As 1956 began, Elvis Presley had recently signed with RCA Records, but he was still just a regional sensation, best known in his native South. The next 12 months would change that for good. By the end of the year, Elvis would make 11 television appearances, filmed his first movie and become RCA’s best-selling artist. He was a household name, the most controversial performer in showbiz and the first true rock ’n’ roll star.

This exciting year in Presley’s career is being celebrated by two new releases. A repackaging of the “Elvis: The Great Performances” DVD scales down the set from three to two discs but still showcases many of Presley’s most notable appearances (although the new release has a washed-out look in comparison to the 2002, three-disc edition). And “Young Man With The Big Beat,” a five-CD set, has every master recording Presley made in that historic year, plus live material and other extras (see review on page 23). 1956 was a transformational year for Presley, and in many ways set the stage for much of what was to come.

Elvis Presley delivers an electrifying performance Oct. 11, 1956, at The Cotton Bowl in Dallas. Photo courtesy Magic Collection/RCA/Legacy.

On Jan. 1, 1956, Presley was on stage in St. Louis, part of a Grand Ole Opry package headlined by Hank Snow. The show was followed by other dates — Presley would perform more than 200 shows during the year — but the gigs were merely a warm-up for the first big business of the month: Presley’s first recording session for RCA in Nashville. Anticipation was running high when Presley and his band — guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black and drummer DJ Fontana — arrived at the studio Jan. 10. But if Presley was nervous, he didn’t show it.

“Elvis was easy to work with in the studio,” remembers Fontana. “He didn’t want anybody nervous at all; if people got nervous, he’d say, ‘Let’s go home, guys; we’ll come back another day.’ He knew what he wanted to do, and he knew what he wanted to hear. He had a good ear; he had a real good ear. He’d say, ‘Well, let’s do this, we’ll do that.’ Or he’d say, ‘Anybody got any suggestions? What can we do?’ And if he didn’t like it, he’d say, ‘Nah, we’ll do something else.’ Whatever Elvis said, well, that was the end of it. He was the main guy. We had producers sitting there reading a comic book or something; that’s about what they did. He didn’t really pay a lot of attention to them, ’cause he knew what he wanted to do. And they couldn’t argue with him, ’cause he was generally right.”

On Jan. 10-11, Presley recorded four songs, including the song planned as his first single, “Heartbreak Hotel.” It had a dark, brooding sound quite different from the rollicking songs Presley had recorded at Sun, and no one at the session viewed it as very special — at least not yet.

“It stands out, yeah,” says Fontana. “But it was just another song to everybody. We still hoped it would be a big record for him, and he did, too.”

When Steve Sholes, who’d signed Presley to RCA and had produced the Nashville sessions, brought “Heartbreak Hotel” back to New York, his bosses were unsure of its appeal; this wasn’t the sound they expected, and they’d also hoped more songs would’ve been recorded during the sessions. Even those who liked Presley’s music weren’t sure what to make of the song.

“I couldn’t imagine Elvis recording something like ‘Heartbreak Hotel,’” says Wanda Jackson, who’d played several shows with Elvis. “I thought that was just totally different than what the fans were going to want from him. I was just baffled; I said, ‘What have they done? Taking him to Nashville and making him record songs like this?’ But I was proven wrong, and I was glad. Now, I think it’s one of the best songs he ever recorded.”

The single was released Jan. 27, and Presley made his national TV debut the following day on “Stage Show,” hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Heavy storms meant there weren’t many in the studio audience, but Elvis nonetheless seems brimming with confidence as he strides to the mike, wearing a speckled jacket, black shirt and white tie, letting out a short “W-e-l-l-l…” before launching into “Shake Rattle and Roll” (throwing in a bit of “Flip, Flop and Fly” at the end). But what really caught the audience’s attention were the moments during the instrumental breaks, when Elvis would step back to join his musicians and start jiving around with his legs.

“The country artists basically always just stood around and played,” says Jackson. “And they didn’t move. They didn’t do any gyrations, let’s call it that. And he did.”

Rehearsals of “Heartbreak Hotel” hadn’t gone well, so instead of performing his new single, Elvis also performed “I Got A Woman” next, then jauntily strode off into the wings.

Elvis Presley rests backstage after a May 15, 1956, performance in Memphis. Photo courtesy RCA/Legacy/Barney Sellers/Commercial Appeal.

Originally scheduled to appear on “Stage Show” four times, Presley’s run was extended to six shows, subsequent dates being Feb. 4, Feb. 11, Feb. 18, March 17 and  March 24. “Heartbreak Hotel” was finally deemed good enough for the Feb. 11 performance, in a decidedly rigid arrangement with the Dorsey orchestra horns; it fared better on March 17 and 24, and the single was soon moving up the charts. RCA was anxious to capitalize on all the exposure, and recording sessions were held Jan. 30, Jan. 31 and Feb. 3 in New York. Among the tracks recorded: a great rendition of Arthur Crudup’s “My Baby Left Me” (Crudup’s “That’s All Right (Mama)” had been Presley’s first single on Sun), and Carl Perkins’ “Blue Suede Shoes.” Presley hadn’t wanted to kill Perkins’ own chances of success with the song, so the track was kept as an album and EP release.

The “Elvis Presley” album was released March 23, as were single- and double-EP sets also named “Elvis Presley.” (In June, a third EP titled “Elvis Presley” was released.) In between “Stage Show” appearances, Elvis kept busy on the road, as the crowds continued to get bigger.

“He was just exploding,” Jackson recalls. “And he was having a ball with everything. He was fresh and new and young, energetic; it was a whole new era being born, and it was exciting. There was nothing to compare it to. No one had ever seen anything like him. He just single-handedly turned our business upside down.”

Plans were now made for Presley to move to an even bigger stage. From March 26-28, he was in Los Angeles, making his first screen test. In addition to performing a scene from “The Rainmaker,” he also was filmed lip-syncing to “Blue Suede Shoes,” a terrifically lively performance that fully reveals his obvious charisma. Producer Hal Wallis didn’t hesitate; he offered Elvis a seven-picture contract, with a provision allowing Presley to be loaned out to other studios. Presley was thrilled. As a keen movie fan, he looked forward to finally being able to make a film of his own.

March 31 was Presley’s last appearance on the “Louisiana Hayride” radio show, where he’d been a regular attraction. His contract was bought out so that he’d able to tour without being tied down to weekly “Hayride” appearances. There was more TV work on April 3, when Elvis made his first appearance on “The Milton Berle Show,” broadcast onboard the aircraft carrier “USS Hancock,” moored in San Diego, in front of an appreciative audience of sailors and their dates. Presley performed “Shake, Rattle and Roll,” “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Heartbreak Hotel,” looking relaxed and clearly having a ball. April also saw the release of the EP “Heartbreak Hotel.”

Elvis Presley performs on the Steve Allen Show July 1, 1956.

On April 14, after a near mishap on a small-plane flight the previous day, Presley recorded the ballad “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” in Nashville. Ten days later, he opened in Las Vegas, playing the Venus Room at The New Frontier Hotel, along with Freddy Martin and His Orchestra and Shecky Greene. It was the first misstep in Presley’s career since his lukewarm reception on “The Grand Ole Opry” in 1954. The adult audiences in Vegas simply weren’t interested in the latest teen idol. Presley himself was so despondent about his reception he later recalled, “After that first night, I went outside and just walked around in the dark. It was awful.” Though on the first night he’d closed the show, the running order was switched for the rest of the two-week run.

But in the charmed year of 1956, there was always a silver lining. During the Vegas run, The “Heartbreak Hotel” single and “Elvis Presley” album both reached No. 1, and “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,” released May 4, had a huge advance order of 300,000; it later peaked at No. 3. But the biggest payoff of Presley’s Vegas appearance came when he was offstage.

When he wasn’t working, Presley took in as many shows as he could, and, while seeing Freddie Bell and The Bellboys at The Sands, was impressed by their version of “Hound Dog.” The Jerry Leiber-Mike Stoller number had been an R&B hit for Big Mama Thornton in 1953, and in 1955, Teen Records owner Bernie Lowe suggested Bell add the song to his act, having him rewrite the lyrics, as well (to lyricist Leiber’s displeasure). Presley quickly decided to add the song to his own stage act; he performed it during his second appearance on “The Milton Berle Show” on June 5 (broadcast from NBC’s L.A. studio). He pulled all stops out; instead of playing his guitar, he grabbed the mike stand and gyrated around it.

During the song’s extended coda, he jerked his hips and legs in comic exaggeration, a humor readily picked up by the laughing studio audience, and Berle (who shook Presley’s hand afterwards while enthusing “How about my boy? I love him!”), but which clearly went over the heads of American’s moral guardians, who branded Presley as “obscene.”

Such denunciations came as a shock to Presley, Fontana recalls.

“He said, ‘That’s the farthest thing from my mind is being vulgar. My mama would whip me if I were vulgar,’” Fontana remembers. “But the public thought he was vulgar, and they made fun of him.”

The controversy had an immediate impact on Presley’s upcoming appearance on “The Steve Allen Show” on July 1. There was pressure on Allen to cancel, but who could pass up such a high ratings draw? It was decided that Presley would appear, but Allen assured viewers that he “would not allow [Elvis] to do anything that will offend anyone.”

Rehearsals for the show were held June 29 in New York, and the next few days would be superbly documented by photographer Al Wertheimer, tapped by RCA to be on hand. Wertheimer accompanied Presley to his next gig on June 30 in Richmond, Va., where he snapped an iconic photo of Presley playfully touching tongues with his date backstage. For years the identity of the young woman was unknown, but earlier this year, Elvis author Alanna Nash, in an article for “Vanity Fair” online, revealed that Presley’s “date for the day” was Barbara Owens (now Barbara Gray), then 20 years old.

“I thought, ‘God, he’s beautiful,’” Owens said of the moment she first met Presley.

Then it was back to New York for “The Steve Allen Show.” Allen had Presley dressed in a white tie and tails, a satiric jab at those who touted the merits of “respectability.” The joke was clearly lost on Presley, who looked uncomfortable in his outfit, but he proved to be a good sport, throwing a doleful “Look what they’ve made me do” glance at the audience before performing “Hound Dog” to a Bassett hound wearing a top hat. But afterwards, the strain of the last few days began to show; during his appearance on “Hy Gardner Calling” that night, he looks positively exhausted.

Elvis Presley performs with The Jordanaires during an Oct. 28, 1956 appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."

The next day, there was a recording session of the song that was the obvious choice for the next single: “Hound Dog,” with Otis Blackwood’s “Don’t Be Cruel” as the flip side. Presley then returned to Memphis by train; remarkably, he got off one stop prior to the main stop, and walked home alone. Just hours later, he headlined a show at Russwood Park, announcing at one point, “You know, those people in New York are not gonna change me none! I’m gonna show you what the real Elvis is like tonight!” Fans stormed the stage, and in words of a local reporter, “[Elvis] rocked ’em, socked ’em, set them screaming with delight.”

Presley then had a month off, during which time “Hound Dog”/“Don’t Be Cruel,” released July 13, easily topped the charts, becoming another million seller (initially “Don’t Be Cruel” was regarded as the chart topper, with “Hound Dog” peaking at No. 2; but since the single is regarded as a double A-side, both songs are now listed by “Billboard” as being No. 1s, and both were included on the “30 #1 Hits” CD). Live performances continued on Aug. 3 in Florida, and controversy continued to plague Presley. While in Jacksonville, he was told he’d be arrested if he didn’t tone his act down, so he responded by teasingly wiggling his little finger during the show, to the screaming delight of the audience.

Mid-month, Presley was in L.A. to begin work on his first movie for 20th Century Fox. What was then titled “The Reno Brothers” began shooting on Aug. 22. Presley had hoped it would be a purely dramatic feature, but to his disappointment, he was sent into Fox’s studio on Aug. 24 and Sept. 4 to record four songs for the film, including the number that would become the film’s new title: “Love Me Tender.”

Between work on the film, more sessions were held at L.A. studio Radio Recorders from Sept. 1-3. Presley recorded 13 songs, most of which were slated for his second album. Most notable was “Old Shep,” a tearjerker about a man and his beloved dog, which Presley had sung at age 10 at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in his hometown of Tupelo, Miss., and won a prize. He also recorded another of Otis Blackwell’s songs, “Paralyzed,” and a smoky version of Leiber-Stoller’s “Love Me.”

RCA kept up a steady stream of record releases. August saw the release of “The Real Elvis” EP, as well seven singles, mostly drawn from Presley’s first album, the idea being to generate sales from people who preferred to buy singles (especially teenagers, whose small, portable record players weren’t always capable of playing albums). His next new single, “Love Me Tender,” was released on Sept. 28, soon reaching No. 1, with the flip side, “Any Way You Want Me” reaching No. 27 (the latter song was also the title of an EP released the same month).

Ed Sullivan had sworn he’d never have Presley on his program, but the ratings he pulled in were too tempting to resist, and Presley finally appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” Sept. 9. The show was hosted that week by Charles Laughton, as Sullivan was recuperating from a car accident, and the New York broadcast cut away to Los Angeles for Presley’s segments. His performance of “Hound Dog” was restrained; Presley only really cut loose on “Ready Teddy,” the camera cutting away from his more wild gyrations. He also debuted “Love Me Tender.”

Elvis Presley performs at the 1956 Mississippi-Alabama State Fair. Photo courtesy RCA/Legacy.

On Sept. 26, Presley returned to his hometown in triumph, performing two shows at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair; a recording of the shows, though rough, readily conveys the excitement of the performances. Presley began October with a quick recording session in L.A. for “Love Me Tender.” His next records, the album “Elvis” (another No. 1) and two EPs, “Elvis Vol. 1” and “Elvis Vol. 2,” were released Oct. 19. By the end of the month, Presley was back in New York for his second “Ed Sullivan” appearance on Oct. 28, the same day a 40-foot-tall replica of his image was unveiled on the top of the Paramount Theater’s marquee, promoting “Love Me Tender.” There was a clear element of put-on in Presley’s performance; knowing how easy it is to provoke screams from his audience, he plays with them in a manner that’s quite different from his more straight-ahead TV performances earlier in the year.

Sun Records' Sam Phillips and Johnny Cash, circa 1961 (left). Sam Phillips and Elvis Presley, Dec. 4, 1956. Photos released in conjunction with the Biography channel special "Sam Phillips: The Man Who Invented Rock and Roll." Credit: Sam Phillips/Peter Jones Productions/A&E.

The next day, there was a final bit of filming for “Love Me Tender” in New York; though Presley’s character is killed in the movie, his ghostly face was superimposed over the final scene, singing the title song, to soothe distressed fans. The film opened in New York on Nov. 15, with wide release following Nov. 21 (an EP with the film’s songs was released the same day). Reviews were mixed, with critics taking potshots at Presley’s performance. But the real problem lay in the film itself. Aside from the title track, based on the Civil War ballad “Aura Lee,” the songs sat uneasily in the film, and the storyline, which had Presley and his screen brother competing for the same woman, was a melodramatic soap opera. It was an unsatisfying film debut for such a charismatic star, and Presley’s talents would never be fully utilized in the movies.

But that disappointment lay in the future. December was a relatively quiet month for Presley. On Dec. 4, he dropped in at Sun Studios in Memphis and ended up hanging out with Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis. Producer Sam Phillips quickly put in a call to Johnny Cash, as well as a reporter and photographer, turned on his tape recorder, and the “Million Dollar Quartet” was born, producing a recording of the performers singing snatches of songs and trading stories of their newfound success. (Turn to page 62 to trace the Six Degrees of the Million Dollar Quartet.)

Presley’s final performance of the year was his last “Louisiana Hayride” show (also part of the buyout deal), a benefit for the Shreveport, La., YMCA. In the audience was Hal Kanter, who would write and direct Presley’s next film, “Loving You.” Already plans were being laid for next year’s work. But no year was destined to repeat the accomplishments of 1956.

There were certainly further triumphs to come, but Elvis Presley would never have such a hectic year again.

Should Charles Brown be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame before Todd Rundgren or Jeff Lynne?

By Phill Marder

Sifting through a year’s worth of comments, or influence and other stuff that doesn’t mean squat…

Over the past year I’ve gotten a lot of mail and just about every piece has appeared in print, with the one or two that were complimentary receiving priority. But we’ve still got readers using the “I” word, the most overused and meaningless word around, except, perhaps, diva.

Now, why do I loathe and detest the word influence? I was puzzled myself. Never used to have violent reactions to that word. What suddenly made me cringe whenever I saw it in print? After much thought, the source of my discontent revealed itself.

The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame keeps inducting artists who are cult favorites while ignoring true Rock & Roll giants. And almost every time I’d read the bio or publicity release issued by the RRHOF, the word influence was the reason as in, “they/he/she didn’t sell five records in their lifetime, but they were a huge influence on every artist who ever lived. There’s no way to prove it. Just take our word for it because we nominated them and voted them in and we (the 30 or 40 members of the nominating committee) know better than all you saps out there buying the music.”

Some examples – and just a few because there’s enough for a whole year’s worth of blog entries -
Charles Brown – The Hall of Fame biography states, “Charles Brown was a major musical figure in the pre-rock and roll era of the late Forties and early Fifties.” and later states “Brown’s mellow blues stylings fell out of favor during the rock and roll revolution of the Fifties.”

Nothing against Brown, but the guy – according to the Hall of Fame, itself – wasn’t even popular during the Rock & Roll era, so why is he in the Hall of Fame when so many famous rockers are not? Well, according to the Hall of Fame biography, he had a lot of rhythm & blues hits in the ’40s and he’s often cited as an influence on Ray Charles. Great. Then he should be in the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. If he must be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, why not in the “Early Influence” category I asked when this article was first printed as Brown was listed in the Performer category by the Hall of Fame website. Readers Roy and Tom Lane questioned this (see comments) and the next day (10-18-2011) Brown’s category was changed to Early Influence. Good job gentlemen.

“Guitarists ranging from Eric Clapton and Mike Bloomfield, to Peter Green, Jeff Beck and Carlos Santana have all acknowledged their debt to Freddie King (1934-1976), the ‘Texas Cannonball,’” says the Hall of Fame. And they owe nothing to any other guitarist? The HOF resume of BB King states, “His influence on a generation of rock and blues guitarists – including Eric Clapton(again), Mike Bloomfield and Stevie Ray Vaughan – has been inestimable.” King is quoted as saying, “We don’t play Rock and Roll. Our music is Blues, straight from the Delta” and the HOF calls him “the genre’s(Blues) most recognizable and influential artist.” Meanwhile, a truly great guitarist who actually played on many Rock & Roll hits can’t get a nomination. I speak of Glen Campbell.

The Velvet Underground “one of the most important rock & roll bands of all time”?

Here’s one of my favorites. Again, from the Hall of Fame biography – “The influence of the Velvet Underground on rock greatly exceeds their sales figures and chart numbers. They are one of the most important rock and roll bands of all time, laying the groundwork in the Sixties for many tangents rock music would take in ensuing decades. Yet just two of their four original studio albums ever even made Billboard’s Top 200, and that pair – The Velvet Underground and Nico (#171) and White Light/White Heat (#199) – only barely did so.”

How can you make statements like that? How can you prove they were so influential or one of the most important bands of all time. Who’s saying this nonsense? Hardly anyone bought their records. Why? Because they couldn’t play and couldn’t sing. And most of their songs weren’t even very good.

Brian Eno is quoted as saying, “The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band.”

First of all, that’s a ridiculous statement if taken as fact. Eno’s point is made, though. They were “highly influential.” But how many of those inspired to start bands were inspired because they felt, “these guys are so bad, we can’t be any worse!”? So I offer my own ridiculous statement – “Chicago sold only six billion albums, but every horn player in the universe bought one and was inspired to join or start a Rock & Roll band.” As insane as that remark is, it certainly makes more sense than Eno’s quote, or the Hall of Fame’s, for that matter.

For those who have complained about Percy Sledge’s induction, take this, the opening line of Sledge’s bio on the Hall of Fame website – “If Percy Sledge had only recorded ‘When a Man Loves a Woman,’ one of the greatest of all soul songs, he would have earned his place in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.”

Really? One song gets you into the Hall of Fame? That’s like a guy going into Cooperstown after hitting a home run in his first at-bat, then adding a few singles mixed in with a ton of strikeouts over the next couple decades. Isn’t there supposed to be a great body of work? How about all the great songs recorded by Mary Wells, Jerry Butler, Dionne Warwick etc., etc.? How about Neil Sedaka, Jack Scott, Freddy Cannon, US Bonds, Johnny Rivers, etc.? How about some I haven’t even written about, such as the great Chuck Jackson, who could sing circles around Sledge. But wait…I forgot…who was on Atlantic Records?

And the dreck has continued year after year. This years bios tell us: “Together, the Small Faces and Faces have been a lasting inspiration on artists like the Black Crowes, the Jam’s Paul Weller, the Replacements and Oasis,” like all the great artists yet to be nominated never inspired anyone.

“In the 1990s, (Joan) Jett’s no-nonsense attitude and guitar sound was a major influence on the riot grrrl movement, and she went on to produce Bikini Kill and record with L7. Her success inspired renewed interest in the Runaways, who were dismissed in their day as a gimmick.” Not really. They were dismissed as being not very good. As far as the influence part goes, ever hear of Fanny, Marianne Faithful, Cher? How ’bout the baddest of the bad girls – Nancy Sinatra? And didn’t Suzi Quatro have the black leather, biker chick look a couple years before the Runaways. Yes, she did. But the Shangri-Las had it years before Quatro, too.

Chaka Khan? “…influencing pop stars and critical favorites from Mary J. Blige to Ledisi. (It is impossible to imagine the contemporary hip-hop-soul diva without Khan’s earthy, rhythmically savvy template.)” My sentiments exactly.

The HOF bio acknowledges Eric B. & Rakim made just four albums, BUT “All four albums were hugely influential – it is difficult to imagine contemporary stars like Jay-Z and Eminem existing at all without them.” I’m sure both Jay-Z and Eminem would be washing cars now if not for Eric B. & Rakim.

Laura Nyro? “Elton John acclaimed her influence to Elvis Costello: “The soul, the passion, the out-and-out audacity of her rhythmic and melody changes was like nothing I’d ever heard before.”

Get the picture? You can take any artist you like and find someone to call them influential. Worse still, you can find some pretentious “music critic” to make outlandish statements, and quote them in your supportive bios.

“The Clash is the only band that matters” and “The Clash brought Great Britain to its knees.” !Yikes! There were a lot of bands selling a lot more records, so evidently other bands did matter, especially to a music industry basing its survival on sales. As for the Great Britain quote, even the American colonies didn’t bring that Empire to its knees. We just kicked its shins a few times. The Nazi bombing of London may be the only event to bring the Empire to its knees…and even that wasn’t for long. Brit rhymes with grit, you know.

I liked The Clash, but other bands – The Moody Blues, The Guess Who, even bands such as The Grass Roots and The Buckinghams and hundreds of others – also mattered.

Should the Small Faces be inducted before The Monkees, The Moody Blues, Deep Purple or Rush?

When I asked him to provide proof of the Small Faces’ “influence,” reader Steve very articulately and politely responded, “’Proof’ as you’ve described it is pretty much unprovable. All I have to go by are the countless artists who have cited (Steve) Marriott as one who inspired them. The list is considerable, and goes back to Robert Plant (a fan of Small Faces), Paul Stanley, Steve Perry, Rod Stewart himself, and especially Chris Robinson who has praised Marriott on many occasions.”

Point taken. But again, I really doubt if Plant or any of the others Steve mentioned would have been tax accountants or professional boxers or something else if they hadn’t heard Marriott.

So, I give Steve – and you – this quote from Plant: “When I was a kid I used to hide behind the curtains at home at Christmas and I used to try and be Elvis.” He didn’t try to be Steve Marriott, he tried to be Elvis.

And for every Paul Stanley and Steve Perry inspired by Marriott, I can give you an example such as Brian Wilson saying of The Monkees, perhaps, according to fan reaction, the biggest Rock Hall omission to date, “The Monkees inspired me to write ‘Break Away’ with my dad.” Or what about Taylor Swift, perhaps the biggest star out there today, who recently named Bon Jovi one of her influences? 

And speaking of Elvis (sorry Declan, there’s only one Elvis), isn’t he “the King Of Rock & Roll?” Wasn’t one of his favorite singers Dean Martin? You can hear Martin in many of Elvis’ vocal inflections. You even can see Martin in many of Elvis’ mannerisms. If you’re going to put people into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame on the basis of influence, why isn’t Dean Martin in there?

Before I leave you, back to Nyro. I wrote “Laura Nyro – May have more nominations than memorable songs written” and concerning Chaka Khan I said, “In all the years I’ve studied this subject, never once have I seen or heard this group (Rufus) or Chaka Khan mentioned as one that should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Not once.” For Eric B. & Rakim, I simply wrote, “Who?”

On Facebook, a gentleman commented, “…the Laura Nyro diss is stupid. And if you don’t know who Eric B. & Rakim are, do some research. And the Chaka Khan slam is also ignorant. BTW- the nominating committee has previously considered her in the past.”

The “diss” (wow, I got to use cool, new lingo) was stupid? Nyro has been nominated the last three years and, in my opinion, only wrote two truly memorable songs, “And When I Die” and “Wedding Bell Blues.” The former became memorable thanks to the talent of Blood, Sweat & Tears, the latter thanks to a great showing by the Fifth Dimension. I considered “Eli’s Coming,” but that really took a great job by Three Dog Night to make it a smash. Nyro, herself, had no hits and her albums sold moderately, at best. She was good, and she wrote other good songs, but, as I stated, “Maybe she deserves it (induction). But before Burt Bacharach & Hal David, Bob Crewe, Jimmy Webb, PF Sloan, Thom Bell and countless other songwriting greats?” Of course, that’s probably a stupid question, too.

Laura Nyro, the greatest songwriter not yet inducted into the Rock Hall of Fame?

The Chaka Khan “slam” ignorant? Maybe. I didn’t realize it was a “slam.” To me, it’s just fact. What I wrote was factual. The nominating committee previously considered her? What’s that mean…they sat around a table and someone said, “What about Chaka Khan?” I wasn’t at that table, and it’s not likely I’ll ever be invited, so nobody ever recommended her to me – verbally or in written form – and that’s what I stated. Just ignorant fact.

As for the research comment, the “Who?” was written tongue in cheek because I would imagine most Goldmine readers would have that response. But if I or any reader of Goldmine has to “do some research” to learn about someone who is nominated for the Hall of Fame, then they shouldn’t be nominated. Chubby Checker and approximately 1,000 other artists never nominated, have more Hall of Fame credentials than Eric B. & Rakim and I wouldn’t have to do research to find out who they are.

The biggest problem I’ve seen the last year is that the Hall of Fame has no criteria except the 25-year rule. That’s why the word “influence” is so prominent in their prose. In many cases, there’s nothing else to justify their selections.

Next time, we’re going to offer some criteria that actually can be substantiated by fact, not just opinion, and some other changes the Rock Hall may wish to consider. If you have any suggestions, please place them in the comment section.

We’re also going to take a close look at just what constitutes “Rock & Roll,” another hot button topic among readers.

Maybe, just maybe, we can influence the Hall of Fame enough that it actually gets in tune with the public. Did I just use the word influence? Quick – hand me a gun.

Cheap Trick could go one-on-one with almost any Rock band and hold its own

(No. 48 in a series on artists who should be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but are not)

By Phill Marder

In Japan, they are known as “the American Beatles.”

In their home state of Illinois, April 1 has been declared their day – no foolin’.

For close to 40 years, the original four-man lineup – Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos, along with Jon Brant – has remained virtually intact, steadily touring and recording.

They have accomplished a musical rarity, having top 10 singles and albums, all the while maintaining their status as “critics’ darlings.”

They make appearances in person and on record with today’s top artists, maintaining a popularity with younger audiences seldom found with groups who began long before most of today’s fans were born.

Readers who have sent in comments – some of which I can actually print – often cite this band as one that should be included in this series as in…”Hey, what about …….?”

The band in question is, of course, Cheap Trick.

So why isn’t Cheap Trick in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

Perhaps their prolific and experimental nature has worked as much against the band as for it. Their recorded output, even diehard fans should admit, has been inconsistent, while their ability to excel in just about any form of Rock has made it impossible to pigeon-hole them. Are they power pop, heavy metal, punk…?

The allmusicguide.com’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine acknowledges they’re all of the above…and more, writing, “Combining a love for British guitar pop songcraft with crunching power chords and a flair for the absurd, Cheap Trick provided the necessary links between ’60s pop, heavy metal, and punk. Led by guitarist Rick Nielsen, the band’s early albums were filled with highly melodic, well-written songs that drew equally from the crafted pop of the Beatles, the sonic assault of the Who, and the tongue-in-cheek musical eclecticism and humor of the Move. Their sound provided a blueprint for both power pop and arena rock; it also had a surprisingly long-lived effect on both alternative and heavy metal bands of the ’80s and ’90s, who often relied on the same combination of loud riffs and catchy melodies.”

Mark Coleman and Chris Ryan echoed those comments in (the New) Rolling Stone Album Guide, writing, “From bar band could-be’s to arena rocking superstars, from bargain bin has-beens to objects of hipster rediscovery, Cheap Trick has always been, well, Cheap Trick. Playing Beatlesque melodies with the might of Kiss or Nugent, they’re humorous, hook-filled, bracingly loud, and subtly sensitive.”

Cheap Trick hails from Rockford, Illinois, the state having declared April 1 “Cheap Trick Day”

Really, it’s hard to find anyone to say anything bad about Cheap Trick, except for an occasional release such as 1988′s “The Flame,” which caused some noses to go high into the air at the release of what was classified by some “a typical ’80′s power ballad.” Of course, it became the band’s only No. 1 single – and a great one, at that.

Other great singles had mixed results. The band’s first chart hit, “Surrender,” which since has become one of the group’s heralded anthems, peaked at just No. 62 in 1978, slightly higher than 1982′s classic “She’s Tight.” The remake of Fats Domino’s “Ain’t That A Shame” only reached No. 35 in 1979, though on the heels of the No. 7 breakthrough smash “I Want You To Want Me.” “Dream Police,” “Voices” and “Ghost Town” all stopped in the lower half of the top 40, while the 1988 cover of Elvis’ “Don’t Be Cruel” got to No. 4 on the heels of “The Flame” and 1990′s “Can’t Stop Fallin’ In Love” just missed the top 10, stopping at No. 12.

Their album success also has been quite erratic, “Cheap Trick At Budokan” and “Dream Police” being the only top 10 entries, both coming in 1979. But they have had 18 reach the Billboard top 200 from 1977 to 2009, all but three climbing into the upper half of the chart.

Of course, Japan, which first broke the band, leading to the Budokan concert release, has been a steady supporter of the group’s releases throughout the years.

Sometimes referred to as “the little band that could,” Cheap Trick remains today “the little band that still does.” Their long and storied career should – one day – be recognized by The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
……………………………….

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention another band sometimes called “the little band that could” as Wednesday, September 21, for some, became another “day the music died.” I’m referring, of course, to R.E.M., already rightfully entrenched in the Hall of Fame, but, perhaps more importantly, at least in my househould, my wife’s favorite band.

Michael Stipe, Mike Mills and Peter Buck announced the band’s retirement.

Thanks for 30+ years of great listening.

It was 34 years ago that we lost Elvis Presley — and to honor his life GOLDMINE has teamed up with Universal Music to give away Elvis: The Great Performances DVD SET, A DVD SET WHICH ADDS NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN INTERVIEWS WITH ELVIS’ FRIENDS TO A CLASSIC COLLECTION OF THE KING’S BEST FILM AND TV Footage (to purchase now, click here)

The ultimate DVD collection celebrating the life of Elvis Presley returns to the marketplace, after several years, boasting over 2 hours of remastered video, new packaging and never-before-seen interviews with legendary artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins along with others who were close to the beloved and undisputed King of Rock ‘n Roll. The two-disc Elvis: The Great Performances (Hip-O/SOFA Entertainment), released August 2, 2011, brings together classic performances spanning more than 20 years, from his first televised appearance that shocked a nation to a concert a few weeks before his death on August 16, 1977. Footage mined from TV shows and specials, films and home movies, capture Elvis’ mesmerizing stage presence and irresistible charisma as well as provide a revealing look into his private life and the realities of his unprecedented fame.

Of particular interest to Elvis fans are the previously un-released bonus interviews, conducted by producer-director Andrew Solt in the early and mid-‘90s. Included are rock icons Lewis and Perkins, Sun Records head Sam Phillips, drummer D.J. Fontana, guitarist Scotty Moore, Jordanaires member and backing singer Gordon Stoker, and television host Milton Berle, on whose show Elvis appeared twice in 1956. The bonus material adds more than 30 minutes to the original two-hour production. Also, Jerry Schilling, long-time childhood friend of Elvis, was instrumental in producing and overseeing the set.

With Elvis: The Great Performances, fans can not only experience the excitement surrounding Elvis but also understand his influence on music and popular culture, a legacy that is greater than ever today.

Tracklisting:
Volume 1 – Center Stage
Money Honey (Dorsey Bros. TV Show)
That’s All Right (Mama)(Studio Recording)
Hound Dog (Milton Berle TV Show)
I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (Steve Allen TV Show)
Blue Suede Shoes (Studio Recording over Screen Test)
Love Me Tender (Love Me Tender Movie)
Heartbreak Hotel (Milton Berle TV Show)
Ready Teddy (Ed Sullivan TV Show)
Teddy Bear (Loving You Movie)
King Creole (King Creole Movie)
Jailhouse Rock (Jailhouse Rock Movie)
Guitar Man (Elvis – Comeback Special)
Suspicious Minds (Elvis – That’s The Way It Is)
Unchained Melody (Elvis In Concert)
All Shook Up (Elvis – Comeback Special)
Bonus Material:
Working With Elvis – D.J. Fontana, Scotty Moore, Gordon Stoker, Milton Berle

Volume 2 – The Man And The Music
American Trilogy (Aloha From Hawaii)
My Happiness (Studio Recording)
Shake, Rattle, And Roll/Flip, Flop And Fly (Dorsey Bros. TV Show)
Blue Suede Shoes (Milton Berle TV Show)
Don’t Be Cruel (Ed Sullivan TV Show)
Got A Lot O’ Livin To Do (Loving You Movie)
Trouble (King Creole Movie)
Mean Woman Blues (Loving You Movie)
Treat Me Nice (Jailhouse Rock Movie)
G.I. Blues (G.I. Blues Movie)
Fame And Fortune (Welcome Home, Elvis)
Return To Sender (Girls, Girls, Girls Movie)
Memories (Studio Recording over Home Movies)
You Gave Me A Mountain (Aloha From Hawaii)
Always On My Mind (Elvis On Tour Movie)
If I Can Dream (Elvis – Comeback Special)
Bonus Material:
Memories Of Elvis – Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Sam Phillips

TO ENTER:
Step 1. Head to Goldmine’s Facebook page (GoldmineMag) and “like” us … OR go to Twitter and “follow” us (@Goldmine_mag). (If you already do either or both of these, skip directly to Step 2!)

Step 2. Comment on this page, and tell us why — gold stars for doing it in 140 characters or less — you want to win this particular Elvis item. Then sit back and wait to win!

PUBLICATIONS/GOLDMINE MAGAZINE
GOLDMINE ELVIS GIVEAWAY SWEEPSTAKES
OFFICIAL RULES
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.
A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
OFFERED ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (“U.S.”), AGED 18 YEARS OR OLDER.
ELIGIBILITY: Open to legal U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older. Employees, officers and directors of F+W Publications, Inc. (“Sponsor”), its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies (collectively, “Sponsor and its agents”) and immediate family members (spouses and siblings, children and parents and their spouses, regardless of where they live) or members of the same households (whether related or not) of such individuals are not eligible. Void where prohibited.

PRIZE/ODDS OF WINNING: Before Aug 31, 2011, representatives of the Sponsor will conduct a random drawing from among all eligible entries received to award five (5) each of the Grand Package Prize: Elvis: The Great Performances DVD Set . Valued at approx. $50.00 (ARP) each. Odds of winning will be determined by the number of eligible entries received. No prize transfer or cash redemption permitted. No prize substitution, in whole or in part, except by Sponsor due to prize unavailability, safety or security considerations, or any other reason as solely determined by Sponsor in which case a prize of comparable or greater value will be awarded. Winner will be notified by phone, email, postal mail or express mail at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Return of a prize notification or other documentation as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. Winner may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release and (where legal) a publicity release, which must be returned within the time period specified in the notification letter or an alternate winner may be selected.

GENERAL: Taxes on prize and all expenses related to acceptance and use of prize and not specified are the sole responsibility of winner. Winners of prizes valued at $600 or more will be issued an IRS 1099 Form for the value of the prize. By participating, entrants agree [a] to these rules and decisions of Sponsor and judges, which shall be final in all respects relating to this Sweepstakes; and [b] to release, discharge and hold harmless Sponsor and its agents from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind resulting from their participating in the Sweepstakes or their acceptance, use or misuse of a prize including, without limitation, personal injury, death and property damage; and if a winner, [c] to permit Sponsor to use his or her name, photograph, likeness, statements, biographical information, voice, voice likeness and city and state address for advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in all media, including but not limited to on air and online, in perpetuity, without compensation (unless prohibited by law) and agree to execute specific consent to such use upon request. Sponsor and its agents are not responsible for and shall not be liable for: [a] electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet, computer or other technical malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind, including without limitation, server malfunction or by any human error which may occur in the collection, processing and transmission of data; [b] lost, late, misdirected, illegible or incomplete entries or postage-due mail; [c] any type of graphical or other error in the advertising or printing of the Sweepstakes or in the administration of the Sweepstakes; or [d] any condition that may cause the administration, security or proper play of the Sweepstakes to be disrupted or corrupted; and in such event Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel or suspend the Sweepstakes or any portion thereof and to award the prize(s) via a random drawing from among all eligible entries legitimately received prior to cancellation. Entry information becomes property of Sponsor.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE PROMOTION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. Internet entry must be made by the entrant only at the authorized Web site address. Entries may not be made by any other individual or any entity, and/or originate at any other Internet Web site or e-mail address, including but not limited to commercial sweepstakes subscription notification and/or entering service sites. Any winner who enters by any of the methods described above will be disqualified and an alternate winner selected. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of the person submitting an online entry, the entry will be deemed to be submitted by the person in whose name the e-mail account is registered at the time of entry. Potential winner may be required to provide evidence that winner is the authorized account holder of the e-mail address associated with the winning entry. Use of any device to automate entry is prohibited. Judge’s decisions are final and binding.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION/CHOICE OF LAW: Except where prohibited, by participating each entrant agrees that all issues and questions concerning these official rules shall be governed by Ohio law without giving effect to any principles of conflicts of law of any jurisdiction. Entrant agrees that any action at law or in equity arising out of or relating to this Sweepstakes shall be filed only in the state or federal courts located in Hamilton County in the state of Ohio, United States, and entrant hereby consents and submits to the personal jurisdiction of such courts for the purposes of litigating any such action. Except where prohibited, by participating in this Sweepstakes, entrant agrees that: [a] any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this Sweepstakes shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; and [b] any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with participating in this Sweepstakes but in no event attorneys’ fees; and [c] under no circumstances will any entrant be permitted to obtain awards for and hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental and consequential damages and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.
USE OF ENTRANT INFORMATION: As permitted by law and in accordance with Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, each entrant agrees that the Sponsor may share his/her entry information (including name, address, email address, etc.) with Sponsor’s promotional partners and other parties and grant Sponsor, its promotional partners and other third parties with whom Sponsor chooses to share your information, permission to contact you about upcoming promotions, special offers or for other reasons via electronic and ordinary mail. If you would prefer not to hear from us or prefer us not to share information about you, please opt out in accordance with our on-line privacy policy, available for viewing at http://www.fwmedia.com/privacy.
WINNER LIST: To receive a winner list, mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to be received by August 31, 2011 to: Goldmine Giveaway Sweepstakes, 700 E. State St. Iola, WI 54990-0001
SPONSOR: F+W Publications, Inc., 4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45326