6 1971-1973' Book Review: 'Elvis - The Man & His Music'#100 review: 'Elvis - Aloha Via Satellite: A 40th Anniv Release' Book Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. Even before the Orion phenomenon had really taken off he released a self-penned single on the small Boblo label, I'm Not Trying To Be Like Elvis. He travelled to Nashville and tried to break into the music business - but found. If he sounds different on them, I will know he is faking. We put the official web site www.orionjimmyellis.com together three months before his tragic death in December 1998. Youmans put the record on the Dradco Recording Company label. His birth certificate states the mother was a secretary named Gladys Bell, and the father was Vernon (no surname). Super rare memorabilia from the start up of the singing career of Jimmy Ellis! A year prior, Jimmy Ellis voice had been overdubbed with Jerry Lee Lewis on an old single from the Sun archives, Save the Last Dance for Me; on it, Ellis was billed only as Friend. The single made the Top 20 and caused quite a stir as listeners tried to guess the mysterious Friends identity. Posted by dokkeberg@hotmail.com in Top, Uncategorized and tagged as, 0 Comments / Scans of the COUNTRY FROM THE HEART CD on the Lanier Records label. Ellis appeared with many . After attended Middle Georgia College and Georgia Southern College before joining the USAF. The shot missed, and then Lee allegedly turned his attention to the cash register, which he knocked off the counter after he could not open it, Huffman said. iTunes, Amazon) and not physical discs. Once Jimmy signed with Sun Records in Nashville, we drifted apart.me with my career and Jimmy trying to make it in the music industry. But later after collegeJimmy and I reconnected and had experiences in the 70s where he did various club shows etc., in Macon and other towns. On Monday I carried his CDs to work and played them throughout the day. 5 1969-70' Book Review: 'From Hawaii to Las Vegas' FTD CD Review: 'Young Man with the Big Beat' In-Depth Review: 'Fashion For A King' FTD in-depth Review: The Music of Elvis Presley - Australian Radio Show, Elvis Presley In Concert "downunder" 2006, Graceland - The National Historic Landmark. A real EP story. Orion to recieve Lifetime Achievement Award in Las Vegas! A man who for more than 10 years chased a career as a romantic southern crooner with a love of rockabilly and nostalgic love songs. So I said: come on, thats Elvis I have the album. In high school his teachers encouraged him to sing for the school's "Religious Emphasis Week," leading him to enter his first talent contest in 1963. Please visit my own Jimmy Ellis page for information and links. One of them is Orion's Reborn LP and he plays a snippet of "Washing Machine" written by Jimmy Ellis. Im on the upper deck of our cabin in the picture here (see photo above). Help us spreadthe word about our cinema releaseby signing up for an ORIONtweetor aFacebookpost here onThunderclap. Very unfortunately, Jimmy Ellis along with his wife, was killed in December the 12th 1998 by a male robber. Hopefully in time the details given can be guaranteed to be100% correct but a great deal more info is required before reaching that stage. EIN: There are conflicting reports of who else was with Jimmy at the time, some reports say his fianc, others say his ex-wife. [5] His vocals closely resembled those of Elvis Presley, and in 1969 Shelby Singleton, who had acquired the rights to Sun Records' back catalog, other than Presley's recordings for the label, released a single of Ellis' recordings of Presley's early songs, "That's All Right (Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky". ORION: The Man Who Would Be King, a film by Jeanie Finlay tells the story of Jimmy Ellis - an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. "He just opened fire in seconds and hit Mr. Ellis in the side.". I do miss playing live. Bobby Dillard was a close friend of the late Jimmy Ellis.the man who, wearing a mask, became a key part of the 'Elvis is alive' movement, as the mysterious singer, Orion! Huffman said King, who played dead, was treated and released from a hospital for her hand wound. To The Official Orion - Jimmy Ellis Web Site, http://tribecafilm.com/stories/tribeca-film-festival-2015-viewpoints, http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orion-the-man-who-would-be-king. EIN: Bobby, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers and Jimmy Ellis/Orion fans? The terrain is 2.5 and difficulty is 2 (out of 5). With few bookings for Jimmy Ellis 'live on stage' there was still a substantial (albeit diminishing) demand of fans to satisfy their deep-seated psychological need and hope that their King had not left them. Consequently, this meant Jimmy could only get well paying work if he donned the Orion mask and (to him) even worse, an Elvis jumpsuit. Jimmy was a really good guitar player and very musically inclined. How & where do I sell my Elvis collection? 3. Fittingly, his legend lives on, and quite ironically, both as Jimmy Ellis and Orion! In 1979 Jimmy Ellis finally merged with an identity, but it still wasn't himself. Oh well, it is publicity!! Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi, USA. If you have further details on any releases not included or would like to trade Orion recordings or material please drop me an email. [1] He attended Orrville High School, where he excelled in baseball, football and basketball. is the only Elvis stylist to have had bootleg material released more than a dozen labels have released around 150 albums of his studio and live material! Leave a comment or question. It was issued on Sun without an artist name, and created a furor because Ellis bore such an uncanny vocal resemblance to Elvis. Singleton then persuaded Ellis to start appearing as "Orion", wearing a small mask with dyed hair and in similar clothing to that worn by Presley. Problem is he doesn't play enough ofthe song for the audience to hear. Ellis appeared on the album cover wearing a mask over his eyes. The film is being produced by Jeanie Finlay, a British artist and filmaker. He fired once into her face, killing her instantly and hitting another worker, Helen King, in the hand. This is a FOUR CD 5" digi-pak, this set features three concerts, Shreveport Louisiana July 1, 1976, Baton Rouge, July 2, 1976 and Elvis' last home-town concert Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis July 5, 1976. All songs in superb quality, unreleased material from Los Angeles in 75, unrelesased home recordings and soundboard. Ellis recorded an album under his own name, Sometimes Words Just Get In The Way, for a small label in . he wears as mask
Orion page at Sun Records; Jimmy at Elvis Wiki Elaine was sitting on a stool behind the counter top to the left of the entrance door and Jimmy was standing some feet away also behind the counter. James Hodges Ellis (born James Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 December 12, 1998), who used the stage name Orion at times in his career, was an American singer. Jimmy Ellis In The Shadow Of a King Book NOW AVAILABLE! For almost 5 years the Orion phenomenon captivated its natural audience, not only in the US where fans had easy access to Orion, but also overseas - somewhat surprisingly given it was a snail mail, pre-tabloid, pre-Internet era. Jimmy Ellis was one of the super talented yes like Elvis, Tom Jones, Engelbert my all-time favorite solo artists. Ellis appeared with many artists, including Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, and the Oak Ridge Boys. How many Elvis tribute artists are still remembered nearly 20 years after their death? The film, which had its world premiere at Tribeca and won [], Calling all Orion fans and film supporters. He started the album on the record player to play Echoes of Love. 'Elvis: From Louisiana and Memphis 1976' FTD In-depth Review: FTD continues their extensive look at Elvis' performances in 1976 with three July 1976 concerts. The film tells the story of Jimmy Ellis, an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. It was obviously a terrible tragedy, and I will never forget the call I got at 11:00 pm on that Saturday night December 12 from Shirley telling me Jimmy was dead. Bobby D.: Jimmy never commented about the LP coffin cover to me, but he was not hot on the mask gimmick from the start. Bobby D.: Actually, I know there are bootleg ones out there, but Im not familiar with all of them. Production costs turned out to be too high compared to the demand on the box set, making the release too economically challenging to make. You can make comments on the tab provided, or on the Orion Facebook Fan Club. The music industry is filled with many strange tales of artists whose lives took unexpected turns on the winding road to success, but the saga of singer Jimmy Ellis is perhaps one of the weirdest of them all. Who was he? I responded: gosh Jimmy what if I did. Jimmy Ellis Also known as Orion. Bobby D.: Jimmy's story and music is important- he was very talented - and these releases will celebrate his life and career. How did that come about and what can fans expect to find on the site? It will be presented at this years Las Vegas Elvis Fest at the LVH formerly the Las Vegas Hilton on July 11th. Bobby D.: I suppose I just want to continue to help get Jimmys name and talent out there for people to enjoy what was missed. Love For A Lovely Girl.What A Great Song.BY Lester Brown/ Bob Gibson/ Johdn D Loudermilk. He was who he was, no pretense. He said, "Don't worry about it, you don't buy the fuckin records anyway." Here's a new link to an excellent Orion page done by Nigel Patterson with the EIN (Elvis Information Network) in Australia. Jimmy was very happy we did this and he liked getting a periodic check for CD sales. Well, he then said: no, its that guy, pointing to the guy sitting on the bed. It has 408 pages, harcover and a CD included with some of Jimmy's finest performances and also unreleased gems from the archives of Sun Records. One of the guys asked me if I knew who that was singing on the tape recorder. Perhaps critically, Jimmy had made a decision that a sporting future wasn't to shape the his story, and in so doing his future would be frustratingly shaped by his vocal chords as Jimmy's singing voice sounded remarkably like Elvis'. Today. They were sung in the same style in which Elvis would have sung them. She is an accomplished documentary film maker with 6+ well known films. EIN:One of the incredible things about Jimmy and his Orion alter-ego is that there were around 150 bootleg recordings of his studio and live recordings released. He also started to run a store in Selma, Alabama, with his girlfriend Elaine Thompson. As they say all PR is good PR! James Hodges Ellis (born James Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 - December 12, 1998), who used the stage name Orion at times in his career, was an American singer. 'The Wedding' Elvis & Priscilla EIN special Spotlight: 'Elvis In Ottawa' Spotlight & Elvis Interview: 'Elvis: Live at the International' Book Review: Elvis By Special Request '71 At 40 (Book Review): "Kissed By Elvis" Janet Fulton Interview: "ReBooked At The International'- in-depth Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. If you sat in a room with him and heard him sing Happy Birthday, the National Anthem, or Its Now or Never, he sounded exactly the same. EIN:Bobby D. its been great talking with you. Two years before she had begun a novel about a musical superstar, Orion, who faked his own death to find much-needed peace and privacy, based on the circumstances surrounding Elvis death. Among the titles are 'Such A Night', 'Honey', 'Patches', 'Ebony Eyes', 'Rocky', and 'Release Me'; the complete overdubs with Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, and Carl Perkins, plus many previously unissued titles. While performing at the Eastern States Exposition, Ellis took off the mask and swore to never wear it again. Singleton duly took Orion back to Elvis's roots in rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, country, blues, and gospel. When Jimmy Ellis decided to give up the horse business and decided to go after a singing career, he sold his horse equipment and formed a company called Jimmy Ellis Productions, INC. Here he sold stock in himself as he needed money before going to L.A. and pursue singing. And that's the way it was. Raised in Orrville, Alabama, Ellis began his recording career in 1964. The strange part of the tale began in January 1979, when author Gail Brewer-Giorgio received a bizarre early-morning phone call. EIN: The Jimmy Ellis story "lives on". Before we talk about your friendship with Jimmy Ellis, who is Bobby D? In a town steeped in strange success stories, hidden agendas, and dashed dreams, Orion's tale is one of the most curious ever to originate in Music City USA--which is saying something. Again, the speculation was that Elvis had sung on the songs, particularly "Save the Last Dance for Me". The Elvis Information Network has been running since 1986 and is an EPE officially recognised Elvis fan club. Cover/label scans wanted of any of the following: Cover scans of discs issued on the unofficial Jack Daniels label. This blog does not store any files on its server. Adios till we meet again! Ellis hailed from Orrville, Alabama and began his recording career in 1964. I really like the way he sang songs that Elvis never recorded in versions that still sounded a lot like Elvis. If you take something from the container, leave something in exchange. How many Elvis tribute artists made a living without singing Elvis songs for most of their career? Click on the LP and 45 rpm records page. Welcome also would be details of his concert performances in the U.S.A. and Europe. The record got a little airplay in Macon, GA in 1964. EIN: Did the Orion experience change Jimmy as a person? Chet came back and said: Bobby, he sounds the same on all of them. ): I continued with my Human Resources career for many years and retired in the mountains of NC two years ago. The answer.Jimmy Ellis aka the masked man, Orion. The Jimmy Ellis/Orion story is one of great potential, qualified success, ongoing disappointment and ultimately, tragedy! The book has been a huge task with 12+ years of research. We only index and link to content provided on other servers. To use this website you must enable JavaScript. http://www.orionstc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Jimmy-Ellis-Early-years-PROMO.mp3. After the first blast, which left the 53-year-old Ellis mortally wounded and crawling for safety, the gunman turned his weapon on the singer's 44-year-old ex-wife, Elaine Thompson, who was on a stool behind the counter. Anyway, he got that voice from somewhere in his original family.not from Sears, as he once said. Her 1978 novel Orion told the story of a rock and roll singer, very much like Elvis, who faked his own death. Jimmy Ellis (Orion) - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (live 1989) 21,230 views Nov 5, 2014 218 Dislike Kenneth Dokkeberg 677 subscribers Jimmy "Orion" Ellis live at Hillbilly Heaven on. Jimmy really liked my version of My Special Angel that we listened to for the first time while riding around in Nashville. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presleys label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. Again, he was who he was period. 'My voice is both a blessing and a curse' (Jimmy Ellis/Orion during media interview), Controversial Sun Records 1978 Orion 'Reborn' (coffin) album cover. Bobby D.: I was born in Macon, GA in 1945. The gunman, who police believe is Plantersville resident Jeffery James Lee, then fired twice more in an attempt to blast Ellis a second time as he struggled to find a haven behind a computer desk, Huffman said. Interview conducted by Nigel Patterson, EIN (July 2014), Read: EIN's 2014 "Jimmy Ellis/Orion" article. Elvis Presley, Elvis and Graceland are trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises. Thanks for your help! Orion". Thunderclap is a tool that lets a message be heard when you and your friends say it together. Jimmy Ellis - If I Can't Have You Apparently, it was just a few seconds after the guy entered that he fatally shot Jimmy in his left side and then swung the gun around shooting Elaine in the face killing her instantly. Scans of the orange label version of the CD single SUNDAY FATHER on the Lanier Records label. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. Lee's appeal against the sentence was refused by the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals on October 9, 2009,[7] and a writ of certiorari was denied by the Supreme Court of the United States in April 2018. This One's For. Dradco will release a 6 CD set in 2018 to commemorate the 20th anniversary since Jimmys passing. That's not recording. Add your masked portrait to I Am Orion, THE ROLLERCOASTER RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF THE
The book has been a huge task with 12+ years of research. How many other Elvis tribute artists have book, film and radio documentary adaptations of their story? However, in the beginning recordings like Save The Last Dance For Me, Ebony Eyes and Honey convinced many Elvis fans that their King was still physically among them. A couple of songs can be heard at the URLs below. Solve the mystery and then use a smartphone or GPS device to navigate to the solution coordinates. Could you clarify who was working with him that day? Jimmy Ellis, the soulful lead singer of the Trammps, whose 1970s hit "Disco Inferno" was immortalized in the film "Saturday Night Fever," died on Thursday in Rock Hill, S.C.He was 74. (Jimmy Ellis single on the regional Boblo label - released in 1978 - it is viewed by many as the singer's plea for acceptance in his own right rather than because of his uncanny Elvis-like singing voice). Kenneth Dokkeberg. Bobby D.: It was a pleasure. Original Name James Bell Birth 26 Feb 1945. Bobby D.: Well, we just had a limited number of the out-of-print CD - Orion Country repressed. As the Orion story unfolded, it was clear these forces played straight to the hearts and deep-seated psychological needs of many Elvis fans! was courted for a baseball career and a tryout with the Milwaukie Braves but turned it down. The records were endorsed as genuine Presley recordings by the song's co-writer Doc Pomus, the music journalist Roy Carr, and the TV show Good Morning America which undertook a voice comparison test of the song against Presley's voice. Above images sourced from the official "Orion-Jimmy Ellis" website Genesis.. Jimmy Hughes Bell was born on 26 February 1945 to a single mother (named) Gladys. Spotlight article by Nigel Patterson, June 2014, (for the purposes of this article I will use the term Elvis stylist in reference to the person in question). Ellis continued recording and performing through 1983 as Orion, and scored only one more minor hit before trying to break his Sun contract to become a recognized performer in his own right. How many Elvis tribute artists have had any unofficial album releases let alone 150 bootleg albums released? Then it happened. The girls went wild. I thought that was an odd question but I said: sure, its Elvis Presley. EIN: Bobby, many thanks for taking time to talk to us today. It's like an artist painting a picture. While in Germany, met my future wife, the daughter of a Major, fighter pilot stationed at the same base. The apposite outcome saw Jimmy dramatically rip off his Orion mask in frustration during a" live" performance in 1983. On Orion's 1979 debut album, Reborn (Sun 1912). How many Elvis tribute artists have several websites devoted to them. Leave a comment or question, Jimmy Fallon made a mention of Orion and played snippets of Washing Machine on his show Monday, April 7, 2014. Jimmy then met with Phil Walden, owner of Capricorn Records (the Almond Brothers Band and others) in Macon and was offered a contract, but since Jimmy was under age at the time his parents wouldnt let him sign.another huge mistake. THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO JIMMY ELLIS "ORION" THE MUSIC & LEGEND OF THE MAN WHO HAD THE VOICE OF A KING. Besides, I had childhood issues that I was not good enough. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. Bobby D. on YouTube (who does Bobby sound like? EIN: What did Jimmy say to you about his career as Orion? It doesnt cost a penny but has great impact! Excitement - Orion (Jimmy Ellis) was fun loving, had a great sense of humor, and a great personality. The name Orion was borrowed from a book about a very famous but unhappy singer who faked his death in a desperate bid to escape from . Sundance Selects acquires Orion: The Man Who Would Be King for US Theatrical release. For the soul singer, member of The Trammps, please see Jimmy Ellis (2) Sites: Wikipedia, orionjimmyellis.com, oriondiscs.com Aliases: The coffin cover caused a lot of controversy and was replaced. Learn more about merges. Jimmy "Orion" Ellis, also known as James Hughes Bell was an American Singer. For a proud man who had so much wanted recognition as Jimmy Ellis - not Elvis Presley - we can only imagine how galling and emotionally and psychologically scarring this was!. EIN:Jimmy Ellis, the personaway from the stage or recording studio. The world lost a great singer. In their illuminating examination of the infamous 'Elvis Underground' and activities around the belief Elvis did not die in 1977, Professors R. Serge Denisoff and George Plasketes addressed the Orion phenomenon. Jimmy Hodges Ellis (born Jimmy Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 - December 12, 1998), who used the stage name Orion at times in his career, was an American singer. Very soon after Jimmy entered the store, a young black guy came in carrying a sawed off shotgun and demanded money. James Burton Interview - Rick Nelson & Elvis: Elvis Drummer Jerome "Stump" Monroe EIN Interview: Elvis in 1969 - Ann Moses & Ray ConnollyInterviews: Ernst Jorgensen interview about 'On Stage' and Elvis' Legacy in 2010: 'The Nation's Favourite Elvis Song' Spotlight. The music industry is filled with many strange tales of artists whose lives took unexpected turns on the winding road to success, but the saga of singer Jimmy Ellis is perhaps one of the weirdest of them all. Feb 6, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by Patricia Milligan. Well, Jimmy finally had enough and took the mask off at a New Years show in the Atlanta area in 1981. Their fascinating book, True Disbelievers The Elvis Contagion, featured excerpts from several interviews with Jimmy Ellis which shed further light on his frustration with his musical direction, including: On working in the recording studio with Shelby Singleton, Jimmy stated: We'd play it back, you know, in Shelby's office, and I'd say, "That's not right." He once said: you cant make it on someone elses coattail. When you find it, write your name and date in the logbook. He was professionally known as Orion, and his double-edged claim to fame was that his natural speaking and singing voice sounded almost exactly like that of [Elvis Presley]. How many Elvis tribute artists have had 10 Top 100 hits on the Country Music Chart? Source: www.orionjimmyellis.com & www.lasvegaselvisfestival.com, 1 Comments / Police later found Lee holed up in a motel about 30 miles outside Atlanta. He has appeared with Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, the Oak Ridge Boys and many many others. 1. Listeners of Orion were initially split into two camps: those who knew that Orion was Jimmy Ellis just having some fun sounding like Elvis , and others who sincerely believed or wanted to believe that he was truly Elvis coming back on the scene after faking his own death. It is old and worn just like it should be. * Released After Jimmy Ellis's death in 1999. $4.00 shipping. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis.