WINNER: NAME THAT picture TITLE CONTEST
THANK YOU to everyone who participated in the NAME THAT picture TITLE CONTEST. What a great job you did! Nearly 300 hundred entries were submitted which made my job of selecting one very difficult.
This morning it became clear to me while driving and listening to Argo on ELVIS Sirius. I stopped at a light waiting to turn and he put on “Promised Land”. It hit me like a hammer as the art flashed in my head – that’s it, “The Promised Land”. Congratulations to Laura Arthur for her suggestion, great job!
Again, thank you all for your participation; you did a great job coming up with some wonderful titles, even giving me ideas for other works of Elvis art.
FLASHBACK: ELVIS T-SHIRTS FOR THE FANS
Seeing old friends and meeting new fans during Elvis Week 2011 makes me reminisce over the past 30 years of traveling to Memphis. It was 1981 when I began exhibiting my Elvis Artwork in Memphis, from that point on it became a yearly event. In 1984 I created my first t-shirt exclusively for the art exhibit. I wanted something special for the fans that they could not get anywhere else.
As I was gathering T-Shirts for a photo shoot, I realized that there were a few missing from previous years. I thought I had kept one shirt from each year but when I came up short I reached out to fans for help. I was surprised at the response; thank you, thankyouverymuch to all of the fans.
ELVIS COMIC BOOK
A dozen years ago, I decided to do my very own Elvis comic book or as they are now so lovingly referred to as “Graphic Comics” or “Action Comics”. I chose one of the most popular films, Jailhouse Rock. The comic was titled “From Prison to Hollywood”. I solicited the help of my friend Timmie Travis to do the adaptation and I created the illustrations.
This project was a lot fun to do from the preliminary sketches to the layouts and the final inking. I printed five copies, still own one today, and will possible do another in the future.
Pictured here are a few pages from the comic, hope you enjoy.
ELVIS INTERNATIONAL MAGAZINE
Darwin Lamm started publishing Elvis International in the Spring of 1988, originally call “Elvis International Forum”. The magazine has definitely distinguished itself as an excellent Elvis publication. Through the years many pieces of my Elvis art have graced the pages of the magazine as well as the cover art for the July 2010 issue, and I am very pleased to again have my Elvis artwork not only on the front cover, but also the back.
Elvis International website: www.ElvisTheMagazine.com/
Darwin Lamm information: http://www.elvisthemagazine.com/aboutthepublisher.htm
To order call 1-818-991-3892
or email: ElvisInt@aol.com
ELVIS AND MEMPHIS TOURS
When I visit any place for the first time I like to see as much as can possibly be crammed into my time. If it is my second or third visit then covering all the missed sights is at the top of my list. For more than thirty years I have been going to Memphis, and still I learn new things about the city. With Elvis Week at our door step, I know many of you are headed that way so I want to pass on some information that you might find useful and that will enhance your visit to the City of the Blues and Elvis.
I love history and exploring the past of any location is very exciting to me. The people and times it took to develop their town. So for me being able to hook up with a knowledgeable tour guide is a must and the key to exploring that history.
It doesn’t hurt to have someone who is also an historian to give the most in depth look at their town. When in Memphis that person is Mike Freeman, Mikes Memphis Tours (1-901-289-7401). Mike is a tour guide, writer, publisher & historian. When it comes to being knowledgeable about Memphis, Elvis or Tupelo, Mike is the man in the know. He is a wealth of information.
His latest venture is a new book about Clarence Saunders the founder of Piggly Wiggly. Saunders used his new wealth to build an estate in Memphis larger than anyone had done before. People called it the Pink Palace. Today it is a museum.
Have a safe trip to Memphis and while you are in town for Elvis Week hope you find time to visit me at Everything Elvis in the Graceland Plaza. I will be there on the 13th, 14th & 15th from 12 – 4:00.
NASHVILLE: “WARHOL LIVE” AT THE FRIST
The Frist Center opened on April 2001 and has become a magnet for Nashville’s rapidly expanding visual arts scene. The building itself was the former main post office constructed in 1933-34 and displays the most distinctive architectural styles of the period; Classicism and Art Deco. Merely strolling through the building is a visual feast. In 1984 the post office building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. By 1986, the building was virtually empty with only a part being used as a branch for the post office. In the 1990s, it was determined that the building would make an outstanding art center. With the help of the Frist Foundation a partnership was formed with the United States Postal Service, the city of Nashville, and the Metropolitan Development and Housing Agency to acquire the historic building and surrounding land as the new home for an art center.
The art centers logo was derived from a motif on the buildings original cast aluminum doors.
If you are visiting our great city, take time to enjoy one off Frist Center current exhibit “WARHOL LIVE”.
FLASHBACK ’78: “BILLBOARD UNVEILED TO WELCOME ELVIS FANS TO MEMPHIS”
The billboard of Elvis from Betty Harper’s original American Trilogy was revealed in ’78. This was the first official act to publicly pay tribute to the cities lustrous citizen and to welcome all those coming to Memphis just because of Elvis.
NASHVILLE: STUDIO B
Nashville’s Studio B
“HONOR THY MUSIC”
As Music City’s only historic studio tour, RCA’s Studio B provides a glimpse into the heart of Nashville music-making during one of its most exciting and classic periods. It was originally call RCA Studios and In the 60s it became famous for being a part of what was referred to as The Nashville Sound. The studio was built in 1957 at the request of Chet Atkins and Steve Sholes and Chet said the plans were drawn up on a napkin by Bill Miltenburg, who was RCA’s chief engineer and recording manager.
In 1992 it was donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame by the late Dan Maddox. Now Studio B is co-operated by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Belmont University’s Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business program. Students use the facilities for learning the basic techniques of analog recording.
In its heyday, Studio B saw the creation of numerous chartbusters, such as Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You,” Elvis Presley’s “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” and Charley Pride’s “Kiss an Angel Good Morning.”
My first visit to the studio was 1977 to watch Ronnie McDowell record the music for Dick Clark’s movie “Elvis” starring Kurt Russell.
So if you should find yourself in Nashville or just have the “hankerin’” to visit be sure to experience Studio B, it is a special feeling and a mass of music history.
NEW ELVIS PRODUCTS: COASTERS
Elvis Trading Glass Coaster
The two sets of drink coasters shown above are the latest in a seires of ELVIS PRESLEY products that feature my artwork. Each set of four is glass and measures 4″ x 4″.
This product along with others can be purchased at the locations listed below. While on the website; check out other EP products available, just search Betty Harper.
Elvis.com
Memphis Gifts in the Peabody Hotel
Musictoday.com
Memphis Outlet
Paradies Shop – Memphis Airport
FLASHBACK: EARLY 80′s ELVIS PRODUCTS
The mug pictured is one of the first souvenirs produced in the early 80′s by ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES, that used my artwork. In the beginning most merchandise was produced in Japan but through the years that has changed. This particular mug measures 3 ¼” with a diameter of 2 ¼” with a gold band around the lip and one that runs down the middle of the handle. It is the only example of this product that I have.
The original art, titled, “Satisfaction”, was part of my first book , “Newly Discovered Drawings of Elvis”( Bantam, 1979 ) and the original is in the private collection of Actor, Writer, James Ritz.
FLASHBACK ’89: Mae Axton and Me
One of the most interesting women it has been my pleasure to have known was Mae Boren Axton, co-writer of Elvis’ first hit, Heartbreak Hotel. Ms Axton was an amazing lady who was at the beginning of it all, contributing a great song that would be a major influence on the direction our music would go.
ELVIS PRODUCTS: Now available
It’s always fun creating artworks of Elvis and equally so seeing the art interpreted on different products. Below, I’ve listed a few of the latest Elvis products available with my artwork. These items can be found through Graceland and a number of online websites just Google Betty Harper products.
Other Betty Harper products available at http://www.shopelvis.com/Search.aspx and search Betty Harper
ELVIS PRODUCTS: Zippo Lighthers
Here are the latest in a series of Zippo brand lighters that feature my artwork.
Check them out online or contact Graceland.
FLASHBACLK ’77: Elvis’ record producer Felton Jarvis
Elvis’ record producer, Felton Jarvis, called the end of August 1977 and asked me to do a portrait of Elvis for him. Felton said he had seen a lot of Elvis artwork and everything that Elvis had and wanted me to do the portrait. He had a particular time and situation that he wanted painted and that was when Elvis did the Aloha special. Felton loved the part where the sweat was rolling down Elvis’ face, said it looked like a tear drop. He also said, “that was a happy time for Elvis,” that he was so excited about the show and was really in top form.
We met in the office of Jerry Bradley at RCA on Music Row in October, I had just finished the painting and it was still very wet but he wanted it as soon as possible. Looking at the photo you can see how Felton is holding his left hand to make sure it did not touch the canvas.
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