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Tag Archives: Elvis Presley
“A lot of people try to equate me with guys like Frankie Avalon and Fabian, but in the old days I sold a lot of records over a period of time, and you can’t sustain that by being just another pretty face.” — Ricky Nelson
The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet (Nelson) was a popular radio show in the 1940s, and an even more popular television show in the 1950s. It was a family affair. Their son Ricky was a beautiful child, and he grew … Continue reading
Posted in Music, On This Day
Tagged Elvis Presley, Howard Hawks, James Burton, Ricky Nelson, Rio Bravo
4 Comments
“I don’t cook and I don’t care.” — Ann-Margret
Ann-Margret entertaining US troops in Vietnam, 1966 Today is Ann-Margret’s birthday. Her autobiography, Ann-Margret: My Story is wonderful. What a career. And it’s still unfolding. There are so many classic scenes. Tommy. Carnal Knowledge. Of course, too, there is the … Continue reading
“Sometimes I can sing it when I can’t say it.” — Carl Perkins
“The music was new, the kids were just eatin’ it up. They were claiming it as their own music. But I really think when the kids were comin’ to the sock hops and to the rock and roll shows, I … Continue reading
Posted in Music, On This Day
Tagged Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Rufus Thomas, Sam Phillips, Sun Records
2 Comments
March 2026 Snapshots
I’ve been go-go-go-go for months. Hitting a speed bump, but I’m still going. In case this isn’t clear, this means a little bit of mania. So I’m riding it out, and still saying yes to everything. Family time. Time with … Continue reading
“I heard Ruth Brown, and I just found my kind of music,” — Janis Martin
Cultural history is peppered with What Ifs. What if someone like Janis Martin had gone the distance? What if she hadn’t lapsed into obscurity? Would she have carved out a small space for women in rock ‘n roll (alongside the … Continue reading
“Memphis amateurs are the world’s professionals.” — Rufus Thomas
Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis movie was filled with deep cuts, so appreciated if you care about this story, and not just Elvis’ story, but the environment from which he came. Memphis. Beale Street. Thomas was a singer, yes, and he recorded … Continue reading
Posted in Music, On This Day
Tagged B.B. King, Baz Luhrmann, Elvis Presley, Jim Jarmusch, Rufus Thomas, Sam Phillips, Sun Records
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“If it hadn’t been for the videocassette, I may not have had a career at all.” — Kurt Russell
It’s his birthday today. How I love him. I grew up with him. The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes. I remember that being screened for us in grade school in what they called “the multi-purpose room” (lol: gym, cafeteria, theatre). … Continue reading
Posted in Actors, Movies, On This Day
Tagged Elvis Presley, hockey, Kurt Russell, miracle on ice
19 Comments
February 2026 Snapshots
February is the shortest month but this February felt like it lasted two months. At least. I spent a week in New York, then a week in Chicago, and then I was basically housebound for a week because of the … Continue reading
Review: EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert (2026)
My review of Baz Luhrmann‘s EPiC (Elvis Presley in Concert) is now up at Ebert . As someone intimately familiar with the two original concert films – the restoration-resurrection knocked me out. Last summer I introduced Elvis: That’s the Way … Continue reading
Posted in Movies
Tagged Baz Luhrmann, concert films, documentary, Elvis Presley, James Burton, reviews
24 Comments
“Sometimes I am two people. Johnny is the nice one. Cash causes all the trouble. They fight.” — Johnny Cash
It’s his birthday today. Johnny Cash, singing “Man in Black” in Denmark: Here he is on Tex Ritter’s Ranch Party, 1956 or so. Great guitar solo, too. He’s not just strumming that guitar. The guitar CHUGS along, with an irresistible … Continue reading
Posted in Music, On This Day
Tagged Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Sam Phillips, Sun Records
29 Comments