(327) ELVIS PRESLEY THOUGHT THE WORLD of RICK NELSON

Elvis said to me, "Wes, Rick is a true person."

Elvis liked Rick Nelson as a human being and that's why he made friends with him and invited him to play football on his team, EP Enterprises. Johnny Rivers is the person who first introduced me to Rick Nelson and his brother David Nelson. Soon I was playing on the team with Rick.

This song MAD MAD WORLD which came out in 1963 still has so much innocence in it, but by the end of 1963 we as American's would loose our innocence...



Earlier we blogged on the contribution of songwriter JERRY FULLER on Rick's career. Rick also recorded songs written by JOHNNY and DORSEY BURNETT like this one... and by the way, two great studio musicians who worked a bit for me (I like to say they were once part of my "Wrecking Crew") and went on to back ELVIS PRESLEY as musicians are on this recording, Joe Osborne, and James Burton.

(326) DORSEY and JOHNNY BURNETT and RICK NELSON

Both Dorsey and Johnny became really good friends of mine, Johnny especially; he was the younger brother. They were both nice guys. They treated people well and that always counts. They had both worked at Crown Electric where Elvis worked before he turned to music as his way to make a living. Elvis felt a loyalty there and they agreed not to record the same song.

JOHNNY AND DORSEY BURNETT WROTE A GOOD NUMBER OF SONGS THAT RICK NELSON RECORDED.

The link above is to THE HISTORY OF ROCK.COM article about THE BURNETTES

50th ANNIVERSARY of the HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME

was celebrated yesterday... We're linking to the official site so you can find out what stars will be receiving stars soon!

(325) JOHNNY RIVERS INTRODUCED ME TO JOHNNY and DORSEY BURNETT

JOHNNY RIVERS came out to Los Angeles from New York... following what seemed to be an exodus of talent to the West Coast from the East. Seemed like only Ersel Hickey remained behind. Johnny taught Ersel some guitar chords back in New York and then the two of them wrote a song for me. And when Johnny came out he stayed with me and my brother for some time while he tried and tried again... I've said it before and I'll say it again "JOHNNY RIVERS WOULD NOT QUIT!"

Though I met a lot of great artists in New York and on my tours, there were others I really wanted to meet that I met through Johnny.

Johnny is the person who introduced me to Johnny and Dorsey Burnett. Another song that Johnny liked to cover at Elvis' house parties is this one by Dorsey, "Hey Little One."

(323) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : WES BRYAN

When I was playing the performer at Elvis Presley's house parties, I usually did a couple of my songs like "Melodie D' Amour" and "The Dying Ember." I had played these songs, and so many more on my promotional tours for United Artists as well as on the Buddy Knox tour.

I also remember singing a song that Elvis harmonized with me on, "Because of You," a cover of a song by Tony Bennett.


Update with new video? Searching...

(322) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : ELVIS SINGS UNCHAINED MELODY

THE RIGHTEOUS BROTHERS are one of my favorites and Elvis Presley's too. At the time the sound of two men harmonizing and singing together was popular. When Buddy Knox and I were on tour together sometimes women fans would ask us if we were brothers (!) Elvis liked to sing his version of this song at his house parties. Can you imagine! So many times all the other music and the dancing and talking stopped and people would trickle into the room and sit quietly to hear him sing.


BOBBY HATFIELD did the lead on this song.

(321) JOHNNY RIVERS: SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSE PARTY : THE TALL OAK TREE

DORSEY BURNETT'S 1960 "Tall Oak Tree" was a favorite cover for JOHNNY RIVERS. I can still see Johnny sitting on the sofa in his Capri Pants (which we made fun of him for wearing at the time - they were just too fashionable!) playing and singing this song.

Here's Dorsey's version:


Dorsey sounds like the blues singer Brook Benton when he sings.

And the Johnny Rivers version:



We're linking here to the JOHNNY RIVERS official web site!

OH SAY CAN YOU SEE...

(320) SOUNDS OF AN ELVIS PRESLEY HOUSEPARTY : RAGS TO RICHES

TONY BENNETT'S version of RAGS to RICHES was one of the songs that Elvis loved to cover when he sang at his parties. We were lucky to find the 1950's version of Tony's song and a good Elvis version on Youtube. Elvis was always amazed that he had become rich. He felt that it had been God's will that he become an entertainer and that was the way he could make a difference in people's lives. As the years passed Elvis began a spiritual search in earnest but he was a Christian first and foremost.





When Elvis sang this song for us at the house, he accompanied himself, playing the piano... The acoustics were good in the big living room on Perugio Way.

PAM MURPHY - ANGEL TO THE VETERANS

PAM MURPHY was a friend to all the veterans who came through the Veterans Hospital in Los Angeles. I recently had my routine check up and as usual, I was hoping to talk to Pam. It was another sadness for me to learn that another friend of mine had passed on. I guess that's the inevitable hazard of getting older yourself.

Pam was the widow of AUDI MURPHY, the most decorated soldier in World War II, a war hero. (You can link to the Veteran's Today article about her here!) and as I understand it, she started as a volunteer and then was given a job of her own, which she performed for years with a smile. Word got out that if you wanted to get through the bureaucracy down there faster, let Pam help you.

Growing up AUDI MURPHY was one of my heroes. I was surprised and pleased to learn, when Christine did my genealogy, that he and I share a great great great grandfather! I told Pam about it, and she thought it was funny. God is surely blessing Pam for all the work she did to help our soldiers.