Steven Tyler - Elvis & American Idol

American Idol returns tonight! And all of America has fallen in love with Aerosmith's Steven Tyler! We found this clip of Steven talking about America's first rock star, Elvis Presley!



And if you missed Steven's brilliant interview with Oprah Winfrey on her new network, OWN. Check out this clip above with Steven talking about American Idol and what it takes to be a judge!

Greg Pages returns to The Wiggles

GREG Page had given up on the idea of being a Wiggle. When illness forced him to retire from the famous Australian group five years ago, Page's only connection to the entertainment world was the Elvis Presley museum he had set up in Parkes, NSW.

Yesterday in Sydney, however, the 40-year-old donned his familiar yellow jersey and announced his return to the band he helped create 20 years ago with fellow musicians Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt and Anthony Field.

"It's really like I never left," Page told The Australian. "It's like I walked out the door yesterday and walked back in today. There is still the same chemistry between us."

Page was forced to quit the Wiggles in 2006 after contracting a rare illness, dysautonomia, which causes fatigue, making it difficult for him to meet the demands of being on stage. He was replaced in the act by singer Sam Moran, who had been an understudy in the group beforehand.
The full digital experience


Moran stood down yesterday to allow Page to return.

Moran, who released a solo album in 2010, said in a statement he would be pursuing other interests and spending more time with his wife and two year-old daughter.

"I am very proud of my five years as the yellow Wiggle and the group's continued success with me as their lead singer."

Not all Wiggles fans were happy about the announcement, with some suggesting on the band's Facebook page that the Wiggles should become a five-piecewith Page and Moran.

"A lot of people have grown up with Sam and will be disappointed," Page acknowledges, "but I'll step in and hopefully we'll be able to connect with all of those children as well."

Page's condition has improved through treatment and he now feels strong enough to cope with the busy schedule.

"My health is good," he says.

"My condition is managed in a way that it doesn't affect me during the day, but of course recently I haven't been doing concerts so it is going to be a challenge being back on stage. I'm confident of being able to manage it because I have an understanding now of what the condition is."

The Wiggles are one of Australia's most successful musical exports. Last year they earned $28 million from touring globally and from sales of DVDs and CDs. Albums such as Yummy Yummy, Toot Toot and Here Comes the Big Red Car have made them a household name across the globe.

Page's first gig of his second phase as a Wiggle starts next week, when the four musos enter the recording studio to write and record new material for a DVD and CD. That will be followed by tours of Australia, Britain and the US in the coming months.

"I've had a look at the schedule for the year ahead and we're going to be working as hard as we used to," he says. "That's a good thing. It keeps everybody on their game."

Source: Australian

Ed Bonja - the man who shot Elvis

ELVIS Presley’s former tour manager and photographer Ed Bonja is bringing his unique collection of Elvis photographs to the Border, along with a treasure trove of his memories of the King.

Mr Bonja worked with the music superstar for almost seven years, up until a couple of months before he died.

As Elvis’ only official photographer, he built a large collection of images of the star snapped during hundreds of concerts, and intimate portraits taken in his private jet and home.

Most of those he took before 1975, when Presley was still strikingly handsome.

“I stopped taking pictures of him in June of 1975,” Mr Bonja said.

“When he came back to the tour he looked like he had put on weight, so I waited, but he never went back to what he used to be like.”

Mr Bonja said he walked away from the tour because the punishing lifestyle was killing him, too.

Back in those days, the tour manager didn’t just make sure the star of the show had everything they desired, they also had to sell mechandise and count the money at the end of the night.

“It was a different world in the 1970s,” he said.

Now Mr Bonja spends much of his time travelling the world, riding the wave of Elvis’ fame.

One of the things he often shares with people about his famous friend was that he was “a normal guy”.

“Some people who don’t know much about him find it hard to believe that he was really shy, people would give him compliments and he would blush,” Mr Bonja said.

“He wondered if people would remember him when he died and, well, here we are 35 years later.”

A collection of 150 of Mr Bonja’s photographs will be displayed at the Commercial Club on Saturday and Sunday.

Click Here for Audio 

Robert Sillerman launches Viggle - a social TV Media Venture

The man who ran the company that owns "American Idol" is back to take another crack at the entertainment business. Robert F.X. Sillerman, former chief exec of CKX Entertainment, went public Wednesday with launch plans for the first product to be released under his oddly named new company, Function(x). The venture is moving into the nascent social-TV space with a new app, dubbed Viggle, that rewards viewers for watching TV with a loyalty program not unlike the kind airlines have been using for years. What exactly Sillerman had in mind with Function(x) has been shrouded in mystery since he snapped up a dormant company, Gateway Industries, nearly a year ago and renamed it without saying much beyond his intent to get back into the media business. Sillerman already made a name for himself at CKX, which owned production company 19 Entertainment, the firm behind "Idol" and the licensing rights to dead celebrities including Elvis Presley. Before starting CKX in 2005, Sillerman bought and sold major holdings in the radio and concert businesses. But Sillerman was left standing on the sidelines at CKX after making a futile bid to retain control of the company. He was replaced as CEO of CKX, which was sold last year to a group of investors led by Apollo Global Management. Now Sillerman is back with Viggle, likely the first of a fleet of services that will be positioned at the intersection of media and technology. Viggle is yet another check-in service akin to GetGlue and Miso but with a twist: Instead of badges and stickers, its point system translates to more substantial gifts from companies including Burger King, Fandango and Hulu Plus.

Function(x) Inc. (Symbol:FNCX), founded by media and entertainment entrepreneur Robert F.X. Sillerman, announced today the upcoming availability of Viggle®, a rewards-based loyalty program for television. Viggle, which will be available initially as a free download in the iTunes App Store, awards its users points for checking into TV shows. Points can be redeemed within the app for dozens of rewards from companies such as Burger King, Sephora, Fandango and the Hulu Plus subscription service or converted into charitable donations. “Watch TV, Get Rewards. Viggle is a simple idea that will transform the television viewing experience” “Watch TV, Get Rewards. Viggle is a simple idea that will transform the television viewing experience,” said Chris Stephenson, president of Function(x). “People love TV and, for the first time, they are getting rewarded not only for their loyalty, but also for checking out new shows. We think viewers will love it – as will networks and brands.” Viggle works with live, recorded and online TV content from more than 100 channels today and more are being added daily. Shows with check-in bonuses are featured in the “What’s On” section, where people are also able to set reminders and “like” shows. Viggle curates all of the Twitter discussions related to each television show, its cast and crew in the “Chatter” section. People are able to link Viggle to their Facebook and Twitter accounts, making it easy for users to post comments directly to these social networks. Vibrant, behind-the-scenes experiences and access to unique footage and bonus offers are all part of the Viggle experience. “TV check-in applications have not yet proven that they can move audiences who just want to sit and watch,” said Rob Enderle, principal analyst at The Enderle Group. “Rewards have worked in the past to motivate people to change their behavior and Viggle’s focus on real rewards may be the critical difference that drives TV audiences to participate.” In addition to more than 100 channels that Viggle works with automatically, the company is collaborating on show-specific engagements with a variety of networks, cable and production companies. With the ability to engage viewers with unique content, real-time polls and quizzes, and reward them for their loyalty to shows, Viggle represents a unique opportunity to help increase network ratings. “We look forward to providing a platform and service for our network partners to build their own second screen experiences,” said Janet Scardino, chief executive officer of Function(x). “Our vision is for Viggle to become a broad currency for loyalty across all TV and we’re excited about helping networks drive audience tune-in and engagement.” The free Viggle app will soon be available in the U.S. for download through the iTunes App Store for all iOS devices. Special versions for iPad, Android and the Web will follow shortly. To be notified of availability, please visit www.viggle.com. About Viggle® Viggle is a loyalty program for television that gives people real rewards for checking into the television shows they’re watching. Currently available for Apple iPhone®, iPad® and iPod Touch®, Viggle automatically identifies what television shows its users are watching and awards them points when they check-in. Viggle users can redeem their points in the app’s rewards catalogue for items such as movie tickets, music and gift cards. For more information, visit http://www.viggle.com. About Function(x) Function(x) Inc. was founded by media entrepreneur Robert F.X. Sillerman, who has pioneered a number of successful television, radio and live entertainment businesses. Sillerman created Function(x) in June 2010 to develop new business models and digital products and services that encourage consumers to engage with entertainment such as TV, movies, games and music. The company is publicly listed as FNCX. For more information, visit http://www.functionxinc.com or follow us on Twitter @FunctionXinc. This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected or anticipated. All information provided in this press release is as of January 18, 2012. Except as required by law, Function(x) Inc. undertakes no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

The Blackwood Gospel Quartet to perform with Jerry Presley - Walnut Ridge, Ark Baseball Fund Raiser

JERRY PRESLEY'S MUSIC SHOW WITH GUEST STARS - THE BLACKWOOD GOSPEL QUARTET

(A BENEFIT SHOW FOR UPDATING THE WALNUT RIDGE BASEBALL PARK FOR THE KIDS)

DATE:            SATURDAY, JANUARY 21, 2012

TIME:             7:00 PM

LOCATION:  WALNUT RIDGE COMMUNITY CENTER THEATER
                         504 SOUTHERN AVENUE
                         WALNUT RIDGE, ARKANSAS 72476

TICKETS:       $10.00 ADVANCE,   $15.00 AT DOOR

TICKETS AVAILABLE AT:

MONI'S RESTAURANT -  115 WEST ELM STREET, WALNUT RIDGE, AR.
PHONE NUMBER - 870-886-7521

WALNUT RIDGE CITY HALL - MAIN STREET, WALNUT RIDGE, AR.
PHONE NUMBER - 870-886-6638

 CAN ALSO PURCHASE ONLINE AT - www.elvisfansunited.com

VIEW SHOW LIVE FROM YOUR COMPUTER THROUGH PAY-PER-VIEW AT elvisfansunited.com
PRE-REGISTRATION FOR PAY-PER-VIEW PARTICIPATION IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED


Source: Patsy Andersen