuku”, will be released on Lost Highway Records, the same imprint that released his last major studio album, “The Delivery Man”. The new album will, at least initially, be released exclusively on vinyl (with a code to download a digital copy of the album). This summer, in support of the album, Costello will tour with The Police on the final leg of their 2007/2008 Reunion Tour.
On 5th February 2008 it was announced Elvis would play a homecoming gig at the Liverpool Philharmonic Hall on June 25th.[8]
On 28th June 2008, Costello gave his first performance in Poland, appearing with the Imposters for the closing gig of the Malta theatre festival in Poznań.
In July 2008, Costello (as Declan McManus) was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Music from the University of Liverpool.
In November 2008, Costello will interpret the role of Chief of Police in “Welcome to the Voice” on the stage of the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with Sting, Joe Sumner of Fiction Plane, and Sylvia Schwartz.
Controversies
Costello’s success in the U.S. was bruised for a time in the late 1970s when, during a drunken argument with Stephen Stills and Bonnie Bramlett in a Columbus, Ohio, Holiday Inn hotel bar, Costello allegedly referred to James Brown as a “jive-ass nigger,” then upped the ante by pronouncing Ray Charles a “blind, ignorant nigger.”[9]
A contrite Costello apologised at a New York City press conference a few days later, claiming that he had been drunk and had been attempting to be obnoxious in order to bring the conversation to a swift conclusion, not anticipating that Bramlett would bring his comments to the press. According to Costello, “it became necessary for me to outrage these people with about the most obnoxious and offensive remarks that I could muster.” In his liner notes for the expanded version of Get Happy!!, Costello writes that some time after the incident he had declined an offer to meet Charles out of guilt and embarrassment, though Charles himself had forgiven Costello (“Drunken talk isn’t meant to be printed in the paper”). In a Rolling Stone interview with Greil Marcus, he recounts an incident when Bruce Thomas was introduced to Michael Jackson as Costello’s bass player and Jackson said, “I don’t dig that guy…”.[9]
Costello worked extensively in Britain’s Rock Against Racism campaign both before and after this and also produced the debut album of the Specials whose multi-racial line-up was a very public statement about integration. This incident inspired his Get Happy!! song “Riot Act”.[10]
Personal life
Costello has been married three times. In 1974, MacManus married Mary Burgoyne. The couple had a son, Matthew, and divorced in 1984. In 1986, Costello married Cait O’Riordan, then bassist for the band The Pogues. The couple split at the end of 2002. Costello became engaged to singer Diana Krall in May 2003. In December, Costello and Krall married at the London estate of Sir Elton John. Their twin sons Dexter Henry Lorcan and Frank Harlan James were born December 6, 2006 in New York City.
Wikinews has related news:
Canadian jazz star Diana Krall gives birth to twin boys
Collaborations
In addition to his major recorded collaborations with Bacharach, the Brodsky Quartet, and von Otter, Costello has frequently been involved in other collaborations.
In 1987, Costello began a long-running songwriting collaboration with Paul McCartney. They wrote a number of songs together, including:
* “Back On My Feet”, the B-side of McCartney’s 1987 single “Once Upon A Long Ago”, later added as a bonus track on the 1993 re-issue of McCartney’s Flowers in the Dirt
* Costello’s “Veronica” and “Pads, Paws and Claws” from Spike (1989)
* “So Like Candy” and “Playboy to a Man” from Mighty Like a Rose (1991)
* McCartney’s “My Brave Face”, “Don’t Be Careless Love”, “That Day Is Done” and “You Want Her Too” from Flowers in the Dirt (1989)
* “The Lovers That Never Were” and “Mistress and Maid” from Off the Ground (1993).
* “Shallow grave” from “All This Useless Beauty” (1996).
* “I don’t want to confess”, “Tommy’s coming home”, “Twenty-five fingers” and “Indigo moon” (Officially unreleased).
Costello talked about their collaboration:
When we sat down together he wouldn’t have any sloppy bits in there (meaning the songs). That was interesting. The ironic part is, if it sounds like he wrote it, I probably did and vice versa. He wanted to do all the ones with lots of words and all on one note, and I’m the one trying to work in the “Please Please Me” harmony all over the place.[citation needed]
* In 1987, he appeared on the HBO special Roy Orbison and Friends, A Black and White Night, which featured his long-time idol Roy Orbison, and was invited back to Saturday Night Live for the first time since 1977.
Artistic significance
Costello has worked with Tony Bennett, Lucinda Williams, Lee Konitz, Brian Eno, and Rubén Blades, just a few of the artists not mentioned above. Costello has inadvertently made himself capable of challenging Kevin Bacon’s role in a musical version of the Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game, as his associations span the gamut in the music industry.
Costello is also a big music fan, and often champions the works of others in print. He has written several pieces for the magazine Vanity Fair, including the summary of what a perfect weekend of music would be. His collaboration with Bacharach honoured Bacharach’s place in pop music history. Costello also appeared in documentaries about singers Dusty Springfield and Wanda Jackson. He has also interviewed one of his own influences, Joni Mitchell.
In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine ranked him #80 on their list of the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time.[11]
Discography
Main article: Elvis Costello discography
Rykodisc/Demon reissues
From 1993 to 1995, Rykodisc Records (U.S.) and Demon Records (UK) reissued Costello’s pre-Warner Bros. catalogue with bonus tracks for each album as well as a greatest hits compilation and the live album Live at the El Mocambo. In addition, Rykodisc were the U.S. distributor for The Juliet Letters. This licensing deal ended in 2000.
Rhino reissues
Starting in 2001, Rhino Records began an eighteen double-disc reissue program for Costello’s back catalogue prior to his Polygram/Universal contract. Except for the compilation, each of the reissues presented the remastered original album on one disc, and a separate bonus disc of B-sides, outtakes, live tracks, alternate versions and/or demos of songs.
The project featured the direct participation and guidance of Elvis Costello himself, who wrote new liner notes for each album consisting of his thoughts on the music as well as anecdotes and reminiscences from the time. They were released in batches of three, with the exception of King of America, The Juliet Letters, and The Very Best of Elvis Costello, the last being an unaltered re-release of the Polygram compilation of 1999, which arrived in the stores singularly. The reissue dates are as follows:
1. April 17, 2001: The Very Best of Elvis Costello
2. August 11, 2001: My Aim Is True, Spike, All This Useless Beauty
3. February 19, 2002: This Year’s Model, Blood and Chocolate, Brutal Youth
4. November 19, 2002: Armed Forces, Imperial Bedroom, Mighty Like a Rose
5. September 9, 2003: Get Happy!!, Trust, Punch the Clock
6. August 3, 2004: Almost Blue, Goodbye Cruel World, Kojak Variety
7. April 26, 2005: King of America
8. March 21, 2006: The Juliet Letters
The Almost Blue and Kojak Variety bonus discs were particularly notable as each contained, essentially, an entire new album’s worth of material also performed but either not issued, or released as B-sides on singles originally. The Kojak bonus disc also included ten songs of the ‘George Jones’ tape, cover songs Costello intended to induce the famed country singer to perform on a subsequent album. The Get Happy bonus disc was also of note, with 30 additional tracks, bringing the total for the two disc set to 50 songs.
Costello’s early single on Stiff can be found on the Ultimate Stiff Records Discography site: http://www.buythehour.se/stiff/
Universal reissues
In August 2006, three months after the conclusion of Rhino’s reissue series (My Aim Is True through The Juliet Letters), Universal Music Enterprises announced their purchase of the early Elvis Costello catalogue. This licensing acquisition covers from My Aim Is True through King of America, excluding the Warner Bros. albums (Spike through All This Useless Beauty). These albums had all been re-released on Rhino, a Warner Music Group subsidiary. The press release says, “[l]eading the industry in online marketing with a dedicated department that manages its digital and mobile business, UMe also expects to mine Costello’s catalog for ringtones, digital box sets, and more.”[12] UMe announced that they would be reissuing the albums on their Hip-O Select label. Costello is quoted in the press release as saying, “[I]t’s great to be able to do this through a company that has not only enjoyed major success with reissues but has done them with a genuine emphasis on quality.”[13] This reissue series will mark the fourth release of his Stiff/Radar/Demon catalogue (released by Columbia Records in the US) on compact disc.
Tribute albums
1. 1998: Bespoke Songs, Lost Dogs, Detours & Rendezvous – (various artists)
2. 2002: Almost You: The Songs of Elvis Costello – (various artists)
3. 2003: The Elvis Costello Songbook – Bonnie Brett
4. 2004: A Tribute to Elvis Costello – Patrik Tanner
5. 2004: Davis Does Elvis – Stuart Davis
Filmography
* 1979 film debut as “Earl Manchester” in Americathon
* 1984 as “Henry Scully” in UK TV series Scully
* 1984 as “Stone Deaf A&R Man” in UK TV series “The Comic Strip Presents”, episode “The Bullshitters” (directed by Stephen Frears)
* 1985 as inept magician “Rosco de Ville” in the Alan Bleasdale film No Surrender
* 1987 as “Hives the Butler” in the Alex Cox film Straight to Hell, starring Joe Strummer and Courtney Love
* 1994, 1996 as himself in The Larry Sanders Show
* 1997 as himself in Spiceworld
* 1999 as himself in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, performing the song “I’ll Never Fall In Love Again” with Burt Bacharach
* 1999 as himself in 200 Cigarettes
* 2000 as himself in Sans plomb
* 2001 as a public defender and a teacher in Prison Song,
* 2001 as himself in the final episode of 3rd Rock from the Sun,
* 2002 as himself (voice) in “How I Spent My Strummer Vacation”, an episode of The Simpsons
* 2003 Academy Award nomination for best original song “The Scarlet Tide” in Cold Mountain.
* 2003 as “Ben” in the Frasier episode “Farewell, Nervosa”
* 2003 as guest host on Late Show with David Letterman
* 2003 as himself in I Love Your Work
* 2004 performing the Cole Porter song “Let’s Misbehave” in De-Lovely
* 2004 as himself on Two and a Half Men
* 2005 as himself in the American situation comedy Two and a Half Men
* 2006 as himself in Putting the River in Reverse
* 2006 as himself in Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
* 2006 as himself in Delirious
1947 – Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh is born in New York. As a solo artist he has four top 20 albums, including “The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get,” which reaches No. 6 on Chart Toppers’s pop album chart.
Biography
Early life
A native of Wichita, Kansas, Walsh and his family lived in Columbus, Ohio for a number of years, and subsequently moved to New York City. Later, Walsh moved to Montclair, New Jersey and attended Montclair High School there. He spent time in various bands playing around the Cleveland area, including The Measles, while attending Kent State University.
In 1969, he replaced Glen Schwartz as lead guitarist for the James Gang, an American power trio. Walsh proved to be the band’s star attraction, noted for his innovative rhythm playing and creative guitar riffs. The James Gang had several minor hits and became an early album-oriented rock staple for the next two years. In November, 1971, Walsh left the group and formed the group Barnstorm, although their albums credited Walsh as a solo artist. Walsh and Barnstorm released their debut, the eponymous Barnstorm in 1972. The album was a critical success, but it only sold moderately. The follow-up The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (1973) was a commercial breakthrough. The first single “Rocky Mountain Way”, received heavy airplay and reached #23 on the US top 40 charts. In 1974, Barnstorm disbanded and Walsh continued as a true solo artist.
Over the next two years, Walsh would release a studio album So What and a live set, You Can’t Argue with a Sick Mind. These would be his last solo albums until 1978. In 1976, he joined the highly successful rock band the Eagles as Bernie Leadon’s replacement. His addition pushed the band toward a harder-edged sound and away from their early country-style work.
As the Eagles struggled to record the follow-up to their highly successful album Hotel California, Walsh re-ignited his solo career with the well-received discs But Seriously Folks (1978) (which featured his hit comic depiction of rock stardom, “Life’s Been Good”) and There Goes the Neighborhood. Joe also contributed “In the City” to The Warriors soundtrack (1979), a song penned and sung by Walsh that later appeared on The Eagles’ “The Long Run” album.
Following the Eagles breakup in 1980, Walsh continued to release albums throughout the 1980s, but sales were poor. Musical trends had passed him by and he maintained a low profile until the mid-1990s. He toured with Ringo Starr in 1989, alternating a handful of his best-known songs with Ringo’s tunes, as did all the members of the “All Starr” band. Walsh sang the US National Anthem at the beginning of game four of the 1995 World Series. In 1989, Walsh recorded a MTV Unplugged with the R&B musician Dr. John.
In 1994, Walsh reunited with the Eagles for a highly successful reunion tour and live album, Hell Freezes Over. Walsh has toured regularly with the Eagles since then and the group released their first new studio album in 28 years, Long Road Out of Eden, in 2007.
In June 2004, Walsh performed live before a huge crowd at Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Guitar Festival in Dallas, Texas. He was also featured in September 2004 at The Strat Pack, a concert held in London, England to mark the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster guitar.
In 2006, Walsh reunited with Jim Fox and Dale Peters of James Gang for a 15-date summer reunion tour. The tour lasted into the fall. Some of his most recent compositions, such as “One Day At A Time”, deal with his struggles with substance abuse, particularly alcoholism. He is now a teetotaller and has been sober since 1995.
In 2008, Walsh appeared on the “Carvin 60th Anniversary Celebration DVD” as a Celebrity Endorser. In the recorded interview, he highly praises Carvin guitars and claims that the bridge design is “just like the first Les Paul models. I can’t even get Gibson to reissue it.”
Notable appearances
Walsh has produced albums for artists such as Dan Fogelberg and Ringo Starr. He was a background musician (1st guitar solo) on Eagles bandmate Don Henley’s 1982 hit “Dirty Laundry” (listed as such in the liner notes of I Can’t Stand Still and Actual Miles: Henley’s Greatest Hits).
Walsh played lead guitar on the song “Green Monkey” which appeared on America’s 1973 album Hat Trick
Walsh co-wrote and played lead guitar on the song “Split Decision” which appeared on Steve Winwood’s 1986 album Back in the High Life.
Walsh would reunite with former Eagles bandmates Randy Meisner and Timothy B. Schmit as background musicians on the 1987 Richard Marx hit “Don’t Mean Nothing”.
Walsh played a prisoner in The Blues Brothers. He is noticeable as he is the first prisoner to get on the cafeteria tables during the Jailhouse Rock song at the end. Joe was a close friend of John Belushi, who starred in the movie.
In the mid 1980s, Dallas/Ft. Worth DJ Redbeard (Doug Hill), KTXQ/Q102, went on vacation. Walsh sat in for him during that week. During this period, he would do guest DJ spots for a week or two annually where he dished inside information on the music industry, and entertained listeners with his antics and music at other stations including KLBJ in Austin, TX.
Walsh appeared as a mystery guest on the Howard Stern show on August 8, 1989, along with Pat Cooper. He has appeared numerous times on Stern’s show since, more recently with the James Gang to promote their summer 2006 tour.
Walsh played guitar alongside Laura Hall in a surprise appearance in Drew Carey’s pay-per-view presentation of “Drew Carey’s Improv All-Stars” in Las Vegas. He participated in one game in each show, the ending game “biography.” He sometimes made guest appearances on the Drew Carey Show as Ed, a laid-back guitarist in a bar band.
Walsh appeared as a featured performer at the 1992 Seville Expo Guitar Legends with on-stage featured guitarists Nuno Bettencourt, Brian May, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai.
Walsh sang the National Anthem of Chile at a Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim baseball game in 2003.
Walsh appeared in the television series Duckman, as medical video actor in episode 315 – “They Craved Duckman’s Brain”. Walsh also plays a version of “Life’s Been Good” in a Duckman episode. He also appeared on Mad TV in 1995 as a customer at an air guitar shop, and on the comedy game show Street Smarts. Walsh appeared in the audience on the April 10, 2008 episode of the MTV show Rock the Cradle as a surprise for his daughter Lucy.
Walsh appeared with the James Gang in the motion picture Zachariah (1971).
Walsh commenced 2007 with an appearance at Dear Mr Fantasy – A Celebration For Jim Capaldi: a charity gig being held at London’s famous Roundhouse where he appeared alongside Steve Winwood, Jon Lord, Pete Townshend, Bill Wyman, Paul Weller and many others.
During 2007, Walsh has appeared at selected shows with country-rock star musician Kenny Chesney on his Flip Flop Summer Tour 2007. “I don’t think there’s anybody in the world who doesn’t know ‘Life’s Been Good’ or ‘Rocky Mountain Way’ if they’ve listened to any rock radio at all,” said Kenny. Walsh also played a number of solo dates during late summer. Walsh has collaborated with Chesney on several occasions, most notably producing the song “Wild Ride”.
Walsh performed the National Anthem on guitar at the Los Angeles Clippers vs. Los Angeles Lakers game on November 5th, 2008 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.
Personal life
Walsh holds an Extra Class Amateur Radio License. His station callsign is WB6ACU. In 2006 he donated an autographed guitar to the ARRL for its charity auction. He has also been involved with the group’s “Big Project,” which brings amateur radio into schools. Walsh has included Morse Code messages in his albums on two occasions: once on the album Barnstorm (“Register and Vote”), and later on Songs for a Dying Planet (“Register and Vote for Me”).
Walsh is known for his guitar and keyboard skills, but also plays/has played bass guitar, harmonica, bagpipes, oboe, and clarinet. His mother was a classically trained pianist.
Walsh’s daughter, Lucy Walsh, is also a musician; she has worked with Ashlee Simpson, among others, and is releasing her debut album, Lost in the Lights, in spring 2008.
Walsh’s oldest daughter, Emma Kristen, died as a result of injuries suffered in an automobile accident on her way to nursery school in 1974. Her story inspired the track “Song For Emma” on his album So What released later that year. In her memory, he had a fountain and memorial plaque placed in a park in which she played, North Boulder Park in Boulder, Colorado. While touring with singer Stevie Nicks in 1984, Walsh took Nicks to the park’s fountain; Nicks subsequently immortalized this story in her song “Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You” on her 1985 album Rock A Little. Nicks stated in a 2007 interview with the UK Telegraph that Walsh had been “the great love of her life.”
Walsh ran a mock campaign for President in 1980, promising to make “Life’s Been Good” the new national anthem if he won, and running on a platform of “Free Gas For Everyone.” Though Walsh was not old enough to actually assume the office, he wanted to raise public awareness of the election. He then ran again for vice president in 1992 and was unsuccessful.
Walsh gave his main guitar, a 1959 Gibson Les Paul Sunburst, to Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page.
Kent State University awarded Walsh an honorary degree in music in December 2001.
Albums
James Gang
* Yer’ Album (November 1969)
* James Gang Rides Again (October 1970)
* Thirds (July 1971)
* James Gang Live in Concert (December 1971)
Eagles
* Hotel California (December 1976)
* The Long Run (September 1979)
* Eagles Live (November 7 1980)
* Hell Freezes Over (November 1994)
* Long Road Out of Eden (October 30, 2007)
Barnstorm
* Barnstorm (September 1972)
* The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get (June 1973)
Solo
* So What (December 1974)
* You Can’t Argue with a Sick Mind (March 1976)
* But Seriously Folks (May 1978)
* There Goes the Neighborhood (March 1981)
* You Bought It, You Name It (May 1983)
* The Confessor (1985)
* Got Any Gum? (July 1987)
* Ordinary Average Guy (January 1991)
* Songs for a Dying Planet (May 1992)
Compilations
* The Best of Joe Walsh (November 1978)
* Rocky Mountain Way (September 1985)
* Look What I Did! (May 1995)
* Joe Walsh’s Greatest Hits – Little Did He Know… (1997)
Other appearances
Albums with REO Speedwagon
* Ridin’ The Storm Out (1973) (Slide guitar)
Albums with Ringo Starr
* Old Wave (June 1983) (Walsh both played on and produced this album)
* Ringo Starr and His All-Starr Band (October 1990)
* Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band Volume 2: Live from Montreux (September 1993)
* Vertical Man (June 1998)
* VH1 Storytellers (October 1998)
Other
* Andy Gibb — (Love Is) Thicker Than Water (1977)
* Manassas — Down the Road (1973) (slide guitar)
* Frankie Miller– Long Way Home (2006)
* Dan Fogelberg — Souvenirs (1974) (Walsh both played on and produced this album) and Face The Fire from Phoenix (1979)
* Jay Ferguson — Thunder Island (1977) and Real Life Ain’t This Way (1979)
* John Entwistle — “Too Late The Hero (1981) (Walsh both played on and produced this album)
* Carl Palmer — “L.A. Nights (1977)
* Michael Stanley — “Rosewood Bitters” (slide guitar)(1973)
* Bob Seger — “The Mountain” (1991)
* Joe Vitale — “Roller Coaster Weekend” (1974)
* Joe Vitale — “Plantation Harbour” (1981)
Eagles songs
Eagles songs written by Joe Walsh
* “Life in the Fast Lane” on Hotel California (co-written with Don Henley and Glenn Frey)
* “Pretty Maids All in a Row” on Hotel California (co-written with Joe Vitale)
* “The Sad Café” on The Long Run (co-written with J.D. Souther and Henley/Frey)
* “In The City” on The Long Run (co-written with Barry De Vorzon)
* “Last Good Time In Town” on Long Road Out of Eden
Eagles songs featuring Joe Walsh on lead vocal
* “Pretty Maids All in a Row” on Hotel California
* “In The City” on The Long Run
* “Guilty Of The Crime” on Long Road Out Of Eden
* “Last Good Time In Town” on Long Road Out Of Eden
Note: Other songs in the Eagles catalog that were sung and written by Walsh include “Life’s Been Good” and “All Night Long”, from Walsh’s solo career, which were included on Eagles Live and “Funk 49″, from Walsh’s days in the James Gang, was included on the fourth “Millennium Concert” disc of the Eagles box set Selected Works: 1972-1999. These are not Eagles songs however, since the studio cuts did not originate under the Eagles name
Singles
Year Title Chart positions Album
US Hot 100 MNSTR UK Singles
1970 ”Funk #49″ (w/ James Gang) 59 - - James Gang Rides Again
1971 ”Walk Away” (w/ James Gang) 51 - - Thirds
1971 ”Midnight Man” (w/ James Gang) 80 - - Thirds
1973 ”Rocky Mountain Way” 23 - - The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get
1974 ”Meadows” 89 - - The Smoker You Drink, The Player You Get
1975 ”Turn To Stone” 93 - - So What
1977 ”Rocky Mountain Way” - - 39 Rocky Mountain Way EP
1978 ”Life’s Been Good” 12 - 14 But Seriously Folks…
1980 ”All Night Long” 19 - - Urban Cowboy Soundtrack
1981 ”A Life of Illusion” 34 1 - There Goes The Neighborhood
1983 ”Space Age Whiz Kids” 52 21 - You Bought It, You Name It
1983 ”I Can Play That Rock & Roll” - 13 - You Bought It, You Name It
1985 ”The Confessor” - 8 - The Confessor
1987 ”The Radio Song” - 8 - Got Any Gum?
1987 ”In My Car” - 14 - Got Any Gum?
1991 ”Ordinary Average Guy” - 3 - Ordinary Average Guy
1991 ”All of a Sudden” - 13 - Ordinary Average Guy
1992 ”Vote for Me” - 10 - Songs for a Dying Planet
2007 ”Wild Ride” (w/ Kenny Chesney)A - - - Just Who I Am: Poets & Pirates (Kenny Chesney album)
1944 – The Mama that everyone lusted after, Michelle Phillips, is born in Long Beach, Calif., as Holly Michelle Gilliam.
Early life
Phillips was born Holly Michelle Gilliam in Long Beach, California, the daughter of Joyce Leon (née Poole), an accountant, and Gardner Burnett Gilliam, a merchant marine. She grew up partly in Mexico City where her father was attending college on the GI Bill. She married John Phillips on December 31, 1962, when she was 18 years old, long before the formation of the band. In 1968 they had a child together, Chynna Phillips, who went on to co-found the singing group Wilson Phillips.
The Mamas & the Papas
Early on in the band’s history (in 1965), Phillips and fellow band member Denny Doherty began an affair. They were able to keep it secret from the other two band members for quite some time. During a trip to Mexico, Doherty revealed the affair to band member Cass Elliot, who was furious. Soon afterwards, John Phillips caught Michelle and Doherty in the act. He moved himself and Michelle out of the house the band shared.
John could not stand to live with Michelle afterwards and moved back in with Doherty. At this point Michelle started an affair with Gene Clark of The Byrds. After a concert where Michelle blew kisses to Clark in the front row, John said he could not stand to perform with her any longer. Consulting both their attorney Abe Somer as well as their label Dunhill Records, the band then drafted a formal statement kicking Michelle out of the group in June of 1966. She was replaced by the group’s producer Lou Adler’s then-girlfriend, singer-songwriter Jill Gibson. Michelle’s presence in the band was missed by fans, including John, so she was invited back into the group in late August, while Gibson received a lump sum for her two and a half months as a Mama. The band continued to have problems even after Michelle’s return. The Mamas and the Papas would eventually disband in July 1968 and then again in 1971 after a brief reunion. The couple eventually divorced in 1970.
Musical career
Phillips helped co-write some of the band’s most popular hits, including “Creeque Alley” and “California Dreamin’”. During 1970, Phillips sang backup vocals on a Leonard Cohen tour. That same year, Phillips married actor Dennis Hopper for eight days. Of that marriage, Phillips said: “I will say this about Dennis Hopper: We were married for eight days and truly… they were the happiest days of my life.”
In 1973, Phillips recorded vocals as a cheerleader along with Darlene Love, for the Cheech & Chong single “Basketball Jones” which peaked at No.15 on the Billboard singles chart. In 1975 Phillips signed a solo recording contract with A&M Records and released a promo single, “Aloha Louie”, that she had written with ex-husband John Phillips. Phillips released her first solo single in 1976, “No Love Today”, on the Mother, Jugs & Speed movie soundtrack. In 1977, Phillips released her debut solo album, Victim of Romance, produced by Jack Nitzsche for A&M Records. Her first two solo singles from the album failed to make the U.S. music charts. That same year she sang backup vocals with former stepdaughter actress Mackenzie Phillips on a track called “Zulu Warrior”, for her ex-husband John’s second solo album, Pay Pack & Follow, which was eventually released in 2001.
During 1979, she recorded a song called “Forever” for the motion picture soundtrack of California Dreaming, a surf film that had nothing to do with her old band. In late 1987, Phillips sang backup vocals on Belinda Carlisle’s number one hit, “Heaven Is a Place on Earth”, as well as on the Carlisle LP, Heaven on Earth (album).
On January 12, 1998, Phillips was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York City, along with her fellow bandmates. For the first time in over two decades Michelle performed California Dreamin live with Denny Doherty and John Phillips. Phillips was later inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2000 (for the Mamas & Papas) where she again performed live with Denny Doherty, but without John.
On March 29, 2001, Phillips was one of several performers who gathered at The Roxy Theatre in Hollywood, California, for a John Phillips memorial tribute. Michelle performed live with Scott McKenzie and Denny Doherty on two numbers, while other live performances included Barry McGuire, John Stewart of The Kingston Trio, Mackenzie Phillips, Spanky McFarlane of Spanky & Our Gang, Owen Elliot-Kugell, Bijou Phillips, Sean Lennon, and Tamerlane Phillips. Non-performers who also attended included Lou Adler, The Mamas & the Papas’ original record producer, among the three hundred other invited guests.
Acting career
Phillips continues to act in movies and in television today. In 1977, she appeared with Rudolph Nureyev in the film Valentino where she performed daring nude scenes. Her chemistry with Nureyev was so poor that they were rumoured to have slapped each other during a love scene.
She has made many guest appearances on programs as diverse as Spin City and Star Trek: The Next Generation (where she appeared the episode “We’ll Always Have Paris” as a former love-interest of Captain Picard). Phillips’ most recent serious acting job has been a recurring role on the WB drama 7th Heaven as Lily Jackson, sister of family matriarch Annie Jackson Camden (Catherine Hicks). It is unknown if Phillips will appear in the upcoming season. She played Laura Collins in the 1996 television movie No One Would Tell.
However, Phillips is best known to modern television audiences for her roles as mother to two prime-time vixens. She starred for several seasons on Knots Landing as Anne W. Matheson Sumner, playing the mother of future Desperate Housewives star Nicolette Sheridan (a role which Phillips returned to for the 1997 TV-Movie Knots Landing: Back to the Cul-de-Sac). Then in the mid-1990′s she gained a whole new generation of fans for playing Abby Malone, mother of Valerie (Tiffani-Amber Thiessen) on Fox’s Beverly Hills, 90210.
Personal life
Phillips married Dennis Hopper on October 31, 1970 but filed for divorce just a week later. She then married radio executive Robert Burch in 1978, and would divorce again, in 1980. Phillips gave birth to her second child, a boy named Austin Hines, in 1982.
In 1986, she penned her autobiography, California Dreamin’: The True Story of the Mamas and the Papas, released just weeks after her former husband John Phillips’ autobiography Papa John. In it Phillips describes such events as the first meeting between her and fellow Mama, Cass Elliot (Phillips had just taken acid for the first time, and “came on” to it just as she opened the door), winning 17 straight shoots at a crap table in the Bahamas when the band was broke and couldn’t afford plane fare back to the States (winning enough for first class, no less), and how her writing credit on the “California Dreamin’” song, which still nets her royalties, was “the best wake-up call” she ever had (she was asleep in a New York Hotel room when her then husband John Phillips woke her up to help him finish a new song he was writing).
Phillips is renowned for her youthful appearance which she attributes, in part, to staying completely away from direct sunlight. With the death of Denny Doherty on January 19, 2007, Phillips became the only surviving member of the original Mamas and the Papas. She also sang at Doherty’s funeral in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Michelle was good friends with Sharon Tate, Abigail Folger, Jay Sebring and Wojciech Frykowski, who were killed by members of Charles Manson’s cult on August 9, 1969. In a 2006 interview for the History Channel show Our Generation: Death of the Counterculture, Michelle said that it was still hard to talk about the murders.
Recent Comments