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.

Interview wiht Elvis Presley in July 31, at August 01of 1969 (Las Vegas)

Why have you waited so long to perform live again?
We had to finish up the movie commitments before I could start on this.

How did it feel being back in front of a live audience after so many years?
Fantastic. I really missed it. I love the live contact with an audience. It was getting harder and harder to perform to a movie camera all day long. The inspiration wasn’t there. I’m tired of playing a guy singing to the guy he’s beating up.


Did you enjoy performing live again?
Yes! This has been one of the most exciting nights of my life.

Did you feel nervous during the show?
For the first three songs or so, before I loosened up. Then I thought, “What the heck. Get with it, man, or you might be out of a job tomorrow.”

Were you a little afraid onstage tonight?
Yes, I was at first, until I got going, and then I felt okay. I was nervous and didn’t feel relaxed until Love Me Tender.



How did you choose the songs for your show?
I just sang my favourites, that’s all.


Do you want to do more live shows?
I want to… I would like to play all over the world. I chose Las Vegas to play first because it is a place people come to from all over.


Did you like leather jackets like the one you wore on your TV specials?
No. I hate wearing leather jackets because they are too hot to work in.


Why did you choose a Negro backing group (The Sweet Inspirations)?
Because they help to give me my feel, my soul.


Where did you get the idea for your stage outfit?
I got the idea from a karate gi I once had.


Do you dye your hair?
Sure, because I’ve always done it for the movies.


Why do you dye your hair?
Because it’s gray.

Why do you choose to record message type songs like In The Ghetto? Are you trying to change your image?
No. Ghetto was such a great song. I just couldn’t pass it up after I’d heard it. There are a lot of new records out now that have the same sound I started but they’re better. I mean, you can’t compare a song like Yesterday with Hound Dog, can you?

How do you feel about the Hollywood social scene?
I just don’t go for it. I have nothing against it but I just don’t enjoy it.


Why have you led such a secluded life all these years?
It’s not secluded, honey, I’m just sneaky.



How long did you rehearse for these shows?
I practiced for nearly three months. Today I went through three complete dress rehearsals. This was the fourth time I did that show today. I’m really beat.


Can you remember the first time you were in Las Vegas?
Sure, I was 19 years old. Nobody knew me. “Where you from, boy?” they’d ask.
(Note: Elvis was 21 and not 19 when he first performed in Las Vegas, on 23 April 1956, at the New Frontier Hotel).



Will you be back in Las Vegas soon?
Absolutely. I love Las Vegas because it attracts people from all over the world.


Do you have a share in the International Hotel?
No, I have not.


Are you tired of your present type of movies?
Yes. I want to change the type of scripts I have been doing.


What kind of scripts do you like?
Something with meaning. I’m going after more serious material. I couldn’t dig always playing the guy who’d get into a fight, beat the guy up, and in the next shot sing to him.

Do you feel it was a mistake to do so many soundtrack albums?
I think so. When you do ten songs in a movie, they can’t all be good songs.


Will you be doing any more movies?
I don’t know. I kinda got tired of beating up guys and then having to sing a song to them, or maybe their horses.

Mr. Presley, I’ve been sent here by Lord Stutch Enterprises to offer you one million pounds sterling to make two appearances at the Wembley Empire Stadium in England. This price will include a documentary that will be filmed during and after the shows. It will only take 24 hours.
You’ll have to ask him about that. (Elvis points to Colonel Parker). Colonel Parker: Make an offer! Cash, not pounds! Just put down the deposit.


How much do you get paid for these performances?
Colonel Parker: We are pleased with the deal. I am glad he is here.


Would you like to appear in England?
I definitely would like to appear in England as we have had so many requests. And it will be soon, as we are now doing live concerts again.


Is there any truth to the rumour that you are getting a slice of the hotel as part of the fee?
Colonel Parker: Certainly not. The only thing we got free were crickets in the room.

Have you still got about 10 cars?
I never had that many, only four or five at the most.

After all this time you look so young.
I guess I’m just lucky. I really don’t know. I guess one of these days it will catch up with me and I’ll probably fall apart.



Have you ever seen England’s top pop singer Cliff Richard?
Yes, I met him in Germany a long time ago.
(Note: Cliff Richard indeed traveled all the way to Germany to meet Elvis, but he was out on maneuvers on that day and Vernon welcomed him instead. Perhaps Elvis was confused when he answered this, because he actually met an impersonator while in Germany).

How does it feel to be a father?
Great. I love it!


Do you and Priscilla plan to add to your family?
We’ll have to wait and see.


How does Priscilla feel about you being such a great sex symbol?
I don’t know… you would have to ask her.


Are you planning to have any more kids?
Yes, we are planning to add to our family. Thank you very much.


Is there any other individual you would rather be?
Are you kidding?


What’s it like to be the Grandfather of rock and roll?
(laughs). I didn’t know that I was.


Are you doing shows because of the recent success of Tom Jones in cabaret?
No, that’s not the reason. Although I admire Tom Jones very much, and think he’s a great talent. I guess I felt it was time to do live shows because I missed doing them.


I noticed in your repertoire you did some Beatles songs. What do you think of the Beatles and their material?
I admire the Beatles and think they are very good. The lyrics of pop songs are getting better all the time, they have more meaning.


When you met the Beatles, why was there no press allowed?
I guess it was because we could relax and talk friendly to each other.


Did anyone influence you in your career?
Yes, people like him. (Elvis introduces Fats Domino). This is one of my influences from way back, Fats Domino. Just look at those rings and that diamond watch, aren’t they fabulous?