The King is Back on the Charts!

INTERNATIONAL MOMENTUM BUILDS AS VIVA ELVIS - THE ALBUM BREAKS INTO THE BILLBOARD 200 Legacy Recordings Celebrates Elvis' 75th Birthday Year with a Groundbreaking New Studio Work Inspired by Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil in Las Vegas    -- Viva ELVIS - The Album, a 21st century celebration of Elvis and his music featuring the voice of the King in a whole new soundscape, is gathering worldwide momentum in the wake of its recent release through Legacy Recordings, in cooperation with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. and Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.  Released stateside on November 9, Viva ELVIS - The Album has debuted in the upper half of the Billboard 200. Conceptualized and realized by producer/arranger Erich Van Tourneau, Viva ELVIS - The Album is a multi-faceted audio extravaganza creating a larger-than-life musical portrait of Elvis through newly re-imagined versions of "Blue Suede Shoes," "That's All Right," "Heartbreak Hotel," "Love Me Tender," "King Creole," "Bossa Nova Baby," "Burning Love," "Can't Help Falling In Love" and "Suspicious Minds" as well as instrumental interludes based on "Memories" and "You'll Never Walk Alone" (piano interlude). Three of the tracks on Viva ELVIS - The Album including "Suspicious Minds," the album's first single, were mixed by Grammy Award winning producer Brendan O'Brien (Pearl Jam, Bruce Springsteen).  Four of the album's tracks were mixed by Serban Ghenea with the remaining five mixed by Robert Meunier & Erich Van Tourneau. "Suspicious Minds," the first single from Viva ELVIS - The Album, impacted radio in late October and is a bonus track on NOW 36, the latest installment in the best-selling chart-topping Now That's What I Call Music anthology series of contemporary Top 40 smash hits. USA Today selected "Suspicious Minds" as a Pick of The Week noting that the new version "...dispenses with its signature guitar pattern, starting like a cross between a gospel hymn and 'Everlasting Love' before transforming into something like a U2 anthem." Overwhelming international response to Viva ELVIS - The Album led to the creation of special regional editions of the album showcasing popular local artists "dueting" with Elvis on "Love Me Tender."  Regional artists participating on non-US editions of the album include Anna Puu (Finland), Lisa Lois (Netherlands), Amel Bent (France), Russian Red (Spain), Thalia (Latin America), Jessica Mauboy (Australia), Dani Klein (Belgium), Marie-Mai (Canada) and Aurea (Portugal). Viva ELVIS - The Album is already charting round-the-world, going Top 40 or better in Canada, Sweden, the Netherlands, the UK, Belgium, Norway, Switzerland, Denmark and France while climbing the charts in Spain, Australia and Germany. Music critics and other cognoscenti have rallied behind Viva ELVIS - The Album, basking in the record's celebratory delights: Billboard ""It's all inventive and invigorating, offering proof that Presley's music can handle being all shook up" FORBES.COM "'Viva Elvis – the Album' a multi-faceted audio extravaganza creating a larger-than-life musical portrait of Elvis" MSN MUSIC "You've never heard these tunes like this before… ear-popping collages" ASSOCIATED PRESS "A new take on the King"… "'Suspicious Minds' opens with Elvis' soulful, echoing voice and prominent piano notes, then shifts into a guitar introduction that evokes memories of U2's classic anthem 'Bad.' The song has a strong drum and guitar component without losing the sing-along quality of the original." BLOOMBERG NEWS "A radical mix of his hits" BLOGCRITICS "And we're off to the races as Viva ELVIS - The Album turns up the heat and the velocity as it dashes through a representative sampling of The King's mastery of genres from Delta blues, gospel and Southern folk to movie soundtracks and Vegas pop" "You won't be able to help falling in love (with The King) again. Some things were just meant to be!" RECORD COLLECTOR "I loved it. A great mash up of Elvis, early, middle and late in his career. Great fun!" VIRGINIAN- PILOT "Elvis for the iPod age." Musicians on Viva ELVIS include Elvis Presley (vocals); Erich Van Tourneau (bass, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, piano and keyboards); Dea Norberg, Jennlee Shallow, Sherry St-Germain, Stacie Tabb (guest singers); Patrick Lavergne and JS "The Flash" Chouinard (basses); Mike Plant, Steve Nadeau, Martin Bachand and Paul Deslauriers (electric guitars); Olivier Goulet (acoustic guitar); Guy Belanger (harmonica); DJ Pocket (scratch).  The album's horn section includes Jean-Francois Thibeault (trombone), Bruno Dumont (saxophone), David Perrico (trumpet), Jean-Francois Gagnon (flugel horn). When working on the music for the Cirque du Soleil production "Viva ELVIS," Van Tourneau spent more than 3,000 hours reviewing countless albums, films, concert recordings, interviews and home recordings of Elvis.  More than 17,000 samples of Elvis' songs – the raw material for the show – were made during the process. Working with tens of thousands of samples of Elvis' voice, Van Tourneau often wove several sequences and sounds into the same songs, sometimes changing details such as the key and tempo. In creating Viva ELVIS - The Album, Van Tourneau was looking to accentuate and boost the emotional charge of the songs with the incorporation of ragga, punk or hip-hop elements into classic recordings. In all cases, however, the goal was to respect and understand the essence of the original recordings. "I would like to acknowledge all of the incredible composers, musicians and technicians responsible for making this music with Elvis originally," said Erich Van Tourneau.  "The album Viva ELVIS would not be what it is today if not for their remarkable contributions." The postmodern studio masterwork invokes the spirit and essence of Elvis from a contemporary perspective while furthering the revolutionary impulses of Elvis' sound. Viva ELVIS - The Album re-imagines the king's own vocal performances in a broad variety of new musical settings. This new sound echoes Elvis' own versatility and ability to master all music genres, from Delta blues to rockabilly, from raw soul to gospel, from Southern folk to Vegas pop, while incorporating elements of garage rock, punk, urban and hip-hop. In celebration of all eras of Elvis' musical genius, Viva ELVIS - The Album includes songs from Elvis' rise to fame in the '50s, his movie soundtracks, his triumphant return to the stage in the "'68 Special," and his ground-breaking appearances in Las Vegas. Viva ELVIS by Cirque du Soleil, a harmonious fusion of dance, acrobatics and live music, opened earlier this year in a specially designed 1,800 seat theater at ARIA Resort & Casino in Las Vegas.  A tribute to the life and music of Elvis Presley, Viva ELVIS focuses on the essential humanity of the one superstar whose name will forever be linked with the history of Las Vegas: Elvis Presley.  Significant moments in his life – intimate, playful and grandiose – blend with timeless songs that remain as relevant today as when they first hit the top of the charts. Elvis lives on Viva ELVIS - The Album, a 21st century venue for rock's first and biggest superstar. Viva ELVIS - The Album - produced and arranged by Erich Van Tourneau 1. (Opening) (mixed by Robert Meunier & Erich Van Tourneau) 2. Blue Suede Shoes (mixed by Serban Ghenea) 3. That's All Right (mixed by Brendan O'Brien) 4. Heartbreak Hotel (mixed by Brendan O'Brien) 5. Love Me Tender (mixed by Robert Meunier & Erich Van Tourneau) 6. King Creole (mixed by Robert Meunier & Erich Van Tourneau) 7. Bossa Nova Baby (mixed by Serban Ghenea) 8. Burning Love (mixed by Serban Ghenea) 9. (Memories) (mixed by Robert Meunier & Erich Van Tourneau) 10. Can't Help Falling In Love (mixed by Serban Ghenea) 11. (You'll Never Walk Alone) (piano interlude) (mixed by Robert Meunier & Erich Van Tourneau) 12. Suspicious Minds (mixed by Brendan O'Brien)

Elvis Presley – Viva Elvis The Album (2010)

Elvis Presley Viva Elvis

Track List:
01. Opening 02:11
02. Blue Suede Shoes 03:12
03. That’s All Right 04:41
04. Heartbreak Hotel 04:55
05. Love Me Tender 04:13
06. King Creole 04:27
07. Bossa Nova Baby 03:07
08. Burning Love 04:16
09. Memories 00:55
10. Can’t Help Falling In Love 04:40
11. You’ll Never Walk Alone (Piano Interlude) 01:28
12. Suspicious Minds 04:25
13. Love Me Tender (Duet With Marie-Mai) 04:15

INTERVIEW:JERRY SCHILLING (THE DAY ELVIS CRIED)

"My worst memory, and the worst day of my life has to be the day Priscilla took Lisa Marie away from Graceland," says Schilling. "To this day, that image still haunts me..."

On October 9, 1973, after 5 years of marriage Elvis and Priscilla were divorced. It was Elvis who filed for the divorce, as token gesture to save Priscilla the embarrassment as she was the mother of his daughter, Lisa Marie, who only 4 years old at the time.


,"It was I very sad day for all of us," says Schilling. "I remember how Elvis just stood in Lisa's bedroom and watched in silence as Alberta (Graceland's cook) helped Priscilla pack Lisa's clothes and toys into several suitcases... Elvis said nothing, but I could see the pain in his eyes," recalls Schilling.

"Suddenly, he yelled out to me and Joe (Esposito) to help Priscilla put the baggage into the car. Elvis just couldn't bring himself to carry the bags out to the car, himself," whispers Schilling.


Unaware of the happening between her parents in her bedroom, Lisa Marie played happily with her nanny outside the grounds of Graceland.

In an aim to spare Lisa the sorry of their separation, Elvis and Priscilla had told her that she was going away on a vacation with her mother to Los Angeles, where she was going to attend school. "It broke my heart to see Elvis, a man who had everything, suddenly be lose the most important person in his life - his daughter."



"Lisa was more important than life itself to Elvis." Now she was being taken away from him," says Schilling.



Although, the court ruled Priscilla gets custody of Lisa Marie, Elvis believed his daughter would be far better off raised with small town of values in Memphis, just like he was, than in a big city like Los Angeles.



"Elvis just stood watching as we load up Priscilla's blue Mercedes.

Until that finally moment, Elvis was still composed, but when it was time to bid farewell to his daughter, Elvis broke down and cried as he swooped his beloved Lisa into his arms. Elvis held Lisa tight for a very long time. "Be a good girl, Button-head," whispered Elvis. (Button-head was Elvis' pet name for Lisa) "You come and visit often, you hear," said Elvis trying to hold back the tears. Then out of sheer desperation Elvis insisted, "Get mummy to teach you how to use the phone, so you can call me everyday, okay."


As Schilling recalls, "Lisa Marie, was always a very perceptive child. She realised this was not the usual way her daddy said goodbye. Normally, Elvis would says, 'Button-head I'm off to work. What do you want daddy to bring you back, this time?'"


"This day was strange, and Lisa knew it. She looked into her daddy's eyes and asked him, 'Are you crying, daddy?"

At the point, Elvis flashed Priscilla a look that could kill, then delivered Lisa into her mother's awaiting arms, turned on his heels, walked back into the house, without looking back.


"I'd seen that look before in Elvis eyes," says Schilling. "It a look that still sends a chill went down my spine, when I think of it... It's was a look of pain, anger, desperation and hurt."

"For the rest of that day, till about 4 am that night, Elvis closed himself up in his bedroom. He wouldn't eat or take our calls."

"We got very worried. We thought maybe he had knocked myself out with a whole lot of sleeping pills."


"From time to time, Joe and I would sneak up to his bedroom and listen at the door. Once I heard him cursing. Another times I heard him screaming. But mostly we heard Elvis just sobbing."



Finally, Schilling admitted, "I now know, that day was the beginning of the end for the Elvis I had met."

Palm Spring home today

Try on the Celebrity Life in Palm Springs

Palm Springs is famous for its glittery past as a Hollywood haven but many people don’t realize that it’s possible to bring a suitcase, hang up your toothbrush and spend a few nights in some of the storied pied a terres.

Here are some homes of the rich and famous that you can call your own—albeit on a rental basis.

One of the most well-known is Elvis Presley’s Honeymoon Hideaway. Located in Old Las Palmas, the home boasts a jutting prow of living-room windows and lily-pad steps ascending to the front door. Built by the father-son Alexanders—builders of the city’s iconic mid-century homes—the home was first occupied by son Robert Alexander until he, his family and father perished in a 1965 airplane crash.

Not long after, Elvis signed a one-year lease for $21,000, carrying his new bride, Priscilla, over the threshold on May 1, 1967. He puportedly sang The Hawaiian Wedding Song as he did so; daughter Lisa Marie was born exactly nine months later. This was also the venue in which he shot out his TV upon seeing Robert Goulet on the screen.

The 5,200 square-foot home has been faithfully restored to its ’60s glory, complete with customized 64-foot curved sofa on which the newlyweds were photographed. Photos of the compelling couple in the home dot the interior.

He and Priscilla soon moved to a home around the corner since he felt this one lacked privacy.

Cost to rent: $1500 to $1800 a night. www.ElvisHoneymoon.com

Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz’s 1930s hacienda was across the street from the swinging El Mirador Hotel —now Desert Regional Medical Center—and was the first private Palm Springs’ residence to have its very own pool.

Lucy and Desi frequently visited their desert home in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s. The four-bedroom home includes a guest casita.

Cost to rent: $2,080 per week in the summer; $3500 during high season

Ol' Blue Eyes' Twin Palms Estate is located in the heart of the Old Movie Colony. The 4,500 square-foot home is a spectacular example of mid-century contemporary architecture that has been oft used in commercials, from Coca-Cola to Mercedes Benz.

Designed in 1947 by legendary architect Stewart Williams for Frank and his first wife, Nancy, the property was named for the pair of towering palm trees above the piano-shaped pool.

Sinatra hosted lavishly—the A-list included Joan Crawford, Bob Hope, George and Gracie, Lana Turner, even the reclusive Greta Garbo. After his first marriage collapsed, he later spent tumultuous years in the home with second wife, Ava Gardner, before finally selling it in 1953 for $85,000.

Cost to rent: $2600 a night (3-night minimum) with concierge service Link

Perched below Bob Hope’s own iconic John Lautner-designed mushroom home in south Palm Springs sits Howard Hughes' mini estate. The 2,100 square-foot home is multi-layered and offers 220-degree views of the valley below. Other notable owners of the home include Green Acres' Eva Gabor and producer Paul Keyes.

Features preserved from the fascinating aviator and inventor’s time include the kitchen, step-on light switches and a hotplate Hughes installed in one of the bathrooms.

Cost to rent: $450 per night (3-night minimum)

Hughes designed this next home for his friend Howard Hawks, the writer/director/producer of films spanning 60 years, from His Girl Friday to Scarface.

Located close to Elvis’s honeymoon house, Hawks named his 5,600 square-foot hacienda Casa de Plata (House of Silver). The home is hidden behind high walls in Old Las Palmas and retains many of the original features, including Mexican hacienda-style fireplaces in each of the five bedrooms.

Cost to rent: $1,200 per night (4-night minimum)

If you enjoyed reading this story, subscribe to my blog via email or news feed. That way you'll be alerted whenever I post a new article on the desert market or compelling home bargains.

The On Tour Interviews Volume I and II Promo CDs

The On Tour Interviews Volume I and II Promo CDs are talking only albums with interviews during the filming of Elvis On Tour, 1972.

Elvis talks to Piere Aldridge and Robert Able (Hollywood, Ca.) / Elvis talks about his childhood / Elvis talks about his early years, his movies, his JC Award and musicians / Conversations with Mayor Roy Webber (Roanoke Airport, VA.) / Backstage conversations (Macon, GA.) / Conversations with crew and gang (Jacksonville, FL.) / Conversations with his entourage (Little Rock, AK.)/ Conversations with his entourage (San Antonio, TX.).

Volume two continues with the following tracks...

Elvis Presley autopsy auction cancelled

An auction of instruments allegedly used in Elvis Presley's autopsy has been cancelled. "Due to questions of ownership," the retired embalmer behind the sale will instead "donate" the tools to an unknown party.

Last week, a Chicago auction house announced that it would be selling a grisly collection of music memorabilia, including rubber gloves, lip brushes, needle injectors, forceps and aneurysm hooks used in the singer's postmortem examination. An embalmer in Memphis had apparently stored the tools since 1977, but now hoped to let fans "own a piece of the celebrity themselves".

Officials at Leslie Hindman Auctioneers have now withdrawn the lot, reportedly at the request of the owner and his son. The objects will instead be turned over to the funeral home that originally administered the autopsy, or at least its parent company, "with the intention of donation". It is not clear whether Graceland or another Elvis museum is interested in the tools.

According to the Memphis Commercial Appeal, the president of the Memphis Funeral Home, EC Davies, kept Presley's embalming report in his desk. He later donated it to a funeral service museum in Houston, but the Presley family has never granted permission for it to be displayed. Last week, Davies questioned the authenticity of the auction items. "Anybody could fake something like this," he said. "It's ridiculous."

Elvis Presley autopsy kit up for auction

Instruments used in Elvis Presley's autopsy and embalming are going up for auction in Chicago, including the "John Doe" toe tag used after the original was stolen amid the chaos at the hospital following his death.

The items were saved by the senior embalmer at the Memphis Funeral Home, which prepared the singer's body Photo: REUTERS

Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977 aged 42 Photo: AP

Leslie Hindman Auctioneers will hold the auction Aug. 12, four days before the 33rd anniversary of Presley's death.

The auction house said that all of the items used in the autopsy and funeral preparations will be available, from rubber gloves and forceps to a comb and eye liner. Even the coffin invoice and the hanger used to hold Presley's burial suit will be sold.

The items were saved by the senior embalmer at the Memphis Funeral Home, which prepared the singer's body.

The items will be auctioned in two sets valued at up to $6,000 (£3,900) and $8,000 (£5,200).

Presley died at the age of 42 after years of abuse of prescription drugs. He was found on the bathroom floor in his home at Graceland, Memphis, and attempts to revive him failed.

His post mortem stated that he had died a heart attack. His autopsy results will not be made public until 2027, 50 years after his death.