(107) CLIFF GLEAVES - THE PIANO MAN AT ELVIS' PARTIES

Funny man Cliff Gleaves, who had been with Elvis since he quit his personality DJing and traveled to Germany to be with Elvis, was the piano man at Elvis' Los Angeles parties. He played a mad piano and had a quick sense of humor. To be the entertainer at the parties of one of the most famous entertainers in the world was a honor, and Cliff took to it, and received about a hundred dollars an evening from Elvis.

Cliff never played pool with us. He was usually off somewhere with a starlet.

If there's a hereafter and there's a Cliff Gleaves, here he is and you know what he's after! He was one of a kind - in an arena all by himself. Everyone - even Colonel Parker - stole his lines. Everyone tried to copy his quick witted comedy.

Cliff, like a lot of people who surrounded Elvis, moved to Los Angeles to be near him, but never lived with Elvis. He was not a member of the entourage but was a long term friend.

Cliff spoke his mind and never changed his opinions to please Elvis, which Elvis respected. He often asked Cliff for advice - and got it! Cliff answered to no man but himself.

RCS Discography CLIFF GLEAVES link above!

New update 2011: Cliff Gleaves on Youtube !

(106) ACTOR JOHN ASHLEY : ANOTHER PARTY INTIMATE

John Ashley, the actor, was also a great friend of Elvis' and me and the guys in the early 1960's. He had a zany cut-up personality and liked to pull pranks so he fit right in. John, Elvis, Nick Adams, and Bill Murphy and I played a lot of home pool tournaments together. John was married to actress Deborah Wally at the time who had been "the next Gidget." Like Frankie Avalon, he was in a lot of beach party type movies in his early career. John didn't seem to mind that he wasn't The Next James Dean, and made a good living acting in "B" pictures. He also financed some films.

The connections between us all continued for years. John eventually took five of my songs for the successful television series he performed in, "Straight Away."

BRIANS DRIVE IN THEATRE on JOHN ASHLEY link above!

(105) BILL MURPHY THE REAL GI JOE DOLL!

William "Bill" Murphy, sometimes called "Red", who had been in a number of films where he played service men was the model for the famous GI Joe Doll!

Check out this IMBd database for Bill's filmography and you'll see what I mean about military roles. His acting career began in the 1940's and went on 30 years.

He was friends with Robert Mitchum, who had written a script especially for Elvis that Colonel Parker turned down, as well as the actor associated most with Westerns, John Wayne. He was a great friend to Elvis and me and the guys and a lot of fun to be around. Fashions come and go but Bill was most often dressed in Western clothing - black and a big black cowboy hat. If you looked at him cross eyed he'd come over and part your hair right quick.

Linking here to the IMBd database BILL MURPHY filmography

I can still see Bill dancing with all the women at the house parties. I can still see Bill wearing his big cowboy hat as we rode down to the Sunset Strip to hear Johnny Rivers play at the Whiskey.

(104) THE ACTOR NICK ADAMS, A PARTY REGULAR IN THE EARLY 1960's

Nick Adams, the actor, a good friend of the real James Dean's and Natalie Woods, was a regular at Elvis' parties in the early 1960's. Elvis was interested in Nick because of his connection with James Dean, but he could also relate to the man, who came from humble beginnings in rural Pennsylvania. Nick used to say, "Other men bet on horses, I bet on myself." He was a good actor and he enjoyed some success beginning with his role in "Rebel Without a Cause." Nick tended to get typecaste as a rebel after that, which is reflected in his roles in television as well.

Nick's sense of humor and ability to imitate others fit with Elvis and the entourage. But he was also passionate about a number of issues and could pontificate.

Link above to Video Detective bio to Nick Adams with some film clips - replaced January 12, 2011. CT

Nick Adams and actor John Ashley and Elvis and me played a lot of home pool tournaments together.

(103) MARIO LANZA - AN AMERICAN TENOR and INSPIRATION TO ELVIS

Here is a YouTube Video of Mario Lanza in 1954. I'm not sure how Elvis first knew about opera or this American tenor, but wouldn't be surprised it was on television. Elvis loved television and he watched it a lot (even watching several sets at a time in the 1970's). This is The Chrysler sponsored show "Shower of Stars," and possibly Elvis even saw this show which featured Mario.

Americans were (and are) so accustom to opera singers being European because it's often sung in Italian and so it's a surprise to hear Mario's American speaking voice and to hear him sing a song in English in operatic voice.



Marios on this blog because Elvis, "the Walking Encyclopedia of Music," told me that he had studied Lanza's vocal techniques, in order to hit the high notes of a song he is very famous for, "It's Now Or Never" and "Surrender."

(102) ELVIS'S MEN, HIS GUYS, THE ENTOURAGE

The men Elvis surrounded himself with were called "his guys," or "the crew," or "the entourage." The whole idea of this entourage of ever changing men being a "mafia" came later, and in my opinion was an unfortunate connotation. Elvis wasn't the only celebrity with his own people surrounding him for security or for companionship either. Frank Sinatra was known for his "Rat Pack," and aviation pioneer and filmmaker Howard Hughes, known for keeping starlets as mistresses, had his "Mormon Mafia."

Well, in any case, some of these men started out as friends of Elvis Presley and other were hired in, and they were considered in some way to be "family," because of the many hours they were around Elvis in his employ. They were on payroll and they were there to make the busy and complicated professional and personal life of a superstar easier and more secure. They were there to do things Elvis' way. And he was very much in charge.

As his companions, they benefited, living the life of a millionaire with Elvis, not because their pay was high, not at all. It was because of the benefits - including women, beautiful women.

(101) ELVIS - A WALKING ENCYCLOPEDIA OF MUSIC

My friend Elvis Presley was like a walking encyclopedia of music. He made it a point to know about everyone in the business. He studied some of his favorites, like the American tenor Mario Lanza, whose voice inspired him. He often told me about other singers' voices - what problems they had with meter, breathing, phrasing. Elvis thought his talent was a God-given gift and he was determined not to loose his voice through misuse.

His juke box at the house was frequently renewed with the latest Top 40 as well as some of his favorites all time hits. And at parties he invented dances to a variety of songs. When party guests saw him moving, those legs and arms going, the house went crazy.

Because Colonel Parker kept Elvis from talk shows and interviews, he honed a mystique about his star. But Elvis was also thought to be less intelligent than he was, even inarticulate. Part of the problem Elvis had was a problem I had too - the stereotype that Southerners just weren't as smart as Northerners. We were considered hillbillies- hicks; I once decked a song writer in the Brill building for calling me names.

Maybe Colonel Parker knew that too - the prejudice - and decided that on that basis not to expose Elvis to ridicule.

(100) ELVIS DANCES and THE ROOM GOES WILD!

At his parties, sometimes Elvis would let loose and dance using his very own innovative, on the spot choreography! When people saw his arms and legs going, they went wild. His living room could be like Grand Central Station, with a juke box on one end, a record playing on the other, and live entertainment in between.

Elvis showed off his dancing skills early on in his movie, "Jail House Rock." This is a YouTube video that shows off Elvis dancing.

(99) ELVIS - THE PARTY YEARS - JOHNNY RIVERS

About the time that I moved to Los Angeles to work for the songwriting factory, American Music, I began to attend Elvis' private parties at his home in Bel Air. Johnny Rivers and I used to get up to the house about three on a Saturday afternoon, because Elvis liked to play demos for us and ask our opinions. He played demos that he made and demos he had been sent by various publishing houses and individuals. Elvis believed that there was "room for us all."

Johnny wasn't Mr. Secret Agent Man - not yet anyway!

See our previous blogs that mention Johnny Rivers by searching this blog and also, go to Johnny's own personal web site (which should be in our LINKS section) to learn more about Johnny Rivers. as a person, entertainer, and an early friend of mine in the music business. There will be more about Johnny as we progress in this blog!

(98) ELVIS and FLAMING STAR : MY FIRST PARTY AT ELVIS' LOS ANGELES

The first party I attended at Elvis' he was in the process of making the film "Flaming Star" at Twentieth Century Fox. The film also stared Barbara Eden who would become famous for her long runing TV series "I Dream of Jeannie." The script was about a "half breed" Indian (Native American) and was originally written with Marlon Brando in mind.

Elvis came home wearing the heavy makeup that the studio artists had put on him to give this "half breed" effect. He welcomed me into his home and went off to remove the makeup which must have taken a couple hours.

Link above to the IMBd datebase information on "Flaming Star." The makeup looks heavy and fake to me now.

(97) 2008 A NEW YEAR and a NEW ERA IN MY LIFE - THE PARTY YEARS

Friends, Christine and I are working on that slide show presentation, a new thing, but with a few gliches for us. As soon as we have the new one up and running we will delete the one that's presently at December 28th 2007.

It's early January 2008, and we are taking our story of my life in music through what I'll call The Party Years because through the early 1960's whenever Elvis was filming in Los Angeles, I was a regular at his private parties at his home in Bel Air.

Elvis attended almost no parties thrown by other celebrities. He did invite many co-stars to his parties but he like to be the host and have that control.

During the years that I attended Elvis' parties I never saw or knew of any illegal drug use. Elvis most often walked around with a glass of water or soda. He rarely drank and I rarely saw him get pie-eyed. His living room was like Grand Central Station.

People told jokes, had serious discussions - sometimes Elvis spoke about Jesus - and we danced, laughed, played and listened to music. Practical jokes were especially appreciated by Elvis, his men, his friends. I was honored to be there.

The Party Years with Elvis and his friends were some of the best of my life.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS PRESLEY

As millions of fans know, today is the birthday of the great Elvis Presley. And when I say he was great, I don't just mean that he was a great entertainer. I mean that Elvis was a great human being. So much has been said and written about Elvis, who was a friend of mine from when I met him in 1957 while on my first tour for United Artists, and performing live on the Wink Martindale show in Memphis, Tennessee. I'll never forget the one time years into our friendship when I was feeling stalled out in my career, and this is what Elvis said to me;

"You're successful as a human being and that's all that counts in my book."

We love you, Elvis!

Wes

CARL PERKINS on ELVIS PRESLEY ( HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS !) PRESLEY

Carl Perkins said...

"This boy had everything. He had the looks, the moves, the manager, and the talent. And he didn't look like Mr. Ed like a lot of the rest of us did. In the way he looked, way he talked, way he acted… he really was different."

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS!

HENRY FORD Quote on Friendship

"There are three things that grow more precious with age. Old wood to burn, old books to read, and old friends to enjoy." -Henry Ford

JESUS, THE ONLY IDOL ELVIS PRESLEY EVER HAD

More than once, while I was in his presence, Elvis reminded people that he was not the King, that Jesus Christ was. One of the gifts Elvis gave me was a Bible.

I think he might have made a good preacher if he had chosen to walk in that path. He always knew that his gift - his voice - was a gift from God.

This image is free from http://antiqueclipart.com/image.php/baby-jesus-manger.html Thanks!

(96) ELVIS DOES BLUE CHRISTMAS NEXT

Elvis recording of "Blue Christmas," that came out on his Christmas album in 1957 brought forth the Memphis sound he was known for with masculine background vocals and soul. Elvis would sing this song hundreds of times in his life, and good thing, because he loved it personally.

Now, we've got the hang of posting YouTube video presentations to help illustrate the history of my story, but choosing which one, so you could listen to Elvis' rich baratone in the original version wasn't easy. The one we chose doesn't have any pictures of Elvis and it wasn't made as a "cover" by an Elvis interpreter or impersonator. We noticed that some of the videos listed had implausable dates on them, as well. This one is like a living Christmas card though, a real work of art, and with it we say "Merry Christmas," to all of you.

(94) AMERICAN MUSIC AND ELVIS

While Sylvester Cross never pressed me to take demos directly to Elvis when I went to parties at his home or socialized with Elvis, he did thank me more than once for "bringing Elvis to my house." What he meant was not his home, but his music publishing house. What he meant was that because of me Elvis was open to getting demo from various American Music songwriters delivered to him for his consideration.

Actually American Music had a lot to thank Elvis Presley for already. It happened this way. Sylvester had the copyright on "Blue Christmas," which had been recorded by Ernest Tubb, the country music star. He'd hit with it in the 1940s. In about 1958 Elvis recorded it, because it was his personal favorite Christmas song! Every year American Music got a giant revenue from the song because it was so associated with Elvis and his version sold so well.

Now, Elvis also had an interesting relationship with the songwriters at American Music, which was at the time located at 9109 Sunset Boulevard, cross street Doheny, adjacent to Beverly Hills. When Elvis was at MGM or Paramount, on his way home to Bel Air, he would pass by driving in his car, usually later in the day, 5 or 5:30 say. If none of us were standing outside, Elvis would honk six times, then take off. This was his hello. If we were standing out there he would stop and chat with me, Glen Campbell, Jerry Capehart - whomever was out there.

(93) PAT BOONE SWINGS WITH JINGLE BELLS

These days when a Christmas album comes out, some people figure that the artist has just figured out a way to capitalize and fulfill the last album of their contract. But in the early 1960's people weren't so skeptical, especially if they knew that the singer of those songs had true Christian faith, as Elvis Presley did, and as PAT BOONE did.

Another artist besides Elvis who is always associated with Christmas is Pat Boone. Here's a very swinging "Jingle Bells," a YouTube presentation that I can't date. Pat recorded a number of Christian songs in his time and is better known for them.

See our previous posts on Pat and our link on the side bar to Pat's Official Web Site and links to vote him into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Just use the search feature on the blog to find these posts!

Here's a YouTube video of Pat and a boy's choir singing the more religious "Silent Night."

ABRAHAM LINCOLN Quote on Friendship

"The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend."
- Abraham Lincoln

(92) NAT KING COLE - CROSSING OVER

NAT KING COLE was also an exceptional singer, in that crooner category, who we could not help but notice, talk about, and enjoy. By the late 1950's Nat had made his way from his Southern roots, to Chicago, through the jazz scene, and had hits of "Nature Boy" in 1948, "Mona Lisa," in 1950, and "Unforgettable" in 1951. He was an artist who had commercial success, had fought prejudice, and had somehow made it.

By the fall of 1956 he, like Perry Como, had his own television show on NBC, and like other shows in the early days of television, his had gone from fifteen minutes, to a half hour. His show lasted about a year. No one took television for granted back then. It was an event - a gathering - to sit in front of a set - and I think as a result we gave shows and performers on them our attention.

Now, though I don't think Nat was lifelong partial to one political party or another, in 1960 he got behind our soon to be President, John F. Kennedy, and sang at the Democratic National Convention. Elvis and I and our friends watched what was happening with Kennedy and civil rights with great interest. We had grown up with segregation. We had met, worked with, and liked Black musicians and singers, people in the business.

Looking back I can't say exactly when the 1950's ended or the 1960's began, or our nation would begin to dramatically change in character. But it was small things first, small things like a black man having his own television show that other black performers could go on. The late great Frank Sinatra was known to insist on black performers being treated as equals. He did that for Sammy Davis Junior and he did it for Nat King Cole, when in 1961 he had Nat perform at the Kennedy Inaugural party. That was only fair.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame : Nat King Cole

http://rockhall.com/inductees/nat-king-cole/

Official Site of the Nat King Cole Society

http://www.nat-king-cole.org/

NEW! LINK ABOVE TO THE ULTIMATE NAT KING COLE!

Here's a YouTube video presentation of Nat King Cole singing "Nature Boy."

I call him "The Man With the Velvet Voice."

(91) THE RAY CHARLES SINGERS

I had a connection with Perry Como. He worked with the Ray Charles Singers as his background singers. They worked on most everything he recorded and on television.
When I recorded "Lonesome Love," at a giant studio in New York, RCA Victor, right on Broadway, the Ray Charles Singers were my background singers.

I was scared to death. They came over. They didn't put on any aires. One of the guys put his arm around me and said, "Now just relax a little bit." They were Regular Joes, and helpful to me.

Now, a few years later, when I had the song "I Feel Like Crying," that Red West and I wrote in Elvis' den on Bellagio in Bel Air, and Pat Boone bought it for Cooga Mooga, Jack Spena, Pat's manager, pitched the song to Perry. Perry was doing an album and Jack and Pat thought it would be a great cut. But Perry listened to Pat Boone's version and he chuckled. "I can't do it as good as Pat can," Perry said.

The Ray Charles Singers have been featured at the Country Music Hall of Fame Museum

Link Replaced January 12, 2011 CT

(90) PERRY COMO - THE MAN IN THE CARDIGAN SWEATER

PERRY COMO OFFICIAL SITE  updated April 2014

VIDEO REPLACED  April 2014



Perry Como was a singer who recorded on the RCA Victor label starting in 1943 and one of the first television pioneers in the weekly variety show category that was very successful, starting in about 1948. In the 1950's company sponsored television shows (rather than just commercials) were huge, and Christine White and James Dean were just two of the actors in New York who worked in them.

Now, growing up in the Smokey Mountains we listened to a big stand up radio, and when it came to music, well those mountains were - and are - full of people who had musical talent. People taught each other or were self taught. Making music - going to square dances - singing gospel in church - was our way of making our own fun. We never did get a television set. And when we moved to Oregon, we still didn't have a television set. But when I got to New York in 1957, I knew who Perry Como was. By 1955 he had an hour long television show.

In a way, Perry was an inspiration to me as an upstart in the business, even though he was as far from Rockabilly and early Rock and Roll as you could get. He was a crooner, smooth like Bing Crosby, and when I got to New York I had to fashion myself as a performer. Before I got over my shyness and let myself loosen up and move, I wanted to perform natural like Perry, who simply sang, often wearing a cardigan sweater or a neat suit. I thought he was a master of his craft. His professionalism went beyond one's comprehension. Perry had annunciation that was perfect and his delivery was seamless.

Now when you see old videos of the late 1950's and early 1960's sometimes you see black and white and sometimes you see color. Color television was around by 1956 but the number of studios that had the equipment to film in color were few and the number of people who had a color television set to see broadcasts in color were fewer. In 1956 The Perry Como Show on NBC was filmed in color, and seeing a show in color - well, it seemed to be, as they say today, "cutting edge." By 1959, Perry had a Kraft sponsored Music Hall show.

I suspect that's the show here in this YouTube video that presents Perry singing the classic "White Christmas," in 1960, even though this is in black and white.

Perry's career spanned many years and it's said that he got so many Gold records that he stopped having them certified. It was too embarrassing. In 2002 he received the Grammy's Lifetime Achievement Award.

(89) ELVIS'S RECORDING of RED WEST'S HOLLY LEAVES AND CHRISTMAS TREES

Elvis' recording of Holly Leaves and Christmas Trees is here in this YouTube Video presentation. It was written by entourage member and body guard Red West and another songwriter, Glen Dale Spreen. Elvis published it himself, buying it for his Elvis Presley Music, one of three publishing entities he owned.

Can you tell we're warming up to the holidays here?

Well, we think today is the first of the twelve days of Christmas.

And Elvis always made a big deal of Christmas, with gifts to others, gifts to The Entourage, gifts to his employees, gifts to his family, gifts to his friends, and gifts to strangers, through generous donations to a great number of charities, mostly Memphis-based.

But for Elvis this spirit of giving had everything to do with his idol, the only idol he ever had,

King of all Kings,

Jesus Christ.

VIDEO TAKEN DOWN 2013

(88) RED WEST / MUSICAL TALENT and THE ENTOURAGE

Recently I overheard a slew of slander against Elvis' men - The Entourage. Since The Entourage was an ever changing group of men, this character didn't know who - or what he was talking about.

Characterized with that prejudice against Southerns as rude, crude, overgrown frat boys, and a bunch of "dummies," the man went on and on.

There was a time when I decked a guy at a news stand for making fun of Elvis - the Elvis who was once called "The Hillbilly Hepcat." Prejudice!

I can tell you that Elvis respected intelligence and that a few men in the entourage where college educated. He wasn't an education snob though. He was successful without higher education and he never judged a person by it.

Elvis also loved to be surrounded by musical people. Besides Cliff Gleaves, the funny man, entourage member Red West, best known as one of Elvis' bodyguards, also had recorded and had musical talent and songwriting ability.

Red West and I wrote a couple songs together, one called "I Feel Like Crying," and another called "Don't You Cry." We pitched them and sold them to Pat Boone, who still owns the publishing on it, at his publishing house Cooga Mooga.

NEW LINK 2011 Above : Rockabilly RED WEST on Rockin' Country Style.