For Maurice, on the byke matter

[katia]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Thanks Katia and Maurice. I'll include them in the list, so please confirm, my dear Maurice, whether Marty, Terry and Billy belong in the 1956 list, as I belive is the case, or in the 1957 list. Also please give an estimate of where the other two you mentioned, belong.
Now, as to celebrities expressing their admiration, love, devotion, for Elvis, the list is too numerous, so in fact the research I made had only only musicians, or singers, in mind.
Let me explain: I find it fantastic when a fan of someone like, say, Jimi Hendrix, expresses his disdain for Elvis, only to be told that in fact, Jimi became a musician, and a fantastic live entertainer, precisely because of his love, and as a result of the experience he felt, through his bones, that night, at Sick's Stadium, when he saw what a real entertainer, at his actual peak, could do with an audience of thousands...

In any case it is impossible for me despise Elvis, only those who can not see or could not hear expressions of annoyance for him or idiots!
I think you understand your reasoning and I'll tell you that Hendrix was a great musician!
Elvis is fantastic opens the hearts of those who listen him! Elvis makes my life colorful!
Jim also add Little Tony and Adriano Celentano who love both Elvis, are Italian singers that I have come to mind now, then you tell other

[katia]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Thanks Katia and Maurice. I'll include them in the list, so please confirm, my dear Maurice, whether Marty, Terry and Billy belong in the 1956 list, as I belive is the case, or in the 1957 list. Also please give an estimate of where the other two you mentioned, belong.
Now, as to celebrities expressing their admiration, love, devotion, for Elvis, the list is too numerous, so in fact the research I made had only only musicians, or singers, in mind.
Let me explain: I find it fantastic when a fan of someone like, say, Jimi Hendrix, expresses his disdain for Elvis, only to be told that in fact, Jimi became a musician, and a fantastic live entertainer, precisely because of his love, and as a result of the experience he felt, through his bones, that night, at Sick's Stadium, when he saw what a real entertainer, at his actual peak, could do with an audience of thousands...

In any case it is impossible for me despise Elvis, only those who can not see or could not hear expressions of annoyance for him or idiots!
I think you understand your reasoning and I'll tell you that Hendrix was a great musician!
Elvis is fantastic opens the hearts of those who listen him! Elvis makes my life colorful!
Jim also add Little Tony and Adriano Celentano who love both Elvis, are Italian singers that I have come to mind now, then you tell other

[katia]

Oh forgive me! I posted twice my reply. I'm having trouble connecting

[MauricePColgan]

Jim the singers I mentioned probably were converted 1957. Terry Dene may be a 1956 convert? They all had careers often covering Elvis songs, or attempting his style.

Katia, We enjoy your accent.We all make mistakes when posting. Don't worry.

Say hello to Gina Lollobridgida for me, she is beautiful . From 1956 I have been smitten!:-)

[LauderdaleLady]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Hey Maurice!! Before I forget, have this ready for copy and pasting just in case.*LOL.
The list below is the result of research I have made as to who, in the music world, is on record as stating that they took up a life in music, in fact, not that they beceme musicians, but that they decided to take up rock music as a way of life, as a result of either seeing Elvis perform, hearing his voice and or consider him the greatest singer that ever lived.
Here is the list, in chronological order, starting with the first person that changed his way of life simply because, in his case, he heard his magigal voice on his car radio...
Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Johnny Rivers, Mac Davis, Gene Vincent, Buddy Holly, Levon Helm, Buddy Knox, Waylon Jennings, all in 1954. Eddie Cochrane, Gram Parsons, Bruce Springsteen, Johnny Tillotson, Rick Nelson, Bob Dylan, Paul Mc Cartney, John Lennon, Roger Daltrey, Mick Jagger, Robert Plant, Mike Fleetwood, Cher, Elton john, Isaac Hayes, Paul Simon, Brian Wilson, Loretta Lynn, all in 1956. Rod Stewart, Johnny Hallyday, Cliff Richard, Bobby Solo, Roberto Carlos, Cauby Peixoto, Eric Burdon, Jimi hendrix, Jose Feliciano, Engelbert Humperdinck all in 1957. Palito Ortega, Sandro, Freddy Fender, Tom Petty, Tom Jones, Jimmy Buffet, Ian Gillan, Glenn Campbell, Billy Joel, all in 1959. Al Green, Barry White, Otis Redding, Freddy Mercury, all in 1960; Kenny Rogers, Huey Lewis, K. D. Lang, Faith Hill, Brian Setzer, Greg Lake, Kiri Te Kanawa, Bryn Terfel, Tobias Sammet, Bono, Samuel Ramey and Robert Wallace from 1961 till now.
Again, this, of course, includes only those that changed their life because of him, and or who find him the best that ever was...LOL

jim-- I LOVE THIS LIST....however would Jerry Lee Lewis be first on it? And there might be more on it!

[LauderdaleLady]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Ho Maurice!! Just as I was going to demolish the writer of the article in the "New York Times", I saw your comment on the blog. He even replied with a derogatory comment on Elvis' guitar playing, so I sent the following two comments (the last of which is yet to appear)
Comment 1
One would expect that someone who is writing for the New York Times, like Mr. Garret, does his research, when writing an article about accomplished bikers, but in this day and age, that would be wishful thinking on the part of the readers. Elvis Presley and Steve Mc Queen had at least two things in common, in terms of sports, namely their love for bykes and karate but, while Mc Queen was serious about both activities, even wanting to compete, Presley weasn’t interested in that aspect of it, which is a totally different thing than saying that one was an “accomplished” byker, and that the other wasn’t. Presley rode the biggest, most powerful bykes that were then in existance, but only for the fun of it and, like poster Maurice indicated, he never had the least bit of trouble driving them at harrowing speeds, wherever he felt like taking them for a ride, for a period of over 21 years. Presley’s life has been the most documented amongst celebrities (1,200 biographies in print). Apparently, Mr. Garret has not read a single one.
Comment 2
Jerry, it is obvious you are somewhat out of your depth when commenting about what Elvis Presley could, and could not do. Or do you think you know more about how Presley could play a guitar than, say, Johnny Cash, who not only toured with Elvis as of 1955, but first saw him perform as early as in 1954?
Here's a quote for you to ponder about:
"That night at the "Eagle's Nest", I remember, he was playing a D-18 Martin acoustic guitar and he was dressed in the latest teen fashion, but the thing I really noticed though, was his guitar playing. Elvis was a fabulous rhythm player. He'd start into "That’s All Right" , with his own guitar, alone, and you didn't want to hear anything else"
Johnny Cash, in "Cash, the autobiography", recalling the first time he saw Presley perform, at the "Eagles Nest", in Memphis in 1954)(from wikiquote's essay on things said about Elvis Presley)

Great post.....I rated your comment brilliant!

[katia]

MauricePColgan wrote:

Jim the singers I mentioned probably were converted 1957. Terry Dene may be a 1956 convert? They all had careers often covering Elvis songs, or attempting his style.
Katia, We enjoy your accent.We all make mistakes when posting. Don't worry.
Say hello to Gina Lollobridgida for me, she is beautiful . From 1956 I have been smitten!:-)

Uè Maurice (greeting Salerno - near Naples-which means hello)
You are the mouth of good, Gina Lollobrigida was a great actress and a beautiful woman! I am happy that celebrities Italians are still loved, I am good, but nobody is more good Elvis! Elvis is the number one forever!
I understand the list of singers dates back to many years ago, over time the list should be updated.
Thanks for your understanding for the way I write, I have the help of a translator but sometimes I do myself!
Thank you!

[Jim Burrows]

Remember, the list should be made of people who have said either

i) that the moment they saw him live, or heard his voice on the radio, or saw one of his movies, that is s when they said to themselves, that is what I want to do in life, and they did it.
A life in muisc because of him, in other words

ii) that he is the best vocalist, entertainer, or singer of popular songs that has ever lived

[Jim Burrows]

For instance, a person like Cher is in the list because she falls under the i) category.

A similar search for what her mate (Sonny Bono), has said about Elvis, turns up great cumpliments, but it is obvious that either Sonny did not see Elvis live in the four year period before Elvis was drafted or missed his most important TV appearances and those two facts, in themselves, minimize his chances of having been totally affected., like Cher was.

Moreover, and as an example, of the 62 million who saw his first appearance at the Ed Sullivan Show, one could find thousands upon thousands of later musicians, even two dozen of brilliant ones, but that does not mean that they made up their minds, that same night, about what to do in life, like Paul Simon, Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen did, to name just three amongst the most important musicians and lyricists of the second half of the 20th century.

[Jim Burrows]

Another example for our friend from Italy. Of the early italian rockers one could assume that both Adriano Celentano and Bobby Solo were affected by Elvis, again, affected to the point of being so in awe, or in shock at whatever they saw, or heard, that that was the moment when they decided to take up a life in music. However, of the two, only his affecting Bobby Solo, in that way, can be substantiated, by hios own remarks, in many interviews. This does not mean that when Celentano, first started, he did not have Elvis in mind, or that he did not sing his songs, or that he did not dance like him, etc, he did, in all counts, and all of that is all documented, but I have not found proof that Celentano actually became a singer because he heard one of Elvis songs.

[MauricePColgan]

Jim, I see what you mean.

Cliff Richard is definitely on record as saying if there had not been an Elvis there would have been no Cliff Richard.

The others I mentioned are obviously influenced by Elvis but I do not have their quotes about WHY they became entertainers in the first place, although they obviously lean to Elvis's HAIR style, MODE of singing and stage mannerisms......albeit in a much exaggerated fashion :-)

Elvis certainly cast a great many shadows!

[Jim Burrows]

Hi Maurice!! Cliff is on the list, as he falls under both categories, as well as being one of the members of another category, quite exclusive if I may add, namely those know to have had an Elvis fixation (LOL)

John Lennon and Gram Parsons, the latter a founder of the Byrds, and then of the Flying Burrito Brothers, are two musicians that come to mind from this rather, how do I put it, unique category.

[Jim Burrows]

Hi Maurice, this just in.

About a week ago, when Eddy Arnold died, the NYT obituary stated, inter/alia, that one of the songs Elvis had covered from him was I wanna play house with you. Knowing that this was not the case, from way back, I sent a short letter to the Editor pointing out that the two songs were not the same.

Anyways, about five days passed, and then I get a letter from the Sub editor of the obituary section, very nice, etc, but actually referring me, can you imagine, me....(LOL) to Greil Marcus liner notes in such and such album, where he had noted (wrongly, of course) that Baby lets play house was influenced equally by both Arnold and Gunthers recordings.

Then, Marcus makes an even greater mess, by stating, in those same liner notes, that Buddy Hollys version, recorded in late 1955, but not releades in America until afternhe had passed away, was also derivative of both, which is, of course, another fabrication firectly related to his not having listened to Arnolds version in the first place.

So, I wrote him a long letter, referring HIM to Arnold, Gunther, Presley, and Hollys versions, though direct links to their respective youtube addresses.

I am still waiting for his reply.

Have you ever taken time out to listen to I wanna play house with you, by either Arnold or Holly? This is what happens when you do.

First, when you hear Arnolds, from 1951, there is nothing remotely alike about both songs, except that Arnold mentions the words I wanna play house with you, throughout this rather mediocre song, something that may, or may not, have influenced Gunther when he wrote his song 3 years later.

But the words, the type of song, the instrumentation, and especially the chord progression, I repat, especially the chord progression, and everything else under the galaxy that rules the universe, is totally different.

Then, when you hear Hollys version, what you hear is a fantastic tribute to Presleys version, recorded 9 months earlier.

He avoids the use of drums, and nails the syncopation at the intro, except at the second Baby, where he takes a milisecond more to breathe.

Has this kind of reply ever sent to you? You know, the kind one, but the type that cites this and that, but without actually checking the source, in this case, the song...

[Jim Burrows]

Just for the hell of it, Maurice, why dont you write the sub editor, to his directe email address at the NYT (tht will wake him up LOL) His namer is Bill Mc Donald, he wrote the obituary, citing Marcus, and his addres is [e-mail] (LOL)

[Jim Burrows]

Remember, Maurice, when he cited Marcus, is because the Editor asked him to do the research for him before he could answer my letter. In other words, the writer of the obit, Mc Donald himself only checked what he wrote after the obituary was publihhed (LOL) And please do not mention me, only the obituary, which ran the day after Arnold died (LOL)

[Jim Burrows]

Hi Lauderdale Lady!! I have been in your city many times, at various periods of my life, and I always loved it.

Anyways, the question of whether JLL should be on that list has haunted me since I ever thought of it.

The problem is that JLL played boogie boogle piano, and in a fantastic fashion, by the way, years before he ever heard Thats all right on the radio.

I have read somewhere that he was floored when he heard it, but by that time he was already heavily into R and B, and country, even if just playing it in his house, or with friends, so I would stop short of including in the list because of it. However, what we need is his admission that it was hearing Presleys record that he decided to take music as a profession. And we dont have that.

In addition, he may also believed he was a better singer than Presley, so he could not be put on the list because of THAT, either.

[MauricePColgan]

Jim Burrows wrote:

Just for the hell of it, Maurice, why dont you write the sub editor, to his directe email address at the NYT (tht will wake him up LOL) His namer is Bill Mc Donald, he wrote the obituary, citing Marcus, and his addres is [e-mail] (LOL)

Hi Jim, you devil!:-) My email has gone to. Sir.

Short and to the point. We shall see what transpires? well.......maybe :-) The New York Times makes quite a target. I once received a letter from an editor of the TNYT concerning an Elvis story. I seem to remember her name as Rosenbaum. back in 1997. Before my computer age.

Thanks for those youtube directions I enjoyed comparing the songs.

This thread has become quite a source of fascinating info thanks to your exhaustive research.

[Jim Burrows]

Thanks buddy!!

Now, let us a play a game, you and I, whimsically, that is, with McDonald.

Starts like this. You and I, on the phone with him, a three way conference call. We start, Did you see, and hear, how closely Elvis imitates Arnolds vocal gymnastics?(LOL)!!!

He does not know what to say, since by now, after the letters we sent him, he figures we are making fun of him.

We add, Hey, his vocals are infleuced by Arnold (LOL), right? That song, the message, is pure Arnold..(LOL), right?

Then, we say, Hey, Bill, wait a second, we were not talking about Eddy, but about Kokomo Arnold, to whom Elvis defivitively owes a vocal debt, when he sang blues somgs, in the fifties (LOL)

[MauricePColgan]

Now now Jim, Would we do such a thing as make fun of an Editor? LOL.

Ol' McDonald may lose the farm!

I have already posted the topic on another Elvis message board with a nod to your good self of course.
How the Elvis "Scholars" elsewhere missed this is quite amusing. But they know now!

[Jim Burrows]

Hi buddy!! Did you read my othert thread, on the letter to the Independent? On Bo-s death?