1955 – Van Halen bassist Michael Anthony is born in Chicago.
Michael Anthony Sobolewski (born June 20, 1954) is an American musician. He is best known as the former bassist and a founding member of the hard rock band Van Halen. Anthony joined the band in 1974 and was their official recording and performing bassist for most of their career until he was replaced by Wolfgang Van Halen, son of fellow founding member Eddie Van Halen, after the band’s 2004 tour.
Anthony is known for his stage antics, his effects-laden live solos, and his number of custom-made bass guitars including a Jack Daniel’s model shaped like a whiskey bottle. He also has a signature Yamaha bass guitar series. In total, Anthony is known to have in excess of 150 bass guitars. In addition to his musical career with Van Halen and other acts, Anthony markets a line of hot sauces and related products named Mad Anthony.
Anthony has been married to his wife Sue since 1981 and they have two daughters: Taylor (born 1991) and Elisha (born 1985). Anthony now lives in Glendora, California and can be frequently seen driving his prized hot rods.
Biography
Early life (1954–1966)
Anthony was born in Chicago, Illinois, USA to Polish immigrant parents, and was one of five siblings (Nancy, Michael, Steve, Robert and Dennis). He later moved to California where he attended Arcadia High School, graduating in 1972. He developed his interest in music in childhood, playing the trumpet. He became interested in playing mainly rock, blues, and jazz, taking after his father Walter.
Musical career begins (1967–1974)
While Anthony was a promising catcher in baseball, he also competed on the Dana Junior High School track team (long jump) and played in the marching band there from 1967–1969. He took an interest in guitar as a teenager, but picked up the bass instead since most of his other friends already played guitar or drums. Anthony’s friend Mike Hershey gave him a Fender Mustang electric guitar that Anthony converted by removing its top two strings and playing it as a bass guitar. Eventually, his father bought him a Victoria copy of a Fender Precision Bass and a Gibson amplifier. Anthony modeled his bass playing after Led Zeppelin’s John Paul Jones mostly, but also admired Jack Bruce of Cream, and Harvey Brooks of Electric Flag. His main interest in life was music once he left high school. His first band was called Poverty’s Children. Other bands he played in included Black Opal, Balls and Snake. Although Anthony is naturally left-handed, he plays right-handed.
Snake, a three-piece group featuring Anthony on lead vocals and bass guitar, was the last band Mike played in before joining Van Halen. Snake played covers of ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Foghat, along with some original songs. They played a lot of the same types of gigs as did the Van Halen brothers’ band Mammoth. Snake even opened for Mammoth at a show at Pasadena High School one night. Mammoth’s PA failed that night, so Anthony lent them Snake’s PA.
While attending Pasadena City College, Mike pursued a degree in music. Alex Van Halen took classes there too and they would often see each other on campus. During this time, Mark Stone was kicked out of Mammoth and the Van Halens decided to audition Anthony to be their new bassist. Anthony was impressed by their skill during subsequent jam sessions even though he had seen the brothers play before. After the session, the Van Halen brothers asked Anthony to join the their band. He said he had to think about it and consulted Snake guitarist Tony Codgen who advised Anthony to go ahead with joining Van Halen. However, according to Michael Anthony’s web site, when asked if he wanted to join Van Halen, Anthony immediately said yes, that there was no consulting with anyone.
Van Halen (1974–1996)
Main article: Van Halen
In 1974, Eddie Van Halen, Alex Van Halen along with David Lee Roth and Michael Anthony became known as Van Halen, dropping the name Mammoth because they discovered that another local band was using that moniker. They were signed to Warner Brothers in 1977 and released their self titled debut album on February 8, 1978. Anthony’s bass lines and high vocal harmonies became a distinctive part of the Van Halen sound. The band released a total of ten studio albums from 1978–1995, along with a live album and a compilation CD in 1996 that featured two previously unreleased songs. Despite the Van Halen brothers falling out with both their vocalists frequently (David Lee Roth in 1985, 1996, 2000 and 2001 and Sammy Hagar in both 1996 and 2004), Anthony maintained positive relationships with all of the musicians.
Diminishing role with Van Halen and side projects (1996–2003)
As early as 1996, rumors periodically surfaced that Anthony had been fired from Van Halen. Despite claims to the contrary and his continued work with the band, these persisted until his final departure.
Anthony’s involvement in the 1998 album Van Halen III was less than for previous albums. Anthony performed on only three songs; Eddie Van Halen recorded the others. Anthony is credited as a songwriter for the album along with the rest of the band as is always the case for Van Halen albums. Anthony performed with the band for the 1998 tour, and was credited for messages from the band thereafter. He participated in the band’s three reunion attempts with David Lee Roth from 2000 through 2001. Anthony’s name was also credited in a few band newsletters during this time, and he appeared in band interviews. Sometime after this, however, Anthony disappeared from public view until the 2004 reunion.
In interviews, Eddie and Alex Van Halen suggested they were jamming and writing/recording new material during this time period but appeared to be working without Anthony.
Anthony began periodic appearances with Sammy Hagar during his solo tours. He usually played as part of The Waboritas, Hagar’s band. During 2002′s David Lee Roth/Sammy Hagar tour, both Michael Anthony and ex-Van Halen vocalist Gary Cherone make guest appearances at concerts, sometimes together. Anthony never performed during Roth’s segment however.
In 2002, Anthony, Hagar, Neal Schon, Deen Castronovo, and Joe Satriani formed the “supergroup” Planet Us and Anthony began making more frequent performances at Sammy Hagar concerts. Planet US recorded two songs, one of which was intended for the Spider-Man soundtrack but ultimately did not make the album. The band did perform the unreleased song Vertigo on the Internet radio show RockLine.
Van Halen reunion (2003–2005)
Initially when Eddie and Alex asked Hagar to rejoin at the end of 2003 for a 2004 tour, the plan was not to invite Anthony back. Hagar, however, refused to perform if Anthony did not rejoin, and Anthony agreed to play but on a reduced royalties contract. The contract drawn up was for the duration of the tour only, with his role within the band resting in the hands of the Van Halen brothers thereafter. Throughout this time, and during the Van Halen III period, the public was unaware of Anthony’s tenuous status within the band and was led to believe that he was still a full-time member.
In 2004, Van Halen released the compilation album The Best of Both Worlds which included three new songs. Anthony did not participate in the writing and recording of the new songs and was not credited on the album for the new material.[1]
Anthony now states in media interviews that he has not spoken to the Van Halen brothers since the 2004 tour. He has also speculated that since the brothers were not pleased with Hagar’s commercial ventures such as the Cabo Wabo product line, their similar displeasure with Anthony’s hot sauce brand may have caused the rift that ultimately separated Hagar and Anthony from the band.[2]
Departure from Van Halen and recent projects (2006–present)
Anthony spent the Summer of 2006 touring as a member of The Other Half during a segment of the Sammy Hagar and the Waboritas tour. The Other Half featured Anthony and Hagar performing classic Van Halen songs from both the Roth and Hagar periods.
On September 8, 2006, Eddie Van Halen announced that his son, Wolfgang, was replacing Michael Anthony as Van Halen’s bass player. On February 2, 2007, it was announced that Van Halen was reuniting for a tour with original vocalist David Lee Roth. The tour began on September 27, 2007. Anthony commented that he heard about his replacement “on the Internet” and stated, “I’m a little miffed that they’re calling it a Van Halen reunion. If I was dead and they needed someone to play, that’s one thing, but to me this is not a reunion.”[3]
Anthony surprised his former bandmate and good friend Sammy Hagar on live national TV on February 25, 2007. During a pre-race performance for the California race on FOX television, the bassist jumped onstage and joined Sammy Hagar during a performance of “I Can’t Drive 55″. Hagar could only respond “Michael Anthony’s in the house.”
Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar were the only members, former or current, to appear at Van Halen’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 12, 2007. Eddie Van Halen was in rehab at the time, and Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth declined to appear.[4]
Anthony is currently developing a side project called “Chickenfoot” with Sammy Hagar, Red Hot Chili Peppers drummer Chad Smith and guitarist Joe Satriani, which will include a yet unnamed studio album release. He has also recently established a band named the Mad Anthony Xpress that will tour with Hagar in 2007 and 2008.
1967 – David Bowie releases his novelty single “The Laughing Gnome.” Using music hall stylings and a sped-up voice, the song becomes a hit only in 1983.
Appearing at a news conference at the Venice Film Festival in September to promote the Bob Dylan biopic “I’m Not There,” Heath Ledger, who died on Tuesday, spoke of his “obsession with an artist by the name of Nick Drake,” an English-born singer/songwriter whom he characterized as a “very mysterious figure.”
“I was obsessed with his story and his music and I pursued it for a while and still have hopes to kind of tell his story one day,” a soft-spoken and fidgety Ledger told the assembled media, though he also said that any such aspirations had “faded away.”
But in an eerie postscript to the actor’s own death on Tuesday, MTV News has learned that Ledger recently shot and edited a music video for a Drake song called “Black Eyed Dog,” so titled because of a Winston Churchill quote describing depression as such. It is also reportedly the last song Drake recorded before overdosing on antidepression medication in 1974 at the age of 26.
A representative for Drake’s estate described the “gorgeous” and “extremely moving” clip as a stark black-and-white composition, consisting mainly of the director turning the camera on himself. In the end, Ledger is seen drowning himself in a bathtub.
The video, which has not been released commercially and has apparently not yet leaked to the Web, has been screened just twice, once last Labor Day weekend at the Bumbershoot festival in Seattle and a second time in October at “A Place to Be,” an event honoring Drake held in Los Angeles.
Ledger also directed Ben Harper’s video for “Morning Yearning” and announced plans to start a label with the singer called Masses Music Co. last year. The label’s first signing was a singer from Ledger’s hometown of Perth, Australia, named Grace Woodroofe; Ledger also directed a video for her cover of David Bowie’s “Quicksand.”
While Drake garnered just a cult following during his life, his music has enjoyed a renaissance in recent years. In 2000, Volkswagen scored a ubiquitous television ad with the title track from his 1972 album, Pink Moon, after which Drake’s albums reportedly sold more in one month than they had in the previous 30 years. This past November, fans were treated to a limited-edition box set that included not only the three albums Drake recorded in his short career, but also a book and a DVD documentary about his life.
2005 – Bob Moog, inventor of his namesake range of synthesizers and one of the most significant figures in the evolution of electronic music, dies at his home in Asheville, N.C. He is 71. A native of N.Y., Moog was diagnosed with brain cancer in late April and had since undergone radiation treatment and chemotherapy.
Dr. Robert Arthur Moog (pronounced /ˈmoʊɡ/ to rhyme with “rogue”) (May 23, 1934 – August 21, 2005) was an American pioneer of electronic music, best known as the inventor of the Moog synthesizer.
Life
A native of New York City, Robert Moog attended the Bronx High School of Science, graduating in 1952. Moog earned a bachelor’s degree in physics from Queens College, New York in 1957, another in electrical engineering from Columbia University, and a Ph.D. in engineering physics from Cornell University. Moog’s awards include honorary doctorates from Polytechnic University (New York City) and Lycoming College (Williamsport, Pennsylvania)
During his lifetime, Moog founded two companies for manufacturing electronic musical instruments. Moog also worked as a consultant and vice president for new product research at Kurzweil Music Systems from 1984 to 1988, helping to develop the Kurzweil K2000. He spent the early 1990s as a research professor of music at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.
Moog received a Grammy Trustees Award for lifetime achievement in 1970. In 2002, Moog was honored with a Grammy Tech Award, and an honorary doctorate degree from Berklee College of Music.
He gave an enthusiastically-received lecture at the 2004 New Interfaces for Musical Expression (NIME-04), held in Hamamatsu, Japan’s “City of Musical Instruments”, in June, 2004. Moog was the inspiration behind the 2004 film Moog.
Moog’s first wife was Shirleigh Moog (née Shirley May Leigh) a grammar school teacher whom he married in 1958. The couple had 3 daughters (Laura Moog Lanier, Michelle Moog-Koussa, Renee Moog) and one son (Matthew Moog) before their divorce. Moog was married to his second wife Ileana Grams, a philosophy professor, for nine years until his death. Moog’s stepdaughter, Miranda Richmond, is Grams’ daughter from a previous marriage. Moog also had five grandchildren.
Robert Moog was diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiforme brain tumor on April 28, 2005. Nearly four months later, Moog died at the age of 71 in Asheville, North Carolina on August 21, 2005. His end of life journey was captured using CaringBridge. The Bob Moog Foundation was created as a memorial, with the aim of continuing his life’s work of developing electronic music.
Development of the Moog synthesizer
Main article: Moog synthesizer
The Moog synthesizer was one of the first widely used electronic musical instruments. Early developmental work on the components of the synthesizer occurred at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, now the Computer Music Center. While there, Moog developed the voltage controlled oscillators, ADSR envelope generators, and other synthesizer modules with composer Herbert Deutsch.
Moog created the first subtractive synthesizer to utilize a keyboard as a controller and demonstrated it at the AES convention in 1964. In 1966, Moog filed a patent application for his unique low-pass filter U.S. Patent 3,475,623 , which issued in October 1969. He holds several dozen patents.
Robert Moog employed his theremin company (R. A. Moog Co., which would later become Moog Music) to manufacture and market his synthesizers. Unlike the few other 1960s synthesizer manufacturers, Moog shipped a piano-style keyboard as the standard user interface to his synthesizers. Moog also established standards for analog synthesizer control interfacing, with a logarithmic one volt-per-octave pitch control and a separate pulse triggering signal.
The first Moog instruments were modular synthesizers. In 1971 Moog Music began production of the Minimoog Model D which was among the first widely available, portable and relatively affordable synthesizers.
One of Moog’s earliest musical customers was Wendy Carlos whom he credits with providing feedback that was valuable to the further development of Moog synthesizers. Through his involvement in electronic music, Moog developed close professional relationships with artists such as Don Buchla, Keith Emerson, Rick Wakeman, John Cage, Gershon Kingsley, Clara Rockmore, and Pamelia Kurstin. In a 2000 interview, Moog said “I’m an engineer. I see myself as a toolmaker and the musicians are my customers. They use my tools.”
R.A. Moog Co. and Moog Music
The Moog Music logo
The Moog Music logo
Main article: Moog Music
In 1953 at age 19, Robert Moog founded his first company, R.A. Moog Co., to manufacture theremin kits. During the 1960s, the company was employed to build modular synthesizers based on Moog’s designs.
In 1972 Moog changed the company’s name to Moog Music. Throughout the 1970s, Moog Music went through various changes of ownership, eventually being bought out by musical instrument manufacturer Norlin. Poor management and marketing led to Moog’s departure from his own company in 1977.
In 1978 after leaving his namesake firm, Moog started making electronic musical instruments again with a new company, Big Briar. Their first specialty was theremins, but by 1999 the company expanded to produce a line of analog effects pedals called moogerfoogers. In 1999, Moog partnered with Bomb Factory to co-develop the first digital effects based on Moog technology in the form of plugins for Pro Tools software.
Despite Moog Music’s closing in 1993, Robert Moog did not have the rights to market products using his own name throughout the 1990s. Big Briar acquired the rights to use the Moog Music name in 2002 after a legal battle with Don Martin who had previously bought the rights to the name Moog Music. At the same time, Moog designed a new version of the Minimoog called the Minimoog Voyager. The Voyager includes nearly all of the features of the original Model D in addition to numerous modern features.
Theremin
Robert Moog constructed his own theremin as early as 1949. Later he described a theremin in the hobbyist magazine Electronics World and offered a kit of parts for the construction of the Electronic World’s Theremin, which became very successful. In the late 1980s Moog repaired the original theremin of Clara Rockmore, an accomplishment which he considered a high point of his professional career. He also produced, in collaboration with first wife Shirleigh Moog, Mrs. Rockmore’s album, The Art of the Theremin. Dr. Moog was a principal interview subject in the award-winning documentary film, THEREMIN- An Electronic Odyssey, the success of which led to a revival of interest in the theremin. Moog Music went back to its roots and once again began manufacturing theremins. Thousands have been sold to date and are used by both professional and amateur musicians around the globe. In 1996 he published another do-it-yourself theremin guide. Today, Moog Music is the leading manufacturer of performance-quality theremins.
Pronunciation
The surname Moog is one of the most divergently pronounced names in popular culture. The following interview excerpt reveals Robert Moog’s preferred pronunciation:
— Reviewer: First off: Does your name rhyme with “vogue” or is like a cow’s “moo” plus a “G” at the end?
— Dr. Robert Moog: It rhymes with vogue. That is the usual German pronunciation. My father’s grandfather came from Marburg, Germany. I like the way that pronunciation sounds better than the way the cow’s “moo-g” sounds.
(Note that the English , which has a monophthong and devoiced final consonant.)
In a deleted scene from the DVD version of the documentary Moog, Moog describes the three pronunciations of the name Moog: the original, Dutch pronunciation . Moog reveals that some of his family members prefer the English pronunciation, while others, including himself (and his wife) prefer the Anglo-German pronunciation.
2005 – Sony BMG Music Entertainment admits to using payola to get songs by Jennifer Lopez, Good Charlotte, Avril Lavigne and others on the radio following an investigation by the New York District Attorney’s office.
2005 – No. 1 Chart Topper ‘Jailhouse Rock’ – Elvis Presley (The 1,000 UK No.1 single) is number 1 in the UK.
Lryics:
(words & music by jerry leiber – mike stoller)
The warden threw a party in the county jail.
The prison band was there and they began to wail.
The band was jumpin and the joint began to swing.
You shouldve heard those knocked out jailbirds sing.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.
Spider murphy played the tenor saxophone,
Little joe was blowin on the slide trombone.
The drummer boy from illinois went crash, boom, bang,
The whole rhythm section was the purple gang.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.
Number forty-seven said to number three:
Youre the cutest jailbird I ever did see.
I sure would be delighted with your company,
Come on and do the jailhouse rock with me.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.
The sad sack was a sittin on a block of stone
Way over in the corner weepin all alone.
The warden said, hey, buddy, dont you be no square.
If you cant find a partner use a wooden chair.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.
Shifty henry said to bugs, for heavens sake,
No ones lookin, nows our chance to make a break.
Bugsy turned to shifty and he said, nix nix,
I wanna stick around a while and get my kicks.
Lets rock, everybody, lets rock.
Everybody in the whole cell block
Was dancin to the jailhouse rock.
Jailhouse Rock is an American motion picture directed by Richard Thorpe, released by MGM on November 8, 1957. The film stars Elvis Presley (his third ever film role), Judy Tyler, and Mickey Shaughnessy. Tragically, co-star Tyler was killed in an automobile accident a few weeks after the film was completed, and like Loving You before it, Presley was so upset that he refused to ever watch the completed film. In 2004, this film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry as being deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Presley plays “Vince Everett,” an ex-convict working in the music industry, and a character analogous to Presley’s then public image. After going to jail for a bar fight he did not start, Everett meets Hunk Houghton in prison, and the two men form a bond. Houghton, a washed-up country singer, teaches Everett to play an old guitar, and to sing a few songs.
Upon his release, Everett lands work at night clubs, but not singing. He meets Peggy Van Alden, a record company talent scout, who allows Everett to record a song. They bring his record to an executive at a small record label, who then records the exact arrangement with one of his established stars. Everett and Van Alden then start their own label to bring Everett’s records to the public, and fame, riches, and a film career ensue.
Presley and Tyler
Presley and Tyler
Everett’s prison buddy Houghton shows up, and instead of getting in on the action as anticipated, has to settle for being Everett’s gofer. Throughout the film, Everett is the epitome of the spoiled star, surly, uncommunicative, bellicose, and treating all around him with either cruelty or diffidence, especially Van Alden and Houghton. A final fight at the end of the movie with Houghton, meant to give Everett his comeuppance, damages his vocal cords, bringing into question his ability to ever sing again. He learns his lesson in humility, and expresses his true feelings for Van Alden and Houghton.
Primary cast
* Elvis Presley : Vince Everett
* Judy Tyler : Peggy Van Alden
* Mickey Shaughnessy: Hunk Houghton
* Vaughn Taylor : Mr. Shores (narrator)
* Jennifer Holden: Sherry Wilson
* Dean Jones: Teddy Talbot
* Anne Neyland: Laury Jackson
* Bill Hickman: Guard who whips Vince
Soundtrack
Main article: Jailhouse Rock (EP)
Unlike his previous film, a full long-playing album soundtrack was not originally devised for Jailhouse Rock. Instead, five of the six songs written for Presley were released as an extended play, seven-inch 45 RPM record on RCA Records, Jailhouse Rock.
In April 1997, a full soundtrack CD comprising of the songs from Jailhouse Rock and his first film Love Me Tender was released, featuring:
* Jailhouse Rock (Hit version)
* Treat Me Nice (Hit version)
* I Want To Be Free (EP version)
* Don’t Leave Me Now (Previously unreleased)
* Young And Beautiful (EP version)
* Baby, I Don’t Care (You’re So Square)
* Jailhouse Rock (Movie version)
* Treat Me Nice (Movie version)
* I Want To Be Free (Movie version)
* Young And Beautiful (Movie version)
* Don’t Leave Me Now (Previously unreleased alternate version)
* Love Me Tender (Hit version)
* Poor Boy
* Let Me
* We’re Gonna Move
* Love Me Tender (End title version)
* Let Me (unreleased version)
* We’re Gonna Move (Unreleased stereo alternate take)
* Poor Boy (Unreleased stereo version)
* Love Me Tender (Unreleased stereo version)
2004 – Courtney Love pleads not guilty to assault charges, then holds a press conference in the Manhattan Criminal Court ladies restroom. She is alleged to have hit a fan over the head with a mic stand during a New York club show.
2004 – Frank Zappa’s widow Gail appears in a Quebec City courtroom as proceedings open in her lawsuit against the Ameublements Tanguay furniture store. She alleges they used a portion of Zappa’s “Watermelon in Easter Hay” as background music in a TV commercial without permission.
2003 – Scottish band Dogs Die in Hot Cars lead singer Craig McIntosh is electrocuted onstage in Dundee.
You mean this crap still happens. At least he died lovin’ what he was doing! Hats Off!
Dogs Die in Hot Cars are a Scottish band which became popular in the UK and international music scene at the same time as Biffy Clyro and Franz Ferdinand.
The band’s name comes from a RSPCA campaign to advise dog owners not to leave their pets in hot cars. The band lists their influences among others as Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers,XTC and Talking Heads.
The band posted a blog on their MySpace on September 18, 2007 indicating that they have decided to end all work on a new album. With this news they also said that they are going their separate ways and may or may not reunite.
A song of the band’s, entitled ‘Nobody Teaches Life Anything’ (found on 2004 release ‘Man Bites Man’ EP) was used in a lengthy television advertising campaign in the UK by Boots.
In April 2008, the band announced on their website that they have started again on their second album and released several free songs on their blog for fans to remix.
2001 – James Myers, whose 2-minute, 8-second tune “Rock Around the Clock” is considered the granddaddy of all rock’n'roll songs, dies of leukemia. He is 81. Myers wrote the song with Max Freedman in 1953.
1919-2001
JAMES E. MYERS
a.k.a. JIMMY DeKNIGHT
Posted May 11th – From the Associated Press:
Songwriter James Myers dies;
co-wrote ‘Rock Around the Clock’
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — James Myers, whose two-minute, eight-second tune “Rock Around the Clock” is considered the granddaddy of all rock ‘n’ roll songs, has died of leukemia. He was 81.
Myers, who died Wednesday, wrote the song with Max Freedman in 1953. Bill Haley & His Comets recorded it in 1954, and it soared to the top of the charts in 1955 as the theme song of the teen rebel movie “The Blackboard Jungle.”
With its rockabilly sound, the song was considered a breakthrough for crossing racial barriers by borrowing from rhythm and blues.
Myers, who also wrote under the name Jimmy DeKnight, wrote more than 300 songs and had bit parts in movies and TV shows, but “Rock Around the Clock” remained his most famous work.
He said the melody evolved in his head over a few years before he finally wrote it down. While picking out the tune on a piano at his office one day, his friend Freedman joined him.
“When we finished it he said, `What are you going to call it?’ I said, ‘Rock Around The Clock,”‘ Myers said in an interview with the Rockabilly Hall of Fame in Burns, Tenn.
“And he said, `Why rock? What’s that mean? Why not “Dance Around The Clock?”‘ And I said, ‘I just have a gut feeling and since I’m half writer and whole publisher, I’m the boss! Right!’ So, we called it ‘Rock Around The Clock.”‘
The song was No. 1 for eight weeks and went on to sell 22 million copies worldwide. It has been recorded by more than 500 artists, from Mae West to the Sex Pistols, and has been used in more than 40 movies and on TV shows such as “Happy Days.”
“It sounded like nothing else,” said Howard Kramer, associate curator for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland. “The drums and guitar on that song sound like nothing else. The snare drum on that was like a howitzer going off.”
Dick Clark called the song “the anthem of rock ‘n’ roll.” Disc jockey Alan Freed pronounced it “the daddy of rock ‘n’ roll” songs.
A Philadelphia native, Myers was a drummer in his own band before joining the Army during World War II. After serving in the South Pacific, he returned to his hometown to become a songwriter, country music promoter and music publisher.
Marshall Lytle, the bass player who played “Rock Around the Clock” with Bill Haley & His Comets, said he realized how big the song was as the band drove to Boston from New York in Haley’s new Cadillac and turned on the radio.
“It was one of those new car radios, where you pushed a button and it went to the next station,” he said. “I turned on the radio and hit the button and the station was playing ‘Rock Around the Clock.’ I hit the button again and the next station was playing ‘Rock Around the Clock,’ and the next station too.
“Within two minutes that morning, I heard `Rock Around the Clock’ playing on 12 different stations simultaneously.”
Myers estimated he made $10 million in royalties from the tune.
“He figured out that at any given moment, ‘Rock Around the Clock’ is playing somewhere in the world,” Lytle said.
Myers, who lived in Bonita Springs, Fla., for the last year, will be buried in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Myers told the News-Press of Fort Myers last year that he didn’t set out to create a style of music; he just wanted to make people feel happy.
2000 – The Offspring’s Dexter Holland testifies in court that the Dead Kennedys’ credibility would suffer if their music is used in a TV commercial. Jello Biafra and the other Dead Kennedys are involved in a legal tussle over the rights to the San Francisco punk group’s music.
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
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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.
![Elvis in \"Jail House Rocks\"](http://www.thisdayinrock.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/elvis-jailhouse-1.jpg "Elvis in \\"Jail House Rocks\\"")
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