Are they still available in 2014? was courted for a baseball career and a tryout with the Milwaukie Braves but turned it down. To see the film clip and make a donation, please click on the link below. 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. I miss him a lot! EIN:Bobby D. its been great talking with you. How many Elvis tribute artists have had any unofficial album releases let alone 150 bootleg albums released? February 1945 - 13th. A talented athlete, Jimmy was awarded a two-year athletic scholarship at Middle Georgia Junior College and was courted for a baseball career and a tryout with the Milwaukie Braves but turned it down. Scans of the COUNTRY FROM THE HEART CD on the Lanier Records label. Click on the LP and 45 rpm records page. He travelled to Nashville and tried to break into the music business - but found. To The Official Orion - Jimmy Ellis Web Site All LP Albums Now on Sale These Classic LP Albums from Sun Records are new and sealed and will never be made again. They wrote both of the songs. Leave a comment or question. He said, "Don't worry about it, you don't buy the fuckin records anyway." 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. It is pertinent to say that while Jimmy was fanatically worshipped by fans, it was Gail Brewer-Giorgio and Shelby Singleton (remember the infamous "Duets" album with Jerry Lee Lewis) who were banking the lion's share of money as the cash registers kept on "ching chinging" as Jimmy Ellis/Orion connected with an avid, loyal and increasingly fanatical audience. "He just opened fire in seconds and hit Mr. Ellis in the side.". Learn more about merges. Scans of sleeves and labels would be of real interest as would track listings of further foreign releases. Another regular lady was also working that day. Directors Statement Who was that masked man? Death 12 Dec 1998 (aged 53) . 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. Ellis appeared with many artists, including Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, and the Oak Ridge Boys. Jimmy came from a Christian family and held his belief in God the Father throughout his life. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. That was December 4, 1998 - The Nightlife Theatre in Nashville, TNwhat a show!!! Scan of the Plantation Records cassette release 16 AWARD WINNING COUNTRY SONGS. Many thanks again and all the best for the future. . I often wonder what that would have done for Jimmys career since Phil Walden was nationally known. 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. Raised in Orrville, Alabama, Ellis began his recording career in 1964. Artist of the Year Theme by Foxhound Band Themes. Thank you very much!! An album featuring the duet came out and the controversy really heated up when Good Morning America had the Friends voice scientifically scanned and analyzed and concluded that it could be no one but Presley. '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. EIN: Bobby, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers and Jimmy Ellis/Orion fans? There is a new film about Orion being made by the talented moviemaker from England, Jeanie Finlay. Jimmy Ellis - If I Can't Have You Kenneth Dokkeberg. $4.00 shipping. Dradco will release a 6 CD set in 2018 to commemorate the 20th anniversary since Jimmys passing. Bobby D.: Jimmy's story and music is important- he was very talented - and these releases will celebrate his life and career. Orion page at Sun Records; Jimmy at Elvis Wiki I am looking for information concerning Orion's many concert appearances in the USA and several countries in Europe where he performed. If you can provide any additional info, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, to the list of details in the concert section of this site please get in touch. Here is the bizarre story of Jimmy Ellis, or, as he was also known, Orion. I could not believe what I was hearing. )more than 20 items including coffee mugs, beer steins, calendars, mouse pad, t-shirts, sweat shirts and clocks, is the only Elvis stylist who nearly 20 years after his tragic death still elicits interest from his fans, is promoted today by a commercial company operating in his name, has several websites devoted to his life and music, had several of his recordings featured on the soundtrack of a number of films, has featured in a number of documentaries about music in the southern states of the USA, is the subject of a documentary film being released in 2015. I miss him a lot! So who is this person a performer whose sad end is one we normally expect from a fabricated and dramatically intensified Hollywood film? Explore. Could you clarify who was working with him that day? Bobby had recorded Otis Redding and Wayne Cochran plus many local bands. As they say all PR is good PR! That eventually led to Sun Records in Nashville. Please visit my own Jimmy Ellis page for information and links. Help us spreadthe word about our cinema releaseby signing up for an ORIONtweetor aFacebookpost here onThunderclap. (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). 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. I'm Leavin'.Despite an initially (somewhat) artistically and (somewhat) financially beneficial arrangement for Jimmy Ellis, eventually the combination of an increasingly unfulfilling and unwanted masked career as an Elvis sound-a-like confronted his primal burning desire to be recognised and appreciated as "himself". Huffman said King, who played dead, was treated and released from a hospital for her hand wound. He was who he was, no pretense. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. Only Jimmy Ellis/Orion can lay claim to these remarkable achievements (and he could only be categorised as an Elvis tribute artist in his final years, well after his seminal period as the masked man, Orion). Feb 6, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by Patricia Milligan. With an outlandish fictional identity torn from the pages of a pulp novel, the backing of the legendary birthplace of rock n roll Sun Records and a voice that seemed to be the very twin of Presleys himself, the scheme concocted in the months after Presleys death exploded into a cult success and the Elvis is alive myth began. Low prices on Jimmy Ellis discography of music albums at CD Universe, with top rated service, Jimmy Ellis songs, discography, biography, cover art pictures, sound samples, albums, etc. 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. Ellis's Orion character claimed to have been managed by one Colonel Mac Weiman, and have been born in Ribbonsville, Tennessee on December 31, 1931. After his "unmasking" more and more fans accepted Orion was not Elvis, and for those who could not let go of the King a new theory took form - yes the original Orion wasn't Elvis but the real (still alive) Elvis was replacing Jimmy Ellis on stage at various concerts! your own Pins on Pinterest http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orion-the-man-who-would-be-king, A Georgia-based writer,Gail Brewer-Giorgio concocted a tale about a charismatic rock 'n'roll singer,Orion Eckley Darnell,who came to be called 'King' because of his enormous popularity across the world.However. 26th. Scan of the 8 track cassette release ORION 20 ALL TIME FAVORITES. I love music too and do some song leading at church. A fine talent in his own right, Ellis recorded the song "I'm Not Trying" (Boblo 536) and the album By Request - Ellis Sings Elvis (Boblo 78-829). Besides, I had childhood issues that I was not good enough. The label credited the recordings simply to "? ..replaced with a completely new cover and no coffin! He said: man you may make it before I do. Of the thousands who in some way look(ed), perform(ed) or sound(ed) like Elvis there is one performer who stands well apart from the rest. In an outstanding article in The Nashville Tennessean newspaper on August 12, 1997, it was reported that "Orion having the same vocal cords as Elvis has been both a kiss and a curse, but Orion sings his own tune!!!". His natural voice was very similar to the voice of Elvis Presley, read more With fans more interested in seeing "Kemo Sabe" rather than Jimmy Ellis, he spent the next few years focusing more on his business affairs than his music career. Born in 1945 in Orville, Alabama. Jim Highley. Before we talk about your friendship with Jimmy Ellis, who is Bobby D? How did that come about and what can fans expect to find on the site? Newspaper adverts and reports of his numerous appearances also very much appreciated. Just before noon, he decided to go by his pawn shop to check on things. It was part of a comedy sketch with artists not to play. : Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive, Elvis at Madison Square Garden 40 Years Ago. He would give you things and himself freely. : Since Elvis' explosion onto the world stage in the mid 1950s there have been countless Elvis tribute artists, imitators, impersonators, stylists and sound-a-likes offering and emulating a watershed musical icon. 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. He could laugh about most anythinghe was alot of fun at home and especially on stage!! All three men were apprehended. Bobby D.: I was born in Macon, GA in 1945. They are remembered for their hit single "Disco Inferno" (1976). Charlie Rich sang along with Lewis on two other songs. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. 17 Comments / It is the story of Jimmy Ellis, a singer from Alabama who was cursed with having a voice identical to that of . Jimmy Ellis In The Shadow Of a King Book NOW AVAILABLE! Ellis made a public confession in 1983 admitting he was Orion. Police later found Lee holed up in a motel about 30 miles outside Atlanta. He also started to run a store in Selma, Alabama, with his girlfriend Elaine Thompson. the story behind Bobby D's friendship with Jimmy Ellis, how Jimmy felt about his "Orion" character. By the late 1980s, Jimmy was again performing on stage in his Orion persona and while not enjoying the buoyant career he had between 1978 and the early 1980s he had regular bookings, including in Europe where he was especially sought after. He was very generous and good-hearted. In an, Georgia Pines CD - Playground Records Promo Card. Her 1978 novel Orion told the story of a rock and roll singer, very much like Elvis, who faked his own death. EIN: Jimmys death was tragic! More recently, one of the few remaining groups in the once prolific and infamous (so-called) 'Elvis Underground' has stated that Jesse (aka the 'still alive' Elvis) believes some of the Orion/Jimmy Ellis recordings are actually him (Jesse) singing. His first two singles were covers of two of the Kings former hits, Thats All Right and Blue Moon of Kentucky.. Solve the mystery and then use a smartphone or GPS device to navigate to the solution coordinates. Chet came back and said: Bobby, he sounds the same on all of them. Sundance Selects has acquired North American rights to Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, the feature documentary written and directed by Jeanie Finlay. A hit record or some fuckin' tour we did that on many a time. Brewer-Giorgio's novel, Jimmy Ellis' career aspirations, and Shelby Singleton's business converged to create Orion, the masked singer who allowed Jimmy to essentially perform as Elvis Presley for those grief-stricken audiences who wanted to believe he was still alive. The film is being produced by Jeanie Finlay, a British artist and filmaker. Please tell our readers about this and how they can order. Production costs turned out to be too high compared to the demand on the box set, making the release too economically challenging to make. Official site; Kenneth Dokkeberg's Jimmy Ellis / Orion website; Musiclovers - Discography, audio samples and a lot more! I finished college with a BBA while my wife worked, and I got the GI Bill. 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]. Bobby D.: Jimmy never commented about the LP coffin cover to me, but he was not hot on the mask gimmick from the start. It is old and worn just like it should be. That voice!.While he had a natural Elvis-like singing voice, throughout his adult life Jimmy strove to be recognised as a serious artist in his own right, a person who was inherently a wonderfully talented and gifted entertainer whose magical presence touched many people.That talent was genetically pre-determined and embryonically, DNA dictated.its essence was not because he sounded remarkably like Elvis! He then dropped the gun, fled the store and drove off in a car with two accomplices, authorities said. Orion in Sweden (EIN Comment: Bobby D. should get back to playing "live" - he is naturally gifted with a great voice!). A WARM WELCOME TO ORIONDISCS This website is a tribute to the U.S. recording artist Jimmy Ellis, and focuses on his many record releases. Problem is he doesn't play enough ofthe song for the audience to hear. Jimmy's contributions to the group, both in his personality and in his amazing tenor, will never be forgotten. Pictures and track listings are shown below of the titles I have managed to source. The Final Performance CD is a good example of the kind of interaction and humor Orion had with the audience. '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. As Jim Ellis, he released an album in 1987 and continued to tour North America; interestingly, he resumed wearing his mask. This site is very much a "work in progress" and is being updated all the time. On Monday I carried his CDs to work and played them throughout the day. I have to say I was floored. Interview conducted by Nigel Patterson, EIN (July 2014), Read: EIN's 2014 "Jimmy Ellis/Orion" article. His voice was similar to Elvis Presley's, a fact which he and his record company played upon, making some believe that some of his recordings were by Presley, or even that Presley had not died in 1977. Bobby D.: Not very much except recording at home when the mood strikes. But, it was really him. Oh well, it is publicity!! Source: www.orionjimmyellis.com & www.lasvegaselvisfestival.com, 1 Comments / 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. Elvis Presley, Elvis and Graceland are trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises. Bobby knew a lot of people in the business and was a producer for King Records at one time. Jimmy Ellis (born February 26, 1945 - died December 12,1998) was born in Orrville, Alabama on February 26th of 1945. 1. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________. Jimmy Ellis 1937-2012 It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of our friend and original lead singer, Jimmy Ellis, on Thursday, March 8, 2012 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. Then he started the tape recorder and put the little microphone down by the record player and sang with the song overlaying Elvis voice with his. This boxed set documents Orion's career on the legendary Sun Records label. He was 53 years old. ): I continued with my Human Resources career for many years and retired in the mountains of NC two years ago. It is also very possible that several other titles circulating on the internet . With Jerry Adams, Sharon Attaway Nettleton, Gail Brewer-Giorgio, Boomer Castleman. Which brings us to the incredible story of Orion. Shawn. Bobby D: My recollection is that on Saturday, December 12, 1998, Jimmy was getting ready to go on a duck hunting trip on Sunday with his son, a doctor friend and others. They were sung in the same style in which Elvis would have sung them. MYSTERY MASKED MAN WITH THE VOICE OF A LEGEND. (Orion) Jimmy Ellis He Has A Great Voice And We Loved All Of His Music. Similarly, there was an incontrovertible and diametrically opposed outcome for each side. HEARTBREAK HOTEL By the time he was a teenager, it was clear that Jimmy Ellis had two talents: singing, and inadvertently sounding almost exactly like Elvis Presley. 'My voice is both a blessing and a curse' (Jimmy Ellis/Orion during media interview), Controversial Sun Records 1978 Orion 'Reborn' (coffin) album cover. Watch a fascinating interview in 1979 with both Orion and Gail Brewer-Giorgio promoting his career and Ms Brewer-Giorgio's "Orion" novel, (BTW, the back story to the "Orion" novel, full of dirty dealings, "he says-she says" and legal machinations, is deserving of an article all to itself!). The coffin cover caused a lot of controversy and was replaced. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: jean-puy.com Jean Puy un peintre fauve If you can help with any small detail please contact me at: Promotional 8 track tape added for upcoming Dradco release of the album, Updated info on the new CD release of the. We are told that the documentaryis moving along but, as with many projects,monetary donations would be appreciated to help get it to completion. Jimmy "Orion" Ellis, also known as James Hughes Bell was an American Singer. Sundance Selects plans Dec 4 release theatrically and on demand. Who was that masked man?.Sadly, the convergence of artistic, commercial and greed/fame infused forces which would shape Jimmy's future meant he became a pawn in a multi-faceted promotional campaign involving author Gail Brewer-Giorgio (9 years before her best-selling non-fiction books asking if Elvis really died in 1977) and new Sun Studio owner, Shelby Singleton, when because of his voice Jimmy was marketed as the mysterious, masked singer, Orion. EIN: Given you have a great singing voice why didnt you pursue a recording/performing career? Orion was well-known in the sixties and seventies for having a singing voice. He tells in great detail the story of Jimmy Ellis, a successful horse farmer who took over the family business in the small town of Orrville, Alabama. These titles and their eye catching specially made front covers would appear to be exclusively for internet downloads (eg. For the next 10 years Jimmy would balance music and his business interests. 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. ", and it was rumored that they were alternate takes from Presley sessions (despite featuring an electric rather than string bass). 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. The book that started it all (in classic conspiracy fashion, its 'first edition' featured two 'author' names!!). The album featured some excellent songs including "Ebony Eyes", "Honey", and "Washing Machine". It will focus on his early years before he became the masked singer Orion. And, after I heard Jimmy, I knew I was not.>. The story of Jimmy "Orion" Ellis is either one of the greatest cons to be forged in the history of American music or it's one of its greatest unsolved mysteries. And that's the way it was. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYuszmPq3lw, "Orion" by Gail Brewer-Giorgio (Hardcover 1979). The CDs are offered on the official web site: www.orionjimmyellis.com. Jimmy Ellis Also known as Orion. While friends of the singer Jimmy Ellis have speculated that Orion could well have been The King's half-brother. Jimmy was very happy we did this and he liked getting a periodic check for CD sales. EIN often receives requests for information on these releases. Bobby D.: Well, we just had a limited number of the out-of-print CD - Orion Country repressed. [3], Singleton tore off his mask at a performance in 1983, saying he would not wear it again. Scan of the cassette release BY REQUEST, ELLIS SINGS ELVIS. Scans of the orange label version of the CD single SUNDAY FATHER on the Lanier Records label. 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." I couldnt quite make out the voice. Jimmy Ellis (with mask) as Orion (note his hair color), Orion (sans mask) as Jimmy Ellis (note his natural hair color), Above images sourced from the official "Orion-Jimmy Ellis" website. 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. I thought that was an odd question but I said: sure, its Elvis Presley. We were both only children, but Jimmy was not selfish or too self-centered. He was NOT an impersonator, as he tried desperately to explain. [12] It was released theatrically in the US by Sundance Selects on December 4, 2015. Wonder how in the world the producer picked an Orion album?? So I said: come on, thats Elvis I have the album. 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! [7] Jeffrey Lee was convicted of the murder of Ellis and Ellis's ex-wife Elaine Thompson, who was working as an employee at the store, and the attempted murder of employee Helen King. In early 1965, I transferred to Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, GA and lost touch with Jimmy for a number of years. Bobby D. on YouTube (who does Bobby sound like? Jimmy said: Ill kill you, and we had a big laugh. Who was he? Orion". Many years later, I recorded four songs at Stargem Studios in Nashville, the same studio Jimmy had also recorded at earlier. Allyson Adams 'The Rebel and The King' Interview: EIN interviews John Scheinfeld director of 'Fame & Fortune', Elvis Paradise Hawaiian Interview - with Peter Noone, Sam Thompson, Elvis' bodyguard, 2011 Interview. We have just received an intro and preview clip from the up coming documentary "Orion The Movie". Very unfortunately, Jimmy Ellis along with his wife, was killed in December the 12th 1998 by a male robber. 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. Popular Ellis/Orion bootleg releases included titles such as Crazy on the Blue Danube and Jimmy In A Viennese Cellar. 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. Backed by the Jordanaires and opening act Sherry Carlisle, Orion sang to a packed house on August 12, 1997 at Nashville's Nightlife Theater. All three are being held without bail and are facing the possibility of the death penalty on two counts of capital murder, authorities said. Scan of the 8 track cassette release TRUCKS, TRAINS & AIRPLANES on Gusto Records. Website. Sales have not been great since the fan base has long since scattered but I enjoy doing it to keep his talent known, as much as possible. Pinterest. Thanks for your help! For one side, they would quite naturally (and self-directed), psychologically rationalise and morph their needs to maintain internal equilibrium and ongoing personal and social engagement.for the other side his outcome would be economically directed and physically terminal, as his 'what if' life diverted to a course which outwardly may have offered some degree of financial and personal satisfaction, but one which (pragmatically) was also underpinned by a volatile socio-economic environment which could potentially (and did) result in a seriously intense incident or incidents: Jimmy Ellis' new (primary) career as a bail bondsman and pawn shop proprietor would very sadly, very unfairly, result in his violent, premature death on 12 December 1998. Offered here is a two sheet info about the partnership which was presented to the stockholder. Actually, I think it made him more determined to try to be accepted by radio and the music industry as Jimmy Ellis, even though he sounded like EP. He used to say: you can sound like other artists and make it but if you sound like Elvis they dont want to play your records. Look for a micro hidden container. Orion mention on The tonight show with jimmy fallon, http://beta.orionstc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/17-Out-Of-My-Life-live.mp3. Giorgios book had just come out, so Singleton decided to cash in on its popularity and transform Jimmy Ellis into the mysterious Orion who had phoned the author earlier that year. [3], On December 12, 1998, Ellis was murdered during a robbery in his store, Jimmy's Pawn Shop. This is a fan site. He was standing before the display counter in his Jimmy's Pawn and Package Store just after noon Saturday when the gunman burst in and, in seconds, turned the quiet shop into a slaughterhouse. AVAILABLE HERE LOWER PRICE! Scans of the unofficial CD titled JIMMY ELLIS THE SINGLES.
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orion jimmy ellis the official website