BackinMemphis

I hope that everyone has a happy New Year! I hope 2011 is an incredible year for each and every one of you! I hope all of your worries disappear and all of your good fortune carries on!  If you're traveling tonight, please be responsible and safe on the roads! I am taking vacation BACK IN MEMPHIS and I look forward to seeing so many of you here very soon! It's nice to come from 31 inches of snow to Memphis :) I thank all of my friends for your support and positive feedback for Backinmemphis.com and I promise you 2011 will be even better my friends! Happy New Year! Now let's celebrate ELVIS!

Dear All: I've received inquiries asking about sending flowers for Myrna.  Myrna's body is being cremated.  There is no funeral or service or viewing, & Myrna's ashes are not being buried or interred.  Myrna's brother advised he will take the urn with Myrna's ashes home & place it on the mantle next to her mother's urn. For those who want to do something, I believe Myrna would most like a charitable donation made in her honor.  Myrna was a very giving person & always thinking of others.  Most Elvis fans give to charity or belong to a fan club that supports one or more charities.  Since the fans are the ones who helped Myrna, I think she would be proud to have donations made to fan club supported charities in her honor/memory.  And, since the fans are the people who took on the role of Myrna's family & helped her, the fan clubs & fans can post the information regarding anything done in Myrna's honor &, thus, keep her Elvis F...

 “The Complete Elvis Presley Masters” is a marvel to behold, and a behemoth to explore. Over its 30 CDs are the astonishing array of music that the King of Rock 'n' Roll recorded over a quarter century -- 711 master tracks, more than triple what the Beatles issued during their career, plus more than 100 other outtakes, unreleased songs and live performances. And even though 162 of those songs on the new box set charted during Presley’s lifetime, that leaves a monstrous amount far less known, a source of considerable pride and pleasure to Ernst Jorgensen, the Danish record exec and lifelong Elvis fan who’s been in charge of his catalog reissues for the last 20 years. “When Elvis died in 1977, who thought we would ever find four demos recorded by him before he ever made a recording at Sun Records?” Jorgensen told me during an interview for a story that appeared Friday in Calendar.   “That has to be the highlight of the rarities section. We found so many things simply by b...

Dear All: As I told you earlier today, the amount we had in Myrna's account (the account at Premier America Credit Union to which the fans have so generously donated) was $1,099.60 & I was hoping it would be enough to cover her cremation if we needed to pay for that. First I will tell you that neither Myrna's brother (John) nor her son (Martin) came forward to pay for Myrna's final expenses. I received a request from John to give him the money to pay for the cremation. I said I would only pay the money directly to the establishment providing cremation services. The total amount due to The Alpha Society was $1,110.63 - this amount covers cremation, pick up of the body, completing & filing documents required upon death, and the urn for Myrna's ashes. I made up the small amount we were short & left $9 in the account to cover a monthly service charge of $4.50 for Dec. & Jan. (there is a service charge only when the account drops below the minimum). ...

More than a little late, but Elvis Presley Enterprises finally acknowledged Myrna Smith of The Sweet Inspirations. Today, 3 days after her passing they sent out their fan club newsletter with this blurb at the bottom (No photo, no personal sentiment): Remembering Myrna Smith We regret to inform you of the passing of Myrna Smith on Friday night, Christmas Eve. Myrna was singer and song-writer, and a member of the group Sweet Inspirations, who recorded and performed with Elvis Presley from 1969-1977. She also sang back-up for other stars including Dusty Springfield and Aretha Franklin. Along with their professional relationship, Myrna and Elvis were also close friends. Our thoughts and prayers go out to her family. I wish they would have let the fans know Myrna was sick and acknowledged her while she was with us. Because although there are many fan sites, Elvis.com has the power to reach an incredible number of fans.Unfortunately, EPE has changed so much since Patsy Andersen h...

Dear All: This is a difficult Email to send, but it is what is best for Myrna.  I think many of you already know, but Myrna passed approx. 1:45 PM Pacific (California) time Dec, 24.  She is now with the Lord & she is again well & singing.  I'm sorry I didn't get this out sooner. I know the plans are for a cremation.  My guess is the urn with Myrna's ashes will be taken back to her house & put on the mantel next to those of her mother (this is an assumption on my part).  When I get information, I will pass it along.  Myrna's brother (John) has said he does not have any money to take care of final arrangements.  We currently have $1,099 in Myrna's account that has been donated by fans &, I believe, that may be just enough for cremation.  Please do not send any more donations at this time.  We need to first find out what is needed. All of you are Myrna's true family.  You are the ones who stepped forward to help Myrna ...

Photo by Megan Murphy - backinmemphis.com   Winfield Scott "Scotty" Moore III (born December 27, 1931 near Gadsden, Tennessee) is an American guitarist. He is best known for his backing of Elvis Presley in the first part of his career, between 1954 and the beginning of Elvis' Hollywood years. He was ranked forty-fourth in Rolling Stone magazine's list of 100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time. Want to learn more about Scotty Moore? Visit his official web site which is filled with incredible research, photos, articles & you can even purchase autographed photos & books! Scotty Moore's Official Web Site

February 2010 Frankfurt, Germany Listen to that incredible voice! Rest In Peace Our Sweet Inspiration!

Liberty Bowl Stadium, Memphis, TN Fri, Dec 31, 2010 02:30 PM Section 103 Row  12 $225.00 for the set. I will mail the tickets priority mail with insurance. Email me directly if interested, I will send scans of the tickets and exact seat numbers. I will only except PAYPAL. Megan@backinmemphis.com

Elvis Presley & Myrna Smith It is with deep sadness that we inform you all that Myrna Smith passed away last night. After a difficult battle, she now will rest in peace. Personally, I would like to thank Carole Drexler who was by Myrna's side and gave her lots of TLC and support. Carole also kept us all informed on Myrna's condition and passed along our thoughts and wishes to Myrna. Thank you Carole. Myrna was 69 years old.

Al's No-Drip Soup Bowl Invention photo © Jill Furmanovsky "Seasons Greetings Love and peace to all & a Happy, Healthy, Dripless New Year! Alfred Wertheimer" BackinMemphis.com received this inventive Christmas card in our mailbox from our pal, Al Wertheimer just before the holidays! Thanks Al for thinking of your loyal friends @ backinmemphis.com Happy Holidays!

Hunter Foster Talks to BIM @ MDQ in NYC Back in October, I had the unique opportunity of meeting the entire cast of the Broadway musicial, Million Dollar Quartet. Hunter Foster, pictured above originated the role of Sam Phillips on Broadway. And he really captures the larger than life persona of the great Sam Phillips. So it is with great sadness that I tell you, Foster is on leave from the production to star in the world-premiere musical Little Miss Sunshine at the La Jolla Playhouse. Foster's return date has not been determined. To me, this is an incredible loss to the show. James Moye as Sam Phillips   His understudy, James Moye took over the role on December 21, 2010. I think Hunter is also more age approriate to play Sam during that time period. And Hunter really captures Sam's spirit. And I do not think many can truly do that. Many times when people portray Sam, they play him as a greedy, cocky man. Hunter shows a softer Sam. The Sam Phillips many of us had ...

David Letterman says it's not Christmas until Darlene Love sings this song in NYC. Well, I had the honor of seeing Darlene perform earlier this month at the Million Dollar Quartet Broadway show. And I wanted to share this with you. I also had the honor of seeing Darlene rehearse before the show and met her after the show where I talked to her about recording with Elvis, Memphis, her induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame and many other subjects and I will be bringing you that complete story after the holidays. So I guess it's Christmas my friends! I hope Santa is very good to all of you! And please be safe traveling during this holiday season! We'll have a few new stories this holiday weekend and we'll revisit some previous stories as well. I will be away celebrating the holiday with my family and will be back with more news and exclusives on Monday! I look forward to seeing many of you in Memphis very soon! Merry Christmas Friends! Megan Murphy www.ba...

New York's super Elvis fan Jackie DeMarco has beautifully decorated her Christmas tree entirely with Elvis ornaments and decorations. It's one of the most beautiful trees I have ever seen and I asked Jackie if I could share it with all of you! Merry Christmas!

Why Elvis would like Viva: "Knowing Elvis, who loved entertainment of all kinds, the fact that the show is on the Strip in Las Vegas, where he loved to perform, where his presence is, I think he'd be very honored," Presley says. The two were married there in 1967. Her influence on the show: "The big deal for me is that his style, his singing, his voice all comes from gospel, so they're adding a little more of that to give you more of a journey." Priscilla's favorite Elvis song: Bridge Over Troubled Water. "We were in Vegas when the horse he had gifted me passed away. He sang that song to me. Every time I hear it, that's what I think of." Least favorite Elvis song: "The movie songs. They were certainly not him." What we still might not know about Elvis: He admired other entertainers and wasn't threatened by their coming to Vegas. "Elvis always felt there was room for everyone. Tom Jones, Cher, Nancy Sinatra ...

Dear All: This is a hard Email for me to write.  Myrna is still in the hospital & I found out last night that hospice has been brought in.  This means that dialysis treatments have been stopped and no other life support procedures will be implemented.  I visited Myrna last night, it is very hard indeed to see her like this.  But, I do believe this is what is best for Myrna, because for some time now she has been existing (not living), & she has been getting progressively worse.  I will do my best to keep you updated.  Please keep Myrna in your prayers. Please Note: (i) Please don't send cards or mail to Myrna at the Canyon Oaks Center address at this time.  Myrna's friend Diane will pick up the mail accumulated there & we will read it to Myrna.  (ii) At this time, I don't know what Myrna's immediate financial needs will be, so you may want to hold off sending checks to Myrna's account at Premier America Credit Union until I know ...

Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth Top 2010's "Most Dangerous Autographs" Forgeries of well-known entertainment, sports and historical figures -- such as Elvis Presley, the Beatles, John F. Kennedy, Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and Mickey Mantle -- top the year's "Most Dangerous Autographs" lists compiled by experts at PSA/DNA Authentication Services of Santa Ana, California, the world's largest autograph authentication company. Buyers beware: many alleged Babe Ruth autographs are bogus, many purported Elvis Presley signatures should be marked "return to sender." Over half of the signatures of some famous sports, historical and entertainment figures submitted in 2010 to PSA/DNA Authentication Services of Santa Ana, California were judged to be fakes. Babe Ruth and Elvis Presley topped the PSA/DNA lists of "the most dangerous autographs" of the year. "As a result of the popularity and value of many autographs, a good portion of them are forge...

Mexican singer Thalia, no stranger to fame in her home land (she rose to fame in the 90s after starring on popular TV shows, subsequently releasing a few solo record albums that topped the charts), shares a duet with the King on the companion album to the Cirque du Soleil show. Released by Sony records in an effort to get a younger generation interested in Presley's music, the album features new remixes and updates to his songs with added elements such as Hip-Hop and Alternative Rock stylings. Thalia sings with the King on his all-time classic "Love Me Tender" on "Viva Elvis - The Album"; and our Stephanie Nolasco recently caught up with her and discussed the project... When did you first learn about Viva Elvis the album? Thalia: I received a phone call from my record company saying "We have a project from you, I don't know if you're interested, but you'll be duetting with Elvis Presley," and I was like "What???" They told m...

Goner Records in Memphis, TN. has recently sold a special advanced promotional copy of the SOLD OUT The Complete Elvis Presley Masters for $ 1, 225.00 US Dollars. Someone is going to be very happy on Christmas morning!

“Who the Hell’s limousine is that?” On a late July evening in 1974, that was Elvis Presley’s reaction to the sight of a long, black limo parked in front of the General Cinema in Memphis--one of Elvis’s favorite spots for personal midnight movie screenings. The limo happened to belong to another superstar rocker who had made a special pilgrimage to meet Elvis. It was up to Jerry Schilling, one of Elvis’s Memphis Mafia entourage, to remind the King that he had consented to such a visit.  “I think it’s probably Eric’s, E,” said Schilling. “Who’s Eric?” Presley asked. “Eric Clapton. You said he could come by to say hello, remember?” “Well, fine. We just don’t need a damned limousine parked in front of the theater.” Elvis didn’t normally have anything against limousines, and usually didn’t mind being the center of attention when out in public, but the movie theater was one place where he preferred to keep things low-key and extremely private. Guests had to be invited or cleared by...

On December 21, 1970, Elvis Presley sealed his fate as the first rock and roller who got too old and joined the Man. The White House meeting between The King and Richard Nixon was the former's idea -- he'd written a six-page letter proposing the visit and asking to be made a Federal Agent-At-Large in the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs.

Stage and television star Bill Ward will play Sam Phillips in the London production of the musical Million Dollar Quartet, which will play the Noel Coward Theatre, beginning February 8, with an opening set for February 28.

Grammy nominee Lee Rocker will make his Broadway debut as Jay Perkins in Million Dollar Quartet when he joins the show for 12 performances only, January 21–31, 2011. Rocker joins the cast while Corey Kaiser, who originated the role on Broadway, takes a previously scheduled vacation. Rocker is the bassist and vocalist for the Grammy-nominated band the Stray Cats, which he co-founded with Brian Setzer and Slim Jim Phantom. The band has sold nearly 10 million albums and garnered 23 gold and platinum records worldwide. Million Dollar Quarter re-creates the December 4, 1956, recording session that brought together rock icons Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. The show, starring Eddie Clendening (as Elvis Presley), Lance Guest (as Johnny Cash), Levi Kreis (as Jerry Lee Lewis), Rob Lyons (as Carl Perkins), Hunter Foster (as Sun Records’ Sam Phillips) and Elizabeth Stanley (Dyanne) includes some of the actual songs that were performed on the day as well as standard...

Check out Cowboy Jack Clement's booth @ the Folk Alliance Conference in Memphis, TN. Wednesday, February 16, 2011 12:00 PM - Sunday, February 20, 2011 9:00 PM Memphis Downtown Marriott & Convention Center 250 North Main Street Memphis, Tennessee 38103

Elvis Presley: The best selling solo artist in history [Paperback] Edward R. Miller-Jones (Author) Product Description Reaching the number of one billion in record sales means only one thing ? music royalty. Indeed - Elvis was and still is the King of rock and roll. It would be hard to overrate Presley's influence on contemporary music ? merging styles, creating trends, working on ground-breaking performances ? all this and then some can be attributed to the King's accomplishments. His legacy lives on in thousands of impersonators, millions of fans and an industry solely devoted to ''all things Elvis''. In order to find out more about Elvis Aaron Presley, his life, work and cultural impact ? read this book. Paperback: 180 pages Publisher: FastBook Publishing (28 Oct 2010) Language English

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame class of 2011 is playing in the key of D. Popmeister Neil Diamond, New Orleans singer-pianist Dr. John and girl-group legend Darlene Love are all on the list, along with shock-rocker Alice Cooper and bohotroubadour Tom Waits. "I'd like Elvis Presley (to induct me), but he's not available," the 69-year-old Diamond joked to QMI shortly after being nominated in the fall. "I think it's great to be recognized." Cooper told Rolling Stone he plans to reunite the surviving members of his '70s band to perform at the official ceremonies in New York City in March. Diamond was quoted saying he will shuffle some dates on his Australian tour to attend. Rockers who might not be in the house include Bon Jovi, Beastie Boys, Donovan, Chic, LL Cool J and Donna Summer. They were also on the ballot -along with late greats such as Laura Nyro, Joe Tex and Chuck Willis -but didn't make the cut. Artists are eligible 25 years after the...

Interview with Roben Jones, Author of The Memphis Boys By Megan M. Murphy Tell us about the book.   My book, ''Memphis Boys'', is about the lives and work of the musicians at Chips Moman's American Studios,the Memphis studio that gave the world so many important recordings, including Elvis' famous comeback session in 1969. The book begins around 1964,when the musicians first began working together,and ends in 1972, when Chips moved the studio to Atlanta.   What was the inspiration behind the book?   That can be answered in several ways.The impetus behind my writing it was a conversation with the group's bassist,Mike Leech. Mike knew I loved the group's work and had collected it for years, so he suggested I try documenting their history. It was an honor just to be asked,and certainly the honor of my life to do it.I'd been inspired to collect American Studios recordings in the first place because of the great productions and playing done by Tommy Cogbi...

Rumor has it....The estate of Elvis Presley has "allegedly" filed   legal action against Henrik Knudsen & his business Elvis Unlimited for his Graceland Randers project dating back to July. The legal action has "allegedly" been extended to February. It will be interesting to see if the project will have to change it's name and/or hand over it's Danish copyright to the estate of Elvis Presley. Or if the entire project will have to be canned. This will be great publicity for the project itself however it all turns out. We wish the unofficial fan club the very best of luck with the project!

All: On Dec. 16, Myrna was, yet again, sent from dialysis to the hospital.  I will pass on any further information I get. Carole

Bob  King’s renowned watering hole was completely destroyed by fire at approximately 1 a.m. Monday.The legendary local landmark contained countless memorabilia from the various artists who performed there during the years.  Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty and Johnny Cash are some of the more notable acts to have passed through the doors at the nightclub, located just north of Swifton on the stretch of blacktop now known as Rock ‘n’ Roll Highway 67.  It was the last original landmark along the ceremonial highway. The blaze is currently under investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Department, but authorities are uncertain exactly what triggered the flames.

The entrance room inside the trophy building at the Graceland mansion is getting a new look. The room now features an interactive timeline celebrating 1956, the year Elvis Presley skyrocketed to superstardom. The new display will be unveiled on January 8, 2011 during the Elvis Presley Birthday Celebration!  

EPE sent out these strong warnings to fan clubs today: Questions on DVD Project: We have received a few questions regarding a new DVD project that includes footage of Elvis' 1977 concerts, including the 1977 CBS concert. In order to answer those questions and because some of the Elvis fan club presidents include merchandise on their Web sites, we wanted you to be aware of our stance on this subject. EPE owns copyright in Elvis' recorded performances, such as the footage in this DVD. EPE is also the owner of the copyrights in and to the 1977 CBS television special. Therefore this is considered infringement and EPE is in the process of taking legal action against the producers of this DVD. As always, we request that official Elvis Presley fan clubs refrain from carrying bootleg and illegal product on their Web sites, or from promoting such bootleg and illegal product. Question: Is EPE bullying the fans? What's your thoughts?

The Regional Medical Center at Memphis has a new center that will provide sleeping quarters and conference space for the surgeons who staff The Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center. Will Pierce, assistant systems adminstrator for the MED, hooks up computers inside the MED’s new Trauma Training and On-Call Facility. (Photos: Lance Murphey) The new Trauma Training and On-Call Center made its public debut Thursday afternoon as The MED invited donors, board members and staff to tour it during an open house. The Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center is the only level-one trauma center in a 150-mile radius of Memphis. “This becomes the first step in giving (the surgeons) what they’ve deserved for many years,” said MED President and CEO Dr. Reginald Coopwood. “They sleep all over the hospital, and when a helicopter comes in, they have to come running.” A former outpatient facility that was no longer being used was renovated extensively to create the new Trauma Training and On-Call Center,...

Live at Mohegan Sun Arena on February 12th Elvis Presley In Concert is coming to the Arena stage at Mohegan Sun for a one-night-only special presentation on Saturday, February 12th at 8:00pm. Elvis Presley In Concert is an astounding production that reunites former Elvis band mates live on stage with a state-of-the-art video-projected Elvis. Tickets are $60.00 & $40.00 and go on sale Friday, December 17th at 10:00am through Ticketmaster. Ticketmaster customers may log on to ticketmaster.com; call Ticketmaster’s national toll free Charge by Phone number 1.800.745.3000 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              1.800.745.3000      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or visit any Ticketmaster outlet. Tickets will also be available at the Mohegan Sun Box Office beginning on Saturday, December 18th, subject to availability. The show’s concept is to present an authentic as possible Elvis Presley co...

All: Visited Myrna Sunday, she is back at Canyon Oaks, same room (address below).  Thanks for all the great cards you keep sending, there were quite a lot to read to Myrna & I know it really helps her to know how many people love her & care about her.  We read all of the cards to Myrna & show them to her.  There were some pretty yellow flowers from fans in Belgium - thank you.  Myrna sleeps much of the time & needs a lot of care as she is not able to do things for herself.  Thank you to those who have sent checks to Myrna's account, she appreciate your help.  The money has been & will be used for Myrna's immediate medical/care needs.  Please keep Myrna in your prayers. Carole The address for sending cards to Myrna is: Myrna Smith Canyon Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Room 408A 22029 Saticoy Street Canoga Park, CA 91303 USA ---------------------------------------------- Bank Account for Myrna Smith’s Medical ...

Since "Snow White and the Huntsman" has almost nailed down its huntsman in the form of the Inglorious Basterd Michael Fassbender, the Black Listed screenplay is now in search of its Snow White. Universal had offered the role up to Kristen Stewart, Dakota Fanning and Saoirse Ronan (though they weren't on our own wishlist), but according to The Hollywood Reporter the studio has opted to go with a relatively unknown lead. Some of the names, however are a little bit better known than others. Universal is holding screen tests with Riley Keough, the granddaughter of Elvis Presley, who appeared opposite Stewart and Fanning earlier this year in "The Runaways." She certainly has skin as white as snow and lips as red as rose, and with some dark black hair we could totally see her in the role. The other better-known actress from the bunch if Felicity Jones, an English actress who's currently in theaters in Julie Taymor's "The Tempest." But the other two...

Lisa Marie Presley is reportedly working on a new album. Lisa Marie Presley is in a London studio working on her third album for a possible 2011 release date. Lisa Marie Presley has also reportedly left Los Angeles for London. Lisa Marie Presley had previously lived in Hidden Hills. But recent reports say that Presley has sold her Hidden Hills estate for $5 million to move to London for two reasons – a different lifestyle and to prepare for a new album. Presley gave birth to twin babies in 2008. Lisa Marie has two children, age 19 and 15, from Danny Keough, her first husband. New York news claims that Presley and her family have moved to Kent. She told the Mail in 2009 that she was sick of Los Angeles, that it “gotten dramatically worse in the last five or six years, even more shallow if that’s even possible.” Presley is said to have found happiness and inspiration with her new London surroundings. Her new home reportedly includes upwards of 90 acres of land and 11 bedrooms.

Sun Records Pioneer Sonny Burgess To Perform At The 1st Annual Elvis Birthday Bash. Memphis , TN , November 23, 2010 —Elvis would of turned 76 years old in January and what better way to celebrate his birthday than in his hometown with fellow Sun Records Contemporary, Sonny Burgess.  Sonny Burgess recorded at Sun Studio from August 1956 to August 1958 releasing 5 singles including Red Headed Woman and We Wanna Boogie.  Sonny even opened for Elvis in October 1955 when Elvis came to his hometown of Newport , Ark. Joining Sonny on stage will be pumping piano player Smoochy Smith who with his group The Mar-Keys had the first top ten hit on Stax Records in 1961 with Last Night.  Smoochy also got his start at Sun Records as a session player backing up such legends as Billy Lee Riley, Ace Cannon and Warren Smith.   This won’t be the first meeting between Sonny and Smoochy.  Sonny and Smoochy were part of The Sun Rhythm Section along with Paul Burlison, Marcus V...

Megan, thank you for your interest in me, and most importantly, my radio show, Elvis Only.  We’re heard for an hour once a week on radio stations across the US and Canada.  Our latest station lineup is available at http://www.elvisonly.com/ .  I hope your readers enjoy my story. In the spirit of Elvis’ 1969 monologues, I started out  – as a child.  I grew up in the early 1970s in Worcester, Massachusetts. My father was into Elvis, and he owned a small collection of the most recent albums.  We had one of those console stereos that were popular at the time.  He’d come home from work and relax by stretching out on the living room floor, with his head between the two speakers, listening to Elvis.  I was in grade school at the time, and I couldn’t help but hear the music that he played night after night.  I wasn’t an Elvis fan at that point, by any stretch, but I certainly knew more of Elvis’ contemporary music than my friends at May Street Sch...