BackinMemphis

City leaders held a ground breaking at the place where Elvis Presley was born as it will soon expand 10,000 plus square-feet. Project plans estimate to cost about $6.6 million including a theater, reception hall, walking trail, and other displays. Two and a half million dollars for this upgrade comes from the Mississippi Legislature, a wise investment according to some of our tourism experts. "For every dollar we spend in advertising and marketing in the state of Mississippi we get about seven dollars returned on that one dollar," says Neal McCoy, Director of the Tupelo Convention and Visitor's Bureau. "So this is a good sound investment we think will attract visitors." "We're the number one tourist attraction for the State of Mississippi. The state tourism people realize that and they're not afraid to put money into a project like this," believes Executive Director of the Elvis Presley Memorial, Dick Guyton. Records show in 2010, the...

Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. Announces Record Number of Preliminaries for the 2011 Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest; President Clinton Center Joins as a Location Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) announced today that for the fifth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, there will be a record-breaking 26 preliminaries held around the world throughout the spring and summer. Clinton Presidential Center in Arkansas joins as one of the preliminary contest locations. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) announced today that for the fifth annual Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, there will be a record-breaking 26 preliminaries held around the world throughout the spring and summer. The 26 winners will then compete in Memphis, Tenn., on August 11 and 12, 2011, during Elvis Week. Just added to the list of preliminary contests will be one at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock, Ark. This preliminary, held July 16, will help celebrate two new temporary ...

TAMPA — A Seminole Heights restaurant where Elvis Presley once ate reopened Tuesday morning after a fire the previous night. The good news for Elvis fans: The booth where he ate was not damaged. Crews responded just before 10 p.m. Monday to reports of smoke at Nicko's Fine Foods, 4603 N Florida Ave. Firefighters found light smoke coming from an electrical panel on the roof. Owner Dee Liakos said a passerby noticed the neon sign on the building was on fire and called authorities. The diner was closed for the evening but reopened for business as usual Tuesday morning. The fire did not spread through the diner, Liakos said, and there was only some mess near the back door when firefighters entered to make sure no one was inside. "Nothing happened inside, thank God," Liakos said. Elvis ate at the diner, then called Ayres Diner, in 1956 after a concert at the Fort Homer Hesterly Armory. A plaque at booth three on the north side of the restaurant recalls the occasi...

MEMPHIS, TN - (WMC-TV) - The Beatles took the stage at the Mid-South Coliseum in 1966. Elvis performed in front of a hometown crowd in the 70's. Wrestling great Jerry "The King" Lawler once drew huge crowds as well. "I literally performed there every Monday night for close to 30 years," says Lawler. The former mayoral candidate is among those who would hate to see the old arena go down for the count. "I always think it's a shame to see something fall by the wayside in the name of "progress," says Lawler. Although not yet approved by the city council, plans for continued redevelopment of the fairgrounds and adjacent Liberty Bowl include only demolition for the long empty coliseum. "The question we have to ask is there a higher and better use for that piece of land?" asks Memphis Mayor A C Wharton. "I have my opinion," he adds. "I think there is," says Wharton. A non-compete clause at FedExForum en...

In this part of our interview with Jan Shepard, she tells us the story about the day Elvis Presley met his idol, Hollywood legend Marlon Brando!

BackinMemphis.com has exclusively learned that a major documentary mini series on Elvis Presley is in the works. This mini series will air on a major US broadcast network possibly in 2012. The documentary will air in several parts on consecutive nights. The documentary series promises to be THE ultimate docu-series on the life of Elvis Presley. The documentary will be like none we have ever seen before. It will include unseen footage and photos of Elvis as well as concert and movie outtakes. We'll bring you more on this story soon! UPDATE : This Documentary has NOTHING to do with Red West and although EPE is not willing to confirm this documentary, I stand by my story and my sources. Now that their previous commitments include Viva Elvis have been completed, producers are currently shopping around for rare and unseen footage of Elvis Presley for this major documentary. This will a be monster project and my sources tells me they are definately persuing this project. So take it for...

Classified FBI files that have now been made public reveal that the American domestic intelligence agency spied on the Beatles and Michael Jackson in case they disturbed national security. The secret files say that other stars like Frank Sinatra, John Denver, Jimi Hendrix and the boss of Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) were also spied upon, The Sun reported. The FBI described John Lennon as a "radically orientated" druggie. The agency mentions him and wife Yoko Ono in around 200 pages for posing nude for an album. King of Pop Michael Jackson was mentioned in the FBI files after the agency helped California police investigate child molestation charges against him. A total of 34 pages are devoted to late guitar legend Jimi Hendrix on his marijuana possession. The files also mention that he was a contributor to a hippy magazine called "The Chicago Kaleidoscope". US agents also took interest in the band Kiss and rap star Tupac . A dossier was opened on Frank Sinatr...

Back in January, Patsy Andersen (former Elvis Presley Enterprises Fan Relations Manager) & I spent some time in Nashville visiting friends and conducting interviewws. On this evening, we stopped by to see the cowboy and I got my camera out to start filming as we discussed how the Million Dollar Quartet came to be. We also asked Cowboy what he thought about Elvis, we talked about Sam Phillips, alittle Jerry Lee Lewis and much more. It's interesting that Cowboy says he thinks he was the first person Elvis told he was being inducted into the US Army. Enjoy this part of our evening with the great Cowboy Jack Clement. And we will bring you more from our time with Cowboy and other friends from Nashville very soon! Fore more on Cowboy Jack Clement, please visit: www.cowboyjackclement.com April 22 the Cowboy will be performing @ Joe's Pub here in NYC. If you are in the area, be sure to come see the show!

Elvis Presley & Joe Guercio Las Vegas Rock Reunion Hall Of Fame Mentor and Concert Conductor  Joe Guercio Joe is the father of Las Vegas Rock Reunion  Hall Of Fame Inductee Jim Guercio of the 1970's Las Vegas Band, Census, featuring Jim Guercio, Patrick O'Reilly and Evan Scott Hornsby. Joe Guercio has enjoyed a prolific career, but he is probably best known and admired for his work with Elvis Presley. He was musical director and conductor for Elvis' concert shows from the summer of 1970 to the summer of 1977 when Elvis made his last concert appearance. Elvis was known for spontaneity and improvisation on stage and the cast had to be ready for anything. Guercio remembers "He'd just turn around and start a tune. The rhythm section knew him backwards and forwards, but when you're up there conducting a twenty-six-piece orchestra, what are you gonna do?" In describing that experience, Guercio once commented good-naturedly that conducting for Elvis wa...

Guitar legend James Burton stands next to some of the guitars he donated to Linwood Public Charter School in Shreveport in March. Burton will be at the Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival this weekend to present free guitars to the Natchitoches chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of El Camino Real. / Greg Pearson/The Times Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and multiple Grammy winner James Burton will make a special appearance at the Natchitoches Jazz/R&B Festival this weekend to present free guitars to the Natchitoches chapter of the Boys & Girls Club of El Camino Real. He'll also perform. Burton learned to play the guitar and to love music at age 13, and got his start as a teenager playing on the Louisiana Hayride. Throughout his career he was worked with legends such John Denver, Frank Sinatra, Keith Richards, Roy Orbison, George Harrison, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Elvis Costello, and Brad Paisley, to name but a few, but he is most known for his role as lead guitarist...

The new image, which forms part of the denim brand's new A Lee Don’t Lie campaign, was shot by top photographer Terry Richardson. Lee Brand President, Gilles Laumonier, told MailOnline the company's mission was to capture candid images of its models, some of which cull up striking references to Miss Keough's grandfather. BIM: Hmmm....really? Elvis HATED blue jeans with a passion, they reminded him of being poor. Elvis always wore dress slacks. Lee jeans should use Riley's beauty and model status to promote their jeans and leave Elvis out of it.

Last Monday a severe storm knocked down trees, especially in East Memphis. on Friday, Sue and our friend Kay Shepard visited Audubon Drive. (I was home sick.) Yes, a tree had fallen on the garage. It could have been worse. Workmen on the scene allowed Sue and Kay to photograph the house and grounds. They could photograph many rooms through the windows. All photos created by Sue Mack. In the front of Audubon Drive, everything looks normal. To the left, a workman is walking towards the problem. Just beyond the gate and fence is the fallen tree.   The tree fell from the neighbor's property through the fence and hit part of the garage. Damage was not severe. . This is what replaced the pool. The pool center was covered and made level to the ground. The blue squares in center occupy the space that was once water. The small square tiles are replacements of original tiles, which formed the pool edge. Inside the pool house today. When i lived here the pool house was a m...

It was an absolutely beautiful day here! Spring is here! I hope your day was as beautiful as ours! After all that snow, bring on the sun!

The mother of all mother and daughter relationships is coming to OWN in new docu-series, and now you can watch the first 5 minutes of The Judds before it's broadcast debut! Catch the opening scene of The Judds, and then tune in for the special 2-hour series premiere on Sunday, April 10 at 9/8c, only on OWN.

For those of you who already purchased your tickets for this documentary, The following e-mail was sent out about a change of venue: Thank you for purchasing a ticket to “Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock ‘n’ Roll" Documentary Screening” on Saturday, August 13. This email is to notify you that the venue for the event has been changed from The Orpheum to the Rose Theater at the University of Memphis. The date and time for the event remain the same. Seating for the event will remain general admission. Since you have already purchased a ticket to the event, you will just need to present the Ticketmaster ticket you have purchased at the door of the Rose Theater on August 13 to exchange it for a ticket to the event at Rose Theater. In addition, as a token of our appreciation and understanding on the venue change, when you turn in your Ticketmaster ticket at the Rose Theater, you will also receive a Graceland tourism poster. The Rose Theater is located on the campus of the ...

So actor Tom Berenger, best known for his role in the 1986 Oliver Stone film, Platoon (which also starred Charlie Sheen), and most recently, Inception (starring Leonardo DiCarpio) attended the Memphis Film Festival this weekend. And a few weeks ago, he said this to a reporter who asked if he would visit Graceland while attending the Memphis Film Festival, "I'll be honest with you, there's two things I'm not interested in that everybody else was interested in," said Berenger, 61. "One was Elvis, and the other was the Beatles." Berenger says he loves jazz and blues, but he's more interested in Italian opera and Portuguese fado music. And this was apparent today when the actor stopped in the Sirius XM studio at Graceland today to chat with George Klein. The actor was at Graceland and had yet to tour the mansion. When GK asked the actor what his favorite Elvis song was, the actor slipped, stumbled and fell. He was at a lost of words. Geez, I mean.....

Carl Perkins & Megan I had the honor to close out one of Carl Perkins concerts in Memphis hosted by Elvis International Magazine in the late 90's. One of my proudest memories. Carl is a legend! And he was such a nice guy! I am so honored to have known him! Happy Birthday Mr. Blue Suede Shoes!

Would you enjoy celebrating Carl Perkins "Week" and "Birthday" - DOWNTOWN, Jackson? "Rockabilly Was Born April 9,1932" This week we feature the music of Carl Perkins and a "Rockabilly" Birthday Party Audio tape of Carl singing a duet with Paul McCartney. Carl and Paul McCartney talking in a taped interview. Video tape of Carl telling "tales and stories" of his life. The "Million Dollar Quartet" Playbill from Broadway show in New York. Audio tape of Carl describing how he founded "Rockabilly Music". Blue Suede Boots Carl performed in on stage (on display). See Poster with pictures - advertising concert titled: Carl Perkins with Paul McCartney "MY OLD FRIEND" Saturday Afternoon, April 9th, CARL'S BIRTHDAY (Celebration) 1:00 PM - 7:00 PM featuring Carl Perkins Music Rockabilly Hall of Fame., 105 North Church Street, Jackson, Tn. 1:00 PM - Norbert Putman tells George Harrison's re...

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Actress Barbara Eden has a new book out titled, Jeannie Out of the Bottle. She is best known for her role in, I dream of Jeannie. But Elvis fans know her best for her role in Elvis Presley's film, Flaming Star. Barbara had this to say about working with Elvis, "He was a delight, a lovely guy. He was very well bred by his mother who had taught him manners. I'd walk on the set and he'd stand up immediately and pull a chair out for me. We laughed and flirted but it was tame, it was sweet. Years later I was with my second husband and we saw him in Vegas and Elvis said to him, 'How did you ever get with her? I tried!' I looked at him like, 'What? Come on,' but it was nice."

Johnny Harra as Elvis in the film, This Is Elvis JOHNNY HARRAS FUNERAL WILL BE AT 3PM FRIDAY 4/8/11 Laurel Land Funeral Home and Cemetery 7100 Crowley Road Fort Worth, TX 76134 Phone: (817) 293-1350 If you would like to send flowers there is a florist at the funeral home. Rembrandt Florist At Laurel Land toll free# 800-863-1461 Local# 817-293-9208 The Magic Of The King Lived In Johnny The magic of “The King” will always live on thanks to the musical expressions of Johnny Harra. Seeing him in concert is the closest some generations will ever come to experiencing the magic “Elvis” conveyed to his audiences. Some say “Elvis’s” spirit lives on in Johnny. Ever since Johnny was 11 years old people noticed his uncanny resemblance to “Elvis Presley”, from the face, lips,and hair to his voice and mannerisms. . Johnny was raised in a religious environment as a son of an Assembly of God minister. His mother played church piano, while his father traveled with Oral Roberts’ tent meeti...

Elvis Collector Greg Page Catch Elvis Presley's story and treasures at Stockland Baulkham Hills - Australia Well, it’s one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready, now go, cat, go to see Elvis. Elvis Presley is in the Hills thanks to former Yellow Wiggle and Dural resident Greg Page who has bought Presley’s story and treasures to Stockland Baulkham Hills. The exhibition opened yesterday (April 7) and runs until April 29. It was, perhaps, a little known fact that Presley was an incredibly generous man, having come from a very poor background. Page said he wanted the exhibition to highlight Presley’s tremendous generosity and that is why all proceeds from the gold coin entry will go to the Salvation Army’s Disaster Relief appeal. “Elvis would walk down the main street with his manager and give his manager a roll of $100 bills,” Page said. “He would tell his manager to give people a $100 bill. In those days, that would be worth a fortune. “Much is said about E...

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On tonight’s episode of ‘American Idol,’ Scotty McCreery and his fellow contestants were challenged to sing a song from over 650 listed as shaping rock ‘n’ roll, as defined by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It was not a shock that McCreery would sing pick an Elvis Presley song from the canon, since the singer revealed in earlier episodes that he used to entertain schoolmates on the bus by impersonating the King. McCreery went with ‘That’s All Right.’ Beforehand, will.i.am of Black Eyed Peas mentored McCreery and told him to give the song an edge. So while it might have seemed like a safe choice, McCreery said he that his performance would not be “the country Scotty. I am going give it that rock feel.” And that’s just what he did, as he showed us a whole other rockabilly side to his voice. We’re so used to his deep drawl, but he demonstrated several different ranges and had fun while doing it. Judge Jennifer Lopez asked the teen if he listens to hip-hop at all, because she felt some “f...

Interview with Alfred Wertheimer

My dear friend Jan Shepard played Elvis' sister in King Creole.I had the opportunity to spend time with her in LA. And here we bring you part one of many with my dear friend Jan. Jan and her husband Ray are amazing people!

Million Dollar Quartet, Broadway's hit musical, is pleased to announce that Cowboy Jack Clement, will join the cast of the Tony nominated Best Musical for a special performance during the finale of the Thursday evening, April 21 performance at the Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Cowboy Jack Clement is a legendary songwriter and record producer. On the date of the 1956 Million Dollar Quartet sessions at Sun Records, Jack was the engineer. Without Cowboy Jack, Presley, Cash, Lewis & Perkin's impromptu recording session would never have been documented on tape. Cowboy Jack has worked with such legends as Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Ray Charles, Carl Perkins, Bobby Bare, Elvis Presley, Jim Reeves, Jerry Lee Lewis, Cliff Richard, Charley Pride, Tom Jones, Dickey Lee, Hank Snow, and Waylon Jennings. The cast of Million Dollar Quartet features Eddie Clendening (Elvis Presley), Lance Guest (Johnny Cash), Jared Mason (Jerry Lee Lewis), Erik Hayden (Carl Perkins), James...

Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband, Frederic Prinz von Anhalt, and her daughter, Francesca Hilton, are locked in an increasingly public battle over the care the ailing actress has been receiving. Through a spokesman, Hilton called it a "shameless publicity stunt" after Von Anhalt told media outlets including The Times that Gabor was stricken after hearing of Elizabeth Taylor's death and had to be admitted to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center after her blood pressure spiked. Hilton spokesman Edward Lozzi said a UCLA medical center official said Gabor had not been placed under the hospital's care and that Gabor suffered from dementia and was unable to speak. He took particular issue with a statement that Von Anhalt said about Gabor being concerned she could be the third in a series of  celebrities who had recently died. "His latest stunt of my mother and Elizabeth Taylor's death allegedly putting her in the hospital, (untrue) keeps destroying the true legacy of Zs...

Sheriff William N. Morris Jr., second from left, and deputies process James Earl Ray, at right, in the Shelby County Jail. This is one of the newly discovered photographs released by the Shelby County Register of Deeds office. Among the new files are letters Ray wrote to his lawyers and family from the Shelby County Jail, where he spent eight months before pleading guilty to King’s murder. Ray spent the rest of his life in prison and died in 1998. (Photo by Gil Michael/Shelby County Sheriff's Office) The Commercial Appeal recently published these never before seen photos of James Earl Ray, the man who killed Dr. Martin Luther King at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis. In the photo above is also Sheriff William N. Morris, best known to Elvis fans as ElvisPresley's friend and former mayor of Memphis. Sheriff William N. Morris Jr., escorts James Earl Ray into the Shelby County Jail in Memphis before dawn July 19, 1968. Ray, who was protected by a bulletproof apron, had been ex...

Priscilla Presley keeps her namesake orchids in ornate decorative pots that further enhance their beauty and keep the heavily laden flowers from tipping over.Seedlings of the Cattleya Priscilla Presley bloom during January and February. The one word that best describes the world of orchids is glamour. No group of plants has ever captured the imagination like this strange, exotic and beautiful flower. When they were discovered in the late 1700s and early 1800s, orchids became sought after by European royalty. Cattleyas were especially revered by collectors and were eventually given the title "Queen of the Orchids." From the late 1920s through the 1950s, women wore corsages of cattleya flowers whenever they wanted a touch of glamour. President Eisenhower's wife, Mamie, was never seen in public without her corsage of two or three cattleya flowers. In the 1940s, teenage boys gave their junior or senior prom dates cattleya corsages, because the girls expected them. Holl...

Zsa Zsa Gabor was resting at home today after a being taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center on Tuesday, when her husband found her having trouble breathing and spitting up blood. At her Bel-Air home, which was built for Howard Hughes and once home to Elvis Presley, Gabor has been cleaning out her closets, publicist John Blanchette said. She is donating 285 pieces of clothing for an April 9th auction to raise money for the Vera Davis McClendon Youth and Family Center in Venice, including a Fendi suit and a feather boa dress by Chanel, he said. After her famed 1989 arrest for slapping a Beverly Hills cop, she did her community service at the McClendon center. Gabor, 94, was taken to the hospital Tuesday and spent the night there, before being released. She has been in and out of the hospital over the past year and in poor health since 2002 car wreck, in which her hairdresser was driving. She suffered a stroke in 2005. When she learned that Elizabeth Taylor had died -- Gabor ...

These amazing pictures of Elvis Presley hugging a smitten schoolgirl are seen in public for the first time today after lying hidden for 52 years. The photos show The King, then 24, relaxing on military ­service. He is shown cuddling 15-year-old Sigrid Schulz and letting her wear his cap before signing records for fans. Unseen pictures of Elvis Presley hugging a schoolgirl in his army days are revealed to BBC's Antiques Roadshow. Sigrid handed the photos to a friend to prove she had met the singer at a German army base in 1959. But for many years they lay gathering dust in a drawer. Tonight the photos, worth up to £7,000, will be shown on BBC1’s Antiques Roadshow. Presenter Fiona Bruce said: “These must be some of the most stunning ­pictures of a young Elvis I’ve ever seen. To think they’ve never been seen in public before.” It was pure luck that young Sigrid met Elvis when her father took her to Bad Nauheim, where he was ­staying. She found her hero in a relaxed mood while o...

For New Year’s Eve 1975, I took Elvis Presley to Pontiac, Mich., for a concert at the Silverdome, which is the 80,000-seat stadium right outside Detroit. I ran the concessions, which always did fabulously well. When Elvis sang, he used to take his scarf and give it to girls in the audience. He would change scarves 10 times in a single show: sweat, wipe sweat off his brow, give the scarf to some girl, and she would smell it and faint. I decided as a new item, in addition to all the key chains, pictures, and everything else, I was going to get scarves made. So I went to India, China, somewhere, and bought 35,000 scarves with his picture on them. When I arrived at the football stadium, my concessionaire came to me and said, “We got a big problem. The scarves you bought? Nobody’s buying them. You’re going to get stuck with 35,000 scarves.” Oh, my God, I thought. What a stupid mistake this is! Now I’m going to have to ship these things back. Why the hell did I do this? I was sitting back...