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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2023
Elvis Revolver is No. 1 With a Bullet, Selling for Nearly $200,000
ROCK ISLAND, ILL.— Elvis may have left the building, but his personal revolver is very much alive in the collecting world, selling for 199,750 at a Rock Island Auction event in late August. The Smith & Wesson Model 53, adorned with a bicentennial theme by Master Engraver Russell Smith was delivered to Elvis Presley only months before his death on Aug. 16, 1977.
Elvis Presley’s Smith & Wesson Model 53 Revolver brings nearly $200,000 at auction.
Image courtesy Rock Island Auction Company
The pre-sale estimate for the revolver was between $60,000-$90,000, but competitive bidding from gun enthusiasts and Elvis fans around the world resulted in a final hammer price more than double the revolver’s high estimate.
“The collectibles market has been experiencing unprecedented growth in several genres,” said Rock Island Auction Company President Kevin Hogan. “When you combine two of those genres, Elvis’ memorabilia and collector firearms, the result is tremendous excitement and high totals at auction.”
Rock Island Auction has previously sold revolvers of Elvis’ for similarly hefty amounts. In 2017, the company sold the King’s Colt Python revolver for $172,500 as well as his Smith & Wesson Model 19-2 for $195,500.
The success of Elvis’ revolver is the latest example demonstrating the value of guns linked to historic figures and pop culture icons in the current collectibles market. In 2022, Rock Island sold the only surviving blaster originally used by Harrison Ford as Han Solo in Star Wars: A New Hope for $1,057,500, and the previous year the auction house sold a revolver owned by John Wayne and seen in some of the star’s feature films for $517,500.
https://www.antiquetrader.com/antiques-news/elvis-presley-revolver
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023
We all love to see new footage of Elvis on stage performing and it looks like there may be a lot of new material to be made available to us by the producer of the 2022 movie “Elvis”.
Elvis Never-Before-Seen Footage project announced by Baz Luhrmann – Elvis Presley Unseen Footage
Elvis Never-Before-Seen Footage project announced by Baz Luhrmann – Elvis Presley Unseen Footage Elvis Presley unseen footage has been uncovered by Baz Luhrmann who has announced he’s working on a very special new project. While fans may be waiting for news of his long-awaited 4 hour cut of the biopic, it turns out the filmmaker is working on something else related to the King. The director posted a video on social media today of a Warner Bros box of Elvis Presley outtakes, followed by footage of the singer in Las Vegas. Baz captioned the post: “A TCB headlines that I know so many of you have been wanting to hear… “It’s true we’ve found reels and reels of never before seen footage of Elvis On Tour, and Thats The Way It Is stay tuned. Fans will be familiar with 1970’s Elvis: That’s the Way It Is, a concert documentary of The King’s return to live performance with his Las Vegas residency. Meanwhile, 1972’s Elvis on Tour captured the star during his rehearsals and backstage moments at concerts around the US. By the sounds of it, Baz could well be working on a new documentary featuring the unseen Elvis footage.
youtu.be/6P-lpzisJNI?si=FjnBIAwO6c5ZZqwc
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I am including the following article here on my site because I think that Jesse may enjoy reading the interview with his good friend James Burton. As expected there are mentions of Elvis and the songs which they performed together.
“Your Best Song Is Always yet to Come”: Telecaster Master James Burton Names Five Career-Defining Tracks
“The first guitar that Leo Fender tried to lay on me was a Stratocaster,” James Burton says with a chuckle. At 83 years, he’s fit and well, with memories like very few other musicians. “I said, ‘No, man, I’m not gonna take it!’ The Stratocaster’s for younger kids. They like the whammy bar and all.”
So no Strats in the Burton collection, then? “Well, it just depends on what you prefer,” he reasons. “Some people like a fretboard that’s flat, but I like a little bit of roundness to it, so for me, there’s only one guitar to talk about: the Fender Telecaster. You know, Leo Fender was a wonderful guy. I met him many years ago, even before I went to work with Ricky Nelson. Leo assured me that whatever I wanted, it would be no problem: he’d take care of it. And he did.”
Indeed, as far back as 1961, Burton was tearing up that slightly rounded fretboard on Ricky Nelson’s “Hello, Mary Lou” with a solo that left young listeners speechless. (One of those kids was the rocking knight of the realm, Sir Brian May, who regularly cites Burton as an influence.) Check out that solo below if you don’t know it already: it leaps from the speakers at 1:04 with a flurry of string bends and sassy popped notes, sounding nothing like its 62 years of age.
Born in 1939 in Dubberly, Louisiana, Burton was a self-taught guitar prodigy who played on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in Shreveport as a teenager. Soon after, he moved to Los Angeles, where he began his career with Nelson and recorded numerous sessions. One of them was Dale Hawkins’ 1957 hit “Susie Q,” a tune Burton co-wrote and which was timed perfectly to assist with the birth of rock and roll.
He swiftly became an in-demand guitarist, songwriter and bandleader. As a young, hotshot guitarist, Burton recorded with Glen Campbell, Judy Collins, the Beach Boys, Harry Nilsson, Nancy Sinatra, Buffalo Springfield, Townes Van Zandt and a litany of other 1960s greats before he joined Elvis Presley in 1968 as leader of the TCB (Taking Care of Business) Band. Hot as a pistol after that year’s televised comeback special, Elvis, the King was dominating Las Vegas with an extravagant live residency.
Burton’s profile went stratospheric after Elvis began to include the command “Play it, James!” in each show, just before the guitarist ripped a spectacular solo – with no overdrive, and played with a pick-plus-fingers hybrid technique – from his custom Pink Paisley Telecaster. He remained at Elvis’s side for the remainder of the singer’s tragically curtailed career, although he took time out to play in Emmylou Harris’s backing group and on sessions for Johnny Cash, John Phillips, Michael Nesmith, Joni Mitchell, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, Tina Turner, Kenny Rogers, Delaney & Bonnie, Phil Everly, Rodney Crowell and many others. After Elvis’s death in 1977, Burton worked with John Denver, collaborating with the country singer until 1994, three years before Denver himself perished at a relatively young age.
In his middle career, Burton recorded and toured with Rosanne Cash, Elvis Costello (“a wonderful guy; very smart, with good ideas”), J.J. Cale, Gillian Welch, Marshall Crenshaw and others, and notably appeared in the 1988 special Roy Orbison and Friends: A Black and White Night. In the new century he has played with Matt Lucas, Jim Lauderdale, Drake Milligan and Brad Paisley, and he appeared alongside Eric Clapton on Jerry Lee Lewis’s album Mean Old Man, in 2010.
In recognition of Burton’s phenomenal career, Fender has long offered two signature Telecasters: a Candy Apple Red Tele based on the 1953 original and a Pink Paisley counterpart inspired by the 1969 Elvis model. The latter was redesigned in 2006 with three blade pickups, a no-load tone control and an updated switching system. A new model is on the way in 2023, with new pickups that are still being finalized as we speak.
“I’m real excited about the new Telecaster,” Burton says. “We did a lot of research into the new pickups, and the ones we settled on are really good. I guess I’ve had thousands of guitars over the years, but the old ones are still my favorites. I don’t know if you could get those tones nowadays. I guess if you had the right guitar and the right player, you might be able to do that.”
I can’t count how many songs I’m on, but it’s been over 500 albums, so the song titles must be in the thousands
In 2005 Burton launched the James Burton Foundation (jamesburtonfoundation.org), a charitable group whose aims are to support music education for those in need through guitar donations and music instruction to schools, hospitals, and community service organizations. “The Foundation is doing really good,” he says. “We’ve been able to present guitars to young kids and to veterans, and people are real excited about it. I like to be able to present guitars to the young kids and keep our music program going. You can’t do too much.”
The annual James Burton International Guitar Festival, held in Shreveport, supports the Foundation, and at the 2009 event, he was inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame. Two years earlier he had been inducted into the Musicians’ Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, as a member of the pioneering Wrecking Crew group of session musicians.
Guitar Player spoke to Burton in May 2023 as he was about to jump on a plane to the U.K. for a show at the London Palladium, where he was supported onstage by two of his biggest fans: Brian May and Van Morrison. Considering all he’s done over his career, we imagine it’s a tricky task for Burton to pick out just five songs that define his legacy – although he somehow manages to do just that. “I can’t count how many songs I’m on, but it’s been over 500 albums, so the song titles must be in the thousands,” he says. “Still, you know, it’s never-ending. Your best song is always yet to come.”
1. “Susie Q” by Dale Hawkins from ‘Oh! Suzy-Q‘ (1958)
“I wrote this song when I was a young boy. I played this little guitar lick and there it was, just a little instrumental thing. I was working with a blues singer, Dale Hawkins, and Dale wrote a few lyrics to it. I think he had a girlfriend he called Susie Q. “We did the recording at a radio station, KWKH in Shreveport [in 1957. The single was released that year and the album in 1958]. I’m not even sure if we had drums in there. There was just one mic in the room. I played through a little Gretsch amp that I didn’t keep very long. That was what I used before I got my Fender amp.
“I used the original guitar that my mother and father bought me: a red Telecaster. It’s been on millions of records and it’s a great guitar. I’d say it’s my favorite guitar out of all the ones I’ve owned. It’s still playing fine, too. It’s all original: it’s never needed a fret dress or anything. “Someone asked me one time, if I wanted to sell my Telecaster, what would I sell it for. I said, ‘Well, it would be in the millions.’ The guy reached in his pocket and said, ‘How many?’ I said, ‘Not today!’” [laughs]
2. “Hello Mary Lou” by Ricky Nelson from ‘Rick is 21’ (1961)
“My buddy Gene Pitney wrote this song. I used the same red Telecaster on the recording. I remember how good the solo was. [laughs] You know, Ricky’s dad, Ozzie, was a big-band leader, and sometimes he’d come to the recording sessions. I played this solo and he said to me, ‘I had a saxophone player who played a lot like that,’ just joking with me.
“It would have been done on the first or second take: Ricky might have done more takes for his vocals than that, but I never did more than two. You know, writing a good guitar solo is really about being smart. It’s like traveling cross-country: be careful what you step on! [laughs] And remember: Being a great musician is sometimes about what you don’t play. Leave space, and have an idea about what you’re going to do next.”
3. “Fools Rush In” by Ricky Nelson (1963 single) and Elvis Presley from ‘Elvis Now‘ (1972)
“Remember the old [1940 Mercer & Rube-penned] standard, ‘Fools Rush In’? I did two versions in whole different styles: one with Ricky and another with Elvis. Ricky’s was a little laid-back; Elvis had more excitement in his version. I walked into the room playing the song, and Elvis started humming it, and he told the engineer to turn the machine on and to record it. Just like that.
“Elvis liked to do two takes, and that was it. He’d usually get it in one take, but sometimes the musicians would need another take to fall in together, because everything was recorded live from the floor back then. Elvis was a prankster and liked to joke around, so I had him practice a lot and work up the songs before he came in the studio, because I was the bandleader. The musicians had to do what I’d tell them to do. But I still believe that the best bandleader is the one who stands there and keeps his mouth shut and doesn’t do anything. You gotta look at it this way: the singers key-off of the musicians. We have to be good musicians to do what we do.
“Elvis famously would call out for me to play this solo live. He just started saying, ‘Play it, James!’ during his shows for some reason. And then everybody else that I worked with started saying it!”
4. “Polk Salad Annie” by Elvis Presley from ‘On Stage‘ (1970)
“I did a version of this song for a movie, Ford Vs. Ferrari [2019]. It really shows you the way I play, and my style of playing: bluesy, with a little rock and roll. Give me a Fender Twin and let me plug it in. I don’t need anything else. I don’t really like effects. I never use them unless something happens to be required. I don’t use overdrive, but sometimes I like an amp with a little breakup that’ll give you that raspy, raw sound.
“The main thing is just to be able to hear your guitar, whether that’s from your amp or if you have monitors. It depends on the setup, but when you’re standing in front of monitors, you have to be sure you’re getting the sound you’re looking for.”
5. “Steamroller Blues” by Elvis Presley from ‘Aloha From Hawaii Via Satellite (1973)
“This is a good one: Elvis always liked this song. James Taylor wrote it. I couldn’t believe that when someone told me. I thought it was by Elmore James or somebody.
“I played this with my Paisley Telecaster when we did the Aloha From Hawaii by Satellite show, and you can see Elvis enjoyed it. When it comes to soloing, you gotta go for it and put your hot lick on it. You gotta ad-lib a little bit, too; you don’t wanna read the paper too closely. I’m self-taught. God told me that’s the best way. He was my teacher. It’s important to know the song, but it’s more important to be able to play by ear, because you’re able to do more in the music field. If you sit and look at a piece of paper to play, you have to depend on that. But when you play by ear, man, you can just walk out there and do it.
“And if you want to play hybrid picking, like I do, well – go home and practice. Make sure you got the right fingers.”
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/best-song-always-yet-come-111203806.html
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SENT TO JESSE THROUGH THIS POINT
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5, 2023
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2023
I love the look of these two photos together…
Jesse in 1994
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GRACELAND KICKS OFF THE HOLIDAY SEASON
NOVEMBER 16
The magic of the holiday season at Elvis Presley’s Graceland officially kicks off on Thursday, November 16 with our annual Holiday Lighting Ceremony. The Christmas lights at Graceland will come alive for another year including hundreds of blue Christmas lights lining the driveway, a life-size nativity scene, Elvis’ Santa and his sleigh lawn decorations, and more.
The public is invited to attend our free Holiday Lighting Ceremony on November 16 at 6:00 p.m., where there will be a 100% chance of snow and Santa will be making an appearance. For those who can’t be in Memphis, the ceremony will stream live on our Graceland Livestream channel.
More details are to be announced soon!
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GRACELAND CHRISTMAS TOURS
Daily November 16-December 23
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SATURDAY OCTOBER 7, 2023
I just want to share with everyone that Jesse did call me earlier tonight. He said he was doing all right and he sounded wonderful. We had a good chat. He said that it is starting to get cooler there too. He is going to try to send something out to me soon. So, I’ll be looking forward to that. He said he will call me again soon. As always, his call really did light up my night.
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2023
My friend Chris McC shared the below photo with me…”Elvis in 1955 at The City Auditorium in Greenville, TX.” My thanks to Chris for this nice photo which I have not seen before.
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One of my dear long-time friends Lucilia shared the below video with me. I love watching this rare video and hope my visitors will as well. I appreciate Lucilia sharing this video with me so much.
Elvis Presley’s preparation to join the army – Complete – RARE Video
youtu.be/MRWfVc9Q3BI?si=Agsc5M1LKTHrqJF-
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No bomb found after threat at Graceland
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WMC) – A bomb threat was reported at Graceland on Sunday morning and no bomb was found, according to Memphis Police Department.
Officers responded to the bomb threat at 10:49 a.m. at Graceland on 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard.
MPD was on the scene and assisted with evacuating the area as a precaution.
Officers searched Graceland’s facilities and did not locate any threats, according to MPD.
https://www.actionnews5.com/2023/10/08/no-bomb-found-after-threat-graceland/?outputType=amp
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2023
This is a beautiful video about Elvis’ amazing generosity of his time and thoughtfulness. I enjoyed this very much.
Elvis Presley – The King of Kindness.
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Always love hearing Elvis speaking and explaining himself…
Always Elvis
Elvis Presley talks about life, his career, and his ambitions in this 1962 interview.
In this Studio E creation, we take the journey in Elvis’s words along with photos including those from the Bob Klein Collection.
Studio E Productions part of the Always Elvis Fan Club creates videos and live events to provide information to Elvis fans in continuous support of his Legacy.
Visit AlwaysElvisFanClub.com for more information on the Legacy of Elvis Presley and our support of club charities. https://www.alwayselvisfanclub.com
youtu.be/z72yDEKAxYw?si=AakYZO8BuIlhsYWs
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SENT TO JESSE THROUGH THIS POINT
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2023
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2023
Just to let my visitors know that, while we were not home on Friday, Jesse did call. He left a message on our answering machine. He was doing all right.
I apologize for my absence here on my website. A very good friend has had a crisis with her home for the past two weeks. Tom and I have been there working to help her every day since late last week. We will be there again tomorrow. This is taking a toll on my health issues so I haven’t had any computer time.
Prayers for our friend and understanding of my absence shall be greatly appreciated.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2023
My dear friend Dennis F. Miller sent the below Elvis/Jesse photo comparison which I want to share with everyone. This is a beautiful match for sure. My thanks to Dennis.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023
I found the below article about Elvis’ first big attention on the radio station in Memphis to be very interesting. Hope my visitors will enjoy it also.
Elvis Presley’s ‘That’s All Right’ Caused a Radio Station to Get 40 Calls
Elvis Presley‘s “That’s All Right” caused a stir when it was first released in 1954. A contemporary rock ‘n’ roll singer was less impressed with the song. Regardless, it went on to become a standard for later generations of rockers.
Elvis Presley’s ‘That’s All Right’ was born out of a spontaneous moment during a break
According to a 2022 video from the Elvis YouTube channel, record executive Sam Phillips of Sun Records booked a session with Elvis when the singer was trying to break into the industry. Phillips wanted to find the right song for Elvis to sing, but nothing seemed to fit.
During a break, Elvis started singing an uptempo cover of Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s blues song “That’s All Right.” Phillips sent the cover to the radio program Red Hot & Blue. The song received an overwhelmingly positive reception and the radio station received 40 phone calls. The tune became a local hit and sent Elvis on the path to showbiz stardom.
B. B. King felt Elvis Presley was copying Arthur ‘Big Boy’ Crudup
Of course, not everyone was impressed with Elvis’ “That’s All Right.” B. B. King was one of the architects of rock ‘n’ roll. According to the 2021 book King of Blues: The Rise and Reign of B. B. King, King looked at the Elvis phenomenon critically. “Elvis was doing Big Boy Crudup’s tunes, and they were calling that rock ‘n’ roll,” he said. “And I thought it was a way of saying, ‘He’s not Black.’” He also dismissed rock ‘n’ roll as “just more white people doing blues that used different progressions.”
Despite this, King felt the “All Shook Up” singer was distinct from other rock ‘n’ rollers at Sun Records, such as Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins. “Elvis was different,” he said. “He was friendly. I remember Elvis distinctly because he was handsome, quiet, and polite to a fault. Spoke with this thick molasses Southern accent and always called me ‘Sir.’ I liked that. In the early days, I heard him strictly as a country singer.”
How ‘That’s All Right’ performed on the charts and impacted musicians and movies
Elvis’ “That’s All Right” came out in 1954. The Billboard Hot 100 did not debut until 1958, so it did not hit that chart. The cover appeared as the opening track of the compilation album Elvis: 2nd to None, perhaps as an acknowledgment that the song was Elvis’ first release. That compilation peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 16 weeks.
“That’s All Right” became an even more prominent part of popular culture through television and cinema. The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll performed the song during his ’68 Comeback Special and Baz Luhrmann highlighted the tune in his biopic Elvis. Other acts that have taken a crack at “That’s All Right” include Greta Van Fleet, Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney, and Chris Isaak.
“That’s All Right” is an incredible cover and Crudup deserves credit for writing the tune.
Elvis Presley’s ‘That’s All Right’ Caused a Radio Station to Get 40 Calls
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Last night I heard from Jesse via a call from him to my best friend who I was on the phone with when he tried to call me. MJ and I were having a phone conversation when my call waiting went off…but, because we get so many telemarketers and political fundraising calls, I was very slow to look to see who the incoming call was from, and by the time I did look the display had cleared. Right away MJ’s house phone started ringing as she and I were on her cell phone. The caller was Jesse who was telling MJ that he had tried to call me but that no one answered our phone. So, we proceeded to have a semi-3-way call. MJ put her phone on speakerphone so that I could hear Jesse and relayed some of what I said to Jesse. So, we had fun with our “3-way” call. Jesse sounded so good and I was just so happy to know that he was all right.
I thought of not posting about this call from Jesse since I didn’t actually get to speak with him…but, I thought that everyone would like to read that he did try to call and that he is doing OK.
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SENT TO JESSE THROUGH THIS POINT
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2023
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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2023
There is a new item listed on eBay that I want to share with my visitors. I have often mentioned this album before here on my website and my YouTube channel. It is one of my all-time favorites which I consider to be a rare treasure.
Years ago, Jesse confirmed that I was right that some of the ORION songs were really him. Although Orion is not listed anywhere on this album as the singer, there are songs included that were originally released as Orion…that I KNEW were sung by Elvis.
Way back many years ago I first stumbled upon and bought this album in a store in Birmingham, Alabama during one of our Elvis trips where we had traveled to visit the studio where the song “Down In Mississippi” was recorded. I had never heard about this album and was so excited when I spied it displayed hanging on the wall. When we got back home and I played it, I found that it included some of the songs from the Orion releases. I even phoned the Sun Studio in Nashville which was then owned by Shelby Singleton to see what they had to say about their songs being released on this album. I spoke with a man there and gave him the details about this album and his only comment was “Never heard of it.” I didn’t argue with him and just hung up but in my mind, I was thinking “How could he never have heard of this album when it included songs previously released by his company?!” And so the mystery and their coverup continued.
Significantly, this album was released in 1982 which, at that time, marked the end of the Orion the Singer era and the beginning of the Orion Pictures Corp. Elvis-related films era. One of those first Orion films featured Jerry Lee Lewis. Please read the below excerpt copied from my page which details the facts of the Elvis and Orion connection.
Also very interesting to note that Orion Pictures released another movie that featured a lot about Jerry Lee Lewis, and for whom Jerry Lee did the soundtrack. That movie is “Breathless” and it was the “transition” of Orion from the singer to the movie industry in 1983. The Killer, The King album was released in 1982 at the end of the singer’s prominence.
Please see my Orion pages to read the full details about “Breathless“.
Many years later following the prominent release of the book by Gail-Brewer Giorgio “Is Elvis Alive?” in 1988, Orion Pictures produced and released the biographical film of Jerry Lee Lewis’s life titled “Great Balls of Fire” which was filmed in Memphis.
Jerry Lee Lewis – The Killer, The King – Blue Vinyl LP – Gatefold
Item description from the seller
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Experience the ultimate rock n’ roll music with the “Jerry Lee Lewis – The Killer, The King” vinyl LP. This 1982 release by Roller Skate Records features the best of Jerry Lee Lewis in blue-colored vinyl. The 12″ record with 33 RPM speed is a must-have for all rockabilly lovers out there. This LP comes in a gatefold edition with a very good plus (VG+) record grading and sleeve grading. The vinyl is made of high-quality material and is in excellent condition. Enjoy the English language music with this LP, which is a rare collection for all music enthusiasts. Includes 8×10 Portrait which is a copy of the front cover! Please note the rear top of the gatefold has been taped by the previous owner as it was split |
Condition:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/155838340363
Below is one of my YouTube videos featuring a song from this album:
ELVIS IS ALIVE What’d I Say from The Killer, The King album
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Jesse called me this afternoon and we had a very good chat visit. He is doing pretty well except he does have a skin lesion which he is seeing a Dr. about. He was to have a biopsy done later this afternoon. So, let’s all keep him in our thoughts and prayers. He is looking forward to his trick-or-treater visitors and is preparing with lots of candy.
His call was certainly a blessing and a bright spot in my day as always.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2023
I recall many years ago when the tours had live tour guides and I enjoyed that. So, this will be special for sure.
Visit Graceland November 16 – December 23 and enjoy limited-time holiday tours featuring live tour guides sharing stories throughout Graceland Mansion and an Ultimate VIP holiday experience!
Get your tickets here: bit.ly/3Q1OIuf
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My good long-time friend Chris S. sent me the following article from which I am posting only the portion about Elvis. I will also post the link so that you may read the entire article along with the other mentioned handsome men.
Top Most Handsome Men in the World
Introduction
Beauty, they say, lies in the eyes of the beholder. In a world where aesthetics are celebrated and admired, the quest for the most handsome man in the world is a captivating and often subjective pursuit. Throughout history, individuals from various fields have captured the hearts and imaginations of people around the globe, earning them the title of the most handsome man. In this article, we explore some of the most iconic and universally admired figures known for their exceptional looks, charm, and charisma.
The Fluidity of Beauty
Beauty is a dynamic and culturally influenced concept that evolves. What is considered attractive can vary significantly from one culture and era to another. Different people are drawn to different types of beauty, which makes it challenging to single out one individual as the most handsome man universally. However, several men have made a lasting impact and have been celebrated for their good looks and charisma.
Elvis is shown as #2 after Cary Grant…
2. Elvis Presley: The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, possessed an undeniable magnetic presence. With his striking looks, charismatic stage presence, and sultry voice, he became an icon of masculinity and sensuality.
https://www.paidforarticles.com/top-most-handsome-men-in-the-world-755270
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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 25, 2023
My long-time very good friend Shawn K. shared the below YouTube short video of Muhammed Ali reciting a sweet poem which I enjoyed. I thank Shawn so much for sharing this for all of us to enjoy.
As we all know Elvis and Ali were very good and loyal friends.
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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023
My best friend MJ shared the below video with me. I really enjoyed this song and thank MJ so much for sharing it with me.
Elvis Presley-Dark Moon. One of Elvis’s Private Recording.
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SENT TO JESSE THROUGH THIS POINT
ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2023
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2023
This is one of the most beautiful Elvis videos I have ever enjoyed…
Old but Gold TCB
youtu.be/H-uLpo4HfAc?si=N2sITLWorkvfc7Lm
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SUNDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2023
Below is most recent interview with Elvis’ friend Jerry Schilling which I enjoyed and hope you will as well.
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TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023
AI (artificial intelligence) seems to be everywhere these days and it has been used to create images of how some famous deceased celebrities would look if still alive today. It is not surprising that Elvis has been included in those recreations. Below is one of those images… I thought I would share this one as it is not too bad…some I have seen are horrible.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/metroworldnews/67IALU5G5JDR7EB5L4SPIJBW6Q.jpg "John Lennon, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain And Elvis Could Be Like This Today, According To Artificial Intelligence")
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I want to share the following article about Joe Esposito, with whom we are all very familiar, for one reason which I will highlight so it will stand out. This is a nice article about Joe which I just enjoyed reading. Be sure to watch for the most important part of this article…you will love it.
Joe Esposito Cause of Death: How Elvis Presley’s Friend and Aide Passed Away
Joe Esposito was a close friend and aide of Elvis Presley, the legendary rock and roll singer who died in 1977. Esposito met Presley in the Army in 1958 and became his professional assistant, road manager, and confidant for the next 17 years. He was also one of the two best men at Presley’s wedding to Priscilla in 1967 and a pallbearer at his funeral in 1977. Esposito died on November 23, 2016, at the age of 78. But what was the cause of his death?
Natural Causes After Dementia
According to his daughter Cindy Bahr, Esposito died of natural causes in California after suffering from dementia. Dementia is a general term for a decline in mental abilities that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. It can be caused by various diseases or conditions that damage the brain, such as Alzheimer’s disease, stroke, or Parkinson’s disease. Dementia can affect a person’s ability to perform daily activities, communicate, and interact with others. It can also cause mood changes, hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia.
Esposito’s daughter said that he had been diagnosed with dementia about four years before his death and that his condition had worsened in the last year of his life. She said that he had trouble remembering things and recognizing people, and that he sometimes thought that Elvis was still alive. She also said that he was surrounded by his family and friends when he passed away peacefully at his home in Calabasas.
A Life Dedicated to Elvis
Esposito was born on January 22, 1938, in Chicago, Illinois. He joined the Army in 1957 and met Presley in 1958 at an Army base in Friedberg, West Germany. They became friends and served together until they were both discharged in 1960. Esposito then became Presley’s assistant, a role that involved managing his tours, finances, security, and personal affairs. He was also a member of Presley’s inner circle, known as the “Memphis Mafia”, along with Red West and Marty Lacker.
Esposito appeared in some of Presley’s movies, such as It Happened at the World’s Fair and Kissin’ Cousins, and was often seen by his side in public events. He was one of the first people to find Presley’s body when he died at Graceland on August 16, 1977, and he broke the news of his death to Priscilla and Presley’s manager Tom Parker. He later said that losing Elvis was like losing a brother.
After Presley’s death, Esposito continued to work as a road manager for other artists, such as Michael Jackson and The Bee Gees. He also became an author and publisher of several books about Presley, such as Good Rockin’ Tonight: Twenty Years on the Road and on the Town with Elvis. He was a consultant on many projects related to Presley, such as the movie This Is Elvis and the CBS special Elvis by the Presleys. He also gave interviews and participated in fan events to share his memories and insights about Presley.
Esposito was married twice and had three children: two daughters with his first wife Joan Kardashian, who later married into the famous Kardashian family; and one son with his second wife Martha Gallub, who died in 2012 after a long battle with cancer.
A Legacy of Friendship and Loyalty
Esposito was widely respected and admired by Presley’s fans and colleagues for his friendship and loyalty to the King of Rock and Roll. He was considered one of the most reliable and credible sources on Presley’s life and career. He was also praised for his professionalism and kindness by the artists he worked with after Presley’s death.
Esposito’s death was mourned by many people who knew him or were influenced by him. Priscilla Presley said that he was “one of our closest friends” who “was always there for Elvis” . Lisa Marie Presley said that he was “a dear friend” who “loved my father dearly” . Jerry Schilling, another member of the Memphis Mafia, said that he was “a great friend” who “was always there for me”. Larry King, who interviewed Esposito several times, said that he was “a terrific guy” who “knew everything about Elvis” .
Esposito’s legacy lives on through his books, interviews, home movies, and other contributions to the preservation and celebration of Presley’s legacy. He is also remembered as a devoted friend and aide who stood by Presley through the highs and lows of his life and career. He once said: “I was with him for 17 years, day and night. We laughed together, we cried together, we played together, we worked together. He was my best friend.”
I often wondered if Joe would say something about his on-going friendship with Jesse as his memory problems worsened. This is the first time that I have read a statement addressing that issue.
https://doms2cents.com/joe-esposito
Joe Esposito Cause of Death: How Elvis Presley’s Friend and Aide Passed Away
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FOOTNOTE TO THE ABOVE ARTICLE ABOUT JOE ESPOSITO:
Jesse wrote in one of the letters included in his book that Col. Parker chose Joe to be involved in the August 16, 1977 faking of Elvis’ death. Below is this fact written in Elvis’/Jesse’s own handwriting.
The above is copied from my private copy of the rough draft of the book:
Jesse told me about Joe’s illness early on and so I was aware that there would perhaps come a time when Joe would slip up and say something about Elvis not dying.
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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023
Support the 2023 Graceland Poinsettia Campaign this Holiday Season
Graceland is kicking off its 2023 Graceland Poinsettia Campaign today and asking fans to give like the king to support the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation this holiday season.
The Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation offers support to various charitable organizations, especially focusing on arts, education and children’s programs. In addition, the foundation also supports the Elvis Presley Endowed Scholarship Fund at the College of Communication & Fine Arts at the University of Memphis to assist students majoring in areas that relate to Elvis’ own career: music, film, television, theater, etc.
By making a donation to the 2023 Graceland Poinsettia Campaign, you will you be supporting the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation as well as adding to the beauty of Graceland during the holiday season. The beautiful red poinsettias line the staircase at Graceland and can be seen throughout the mansion by our guests who visit during this special time of year.
Graceland’s offers two ways for you to make your donation to the Poinsettia Campaign:
ONLINE: You can make a $25 donation to the Graceland Poinsettia Campaign online by CLICKING HERE
MAIL: You may also donate to the Graceland Poinsettia Campaign by mailing $25.00 (US funds) by check or money order payable to the Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation to:
Poinsettia Campaign
c/o Graceland
P.O. Box 16508
Memphis, TN 38186-0508
For every $25 donation you make to support the Graceland Poinsettia Campaign, you will receive a special Graceland holiday postcard mailed to your home and your name will be listed on our online Graceland.com Poinsettia Campaign donors list.
