Greatness.
In spite of how often this is used, and far too much for my liking, greatness is rare but once you see it…you know it. In this case you can see it and hear it all the while Elvis is pushing himself. His 4 and 1/2 octave range never left him and he sang the hell out of this song.
He is in terrible health. He never should of been working but should have been receiving the best health care in the world. I have so much….
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on July 31, 2017
https://theelvisexpert.com/2017/07/31/it-both-lifts-my-spirit-and-hurts-the-heart-elvis-last-rendition-of-unchained-melody/
PRESS RELEASE:
West died Tuesday at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis after suffering an aortic aneurysm, his wife, Pat, told The Commercial Appeal newspaper.
West appeared as a stuntman/actor on dozens of episodes of CBS’ futuristic Western series The Wild Wild West in the 1960s and a decade later had a regular role as Sgt. Andy Micklin on another Robert Conrad-starrer, NBC’s Black Sheep Squadron.
He portrayed Red Webster, the owner of an auto parts store who gets his revenge against Ben Gazzara’s character, in the Patrick Swayze classic Road House (1989) and was Sheriff Tanner in the Walking Tall movies released in 1973 and 1975.
As a leading man, West garnered acclaim when he played an old-timer who forges a friendship with a Senegalese cab driver (Souleymane Sy Savane) in director Ramin Bahrani’s North Carolina-set drama Goodbye Solo (2008).
A native of Memphis, West played football in junior college, served in the U.S. Marines and became a Golden Gloves boxer and karate instructor. He first connected with Presley when both were students at Humes High School, he recalled in a 2008 interview.
“Elvis was always different,” he said. “We had crew cuts and wore T-shirts and blue jeans; Elvis had the long ducktail, the long sideburns, and he wore the loud clothes and naturally was a target for all the bullies. One day luckily I walked into the boys’ bathroom at Humes High School and three guys were going to cut his hair just, you know, to make themselves look big or make them feel big or whatever, and I intervened and stopped it.”
After Presley began his recording career, West served as his driver and then worked as one of his bodyguards for years. Meanwhile, he appeared alongside Presley in 18 films, including Flaming Star (1960), Blue Hawaii (1961), Girls! Girls! Girls!(1962), It Happened at the World’s Fair (1963), Viva Las Vegas (1964) and Live a Little, Love a Little(1968).
West also wrote or co-wrote such Presley songs as “Separate Ways,” “If Every Day Was Like Christmas” and “If You Talk in Your Sleep” and worked with singers Ricky Nelson, Pat Boone and Johnny Rivers as well.
One year after he was fired by Presley’s father and two weeks before Elvis’ death on Aug. 16, 1977, the tell-all book Elvis: What Happened?, co-written by West, was published and became a controversial best-seller.
West, who studied with the acclaimed acting teacher Jeff Corey, also appeared in at least two movies filmed in his hometown — Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rainmaker (1997) and Ira Sachs’ Forty Shades of Blue (2005) — and on a 2011 episode of the TNT series Memphis Beat.
His film résumé also included Two for the Seesaw(1962), The Americanization of Emily (1964), The Legend of Grizzly Adams (1990), Natural Born Killers(1994), I Still Know What You Did Last Summer(1998), Cookie’s Fortune (1999) and Glory Road(2006), and on TV he was seen on Bonanza, Mannix, Get Smart, The Six Million Dollar Man, The Fall Guy and Nashville.
Survivors include his wife of 56 years, Pat — who was one of Elvis’ secretaries — and sons John and Brent.
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on July 22, 2017
https://theelvisexpert.com/2017/07/22/red-west-passed-away-july-18-2017/
My heart, and prayers, remain with the; family members, friends, relatives, loved ones, etc. pertaining to Elvis Presley and his passing on August 16, 1977. I can’t imagine their burden nor their loss.
It has taken me (approximately) six decades now to formulate this post which is based up (literally) thousands of books, audio files, documents, interviews, conversations, emails, first hand account, real documentaries, etc. I have always put a premium on eyewitnesses, factual sources, facts, and context. No sensationalism. No monetary endeavors. Just me passing along unique/cool/rare/ content as I do on these posts and on http://www.ElvisCollector.info (premier Elvis Presley website with exceptional content) and/or http://www.ElvisCollectorWorldwide.freeforums.org (100% free Elvis Presley forum and though it remains in the beta testing stage we invite you to join).
To address the subject line of this post “Why God took Elvis Presley on August 16, 1977” we must look back to the day of his birth of January 8, 1935.
Gladys Love (Smith) Presley and Vernon Elvis Presley knew they were having a baby. One baby. They had no idea if it was a boy or a girl they just prayed for a healthy child. They even picked out names if it was a boy or a girl. I know the name they chose if it was a girl but that is not my story to convey publicly. But, the boy was to be named Jessie Garon Presley.
When Gladys went into labor a boy was delivered and it was perfectly formed except it (sadly) was not breathing. Gladys and Vernon were empty, lost, and consumed by their sorrow.
As the doctor, who back then made house calls, was gathering his things to leave Gladys said “I think there is another one”. The doctor, against his better judgement, did an examination and confirmed. An identical twin to Jessie was born, healthy, and breathing, and though their tears reigned their hearts gave thanks to God but they had a dilemma and that was “what to name this baby”? After all the doctor needed a name to put on the certificate/paperwork.
Within moments they settled on Elvis, which was Elvis’ fathers middle name, and Aaron which rhymed with “Garon” and paid homage to the biblical Aaron the older brother of Moses.
On January 8, 1935 through the stench of death and loss Elvis Aaron Presley was born into the world void of wealth, monetary means, but loved as much as any mother…ever. Vernon, in his own ways, loved Elvis but the love and bond between Gladys and Elvis started in the womb and would last (sadly) until her last breath.
To be continued…
Posted by Jeff Schrembs on July 12, 2017
https://theelvisexpert.com/2017/07/12/why-god-took-elvis-presley-on-august-16-1977-part-1/
The Elvis Expert 