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Tag: Elvis Presley

  • Elvis Presley Is Back! Singer Does UK Tour 40 Years After His Death

    Elvis Presley may have been dead for the past 40 years, but that did not stop organizers from holding a UK tour that features his iconic voice, which will be backed up by the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra.

    The UK tour follows the warm reception of Presley’s album If I Can Dream by fans worldwide, making it the second-biggest album released last year. It also marks the King of Rock and Roll’s record-tying 12th UK number one album.

    The tour will not feature a hologram type of performance, but instead use Presley’s voice while the orchestra plays a new arrangement to his most popular songs.

    The tour will kick off on November 17 later this year at the Glasgow SSE Hydro, and move to Leeds First Direct Arena the following day. Other shows of the tour will be held at the Cardiff Motorpoint Arena, the Birmingham Genting Arena, the London O2 Arena, and the Manchester Arena. The tour will end on November 24.

    Elvis’ former wife, Priscilla Presley, will also make an appearance at some of the shows.

    “What an honor for me to present to you songs from what has become a very prestigious and beloved album with a full symphony orchestra,” she said about the UK tour.

    Unfortunately, the love for Elvis has not been felt lately in Las Vegas, where an Elvis-themed attraction closed in February for not getting too many visits.

    “Graceland Presents Elvis” was a museum exhibit about the legendary singer, which was located at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino.

    “Vegas really is, ironically, a challenging market for Elvis,” according to Jack Soden, CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises, who loaned hundreds of artifacts to put in the museum.

    At the peak of his career, Elvis Presley paved the way for Las Vegas to become an entertainment capital at that time.

  • Elvis Presley: Aloha From Hawaii Guitar Sells for $270K

    Elvis Presley’s guitar from his famous Aloha from Hawaii concert has sold at auction for a sizable sum.

    The guitar, a 1969 Gibson, sold for $270,000 at an auction held at Graceland.

    Though $270,000 is quite a bit of money, it’s less than what auction organizers expected the guitar to get.

    According to the IB Times, the guitar was expected to snag between $300,000 and $500,000.

    Today is Elvis Presley’s 81st birthday. The icon died in 1977. Happy Birthday, Elvis.

  • Priscilla Presley Says Life Married To Elvis Was “Difficult”

    Priscilla Presley has spoken quite a bit recently about the loss of her iconic ex-husband, Elvis Presley, and their life together.

    The life Priscilla Presley led appeared to be that of a fairy tale, she was married to the King of Rock ‘n Roll after all. However, she says it was not.

    Though Elvis has been dead for nearly four decades, people are still fascinated by his death and the life he lived with his young bride, Priscilla Presley.

    Priscilla Presley was only 14 when she met Elvis, and though they divorced only four years before his death, they had been together so long that it must have felt like her whole life had been spent with him.

    Recently, Priscilla Presley was interviewed on Huff Post Live about her life in the spotlight as Elvis’ wife and the mother of his only child, Lisa Marie.

    Another milestone for EP. Very rare to be on two stamps. 🙂

    A photo posted by Priscilla Presley (@priscillapresley) on

    She said, “It was difficult, especially at a young age, being a new wife and automatically being a new mother and being in rock and roll. The three really don’t mix.”

    She added, “I wanted to be a mom and yet, I traveled a lot and Elvis wanted me to be with him. It was a tug of war of trying to make it all work.”

    According to Priscilla Presley, there was virtually no love for her while she reigned as The King’s wife.

    She said, “I was hated for marrying him, hated for getting a divorce. Having people being critical but not knowing what your life was and not knowing that you were trying desperately to be a good wife, to be a good mother, to be a good companion-it was a hard road.”

    Please follow me on twitter @cilla_presley Thank YOU!

    A photo posted by Priscilla Presley (@priscillapresley) on

    Of course, it’s a hard road for a normal newlywed wife and new mother to get along in this modern world with all the pressure to be perfect.

    But, in the late 60’s and at a time when Elvis and his goings-on were watched continually, the pressure for Priscilla Presley could likely sometimes be overwhelming.

    Priscilla Presley recently spoke about finding out that Elvis had passed. With Elvis being such a huge part of her life, it was understandably devastating.

    She said that day was “absolutely devastating. I mean still to this day it’s hard to believe.”

    What do you think of the pressures Priscilla Presley must have faced as Elvis’ wife? Are you fascinated with the icon and his young bride?

  • Billy Joe Royal: “Down in the Boondocks” Singer Dies at 73

    Billy Joe Royal: “Down in the Boondocks” Singer Dies at 73

    Billy Joe Royal, the singer best known for his 1965 hit son “Down in the Boondocks,” died at his home in Morehead, North Carolina on Tuesday at the age of 73. No cause of death has been announced, according to his publicist.

    Still performing on a regular basis, Billy Joe Royal sang at his most recent concert on September 24th, and had a full tour scheduled well into the fall.

    “Down in the Boondocks” told the tale of a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, who fell in love with a rich girl. It hit number nine on the pop charts in 1965.

    “I guess people related to poor people,” Royal said during an interview in 1990. “Once in a while I hear it on the radio, and it still stands up. The song meant everything to my career. I was making about $125 a week before that.”

    Billy Joe Royal’s second biggest hit came in 1969. Called “Cherry Hill Park,” it also made the top 20.

    Born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1942, Royal grew up in Marietta, outside of Atlanta. He started singing as a child in elementary school, then learned to play steel guitar. It wasn’t long before he joined his uncle’s country and western band.

    Inspired by Elvis Presley, Billy Joe Royal hoped he could make it big, too.

    “When he made it so big, all us Southern boys thought maybe we had a shot, too,” he said.

    Following his success with “Down in the Boondocks,” Billy Joe Royal was invited by Dick Clark to join his Dick Clark Caravan of Stars. The tour also featured The Turtles, the Shirelles, Peter and Gordon, and Tom Jones.

    In recent years Billy Joe Royal toured with B.J. Thomas of “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head” fame.

    The music world is no doubt saddened to learn of Billy Joe Royal’s passing, and is no doubt awaiting word of his cause of death, as well as plans for laying him to rest.

  • Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley Open Tribute to Elvis in Vegas

    Priscilla Presley and daughter Lisa Marie Presley stunned fans on the red carpet in their coordinating black ensembles at the ribbon cutting for the “Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition, The Show, The Experience” at Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. The ladies officially opened the tribute to Elvis Presley on April 23rd.

    As Lisa Marie and mom Priscilla Presley walked the red carpet at the star-studded event, they wore classy ensembles–dresses that fell just above the knee. Priscilla Presley donned polka-dots with a black lace sleeve and black open-toe pumps. Lisa Marie Presley wore a tweet and black number with long sleeves and black cap-toe pumps.

    Priscilla Presley was married to Elvis from 1967 to 1973. Lisa Marie is their only daughter.

    A blue ribbon was snipped delicately by both ladies to signify the opening of “Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition, The Show, The Experience.”

    “Graceland Presents ELVIS” is located at the same hotel where Elvis Presley performed hundreds of shows during his tenure on the Las Vegas Strip. According to the exhibit’s website, fans will be able to “experience Presley’s entire life, from his boyhood in Mississippi to his Hollywood days, national tours, and more. They’ll also be able to see hundreds of artifacts that have never been displayed outside of Presley’s estate.”

    There is also a wedding chapel there, where fans of the King can tie the knot. Priscilla Presley has made it clear, however, that there will be no Elvis impersonators allowed.

    If you’re headed to Vegas in the near future, will you be checking out “Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition, The Show, The Experience?” Would you get married at a wedding chapel there or does that still seem a bit tacky?

    Hopefully this venture is a huge success for Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley, who have both worked diligently to keep the memory of Elvis Presley alive.

  • Priscilla Presley Bans Elvis Impersonators from Graceland-Themed Wedding Chapel

    Priscilla Presley has banned Elvis Presley impersonators from a new Graceland-themed wedding chapel opening soon in Las Vegas.

    “This is all first-class,” she told the Associated Press during a recent interview. “This is not a joke. The wedding chapel is not a joke.”

    Presley insists that ‘no joke’ also means there will be no red velvet or anything else gaudy in the chapel.

    “Elvis had a lot of dignity. Elvis had a lot of class,” Priscilla Presley said. “He was a beautiful specimen of a man.”

    It was back in 1967 that a very young Priscilla Wagner married Elvis Presley in Las Vegas.

    “Graceland Presents ELVIS: The Exhibition–The Show–The Experience,” including the new wedding chapel, opens on April 23rd at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino. This is the same property where Elvis performed several hundred sold-out shows between 1969 and 1976, when it was known as the International Hotel and then later the Las Vegas Hilton.

    When Priscilla Presley arrives for the show’s debut, it is thought to be only her second time visiting the site since she last saw Elvis perform there, back in 1975.

    Kudos to Priscilla Presley for banning Elvis impersonators and other gaudy attractions from her new wedding chapel. Don’t you think it’s time people started revering the late singer with at least a trace of dignity?

  • Elvis Presley Record Brings $300K At Auction

    Elvis Presley recorded “My Happiness” in 1953 at Sun Records in Memphis. It was his first recording, rumored to be a gift for his mother.

    However, Elvis Presley left the studio and went to the home of his friend Ed Leek to listen to the record since his family didn’t have a record player, and there he left it for the next six decades.

    The record is in great condition and is playable, despite the yellow and cracking label.

    The niece of Ed Leeks, Lorisa Hilburn, inherited the first recording of Elvis Presley when her uncle died and has now made a $300K windfall for her family. The record went up for auction on Thursday, which would have been Elvis’ 80th birthday, along with a lot of other Elvis memorabilia.

    Before the auction, Hilburn said, “I’m hoping that somebody who loves Elvis Presley and is a huge Elvis Presley fan and who can appreciate the record … ends up with it.”

    Well, apparently the buyer, who remains anonymous, really did love Elvis Presley. To the tune of $300,000.

    “I’m very happy,” said Hilburn, who was all smiles when the auction was over.

    “There was adrenaline beforehand … but when it was over, I was numb,” she said. “It was surreal.”

    The former owner of the first ever Elvis Presley recording has already “splurged” on an iPad. As far as the rest of the $240,000, she plans to invest it with some going to pay for college for her two sons.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqKQ5OxYofE

    I’m sure Elvis Presley would be happy to know that he paid for the college education of his friend’s great-nephews.

    What do you think about that auction? Would you pay that much money for Elvis Presley’s first recording if you had the money?

  • Elly May Clampett: Actress Donna Douglas Dies at 81

    Elly May Clampett was one of the main characters on the TV show The Beverly Hillbillies, which ran from 1962 to 1971. Donna Douglas, the actress who played Elly May, died on New Year’s Day at the age of 81.

    According to a report from TMZ, Douglas died at her home in Louisiana with her family members and close friends by her side.

    Douglas’s granddaughter confirmed her passing.

    In addition to her role as Elly May Clampett, Douglas appeared in several other TV series, including Mr. Ed, The Twilight Zone, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, Adam 12, and Route 66. She starred alongside Elvis Presley in Frankie and Johnny.

    Still it was The Beverly Hillbillies for which she remained the most famous. Elly May Clampett was constantly bringing home her ‘critters,’ much to the ire of Granny (played by the late Irene Ryan). She was good at convincing her Pa, Jed Clampett (played by the late Buddy Ebsen) to go along with just about all of her crazy shenanigans. She and her cousin Jethro Bodine (played by Max Baer, Jr.) managed to drive poor Granny to drink from her ‘special bottle of medicine.’ Max Baer, Jr. is the only regular cast member of The Beverly Hillbillies who is still living.

    Donna Douglas was involved in two rather high-profile lawsuits throughout the years. The first–in the 1990s–was filed stating Disney stole the idea for the film Sister Act from her. She lost the case. And in 2011, she sued Mattel for creating a Barbie doll with the likeness of Elly May Clampett without her permission. That case was settled out of court.

    Were you a fan of The Beverly Hillbillies? Was Elly May Clampett your favorite character? She is now likely resting in the big Beverly Hills mansion in the sky, along with Jed Clampett, Granny Clampett, and even their friends from the bank, (Jed was, after all, a millionaire) Mr. Drysdale and Miss Jane.

  • Mary Ann Mobley, Mississippi’s First Miss America, Dies of Breast Cancer At 77

    Mary Ann Mobley, who became Mississippi’s first Miss America and went on to become a successful actress, died of breast cancer Tuesday at her home in Beverly Hills. She was 77.

    The Mississippi native, who attended the University of Mississippi, became the state’s first Miss America when she was crowned in 1959.

    “The University of Mississippi family is saddened by the passing of Mary Ann Mobley Collins,” said a statement released by Ole Miss, where she was the first woman to be voted into the university’s Alumni Hall of Fame.

    A successful acting career followed in the theater, where she starred in musicals like Guys and Dolls and The King and I, and in film, including movies opposite Elvis Presley in Harum Scarum and Girl Happy.

    Mobley had a very successful run on television as well, and seemed to be everywhere during the 70s. She was a regular on Circus with the Stars and appeared in many series like Fantasy Island, Love Boat and Falcon Crest.

    Mobley married actor/talk show host Gary Collins in 1967, and the couple later became well-respected philanthropists. They spent their later years traveling the world with various relief organizations to end world hunger. Collins died in 2012.

    Mobley is survived by daughters Clancy Collins White and Melissa Collins, son Guy William Collins, sister Sandra Young, and two grandsons, Garrett and Gaston Collins.

    Services for Mobley will be held Dec. 15 in Jackson, Mississippi.

  • John Stamos’ Elvis Presley Obsession Lights Up Christmas

    John Stamos is a megafan of Elvis Presley. I know, your uncle has a jumpsuit and an old cologne decanter shaped like Elvis. He has a black velvet painting of Elvis in his dinign room, right above the picture of Jesus.

    But John Stamos gets invited to Graceland to flip the switch on the Christmas lights. Elvis Presley used to do that. Your uncle never has.

    Stamos stepped out sporting sideburns to do the annual honors in Memphis. He told the press that the sideburns were authentic.

    “It’s so funny. I had a beard, and I was like, ‘I better shave this and I’ll keep the ‘burns in tribute,” Stamos said.

    But the big Elvis hair-do was not. “This is a new wig. I put a special wig on for tonight,” he said.

    Stamos was accompanied by kids from Memphis’ own Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital.

    The Graceland Christmas display is the real deal. It is the same one that Elvis lit up every year. The Graceland website describes it as including “hundreds of blue lights along the driveway, a life-size Nativity scene, Santa and his sleigh, and much more, all originally displayed at Graceland by Elvis and the Presley family.”

    Stamos’ love of Elvis is legendary. He narrates the audio self-tour that visitors to Graceland and the museum take. When you walk past The Jungle Room — because, no one can actually go in the Jungle Room — that’s John Stamos’ voice in your headphones telling you how Elvis recorded Moody Blue in that room because it has shag carpet up the walls.

    Stamos tweeted out a pic of him on the way to Memphis for the occasion. Rob Lowe photo-bombed.

    Stamos says that Elvis was a one-of-a-kind total package of a person.

    “He had it all. Nobody’s had it all,” Stamos observed. “People have good voices, or they’re good-looking, or they’re charismatic, or they’re good people, but it’s the combination.”

    Here’s a clip of Stamos from Full House, getting his Elvis on.


  • John Stamos Turns on Christmas Lights at Graceland Sporting Elvis Presley-Inspired Sideburns

    John Stamos, sporting Elvis Presley-inspired sideburns, was on hand at Graceland Friday to help flip the switch on the Christmas lights.

    Stamos, who has been a forever fan of the “King of Rock ‘n Roll,” joined young patients from Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital at the lighting ceremony at Presley’s former home, along with hundreds of other onlookers.

    The Full House actor told the Associated Press following the ceremony that the sideburns were intentional.

    “It’s so funny. I had a beard, and I was like, ‘I better shave this and I’ll keep the burns in tribute,’” Stamos said.

    Stamos owned up that the pompadour he also sported was not really his hair.

    “This is a new wig. I put a special wig on for tonight,” he said.

    Stamos is often associated with Elvis Presley. His voice is featured on the iPad tour of the home and Full House fans will remember well when the actor dressed up as the “King” for an episode of the hit TV show. He also visited the mansion-turned-museum for a 1990s television special, where he was able to play one chord on Presley’s piano.

    “I think the first time I saw him, the word ‘supernova’ came into my head,” Stamos said of his idol. “I was just immediately in awe. He had it all. Nobody’s had it all. People have good voices, or they’re good looking, or their charismatic, or they’re good people, but it’s the combination.”

    Stamos told the AP he is appearing in the upcoming ABC musical comedy series Galavant, which he describes as “a cross between The Princess Bride and Monty Python.”

  • Priscilla Presley Recalls Her Time With Elvis

    Priscilla Presley gave an interview with The Daily Mirror to promote the upcoming exhibit called Elvis at The O2: A Celebration of His Life which will be held in December. In the interview, she talked about her time with the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.  “I remember when I set eyes on him — he was just so kind, so authentic. I just thought how he was the real deal. Elvis wasn’t putting on any pretense, he never did. What you saw with him is what you got. Not everyone knows that,” she says in the interview.

    Priscilla met Elvis at Bad Nauheim, Germany in September 1959. The couple married in 1967 and divorced in 1973, a few years before the rock ‘n’ roll icon’s death. In 1968, Priscilla gave birth to their daughter Lisa Marie Presley who grew up to become a celebrity in her own right.

    Elvis at The O2: A Celebration of His Life is being headed by the Presley estate, managed by Priscilla who has served as the chairwoman for Elvis Presley Enterprises since 1979. The exhibit will be held at the O2 arena, and will feature Elvis’ most prized possessions from Graceland.

    Some memorabilia included in the exhibit are Elvis’ diploma, his famous gold lame suit from 1957, as well as a wallet containing pictures of Lisa Marie.

    Priscilla talked at length about the exhibit, saying, “I’m very, very excited, as we have been wanting to do this for some time. It is a peek behind the scenes of the real Elvis, Elvis the father, son, friend and dad. He was just so very loyal and that will come across. He was someone who could be trusted, someone who people could rely on.”

    This same desire to share Elvis’ legacy to his devoted fans led Priscilla to open Graceland to the public back in 1982. Since then, Graceland has become a mecca of sorts for Elvis fans worldwide.

  • Priscilla Presley Talks Elvis And New Exhibit

    The Elvis at The O2: The Exhibition of His Life display will open in London in December and Priscilla Presley is currently in the process of sending many of the King’s most treasured possessions over for display.

    Priscilla has been the Chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises since 1979 and although she and Elvis divorced in 1973, she said that she is very excited about the new exhibit and hopes it will show the world how real of a person Elvis really was.

    “I remember when I set eyes on him — he was just so kind, so authentic,” she told the Daily Mirror. “I just thought how he was the real deal. Elvis wasn’t putting on any pretense, he never did. What you saw with him is what you got. Not everyone knows that.”

    “People know his music, but they don’t necessarily know the real Elvis,” she added. “I want the world to know he was a lovely, loyal man. You don’t get that with so many musicians or celebrities these days. They don’t value their fans, so I want to share with the world what he was really like.”

    She went on to say that she knows Elvis would want to share his life with his British fans and said that she has been working to make the exhibit possible for a long time.

    “I’m very, very excited, as we have been wanting to do this for some time,” she said of The O2 exhibit. “It is a peek behind the scenes of the real Elvis, Elvis the father, son, friend and dad. He was just so very loyal and that will come across. He was someone who could be trusted, someone who people could rely on.”

    “It’s very emotional,” she confessed. “I have so many wonderful memories of Elvis, and I’m surrounded by so many of them, too, and those things remind me of certain occasions … Some of these exhibits haven’t been seen before. Elvis will be so happy. He always thought his British fans were so supportive. He had a special love for them.”

    The new Elvis exhibit will open at The O2 arena in London on December 12.

  • Priscilla Presley Wants To Share “Real” Elvis

    Priscilla Presley has been keeping the memory of her deceased ex-husband alive for 37 years now. She still cherishes the time she was married to him and the way she got to see him like no one else did.

    Priscilla was the force behind opening up Graceland to the public in 1982. She did it to help keep him on the minds of his fans, young and old, as well as to help pay for the costly upkeep.

    Next month, Priscilla Presley is lending some of his greatest personal items to an exhibition in London’s O2 arena. She tells the Daily Mirror that she is excited to share the real Elvis with old fans and new ones.

    She recalled the first time she set eyes on the King of Rock ‘n Roll, when she was only 14, and fell in love.

    “I remember when I set eyes on him, he was just so kind, so authentic,” says Priscilla.

    She continued, “I was just a teenager at the time and I was in Germany, he was signing autographs.”

    “I just thought how he was the real deal, Elvis wasn’t putting on any pretense, he never did. What you saw with him is what you got. Not everyone knows that, people know his music but they don’t necessarily know the real Elvis, I want the world to know he was a lovely, loyal man.”

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dknH7_tI0nA

    Priscilla Presley claims that the love of her life was very different than his modern counterparts.

    In case you missed it. #LarryKingNow #OraTV go to http://www.ora.tv/larrykingnow/priscilla-presley-0_6r95nr5olcrp

    A photo posted by Priscilla Presley (@priscillapresley) on

    “You don’t get that with so many musicians or celebrities these days, they don’t value their fans, so I want to share with the world what he was really like.”

    This is a special occasion since Elvis’ personal items have never left his Graceland estate until now.

    @mirandalambert @LisaPresley and I are listening to your song "Priscilla." Love it! Best of luck with your new album. x Priscilla

    A photo posted by Priscilla Presley (@priscillapresley) on

    Priscilla said of Elvis at The O2: The Exhibition of His Life, “I’m very excited about it, we have been wanting to bring an Elvis exhibition to England for some time. Some of these exhibits haven’t been seen before. Elvis will be so happy, he always thought his British fans were so supportive, he had a special love for them.”

    Priscilla added, “He would talk about them since the day I met him, what the support meant for him. He took nothing for granted. Elvis even made a scrapbook himself, filled with pictures of the fans, he never forgot them. He felt very attached to Britain.”

    Britain is sure to be a little more attached to Elvis and Priscilla Presley after this exhibition!

  • Priscilla Presley Says Ex-Husband, Elvis Presley, Was ‘The Real Deal’

    Priscilla Presley Says Ex-Husband, Elvis Presley, Was ‘The Real Deal’

    Priscilla Presley says that her former husband, the legendary singer Elvis Presley, was “the real deal.”

    The 69-year-old celebrity, who married the Heartbreak Hotel singer in 1967, told the Daily Mirror that her former husband was very down to Earth and truly appreciated his fans.

    “I was just a teenager at the time and I was in Germany, he was signing autographs,” recalls Priscilla.

    “I just thought how he was the real deal, Elvis wasn’t putting on any pretence, he never did. What you saw with him is what you got.

    “You don’t get that with so many musicians or celebrities these days, they don’t value their fans, so I want to share with the world what he was really like.”

    Priscilla was only 14 when she first met the singer in Germany at a party. She was an Army officer’s daughter; he was serving in the Army. She said the two had instant chemistry from the moment they laid eyes on each other.

    “I remember when I set eyes on him, he was just so kind, so authentic,” she said.

    The Presleys divorced in 1973, after having daughter Lisa Marie Presley. Following his death in 1977, she opened the Love Me Tender crooner’s Memphis home, Graceland, to the public in 1982. She will be taking some artifacts from his home to London for a new exhibition at The O2 Arena.

    “I’m very excited about it, we have been wanting to bring an Elvis exhibition to England for some time,” she said.

    “Some of these exhibits haven’t been seen before,” said Priscilla. “Elvis will be so happy, he always thought his British fans were so supportive, he had a special love for them.”

  • Lisa Marie Presley’s Daughter is Engaged

    Lisa Marie Presley’s Daughter is Engaged

    The legacy of U.S. rock royalty Elvis Presley is continuing to live on, as one of his granddaughters this week became engaged.

    It was revealed on Thursday, August 14 that actress Riley Keough, born Danielle Riley Keough, is now engaged to Ben Smith-Petersen. The announcement was made via Smith-Petersen’s Facebook page, though the post (which included a photo) now appears to be gone. According to an Us Magazine report, the post included the text “So that happened” with a photo of the couple and Keough’s engagement ring prominently displayed.

    Smith-Petersen is an actor and stuntman who has worked on projects such as The Great Gatsby, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, and The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.

    Keough is the oldest daughter of Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis Presley’s only daughter. Keough was born in March 1989 to her mother’s then-husband Danny Keough. In addition to Riley, Presley and Keough had one other child, Bengamin Keough, born in October 1992. Presley and Keough later ended their five-year marriage in May 1994.

    Presley would go on to marry Michael Jackson less than a month after her divorce from Keough. That marriage would last less than two years. Presley also married actor Nicolas Cage in 2002 and stayed married to him for less than two years. Presley is currently married to music producer Michael Lockwood.

    Following in her family’s famous footsteps, Riley Keough has recently begun acting and modeling. She starred in the 2010 movie The Runaways and also had a part in 2012’s Magic Mike. Keough has modeled for Australian lingere brand Bonds and appeared in the music video for Justin Timberlake’s “TKO.”

    Keough is currently set to star in next year’s Mad Max: Fury Road. She is reported to have met Smith-Petersen on the set of Fury Road. Smith-Petersen is credited as a stunt performer for the movie.

    Like her mother, Keough seems to be prone to numerous short, intense relationships. Keough was briefly engaged to actor Alex Pettyfer in 2012 and, according to Us, has been previously linked to both Ryan Cabrera and Robert Pattinson.

    Image via Georges Biard/Wikimedia Commons

  • Priscilla Presley Reassures Upset Fans, Telling Them to ‘Please Calm Down’

    Priscilla Presley is trying to reassure upset Elvis Presley fans, asking them to “please calm down” after a report that two jets once owned by the singer could be removed from Graceland.

    The Associated Press reported last week that Elvis Presley Enterprises — which operates Graceland in Memphis — informed the owners of the airplanes named the Lisa Marie and the Hound Dog II to prepare to remove the planes when an agreement to keep them at at the tourist attraction ends next April.

    The planes — bought by Elvis Presley in 1975 — were used to transport the legendary singer on concert tours. After his death on Aug. 16, 1977, the planes were sold and were eventually bought by OKC Partnership.

    In the mid-1980s, OKC Partnership and Graceland agreed to house the two jets at Graceland, giving OKC Partnership a portion of the ticket sales.

    On July 2, Priscilla posted her plea to fans:

    Post by Priscilla Presley.

    It is unclear from the posting if “negotiations” means there’s a possibility the planes could remain at Graceland.

    She posted again on Sunday:

    Post by Priscilla Presley.

    OKC Partnership does not want to remove the planes because the partners would lose money from ticket sales if the planes are removed. However, Elvis Presley Enterprises sent a letter to OKC Partnership’s K.G. Coker, asking Coker “to make arrangements for the removal of the airplanes and the restoration of the site on or shortly after April 26, 2015.”

    Much of this seems to stem from a lawsuit filed May 27 over a dispute about how tickets to the airplane exhibit are sold.

    Currently tickets are bundled in a package that includes the tour of the Graceland mansion, but Graceland’s operators want to sell the airplane tours separately.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Bob Dylan’s Lyrics Shatter Sotheby’s Auction Record

    “How does it feel?”

    If you happen to know any famous or about-to-be-famous musicians, do them a favor and tell them to keep their handwritten song lyrics.

    Bob Dylan’s handwritten, working draft, original lyric sheet for the 1960s classic Like a Rolling Stone, just fetched over $2 million yesterday at Sotheby’s rock and roll auction. According to Sotheby’s, the multimillion dollar sale demolished the previous record of $1.2 million for music manuscripts, which was set in 2010 for John Lennon’s handwritten lyrics for A Day in the Life .

    Like a Rolling Stone topped Rolling Stone magazine’s list as the greatest rock and roll song of all time. The 1965 tune appeared on Dylan’s album Highway 61 Revisited.

    Richard Austin, who is head of books and manuscripts at Sotheby’s and also a Dylan fan, said, “It is always pleasing to set the world record. It carried a strong estimate (up to $2 million) as well, and we felt the estimate was justified given the importance of the work.” He added, “I thought it was one of the coolest things that I have ever handled.”

    So who shelled out the cold hard cash? Right now, all we know is that it was sold to an anonymous private Dylan fan from California.

    Several different pieces of rock and roll memorabilia including instruments and awards were also auctioned off. One other interesting item of note was one of Elvis Presley’s signature jumpsuits. The lot featured a green and blue peacock, rhinestones, and gold lame on the front and back. The suit, from his later days in Vegas, still had sweat stains in the armpits. It was expected to sell for $100,000 – $200,000. However, apparently fans still love their King. The jumpsuit wound up selling for a very impressive $245,000.

    Sotheby’s used yesterday’s auction as a way to take the temperature of the current collector’s market, and to get a sense of what prospective buyers were willing to spend.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons

  • Miranda Lambert Takes on Tabloids in Song from New Album ‘Platinum’

    Miranda Lambert knows full well the cruelty the tabloids can inflict. She and husband Blake Shelton have been the subject of several tabloid rumors–most of them saying their marriage is over or that The Voice coach is cheating on his young wife. Lambert is striking back in a sense on her new album Platinum. Her song ‘Priscilla’ takes in account how Priscilla Presley once experienced the same kind of tabloid cruelty that she and Blake have endured.

    “People are very, very mean,” she says. “There are people who literally, their only job is to make other people miserable, and that’s a terrible way to live your life.”

    In ‘Priscilla’ Miranda takes on the tabloids in a very straightforward way. She identifies with the wife of Elvis Presley, imagining how difficult the tabloids likely made their lives, too.

    Songwriter Natalie Hemby worked with Miranda Lambert as she gathered material for Platinum.

    “When I get to write with her I think she just lets her hair down,” Hemby said. “She doesn’t have to be Miranda. I’ve known her before she was big and famous … and I asked how she was doing. She said, ‘According to the press I’m pregnant or I’m fat or I’m getting divorced.’ It just went on and on and I just kind of laughed and said, ‘Well, then you must be really successful.’”

    Miranda Lambert is learning to ignore what the tabloids say and to live her life in the spotlight more comfortably and confidently. She says her recent significant weight loss is a result of learning to control her emotions. The 30-year-old looks fabulous, but then again most people thought she did before she lost the weight–except maybe those tabloid reporters.

    Rest assured that Platinum isn’t all about the tabloids. It also features songs about dumping a boyfriend, her love of flea markets, and how she dislikes getting older–all typical fodder for country music songs. It even features a duet with country superstar Carrie Underwood for whom Lambert bought a motorcycle following their recording session.

    Miranda is making the rounds doing TV shows this week to promote her new album. On Tuesday she’ll sing in Times Square as she visits Good Morning America.

    Monday night she’ll visit with Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show.

    “Loretta Lynn said you’ve got to live a life in order to sing about it,” Miranda Lambert said. “That’s what I’m doing. The good, the bad and the ugly is on this record. It’s who I am.”

    Fans love who Miranda Lambert is. She needs to look to them for validation rather than to the tabloids, whose main purpose is to tell lies and cause trouble.

    Image via Instagram

  • Lisa Marie Presley Talks About Health And Her Dad

    Lisa Marie Presley isn’t sure if she’ll end up like her father or her mother when it comes to her health, because that’s what she told People magazine in a recent interview.

    Of course, Lisa Marie is Elvis Presley’s daughter, and considering he died at the young age of 42, she has huge concerns about her future, in terms of how healthy she’ll remain and how long she’ll live.

    The Memphis native says she isn’t sure if she’ll take after her mom’s side of the family–as they’re prone to live longer–or if she’ll take after her father’s side of the family, as many of them tend to be unhealthy.

    “Knowing my family history, my father’s side is totally not healthy and they have shorter life spans,” said Lisa Marie. “While my mom’s side is super fit with long life spans. I didn’t know where I would land, so I said ‘Okay, I’m going to play it safe and try to be as healthy as I can be.’”

    And play it safe she did, as Lisa Marie changed her overall eating habits and also her level of exercise, and as a result she lost a considerable amount of weight.

    The 46-year-old singer spoke to People from Australia, while touring to support her latest release Storm & Grace, and she’s accompanied by her husband Michael Lockwood, who’s both her producer and guitar player and their twin girls Finley and Harper, ages 5.

    Although Lisa Marie doesn’t get to workout as much as she would like to, her girls keep her busy, and the 90 minute set she does every night helps her out a great deal too, she says.

    “The twins are with me on tour and are constantly on the go, so they keep me moving,” she said. “I do chase after them, but it’s not just that. There’s always so much going on with the little ones, and the older ones too. It’s a lot.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Ashley Greene: Twilight Star Plays Priscilla Presley

    Ashley Greene of Twilight fame has transformed from vampire status to that of Priscilla Presley in a new indie film. Shangri-La Suite features Ron Livingston as Elvis Presley. Emily Browning and Alyvia Alyn Lind also star in the film.

    The film takes viewers back to 1974, and tells the story of two troubled mental hospital patients–Karen (played by Emily Browning) and Jack (played by Luke Grimes). The pair fall in love and head on a cross-country adventure where they plan to murder Elvis during an L.A. concert appearance.

    Eddie O’Keefe directs Shangri-La Suite–in fact it’s his directorial debut. Aside from the plot line and details about Ashley Greene rocking a very hot retro one piece swimsuit–not much else has been shared about the film–including when it might hit the big screen.

    Here’s what we do know about Shangri-La Suite. It takes place after Elvis and Priscilla have divorced. And believe it or not, they aren’t the focus of the film. Browing and Grimes are. The film portrays Elvis and Priscilla’s relationship as an amicable one.

    Ashley Greene is probably best known for her role as Alice Cullen in the Twilight series of films. The pretty actress and model once posed nude in a painted-on bikini for SoBe advertisements that ran in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition back in 2010. She appeared in the film flop LOL, which also starred Miley Cyrus and Demi Moore.

    Might Shangri-La catapult Ashley Greene into eternal stardom as she portrays Priscilla Presley? It doesn’t really sound that way. In fact, if it nudges her an inch or two above LOL and below Twilight (and quite honestly, to be below Twilight is itself an insult) it might just be a deemed successful–at least for her. It just doesn’t seem like any film that features an Elvis look-alike stands much of a chance in 2014.

    Image via Wikimedia Commons