BackinMemphis

L to R, Jerry Phillips, James Burton and Matt In early May, we reported some interesting Elvis Presley happenings afoot at the Phillips Recording Service. Although details were vague, officials from Sony/Legacy — the custodians of the Presley catalog — and longtime Elvis band members were on hand at Phillips to work on tracks for an upcoming project. Though unconfirmed officially, the work was reportedly for a 40th anniversary package marking the King's 1976 home recording sessions at Graceland's Jungle Room. This past week, Sony/Legacy finally did confirm that a two-disc collection titled "Way Down in the Jungle Room" will come out Aug. 5, just in time for annual Elvis Week festivities. The double disc set rounds up the results of sessions Presley cut in the Jungle Room in winter and fall 1976, with a core of longtime TCB band members including guitarist James Burton and drummer Ronnie Tutt. Material from the recording would be spread out over a pair of L...

Looking for a good podcast for the beach or laying out by the pool? Check out Walking The Floor with Chris Shiflett. The eposide above is his interview with Merle Haggard. Chris talks to Merle about the good ole days to today. It's a great interview. Check out Chris' Tribute to Merle show as well. Chris interviews new country artists, legends and even some of the cast of the tv show, Nashville. Check it out the web site or on Podcast One. http://walkingthefloor.com Podcast One

Did we need another reason to LOVE Richard Simmons ? Check out this video of Richard on the Donny and Marie show . He admits to working out to Donny's Solider of Love! Richard Simmons actually does an impression of Elvis Presley ! Next Richard has the audience up and moving with Donny singing LIVE! He tells Donny how good looking he is. It's just good fun and bound to make you smile! Richard Simmons, Donny and Marie ....you can't get more American!

For East Tennessee native Tara Thompson, a career in country music wasn't just a career choice; it's the family business. Thompson, whose grandmother is first cousins with country legend Loretta Lynn, draws influence from her famous family member and prides herself on her traditional sound. The country great has taught Thompson many things over the years but her most important lesson is "be yourself." "We're a close family and she's given me great advice," Thompson told FOX411 Country of Lynn. "When I opened up for her one time and told her I'm putting together an album, I told her, 'Don't worry, I'm keeping it really country.' She told me, 'Don't worry about keeping it country, just be you.' And I just so happen to be really country!"She added, "Loretta told me to be as real as I can and I really took that advice because I think she's the realest person I've ever met. I get a lot of...

Stapleton spoke on the phone last week with Music critic, Dan DeLuca before a show at the CMA Music Festival in Nashville. You did pretty good at the Country Music Television awards the other night, getting breakthrough video of the year for "Fire Away." But you didn't clean up the way you did at the CMA awards. CS:  We were really fortunate. That was a good night. I was shocked to even be nominated and to win any of them, let alone all of the ones we were nominated for. That's changed your life, I would guess. CS:  It flipped the switch. It meant we could play bigger venues. And there was a huge record-sales impact. It made a big difference. You grew up in Kentucky. How rural was it? CS:  It was in eastern Kentucky. A really small town, about 200 people. My dad was a coal miner. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, but she worked as a clinical dietitian. We all played music, but my brother and sister just went on to do other things. What did you list...

From Variety Magazine : Country Music Hall of Fame songwriter Bobby Braddock’s illustrious career includes penning classics like Tammy Wynette’s “D-I-V-O-R-C-E” ; discovering, signing, and producing Blake Shelton’s first hits; and, most notably, writing (with fellow country legend Curly Putman) what is regularly voted “greatest country song of all time,” the George Jones epic tearjerker “He Stopped Loving Her Today.” While a staff writer at Tree Music in the mid-1960s, Braddock got the attention of Variety when he inked an artist deal with MGM Records. Last year he published a richly detailed memoir, “Bobby Braddock: A Life on Nashville’s Music Row” (Vanderbilt University Press) , and recently in Nashville, Braddock was honored by his publisher, Sony/ATV, for his 50 years on staff, a stretch that includes 13 No. 1 hits. V:  By 1966 you were well on your way to prominence as a songwriter. Was performing your ultimate goal?  BB: That MGM deal was one of five reco...

Last week Riley Keough was in NYC where she appeared on NBC's Late Night with Seth Meyers to promote her show, The Girlfriend Experience which is currently airing on Starz. In the show, where she plays a law student who becomes a high-end call girl, her character is seen masturbating, inserting a tampon, and even having wild sex with clients. Here she talks about watching the show with her mom, Lisa Marie Presley, daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley. She admitted: 'I have sat down with mom and watched it. I fast-forwarded some parts.' 'I haven't shown my dad, but my mom is very young for a mother and kind of progressive and understands. 'I don't have very conservative parents. She liked it.' BIM:  Sounds like Lisa Marie is a very supportive parent. I wonder how Granddad would handle this if he were still living? Sorry, I'm an Elvis fan, What Would Elvis Think? always is a thought! I couldn't find a clip of just Riley...