The Elvis Beat Newsletter

Coroner cleared in new report on Elvis’ death [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this piece back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #10, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Medical examiner Jerry Francisco, who was in charge of the autopsy performed following Elvis’ death in 1977, has been cleared of allegations that he lied on Elvis’ death certificate. Dr. Francisco ruled that Elvis had died of coronary arrhythmia, an irregular beating of the heart resulting from hypertensive heart disease.

For years there has been speculation that Francisco’s findings were part of a cover-up and that Elvis’ death was actually drug related. The controversy prompted the Tennessee health department to review the case several months ago.

The health department issued a two-page statement on September 29. “There is no basis to conclude that any person willfully and knowingly made false statements on  the death certificate of Elvis Presley,” the statement read.

The statement did not mention drugs or indicate whether heart disease was the best diagnosis. Due to privacy regulations, the full report will not be released.

Elvis honored at tribute [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this article back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #10, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis: The Tribute concert took place in Memphis at the Pyramid on October 8 and was broadcast live on pay-per-view television. It featured many stars, including Bryan Adams, Chet Atkins, Tony Bennett, Michael Bolton, Cheap Trick, Cher, Billy Ray Cyrus, Melissa Etheridge, Chris Isaac, Jerry Lee Lewis, Aaron Neville, Carl Perkins, and Dwight Yoakam. Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, also appeared.

Lisa Marie Presley, her new husband, Michael Jackson, and his sister, Janet Jackson, were among the 18,000 people who attended the event. There had been plans for Lisa Marie and Michael to sing a duet in the show, but they eventually decided not to perform.

Along with Elvis songs performed by other music stars, the show included footage of Elvis singing several songs, including “If I Can Dream.”

Several performers originally slated to appear had to back out for different reasons. Among these were Billy Joel, Elton John, and Jon Bon Jovi.

Portions of the profits will go to the TJ Martell Foundation and the St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

Elvis: The Tribute will be re-broadcast in December on ABC.

Elvis statue to move [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this article back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #9, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

The Elvis statue on Beale Street in Memphis will soon be moving. Eric Parks’ 1979 bronze statue has fallen prey to erosion and other deterioration in its current location, which is outside at Elvis Presley Plaza. The 10-foot statue, which is a stunning likeness of Elvis, will be completely restored before being moved inside to a new multi-million dollar welcome center being built in downtown Memphis.

Todd Morgan, Director of Communications for Graceland, said, “The center’s lobby is expected to feature imagery celebrating Memphis music, with the Elvis statue dominating the area as its centerpiece.”

Morgan reports that Graceland is planning to place a weather-proof statue or tribute at the old Beale Street location.

The new Memphis welcome center is scheduled to open by the end of this year.

Elvis restoration project continues [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this piece back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #9, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

RCA’s effort to digitally restore all of Elvis’ songs and release them on the compact disc format is still going strong. A 2-CD boxed set of gospel and inspirational songs will be released by end of this year. The set will contain some of the songs not included in ELVIS: From Nashville To Memphis – The Essential 60s Masters I.

To be released in 1995 is The 70s Masters boxed set, which will contain at least 5 CDs.

In May, RCA continued the Elvis Double Features series with the release of the following 1960s movie soundtracks, one of which is actually a triple feature:

  • Frankie & Johnny/Paradise, Hawaiian Style
  • Spinout/Double Trouble
  • Kissin’ Cousins/Clambake/Stay Away, Joe

Lisa Marie marries Michael Jackson [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this article back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #9, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

The media had been speculating about it for weeks, and on August 1, it was confirmed to the world. Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’ only child, married pop superstar Michael Jackson on May 26.

Lisa, 26, made the following written statement concerning her marriage to Jackson, 35:

My marriage to Michael Jackson took place in a private ceremony outside the United States weeks ago. It was not formally announced until now for several reasons, foremost being that we are both very private people living in the glare of the public media. We both wanted a private ceremony without the distraction of a media circus. I am very much in love with Michael; I dedicate my life to being his wife. I understand and support him; we both look forward to raising a family and living a happy, healthy life together. We hope friends and fans will understand and respect our privacy.

This is the second marriage for Lisa Marie. She has two children from her marriage to musician Danny Keough, Danielle, who is now five, and Benjamin, who will be two in October. Her marriage to Keough ended several months ago in divorce. This is Jackson’s first marriage. [. . . .]

Lisa Marie’s mother, Priscilla Presley, who was married to Elvis from 1967 until their divorce in 1973, stated the following through a spokesman: “Please assure everyone I’m very supportive of Lisa Marie and everything she does.”

Lisa Marie and her new husband will perform a duet of an Elvis song together at the Elvis Tribute concert in October. The TV special will also feature Billy Joel, Elton John, and others.

Review: ELVIS RECORDED LIVE ON STAGE IN MEMPHIS CD [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this review back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #8, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, produced by Felton Jarvis. Recorded March 20, 1974, Mid-South Coliseum (Memphis). Released: July 1974. Re-released: 1994 (CD).

With the release of Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis, all of Elvis’ original live albums are finally available on compact disc. The album sounds great and the electricity of the audience as well as Elvis can truly be felt.

The great love between the performer and his audience can be heard just before the closing song when Elvis says, “It’s always been said that a person cannot return to their home town, but you have disproven that theory completely. You’ve really made it worthwhile.” The audience begins to chant, “We love you” as the band breaks into “Can’t Help Falling In Love.”

In addition to some of the mainstays of his concert repertoire, Elvis Recorded Live On Stage In Memphis also features some new songs, such as “Why Me Lord,” which is excellent, and “Let Me Be There.” Live versions of two 1950s songs, “Blueberry Hill” and “My Baby Left Me,” have never been released on any other album.

Elvis also introduces a song that he had recently recorded, “Help Me,” which would later be released on the Promised Land album.

Songs:

  1. See See Rider
  2. I Got A Woman/Amen
  3. Love Me
  4. Trying To Get To You
  5. Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On/Mama Don’t Dance/Flip, Flop & Fly/Jailhouse Rock/Hound Dog
  6. Why Me Lord
  7. How Great Thou Art
  8. Blueberry Hill/I Can’t Stop Loving You
  9. Help Me
  10. An American Trilogy
  11. Let Me Be There
  12. My Baby Left Me
  13. Lawdy, Miss Clawdy
  14. Can’t Help Falling In Love
  15. Closing Vamp

Rating: 7.5 out of 10

Review: GOOD TIMES CD [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 19 when I wrote this review back in 1994 for The Elvis Beat #8, my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Good Times (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, produced by Felton Jarvis. Recorded July 21-22 and December 10-16, 1973, Stax Studios (Memphis). Released: March 1974. Re-released: 1994 (CD).

Good Times contains some of the greatest songs of all of the new CDs reviewed in this issue: “Lovin’ Arms,” “I’ve Got A Thing About You, Baby,” “My Boy,” “Spanish Eyes,” and “Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues.”

“Take Good Care Of Her” and “Talk About The Good Times” are average songs, which Good Times also contains three weak songs: “I Got A Feelin’ In My Body,” “If That Isn’t Love,” and “She Wears My Ring.”

Once again, unless you are waiting for The 70s Masters boxed set, this one is definitely a must.

Songs:

  1. Take Good Care Of Her
  2. Lovin’ Arms
  3. I Got A Feelin’ In My Body
  4. If That Isn’t Love
  5. She Wears My Ring
  6. I’ve Got A Thing About You, Baby
  7. My Boy
  8. Spanish Eyes
  9. Talk About The Good Times
  10. Good Time Charlie’s Got The Blues

Rating: 8 out of 10