Great video guys..My family are all big ELVIS fans..seeing ELVIS first in 71 [Vegas]. 72 [MSG] and the following year in 73 [VEGAS].. we all enjoyed the fun and mystique of ORION..jimmy Ellis was a good singer..similar voice to ELVIS..I'd say at the top of his range when he opened up they were very very similar..Jimmy sounded like ELVIS,..but he really used his voice very differently..the way he sang..in his lower register he had a froggy quality to his voice that did not sound at all like ELVIS..The video on ORION 'THE MAN THAT WOULD BE KING' that was done by Jeanie Finlay used most of my video that I took..Im also in the Video showing a clip of me posing in front of "ORION"s Tour bus..doin a few ELVIS MOVES!!..LOL. I met Jimmy during his ORION gig several times and Shelby...was invited by Jimmy to go and watch him record a song in LONG ISLAND NY ,..but I was on my way that weekend to Minnesota ..I could tell that he wasn't into this ELVIS ALIVE SCHEME...ELVIS is a tough act to follow...too bad..he made some records that were great in their own right..and would have raised ELVIS' eyebrows..sounding very ELVISY....."WASHING MACHINE , TEXAS TEA. , ROCKABILLY REBEL , MEMPHIS SUN'..Shelby was a character..bottom line..there can only be,..,and will ever be one ELVIS...Jimmy knew,..and he told me that he didnt really think he sounded all that much like ELVIS..I would call WHN 1050 here in NYC,..a big Country radio station and speak to the music directors all the time..they would say to me .."IF WE PLAY ORION,MANY WILL THINK ITS ELVIS,..AND WE HAVE ELVIS ALREADY .."..
Thank you I really enjoy your chats. My partner a few years ago told me about an Orion/Jimmy film he'd watched on tv. We watched again together. It's great to have extra personal info. - from England.
After hearing Jerry Lee's Duets and Trio+ albums, I remember sending a letter to Shelby Singleton, asking why this talented mystery man wasn't allowed to stand on his own - why not credit him? All I received in return was a press packet an inch thick with "Is it Elvis?" articles. That pretty much turned me off to Orion. However, these EAP stories gave me a much better picture of Jimmy Ellis, who I can now say I appreciate much better than I did. Thanks, Steve, Jamie, and John.
. I ordered 2 Copies of his SUN 45's back in 1972 as it was advertised as ELVIS out takes . I was a little disappointed as I knew right away it was not Elvis but I have been a Fan since way before he was Killed . I have a few 45's and 6 or 7 of His Albums one is Signed . BREAT VOICE .
When I first heard Jimmy Ellis I literally freaked out but one line in the song I remember thinking that doesn't sounded like Elvis. Then the lady who said it was really Elvis showed me a poster of him with the mask. I saw his eyes and said "That's not Elvis".
It's funny, I had a similar reaction, but with him overall. Getting to know more about the behind the scenes things, it's a shame he didn't get more of a chance outside of the mask, because he was a great singer in his own right, divorced from the "does he sound like Elvis" stuff.
I don't understand why Steve says Jimmy couldn't sing country. He had a wonderful song called, "Texas Tea" that i just loved. It was very popular on our local country music stations.
I think he means a certain kind of Country as opposed to Country in general. I do remember a big shift in Country music from around that time, so while I agree that he could sing Country and had great songs in the genre, the more "Randy Travis"/etc style country might be different.
Thanks guys for this very informative and interesting story. It really is weird if Elvis heard these records, knowing he could have potentially recorded some of them, as opposed to some of the material he did record, say, STAX, such B grade material, “Girl Of Mine”, “Love Song Of The Year”… etc etc. Not saying Elvis did not lay down some great vocals, but that material, imo, was way beyond Elvis’ talent. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Jamie, John and Steve. Here’s for a very happy and prosperous New Year!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too, Frankie! On the songs, I wonder when that was, because I get the impression it was after Stax - but maybe not.. I'll have to ask Steve if he remembers!
Really interesting I do have some of Orion albums I also have some Ral Donner albums I would love to know the story about Ral meeting Elvis any chance you could do that please ❤
There very well could be - nothing Steve said negates that possibility. It's the first I've heard of there being two, but that doesn't surprise me as I'm not all that steeped in Orion or Jimmy history.
Great show! Love to listen to Steve talking about his experiences with Orion
What a incredible stories. Great show indeed! I love it. Shout out from Brazil.
Great video guys..My family are all big ELVIS fans..seeing ELVIS first in 71 [Vegas]. 72 [MSG] and the following year in 73 [VEGAS].. we all enjoyed the fun and mystique of ORION..jimmy Ellis was a good singer..similar voice to ELVIS..I'd say at the top of his range when he opened up they were very very similar..Jimmy sounded like ELVIS,..but he really used his voice very differently..the way he sang..in his lower register he had a froggy quality to his voice that did not sound at all like ELVIS..The video on ORION 'THE MAN THAT WOULD BE KING' that was done by Jeanie Finlay used most of my video that I took..Im also in the Video showing a clip of me posing in front of "ORION"s Tour bus..doin a few ELVIS MOVES!!..LOL. I met Jimmy during his ORION gig several times and Shelby...was invited by Jimmy to go and watch him record a song in LONG ISLAND NY ,..but I was on my way that weekend to Minnesota ..I could tell that he wasn't into this ELVIS ALIVE SCHEME...ELVIS is a tough act to follow...too bad..he made some records that were great in their own right..and would have raised ELVIS' eyebrows..sounding very ELVISY....."WASHING MACHINE , TEXAS TEA. , ROCKABILLY REBEL , MEMPHIS SUN'..Shelby was a character..bottom line..there can only be,..,and will ever be one ELVIS...Jimmy knew,..and he told me that he didnt really think he sounded all that much like ELVIS..I would call WHN 1050 here in NYC,..a big Country radio station and speak to the music directors all the time..they would say to me .."IF WE PLAY ORION,MANY WILL THINK ITS ELVIS,..AND WE HAVE ELVIS ALREADY .."..
Thank you, Thomas! And thank you for sharing those memories with everyone!
Thank you I really enjoy your chats. My partner a few years ago told me about an Orion/Jimmy film he'd watched on tv. We watched again together. It's great to have extra personal info. - from England.
Very cool! Thank you - glad you enjoyed it!
After hearing Jerry Lee's Duets and Trio+ albums, I remember sending a letter to Shelby Singleton, asking why this talented mystery man wasn't allowed to stand on his own - why not credit him? All I received in return was a press packet an inch thick with "Is it Elvis?" articles. That pretty much turned me off to Orion. However, these EAP stories gave me a much better picture of Jimmy Ellis, who I can now say I appreciate much better than I did. Thanks, Steve, Jamie, and John.
@ericholmes7813 Hi, Erich! Thanks for sharing, and you're welcome!
When Steve referred to "Bruce Springfield" ... 😂😂😂 You guys have heard the song "Bruce" by Rick Springfield, haven't you?
LOL! Yeah, but it surprisingly didn't pop into our heads when he said that!
Great stories. I met Jimmy in Sweden 1992.
@@Tideman62 Very cool!
. I ordered 2 Copies of his SUN 45's back in 1972 as it was advertised as ELVIS out takes . I was a little disappointed as I knew right away it was not Elvis but I have been a Fan since way before he was Killed . I have a few 45's and 6 or 7 of His Albums one is Signed . BREAT VOICE .
@@rukusband That's really cool! Thanks for sharing that! And I agree, he did have a really good voice. 😁
I don't know who needs to know this but I just found out Elvis on tour is now included with prime and it's with the Johnny b Goode original opening.
Yep, indeed! I think we mentioned this in our Elvis On Tour episodes, but I certainly don't mind it being repeated! 😁
When I first heard Jimmy Ellis I literally freaked out but one line in the song I remember thinking that doesn't sounded like Elvis. Then the lady who said it was really Elvis showed me a poster of him with the mask. I saw his eyes and said "That's not Elvis".
It's funny, I had a similar reaction, but with him overall. Getting to know more about the behind the scenes things, it's a shame he didn't get more of a chance outside of the mask, because he was a great singer in his own right, divorced from the "does he sound like Elvis" stuff.
Its a good thing to be Not Normal !
LOL - exactly!
I don't understand why Steve says Jimmy couldn't sing country. He had a wonderful song called, "Texas Tea" that i just loved. It was very popular on our local country music stations.
I think he means a certain kind of Country as opposed to Country in general. I do remember a big shift in Country music from around that time, so while I agree that he could sing Country and had great songs in the genre, the more "Randy Travis"/etc style country might be different.
Thanks guys for this very informative and interesting story. It really is weird if Elvis heard these records, knowing he could have potentially recorded some of them, as opposed to some of the material he did record, say, STAX, such B grade material, “Girl Of Mine”, “Love Song Of The Year”… etc etc.
Not saying Elvis did not lay down some great vocals, but that material, imo, was way beyond Elvis’ talent.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Jamie, John and Steve.
Here’s for a very happy and prosperous New Year!!!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, too, Frankie!
On the songs, I wonder when that was, because I get the impression it was after Stax - but maybe not.. I'll have to ask Steve if he remembers!
Really interesting I do have some of Orion albums I also have some Ral Donner albums I would love to know the story about Ral meeting Elvis any chance you could do that please ❤
Thanks, Alan! Actually, I do believe Steve has some Ral Donner stories as well, so we'll have to talk with him about that in the future!
I don't know. According to Gail Brewer Giorgio there were two orions.
There very well could be - nothing Steve said negates that possibility. It's the first I've heard of there being two, but that doesn't surprise me as I'm not all that steeped in Orion or Jimmy history.
My girlfriend was good friends with Jimmy and Bobby
Steve is lying about so much. The majority or everything he has said is false.
@@Valkyr3763 Do you have examples? We'd be open to hearing it!