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Elvis’ Circle G Ranch — Part 3

Posted on March 16, 2013 by | 2 Comments

Elvis’ idyllic times at the Circle G Ranch paused in late April 1967 when he returned to Hollywood for the last week of filming on Clambake.  When that wrapped up, Elvis and the gang did not go back to Graceland or Circle G.  Instead, they spent time in Palm Springs as the date for Elvis and Priscilla’s marriage approached.

On May 1, Priscilla and Elvis exchanged their vows at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas.  After the reception, they returned to Palm Springs to start their honeymoon.  On May 4, they flew back to Memphis and spent the next two nights at Graceland.  Then, finally on May 6, Elvis and Priscilla returned to Circle G, and for reasons of privacy, they continued their honeymoon at the ranch house.

Backside of Honeymoon Cottage

 

It is unclear how many days passed until Elvis and Priscilla moved back to their mobile home by the lake, but their stay in the ranch house was long enough for it to be nicknamed their “Honeymoon Cottage.”

The various written histories of Elvis’ life have very little to say about what went on in May 1967, but there are hints that Elvis’ fascination with the cowboy life at the ranch started to wane.  The immense bills he had run up since purchasing the Circle G became an increasing strain.  Dr. George Nichopoulas had entered Elvis’ life that spring, and some historians consider that as a changing point in Elvis’ behavior and interests.  The overall good feeling among the Memphis Mafia started to crumble as jealousy about the trailers and trucks Elvis gave out caused bad feelings. At the end of May and early June, the Elvis biographers mention a number of activities that all indicate he was living at Graceland:  a second larger wedding reception, a bowling night party at Whitehaven Plaza, an all-night outing at the Memphis Fairgrounds.

Bumper Cars

 

On June 9, Priscilla learned she was pregnant, and the next day, Elvis and friends and wives took off in a Greyhound bus and a caravan of cars for a road trip to California, including stops at Flagstaff, Arizona and the Grand Canyon.  On June 19, Elvis reported to MGM for the preproduction of his next movie Speedway.  A week later, filming began, and it lasted until August 18.  There were some breaks, but Elvis spent the time either in Las Vegas or Palm Springs, not back at Circle G.

It is evident that about this time, Colonel Parker’s earlier prophecy came true.  Elvis simply lost interest in his new toy and moved on.  According to the excellent reference Elvis—Day by Day, written by Peter Guralnick and Ernst Jorgensen, “With Elvis’ interest in the Circle G having waned almost to the point of nonexistence, Vernon begins to sell off pickup trucks, mobile homes and cattle.”

Elvis did spend some time at the ranch in August and September, but instead of riding horses, his new hobby was target shooting.  However, by the end of September, Elvis decided to put the ranch up for sale.

On November 4, 1967, two thousand fans and collectors came to Circle G for a public auction. The sale of tractors, trailers, TV sets, equipment, and miscellaneous items raised over $108,000.

Two fans with old Elvis guitar case purchased at Circle G auction

Two fans with old Elvis guitar case purchased at Circle G auction

 

During the 1967 Christmas season, Elvis and the gang said an extended farewell to the Circle G Ranch.  They continued to ride the horses not already shipped back to Graceland.  The house trailers were all gone, but the ranch still provided an excellent location for hayrides and snowball fights.  Finally, on May 20, 1968, Elvis sold the Circle G Ranch for $440,100 ($2,900,000 in today’s dollars).

 

There are some people who say the Circle G Ranch was not that important in Elvis’ history because of the short time he owned it, and the even shorter time he spent there.  They say it does not belong in sphere of reverence fans show for other places in Elvis’ life that are preserved and open to the public:  Graceland, the Tupelo home, Sun Studios.

Park-like atmosphere around Elvis’ Tupelo birthplace home

Park-like atmosphere around Elvis’ Tupelo birthplace home

 

I never had an opinion one way or another about Circle G until I started research for this ElvisBlog series.  But, you can’t read all the things Priscilla and Elvis’ buddies said about the ranch in their books or interviews without realizing that the short Circle G period in 1967 was arguably the happiest time in Elvis’ life.  How wonderful would it be if this gorgeous property could be restored and shared with his legions of fans?   Who could resist the opportunity to walk around the grounds and check out the ranch house, the stable location, the lake, the woods, the riding trails, the bridge, the cross, and especially the house trailer area by the lake?  I think it would be impossible share this special world and not feel the same peace and serenity it gave Elvis.  It would be a rare fan who could leave the Circle G Ranch without understanding how Elvis’ time there must have been incredibly happy.

Unfortunately, nothing was ever done to make this dream a reality for the first forty-plus years after Elvis’ time at the Circle G.  And abuse and inattention have taken their toll.

 Vines Growing on Ranch House

Ranch House Bathroom

Circle G BBQ Grill

 

Fortunately, a dedicated English fan named Lesley Pilling stepped forward in 2010 to spearhead an effort to save the Circle G Ranch.  The Circle G Foundation’s vision for ranch is to see it open as an attraction for Elvis fans.  Their objective is to tastefully restore the site to how it was when Elvis knew and loved it; enabling visitors to enjoy the tranquility of the site, just as Elvis did.  They envision walking trails, horse riding and other outdoor activities, plus a Visitors’ Center, museum and gift shop in the old ranch house.  There is also a longer-term plan to provide a small amount of short-term accommodation, perhaps in the form of log cabins around the lake.

However, the Circle G Foundation’s ambitions run much deeper than just creating another Elvis ‘site’ for fans to visit.  The Foundation aims to create on-site facilities at the ranch catering to the disabled and disadvantaged as well as service veterans and others in need. They feel it is very important for Elvis fans to do what we can to continue Elvis’ charitable and humanitarian legacy and create something Elvis would be proud of — and the ranch is the perfect place.

The Circle G Foundation is truly international in scope.  They have Ambassadors in the USA, UK, South Africa, Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Canada and have received support from Elvis fans on every continent.   The Foundation believes Elvis fans are the best, and saving the Circle G would be a wonderful tribute to him.

Circle G Foundation Logo

 

The Circle G Foundation’s website contains a huge amount of information, so rather than reproduce it all here, I strongly success you visit http://circlegfoundation.co.uk.   As you check out all the sections of the site, you will grasp how critical the situation is with the structures on the ranch.  We are in real danger of losing them, and time is not on our side.

Be sure to click on the link “Our Vision For The Ranch,” which goes into considerable detail.

Vision for the Circle G

The Vision is still a work in progress and I have suggested to the Foundation that more emphasis needs to be given to the area where the house trailers and the BBQ grill were located.  The concrete foundations are still there in the ground, and Lesley Pilling advises she has information on who was in each trailer.

Another thing you can do is visit the Circle G Foundation Facebook page and ‘Like’ it.  There are now over 4,200 Likes and the next goal is 5,000.  You can link to it from “Contact Us” on the website, or you can click here.

 Grazing pastures at Circle G

 

The Circle G Foundation‘s website Home Page also includes a petition the Mississippi State Senate to include Elvis’ Circle G Ranch on the National Register of Historic Sites.  Scroll down to near the end of the home page or click here.

Another place to visit on the site is the “Store.”  You can help the cause by purchasing Circle G merchandise.  For now, the prices are listed in Pounds (remember, it’s an English site), but when you pay by credit card or PayPal, everything is converted to dollars.

Of course, the most important thing you can do is donate to the Circle G Foundation.  There are details on the site about how the money will be used and what will happen if it can’t be spent on the Circle G.  Please click on “How You Can Help…” and give serious thought to donating generously.

Here’s a long shot, but if you happen to have $3,900,000, you can purchase the Circle G Ranch and work with the Foundation to bring this dream to a reality.

 

View from back of ranch house showing the cross

We’ll end with one last photo.  Imagine if you could walk out of the Visitors Center and take in the view that Elvis had in 1967.  Imagine if you could walk around the 163 beautiful acres and enjoy the things that made Elvis so happy.

Or, imagine that the old ranch house and cross had rotted and crumbled to the ground.  Man, I sure hope we can save the Circle G.

 

©  2013    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

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Elvis’ Circle G Ranch — Part 2

Posted on March 9, 2013 by | 4 Comments

In the ElvisBlog article two weeks ago, I stated “spring 1967 may well have been the happiest period of his (Elvis’) life.”  Last week, I ended the article by saying it could be argued that his three straight weeks at the Circle G Ranch that April was the happiest time of his life.

Elvis riding in front of lake

Elvis wearing cowboy gear

 

To see how a true Elvis historian might judge the happiest times in Elvis’ life, I contacted Alan Hanson, the man behind the Elvis-History-Blog.  He agreed that Elvis’ early Circle G experience was right up there, but he offered one other very happy time as well.

“As for an equally happy time in Elvis’ life, my first thought was the summer of 1969, when he returned to live shows in Las Vegas. The challenge of rehearsals, followed by his triumphant shows, which were acclaimed by his fans, his fellow celebrities, and critics, by all accounts made him extremely happy.”

Alan makes some good points.  Now, it’s time to present the argument for the Circle G Ranch.

Elvis’ two long interrupted periods at the ranch were in February (including the first four days of March) and April, 1967.  He probably also spent two other short periods at Circle G in March, interrupted by time in Hollywood for the filming of Clambake.  February was fun for Elvis because he bought horses for himself, Priscilla, Vernon, and most of the Memphis Mafia.  He also bought pick-up trucks for everybody, tractors and other farm equipment, those nine house trailers, and made repairs to the stables and had a bridge built over the lake.

 

Circle G stables in decline -- decades after Elvis’ time at the ranch

Circle G stables in decline — decades after Elvis’ time at the ranch

 

It has been estimated that all this, plus the cost of the ranch, came to almost a million dollars.  Elvis’ father Vernon, who looked over his son’s finances, was afraid Elvis’ spending on the ranch would bankrupt him.  Vernon went to Col. Parker for advice, and he received a very prophetic answer that Elvis would soon tire of his new plaything.

Vernon and his stepsons David and Billy Stanley at the Circle G stables

Vernon and his stepsons David and Billy Stanley at the Circle G stables

 

As George Klein said in his book Elvis – My Best Man, “In becoming a ranch owner and turning the Memphis Mafia into a bunch of ranch hands, Elvis had given himself a tremendous challenge, which he threw himself into fully.  Making plans for the ranch, Elvis seemed more energetic and in charge than he had in a long time.”

And Joe Esposito said on his TCB Joe website, “So Elvis cast himself in the role of ranch foreman. He no longer looked like a famous singer and movie star. Wearing a cowboy hat and sheepskin jacket and sitting tall in the saddle, he was a dead ringer for the Marlboro man. Every morning he saddled Rising Sun and rode out to issue instructions to the contractor on how to do things and where everything should go.”

Elvis planned and oversaw the placement of the house trailers down by the lake, as well as the work to bring electricity, water and sewage to the site.  So, February 1967 was a time of buying and giving and planning and building.  Of course, Elvis combined that with riding horses, so he was certainly a happy man.

When Elvis arrived back from Hollywood in early April, the Circle G ranch was now set up and operating the way he wanted.  So, April 1967 was when Elvis got to live his dream and share it with his buddies, especially those who received house trailers from him.  Let’s take a look at some quotations by people who were there during this special time.

Priscilla:

“What seemed like a new life had begun. I look back at those weeks as a remarkable lull in the middle of a storm. Elvis was between pictures. I’ve never seen him so ‘free’.  He was having fun… He liked it when everyone was together, and he got upset when they wanted to leave… It wasn’t unusual to see him walking around the property, knocking on doors, waking everyone up, or checking on the horses in the early morning hours.  He was having a ball, and there were days he didn’t even want to take time out to eat… On Sundays we had picnics, and all the girls chipped in on potluck.  We rode horses, held skeet shooting contests, and combed the lake for turtles and snakes.  There was fun, laughter, and a lot of camaraderie…  It was almost like a commune effect.”

Elvis on horseback kissing Priscilla

Elvis on horseback kissing Priscilla

 

George Klein:

“Elvis may have been having trouble steering his career the way he wanted it to go, but now he had a place where he could live the way he wanted to, surrounded by the people he wanted around him, far from the call of Hollywood or the influence of the Colonel, or even the needs of the fans at the Graceland gates.”

Mike McGregor:

“One of the fun times on the ranch was when it snowed, and they took the tractors and sleds and drove around and tore them up.  One night one of the cows had a calf, and they were so excited and everyone had to go see the calf.  When one of the horses had a colt, you would have thought [it was] royalty.”

Charlie Hodge:

“That was where we had an awful lot of fun.  And Elvis loved to get out. He’d wear a big old jacket, a western jacket and his cowboy hat, you know.  They would ride horses all over the property.  Picnics were frequent.  The girls all got along pretty good.

Jerry Schilling:

“It was really beautiful at first.  Sandy and I had a little trailer in front of the lake… You’d wake up in the morning, the horses would be drinking out of the lake; Elvis and Priscilla would ride over, and we’d go for a ride, then have breakfast.

“It was like we were all just friends.  They spent a lot of time by themselves, and when they came over it was just like neighbors dropping by.  We’d go out riding and maybe have a little picnic, and it was as if things had kind of calmed down for a little while.”

Joe Esposito:

“On weekends, we threw giant barbecues. The wives prepared all the food, except for the meat, which I cooked on an open grill. We had great times.  Elvis felt very comfortable in his own little ranch world and usually hated being torn from it.”

View of trailer area from bridge

Obviously, views like this helped Elvis feel comfortable in his own little ranch world.  The land beyond the edge of the lake is where Elvis had the house trailers installed.  In the bottom left of the picture is a small part of the bridge Elvis had built over the lake.  You can see the bridge on this aerial view.

Aerial shot showing bridge and cross

 

Another arrow marks a seventy-five foot lighted cross erected by the previous owner of the ranch, Jack Adams.  He was one of the biggest used-aircraft salesmen in the world, and he installed the cross to be a highly visible landmark when he flew over the ranch at night.  (An alternate story says the cross was honor his daughter who drowned in the lake.)  Elvis noticed the cross from the main road while on a horse buying trip, and within twenty-four hours he had purchased the ranch, including a herd of Gertrudis cattle and all the furnishings in the ranch house.  That house is barely visible at the top left, the second structure in from the corner.  Much more visible are the red roofs of the stables and storage building.

There is some confusion about which Elvis buddies had trailers along the lake.  They were primarily for married couples.  There is no doubt this included Jerry Schilling and his wife Sandy, and Elvis’ cousin Billy Smith and his wife Jo.  Both wives were nearly the same age as Priscilla, and they all spent a lot of time together.  Richard Davis, Red West, Joe Esposito, and Mike McGregor were probably beneficiaries of Elvis’ trailer generosity.  Some reports even say that one trailer was for Elvis’ grandmother Minnie Mae, but no references about her actually staying in it have surfaced. No matter who occupied the trailers, here are three photos showing what the views out their front windows looked like.

View from part of the trailer area shows the 75 ft cross

View from part of the trailer area showing the cross

View from another part the trailer area.

View from another part the trailer area.

Maybe the best view of the lake from the trailer area. The bridge was lit at night.

Maybe the best view of the lake from the trailer area. The bridge was lit at night.

 

Let’s close with another quote from Priscilla.  “I loved cooking his eggs and frying his bacon. I even loved doing laundry. We shared a new intimacy. After breakfast we’d saddle up our horses and ride them through the hills. Sometimes he’d ride alone. I remember one day I happened to look out of the window. It was twilight. The sky was aglow in misty blue and radiant pink. There was Elvis walking Rising Sun, his Golden Palomino.”

Elvis on Rising Sun

Elvis on Rising Sun

 

“I saw them as silhouettes against the darkening sky. Elvis was walking slowly; I could practically hear him breathe. His breath was easy, his body relaxed. At that moment I was convinced my husband had actually found peace.”

 

Well, are you convinced that spring 1967, and especially that three week period in April, was the happiest time of Elvis’ life?  I am.

©  2013    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

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Elvis’ Circle G Ranch — Part 1

Posted on March 2, 2013 by | 3 Comments

Last week, I mentioned that Elvis had his own little private trailer village tucked away in the far reaches of his Circle G Ranch in Mississippi.  His foray into cowboy communal living is an interesting story, especially because spring 1967 was probably the happiest period of his life.

When the Circle G Foundation asked me to write an article about the ranch, I started searching the web and various Elvis books to learn all I could about the ranch.  I found lots of Circle G Ranch pictures, and the most common topic is some variation of this:

 

Grass in Front

This is called the ranch house, and it has declined a lot in the forty-five years since Elvis was last in it.

 

Street right in front

I didn’t help when the highway was moved practically up to the house.  It was a flower shop when this picture was taken.

 

Back side of house

After decades of neglect and abuse, the Circle G ranch house is ripped up and falling apart.  The inside photos are even sadder.  If the Foundation gets enough support to entice a wealthy fan/benefactor to buy this place, they plan to rehabilitate the ranch house as the Visitors’ Center for their projected amenities at the ranch.

Elvis and Priscilla started out using the ranch house immediately after purchasing the property on February 9, 1967.  But Elvis liked having his buddies around, and he figured the way to do that was to buy eight house trailers and have them installed on poured concrete pads near the lake.  Plumbing and electrical power systems were installed, and a septic system was dug.  It was like Elvis had built his own little “Memphis Mafia Village.”

 

Better guess at location

This is an aerial view taken some years after Elvis owned the Circle G.  The ranch house is essentially hidden by tree cover at the top left of the picture.  The building and swimming pool in the peninsula jutting out into the lake were not there when Elvis was.  The upper oval marks where the house trailers were located.  During Elvis’ time, there appeared to have been more trees along the fence line behind the trailers.  The arrow above shows the approximate location of the famous E P barbeque grill.

BBQ

 

Priscilla probably was very happy to have the accommodations for the guys set way back on the 163 acre property.  The roll of the land created a high spot of pasture that blocked the view of the lake and the trailers from the house.   However, Elvis seems to have really loved hanging out with his buddies in the trailer area.  As a result, on March 3, he ordered one more two-bedroom trailer for him and Priscilla.

Two days later, he took off for Los Angeles for the planned start of filming on Clambake.  However, there were production delays and Elvis suffered a minor concussion from a fall in the bathroom of the Rocca Place home he rented.  A week later, Jerry Schilling got married in Palm Springs, and of course, Elvis and Priscilla attended.

Elvis probably returned to the ranch for a few days before principle filming for Clambake finally began on March 20.  His trailer would have been set up and functioning when he arrived there, so this is when Elvis’ Circle G experience changed from the ranch house to the house trailer.

Circle G Trailers 1

Circle G Trailers 2

Circle G Trailers 3

Circle G Trailers 4

Circle G Trailers 5

 

Sorry for the poor quality of these pictures.  I was lucky to find any at all.  It’s almost like Elvis banished cameras from the ranch when he and his buddies were there.  The website where I found these photos offers proof this was one of the Circle G trailers Elvis bought, but they can’t say for sure it was the one Elvis and Priscilla used.  However, we do know Elvis had a front porch built on theirs, so this may be it.

Clambake filming paused sometime in early April 1967, and Elvis was able to enjoy about three straight weeks on the ranch.  It could be argued that this was the happiest time of his life.  We will look into this in more detail next week with Part 2 of our series on Elvis’ Circle G Ranch.

 

©  2013    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

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Elvis Presley’s Gold Limousine

Posted on February 2, 2013 by | 5 Comments

Every once in a while I check out the “News” at Elvis.com.  Unfortunately, to find the few newsworthy items, you have to skip through a lot of what really are advertisements.  During the past week, so-called news reports have been about the new 64 gigabyte Elvis USB drives, the 2013 Elvis Presley Holy Land Tour, big saving on Valentines Day gifts at ShopElvis.com, and my favorite, a 30% discount at Graceland’s Chapel in the Woods.

However, one news item that caught my eye was this:

Elvis.com news

I immediately recognized the car as Elvis’ customized Cadillac that toured all over Australia in 1968.  It has an interesting story.  Elvis wanted to have his own classic-styled luxury limousine, so he bought a 1960 Cadillac Series 75 Fleetwood for $10,000, and he took it to Barris Kustom City in North Hollywood, California.  George Barris had considerable fame for producing customized cars.

Elvis and George Barris

Elvis and George Barris in 1960

Elvis told Barris what features he wanted, and Barris gave Elvis many designs, artist renderings and engineering drawings before the modifications were decided.  The price tag was $65,000, which is $487,000 in today’s dollars.

Dream Car

Exterior modifications made significant changes to the roof, the paint, and the trim.  The headlight rims and all other trim were plated in 24 carat gold, as were hand-spun hub cap bullets and flanges.  The car is painted with forty coats of translucent pearl paint containing crushed diamond dust and pure fish scales from the orient.  The top was lengthened and the rear quarter panel windows were replaced by portholes.

1960 Cadillac Fleetwood Limo-Series-75

Here’s what the rear quarter panel windows on a standard 1960 Cadillac Fleetwood look like.  In addition to the portholes, the back window above was also replaced with a smaller one.  The roof was covered with coarse grain white pearl naugahyde.

The interior modifications were even more impressive.  Keep in mind that Elvis had no intention of driving the car himself.  His concept was for a chauffer driven limousine with a yacht-inspired lounge area in the back for him.

Elvis' Seat

Elvis’ Dream Car was designed to give him the ultimate in comfort by transforming the back-seat into a plush private cabin.  The seats are done in air-foam biscuit tufted panels made from gold frieze (with pearl buttons) imported from France.  The two-tone trim is done in white pearl Naugahyde.  The side and roof panels are covered with same gold-frieze biscuit panels and white Naugahyde.  Note that the porthole has the privacy cover in place, and gold lamé drapes can be closed to cover the smaller custom rear window.  Not shown in the photo is a car-phone mounted in a console between the seats.  To the right of where Elvis sat is his private control panel.

Elvis' Control Panel

Here is a blow-up of Elvis’ control panel which contains the intercom microphone Elvis used to talk to the chauffer, as well as controls for the radio, air-conditioner and heater.

 TV, Freezer, etc

Here is a view of many of the customized features at Elvis’ disposal.  At the top is the gold lamé privacy drapes between the front and rear seats.  The gold plated color TV sits on a swivel.  To the right of the TV and clock is a closed vanity case.  Below the TV is a gold refreshment bar that freezes its own ice cubes in two minutes and a refrigerated cab unit.  On the left is the pull-out RCA record player with 10-record automatic changer.

Draem Car Accessories

This shows a different view of the center lounge.  The gold vanity case is open.  Below it is the AM-FM tuner and the open shoe buffer.  Note the TV is not on the swivel in this shot, which seems to serve as a small table for Elvis to put stuff on.  Somewhere in the panel of accessories is a pull-out bar.  The open side door window has the same gold lamé curtains used throughout the car.

Close-up of shoe buffer and white mouton fur

This close-up shows the fold out shoe buffer and white mouton fur on floor.

 

Vanity Case

This close-up shows the open gold vanity case which contains a gold electric razor, gold hair clipper, chrome brush, etc.

It is not recorded just how much Elvis used his dream car, but souvenir-seeking fans caused enough damage to the car that he ultimately stopped using it.  He sold it to RCA who used it for promotional purposes across the country from 1965 to 1967.

Caddy Tour

 

Next, the car was shipped to Australia for a tour to raise money for the Benevolent Society of New South Wales.  It made almost four-dozen stops and was viewed by almost 400,000 people.

Souvenir Brochure

 Elvis’ gold car was not just displayed at large Australian cities like Sydney and Melbourne.  It also appeared in schools, shopping centers, and civic centers in many smaller communities.

Dream Car on Display

 

As the Elvis.com news report above states, the tour of Elvis’ gold Caddy raised over $110,000 ($700,000 in today’s dollars).  You all know how generous Elvis was and how much he contributed to charity.  You may not have known that his car could do that too

 ©  2013    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

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The Elvis Pumpkin Carving Contest

Posted on October 25, 2012 by | 1 Comment

If you are a member of Elvis Insiders or have recently checked the news on Elvis.com, you know that EPE is sponsoring an Elvis-themed pumpkin carving contest.  You can carve your pumpkin, post a photo of it on the Elvis Facebook page, and maybe you’ll win $250 worth of merchandise from ShopElvis.com.

You may be surprised to know how popular Elvis pumpkin carving has been even prior to Graceland getting involved.  Elvisblog did a Halloween photo essay of Elvis pumpkins back in 2009.  I didn’t pick a winner at the time, but probably the best of the bunch was this:

You will notice a big difference between these two styles.  The pumpkin on the contest image is what I guess we would call the old-style carving where the knife cuts go all the way through and light from a candle shines out.  The other seems to be the popular style now where only darker, outer skin is carved out to create detailed designs.

 

Here’s an Elvis pumpkin we featured in 2010 that is a terrific example of a carved-through design.  This is impressive.

 

And here is a more recent discovery that shows an unmistakable image of Elvis using the outer skin cut out style.

 

Now, it seems we have reached a new level in pumpkin-carving technology or skill, or both.  It’s hard to believe the vivid images on these next two were achieved by just cutting away the orange outer skin.  Their creators are real artists.

 

And check out the level of detail on these three.  How do the carvers do it?  I would love to see these pumpkins in person.

 

And, finally, here is an Elvis pumpkin using another unique technique – carving away all the outer skin and using what’s left as an artist’s medium to create a sculpture with depth as well as detail.

 This one gets the ElvisBlog award for the best Elvis pumpkin of 2012.

 

Now, just for fun, here is a four-way tie for the worst.

 

I can’t resist showing the strangest picture that comes up when you Google Elvis pumpkin — some jerk in an ill-fitting Elvis jumpsuit cutting a pumpkin with a chain saw.

 

Check out the belly showing below the too-small shirt.  And the pumpkin is lop-sided and discolored.  This is just wrong in so many ways.

 

Here’s something that’s just right.

NEWS FLASH:   Here is the winner of the EPE Elvis Pumpkin Carving Contest:

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Songs About Elvis

Posted on October 14, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Three weeks ago, when I was doing research for the article “Elvis Has Left The Building,” I learned something about Wikipedia.  If you type Songs About Elvis in the search box, it comes up with a list of 112 songs.  About half of them were by people or groups I had never heard of, but some of the familiar names have songs with interesting lyrics.  Here is a sampling.

He Was the King – Neil Young

Neil Young wrote this song with many verses that traced Elvis’ entire life as an entertainer.  Except for the reference to pills in one verse, I found it to be the best lyrics in the group.  Unfortunately, it appeared on one of Young’s least popular albums, Prairie Wind.

 

Back To Tupelo – Mark Knopfler

You may know Mark Knopfler as the front man of the group Dire Straits.  His ode to Elvis song appeared on his solo album Shangri La.

 

 

 

(619) 239-KING – Mojo Nixon

Most of Mojo Nixon’s songs are raunchy and funny, but he played it pretty straight on this CD single release.

 

Black Velvet – Alannah Myles

I never listened to the lyrics of this big hit closely enough to realize they were about Elvis.

 

Disgraceland – Alice Cooper

This song was included on his Dragontown album.  I expected the lyrics to be disturbing, and they were.  Here is the only verse worth including.

 

Elvis – Sister Hazel

I thought this was a woman, but it’s a five-man band.  Their song is more about a velvet Elvis painting than Elvis himself, and it appeared on their Fortress album.

 

Boy From Tupelo – Emmylou Harris

This soulful song tells of a spurned lover going away and disappearing like the buffalo, Elvis, and the five and dime stores.  Harris included it on her album Red Dirt Girl.

 

Elvis and I – Denis Leary

I never knew he was a singer as well as a comedian.  I never knew he spelled his name Denis.  I also couldn’t find a picture of the album Other Songs D-K that this one came from.

 

 

 

Elvis and Andy — Confederate Railroad

There are probably plenty of Elvis fans who also love Andy Griffith and the Mayberry gang.  Confederate Railroad celebrates one of them on this song from their album Notorious.

 

Elvis Has Left the Building – Jerry Reed

Elvis recorded four songs Jerry Reed wrote, including the hits “Guitar Man” and “U.S. Male.”  Reed also had a hit in 1967 with a song about Elvis, “Tupelo Mississippi Flash.”  He wrote a second Elvis song and sang it with other country stars on the album Old Dogs.

 

Elvis on Velvet – Stray Cats

The Stray Cats patterned their music after the Rockabilly sound of the early Elvis Records.  They also released this single about him.

 

 

I Saw Mr. Presley Tip-toeing Through the Tulips – Tiny Tim

Fortunately, the lyrics of this song are better than the artwork on the Tiny Tim album where it appeared.

 

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Elvis T-Shirt Review — The $5 Closeouts

Posted on September 29, 2012 by | 1 Comment

For the first time I’m aware of, ShopElvis.com has thrown in the towel and marked prices down to $5 on ten slow-moving T-shirts.  We can assume the plan is to get rid of remaining supplies of these shirts and drop them from the catalogue.

ElvisBlog has done yearly T-shirt reviews since 2008, so let’s take a look at these heavily discounted models and have some fun figuring out what was wrong with the designs.

 

Totally Stupid Idea:

This so-called Army Jacket Replica T-shirt didn’t sell well at $24, and I’m not so sure many folks will snap them up for $5.  We fans are proud of Elvis for serving his country in the Army, but this is just not the kind of shirt we want to wear around.

 

How Come This Great Design Didn’t Sell?:

Okay, this is a women’s tank top, not a T-shirt, but they are all lumped together on the ShopElvis website pages.  There are three women’s tank tops in the $5 group, so maybe the problem with them is the type of shirt, not the designs.  Frankly, I think this one called Blue Mic is pretty good.  No text except for Elvis, and cool image of young Elvis, and lots of color.  If it were a men’s Tee with this design for $5, count me in as a buyer.

 

Way Out of Date:

 

I’m sorry to see this shirt in the discount bin, because I’ve actually had the image taped on the wall behind the computer for the last four years.  Each time I look at it, I wish I could change the year from ’08 to ’12.  And that is of course why this shirt is not selling.

I hope they get rid of them all now, because the shirt won’t be getting any easier to sell down the road.   Someday they should reuse the title Elvis for King and come up with a good design.

 

Fire the Graphic Designer:

 

If the plan was to obscure half of Elvis’ face, this design accomplished it with that large prominent mic.  They even call this design Elvis Microphone.  What were they thinking?  Get rid of the mic and you’ve got a great design.  Just stupid.

 

The Result from a Lazy Designer:

This one looks pretty good at first glance, but read all the text.  The image is nothing more than the Jailhouse Rock album cover (Actually a five-song EP cover).  Still, for five bucks, it seems like this one would be worth snapping up.

 

Another Tank — Nearly Invisible Design:

 

Can you make out the design on this one?  Not too well?  Maybe that’s why it has been selling poorly.

Here it is blown-up and darkened.  Why not do ELVIS and the flourishes in a bright color?  And why is this called Guitar Scroll?  Where’s the guitar?

 

Why Hasn’t One Been Selling?:

 

As far as I’m concerned, this one called Black Signature is a pretty good shirt.  Simple, yet distinctive.  I prefer black shirts without a lot of text, so this fits the bill. The B&W profile silhouette is excellent.  This is one to snap up for just $5.

 

Bringing Back an Elvis Image Used 56 years ago:

 

A month ago, ElvisBlog covered a number of 1956 Elvis memorabilia items featuring this image.  One was a girl’s long-sleeve Tee that went for $625 at a recent auction.  Now, you can get this one called Spinnin’ Records for $5.  Maybe the design is too old-fashioned for today’s taste.  It might have sold better on a black T-shirt.

 

Get a Better Gold Lamé Picture:

 

This picture has been used to death.  Elvis thought the pants look baggy, and they do.  Plus, he’s just standing there.  Why doesn’t EPE use one of the better shots of Elvis in his gold lamé?  Like these:

Still Baggy, But at Least He’s Moving

Really Moving. Is the Guitar Strap in His Mouth?

 

Deal of the Day:

 

Uh, oh, it’s that fifties image again — in silhouette.  But this is a combination deal.  You get the black signature hat and the grey signature shirt for just five bucks.  Although it has a boring name, Signature Black Cap and Grey T-Shirt Combo, it could be the best deal you will ever see from ShopElvis.com.

 

To see earlier Elvis T-shirt reviews, click here, here, here, and here.

 

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

 

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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2012 Elvis T-Shirt Review

Posted on June 23, 2012 by | 1 Comment

For several years, ElvisBlog has celebrated the start of summer with an annual Elvis T-shirt review.  Dozens of new designs show up each year at ShopElvis.com, so I would study the new ones and pick my favorite top 10 or 12.  I was getting ready to start my 2012 research when an e-mail came in from Ashly at T-Shirts.com.  They too, offer a nice selection of Elvis T-shirts.

 

Ashly suggested they could pick a Top Ten from the Elvis T-shirts they offer and volunteered to write about them following the pattern used here in previous years.  I said, “Sure, why not.  Let’s see what you’ve got.”  So, here are T-Shirts.com’s selections, five in men’s shirts and five in woman’s shirts.  I couldn’t help myself from adding little comments under their narrative for each one.

 

Top 5 Elvis Shirts for Men

1. Black Leather

T-Shirts.com:  When we visual Elvis, it’s almost impossible not to picture him in tight black leather from head to foot. This T-shirt displays one of the most famous images of the singer, which was on the cover of Rolling Stone in 1969. The shirt features him playing in front of a small audience at NBC’s ’68 Comeback Special.

ElvisBlog:  I’ve got no problem with this pick as the best men’s shirt.  I favor black T-shirts, Elvis looks so baaaad in his black leather, and the shirt isn’t cluttered up with a lot of text.

 

2. Cash and the King

T-Shirts.com:  You may have thought it was impossible to bring two legends back to life for the price of one, but this t-shirt makes it happen.  Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley shared a love for rock n’ roll, blues, country and gospel music. The two took part in an impromptu gospel jam session in 1956.

ElvisBlog:  Another good black T-shirt.  Notice that Elvis is wearing a tux.  The picture was taken on December 21, 1957 when Elvis visited (but did not perform at) The Grand ‘Ole Opry.  He went backstage and had his picture taken with Johnny Cash and other Opry performers Hank Snow, Ray Price, Ferlin Husky, and Faron Young..  Legend has it that Elvis changed to street clothes afterward and threw the tux in the trash.

 

3. American Eagle Jumpsuit

T-Shirts.com:  Besides tight black leather, what comes to mind when you picture Elvis performing?  If his studded white American Eagle jumpsuit, bedazzled belt buckle and manly chest come to mind, you’ll be taking care of business with this American Eagle jumpsuit T-shirt.

ElvisBlog:  That’s a great promo, but I’m not so sure about this design inspired by the jumpsuit Elvis wore on the Aloha from Hawaii TV special.  I think I would feel a little goofy wearing it.  However, Ashly at T-Shirts.com says it’s a great seller, so it certainly appeals to other folks.  Maybe it should be offered as a women’s T, as well.

 

4. Jailhouse Rock  

T-Shirts.com:  This T-shirt pours with Elvis’ musical passion and original spirit which coincided with Presley’s motion picture and is said to inspire the first ever music video. This T-shirt emits an emotional grandeur for true Elvis fans.

ElvisBlog:  I have a growing file of Photoshopped images that insert this Elvis pose into all sorts of different contexts.  Well, it might as well be inserted into a T-shirt design, too, and this one is pretty good.  Count all the colors: gray, yellow, black, white, red, and skintone.  “Jailhouse Rock” should be higher than # 4.

 

5. Badge

T-Shirts.com:  This one is only for the manliest of men. This t-shirt sports guns and the narcotics badge Elvis personally requested from President Nixon. It also gives you a lovely angle of his devastatingly good looks. Sideburns and all.

ElvisBlog:  I’m not too sure about this design which is a cut-and-paste collage of three unrelated photos.  There is no real connection between Elvis’ guns and the DEA badge he got when he visited Nixon in the White House.  Less informed fans may not know the history of that badge and have no idea what they are seeing.

 

Top 5 Elvis Shirts for Women

1. Star

T-Shirts.com:  Leather and guitars … what more could a woman ask for? This unique tee is beautifully detailed and captures the essence of the talented Elvis exquisitely. This T-shirt features a different design in the front and back.

ElvisBlog:  This shirt has more going for it than you would know by reading the promo above.  That’s not an Elvis photograph; it’s original Joe Petruccio artwork.  Elvis fans know about all his outstanding paintings of Elvis, and they would be more inclined to buy this shirt because of it, so tell them.  Great choice for # 1.

 

2. Blue Suede Shoes

T-Shirts.com:  You can knock me down, step in my face, slander my name all over the place.  Do anything you want to do but lay off them shoes!  This T-shirt features Elvis with the title of the famous song “Blue Suede Shoes” originally written and recorded by Carl Perkins.

ElvisBlog:  I like the shirt, but I can’t figure out why it is called “Blue Suede Shoes.”   There should be more than just those words printed across Elvis’ motorcycle hat.  A better name would be “Biker Elvis.”

 

3. Smooches

T-Shirts.com:  Fall in love with Elvis all over again in this smooches tee. Nothing says Love Me Tender more than a heart embroidered Elvis with lips puckered and ready to plant a big wet one.

ElvisBlog:  Some Elvis designs work well for both men’s and women’s T-shirts, but not this one.  Strictly for the gals.  I really like the design, so I’d move “Smootches” up to # 2 on the women’s list.

 

4. Blue Suede Shoes … (Again!)

 

T-Shirts.com:  Express your love for blue suede shoes and the young dashing Elvis with this T-shirt. The graphics are in a lovely blue color featuring Mr. Presley himself strumming those beautiful fingers on the guitar.

ElvisBlog:  Now I’m more confused.  Why are there two T-shirts both named “Blue Suede Shoes,” and neither has an image of any shoes?  I don’t mean to quibble with T-Shirts.com.  They don’t name them, just sell them.  Not a bad design, though.  I like the other design a little bit better.

 

5.  Mug Shot

T-Shirts.com:  Whether they admit it or not, all women love bad boys. Especially a bad boy with sideburns, sweet shades and the ability to gyrate his hips in a motion that will make you swoon without warning. This is a mug shot you can’t help but display proudly.

ElvisBlog:  This is an interesting T-shirt, but the image deserves some explanation.  According to Wikipedia, this mug shot was taken in 1970, probably when Elvis was in Washington D.C. visiting the FBI headquarters.

 

So, there it is, ElvisBlog’s  “2012 Elvis T-Shirt Review.”   Many thanks to the folks at T-Shirts.com for making their top 10 picks from the Elvis shirts they offer.  I’ve always just looked at his shirts as something fun to wear, but T-Shirts.com sees something deeper.

“These Elvis T-shirt treasures give you a chance to hold on to memories tangibly or simply express your love for an artist who left a significant footprint on American culture.  These shirts keep the King of Rock N’ Roll close to your heart.”

.

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net

.

 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

 

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Elvis and Nixon — More Variations on the Iconic Photo

Posted on May 5, 2012 by | 1 Comment

Four years ago I posted “Variations on an Iconic Photo: Elvis Meets Nixon.”  It was a photo essay showing some of the interesting things folks have created using Photoshop on the image we all know so well.

The Official Photo of Elvis and Nixon in National Archives

The variations had replaced either Richard Nixon or Elvis with folks like Ronald Reagan, George Bush, Bubba Ho-Tep, and others.  In the four years since that post, talented (and somewhat twisted) people have continued to come up with strange variations on the iconic Elvis Meets Nixon photo.  Here are some I like.

I’m glad they replaced Nixon, not Elvis, with Darth Vader.  However, he wasn’t the only Star Wars character that ended up paired with Elvis.

Darth Vader and Elvis

 

Jar Jar Binks was such an unpopular Star Wars character, why would anybody want to replace Nixon with him?   Maybe they saw some parallel there.  I had to erase the comments in the bubbles – too X-rated for ElvisBlog.

Jar Jar Binks and Elvis

 

Elvis got replaced in many of the photos, as well.  Here is Elvis Costello, such an obvious choice, I’m surprised it didn’t show up years ago.  Note, the Photoshop jockey did not use the iconic Nixon/Elvis photo.  He got creative and used one of the other 27 images taken at that famous meeting.

Nixon and Elvis Costello

 

George W Bush was in the first pictorial as the Elvis substitute.  Here he is replacing Nixon.

Reagan and Bush — Bush and Elvis

I can’t imagine what prompted this one, but that is Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Chase Utley replacing Elvis in the shot..

Nixon and Chase Utley

 

I wish there was some text with these images, but we’ll never know the significance of the robot instead of Nixon.  If it was just to be silly, it was successful.

Robot and Elvis

 

Here’s one that uses a person much in the news at the time it was made.  Elvis left his three guns in the limo before entering the White House (true fact).

Saddam Hussein

 

I don’t know who the guy on the left is, but that is Dwayne Johnson (The Rock) wearing Elvis’ clothes.  Dwayne doesn’t actually have that much hair, but the Photoshopper simply cut out along his high forward and pasted his face over Elvis’s, obscuring some of those beautiful locks hanging down.

Nixon and Dwayne Johnson

Next, we see a better job of fitting insomeone’s face in while keeping all of Elvis’ hair.  That someone is disgraced former Illinois Governor, Rod Blagojevich.  Don’t these two together in one image give a warm feeling about our ethical political leaders?

Nixon and Blago

 

We shall end with the strangest Nixon/Elvis variation of the lot.  Instead of Nixon, someone replaced him with a giant squirrel standing on his hind legs.  Gaze at this photo it for a while and see if you can glean the secret hidden meaning of it all.

Giant Squirrel and Elvis

 Only kidding.  There is none.

 

This blog post won’t be totally without merit.  Here are some facts about the iconic Elvis meets Nixon photo.  It was one of twenty-eight photos taken by the White House photographer on December 21, 1970 when Elvis made his surprise visit (and Elvis wore his trademark sunglasses in the first eleven shots).

Elvis Wearing Sunglasses in Oval Office

You can see all twenty-eight photographs at the website of George Washington University.  To read an amusing and informative article on this historic meeting, check out the 2011 ElvisBlog post “There’s So Many Funny Things about That Meeting.”

You may already know the iconic photo is the best selling souvenir at the Nixon Presidential Library, and it is the most popular reproduction sold by the National Archives (even more than the Constitution or the Bill of Rights).

And, based on my limited research, it may also be the most Photoshopped picture in the world.

©  2012    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net
 
Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

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Gladys and Elvis — A Mothers' Day Commemorative Stamp ?

Posted on October 1, 2011 by | Leave a comment

 

Did you see the news earlier this week that the US Postal Service has changed its rules and will now consider stamp designs that feature people who are still alive.  According to the Postmaster General, “This change will enable us to pay tribute to individuals for their achievements while they are still alive to enjoy the honor.”

But, several news articles speculate that this could be as much about money as admiration.  We all know the Postal Service is in bad shape financially.  Could this new policy be a move to bring in extra profit, as they hope many of the new popular designs might be bought as collectibles and not used as postage?

There is one stunning example of this phenomenon – the Elvis stamp from 1993.  The USPS issued 500 million of them, but reported in 2002 that over 124 million were never used to mail a letter.  That resulted in a cool $36 million profit for the post office.

 

The news sources also reported the Postal Service is now inviting suggestions for new stamps featuring people who are still alive.  Although they get 40-50,000 suggestions every year, most of the resulting stamps don’t inspire folks to hang on to large numbers of them as collectibles.  What they want now are pop culture icons like Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber with rabid fans who will buy lots and lots of stamps.

               

 

I have an idea for the Postal Service.  Based on their prior experience with Elvis fans buying and hoarding the Elvis stamps, why not go back to the well one more time.  How about a Mothers’ Day commemorative stamp featuring Elvis and his mama Gladys?  Can you think of any image that would better show a son’s love for his mother?  I went into my files to see if there were any photos of the two that would make a good stamp picture.  Here’s what I found.

 

This shot from 1956 is pretty good, but we can’t see either of their eyes, so, it’s probably not the one to use.

This would be a good one if it were a sharper image.

 

Probably the best so far.  Elvis is his usual bad self and Gladys looks about as good here as she ever did in her last years.

 

This won’t work.  Gladys just doesn’t look her best here.
 

Another shot with Gladys in profile and she looks pretty good.  It would be better if they were closer and Elvis wasn’t wearing the hat.

 

It’s a nice image of Elvis kissing his mom, but Gladys looks so sad.  I believe this shot was taken as Elvis prepared to join the Army.

 

When I finally found the picture I liked best for an Elvis and Gladys Mothers’ Day stamp, it turned out to be a Photoshop composite. The shot of smiling Gladys below had to have been taken several years before the one of Elvis.
 

 

The picture on the stamp idea above was cropped from a larger one created by Tommy Piretos, who has designed at least two dozen great Elvis images.  You can see fourteen of them on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/52594605@N02/   I have tried to find a way to contact Tommy Piretos and Piretos Creations using Google, Bing, and Flickr, but have had no success.  I’d like to do a feature about these wonderful images and their creator.  If you know of an e-mail address or website for Tommy Piretos, please let me know at philarnold@charter.net.

So, if you like the concept of an Elvis and Gladys Mothers’ Day Commemorative stamp, you can boost the chances of it happening by sending your proposal to:

Creative Stamp Advisory Committee

C/O Stamp Development          

US Postal Service           

475 L’Enfant Plaza SW,  Room 3300        

Washington, DC  20260

You don’t need to send a picture with your proposal.  That’s another long involved process, and the Postal Service has a group of preferred artists they use most of the time.

 

©  2011    Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister    All Rights Reserved    www.ElvisBlog.net
 

Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.

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