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Brian
07-17-2008, 08:41 PM
Hi how is everybody doing


Since I haven't read extensively about Elvis recording career I was wondering if any of you have and can answer these questions I have.

1.When Elvis first signed with RCA in late 55 and began recording for them in 1956 does anybody know when his contract ended the first time and was up for renewal.

2. In 1960 when Ray Charles signed with ABC records he asked for ownership of all of his masters and got it, I feel Elvis and the Colonel should have demanded that they get the same deal and feel that they made a mistake in not doing so because even at Ray Charles commercial peak he never sold more records than Elvis. Do you agree with me that Elvis and the Colonel should have asked that they got the same deal as Mr. Charles?

3. I know Elvis resigned with RCA in 1973 and his contract was set to expire in 1980 Did Elvis ever express a desire to leave RCA and go to another label after his contract was up?

4. I have also heard from other fans on other message boards that Elvis royalty rate in the 70's was much lower than that of other artists of the time and an artist of his stature. Can anyone confirm this and if you can what was Elvis getting compared to the the other artists of the day?

5. I was thinking if say Elvis recording contract came up in 1966 or 1967 and he went to Alantic records I can just imagine Elvis recording How Great thou art, maybe a folk album and doing a christmas album with some Red West written Christmas songs and then moving to Atlantic in 1967 and having recording sessions at muscle shoals and having a stax session in the 60's
My questions are does anyone know if Elvis or the Colonel was approached by Atlantic in the 1960's about signing with them and do you think that would have been a good idea or do you think he should have stayed with RCA?
Was Elvis approached by any other labels about signing with them in the 60's?


6. When Elvis recording contract ended in 1973 and before he resigned with them does anyone know if Elvis was approached by other labels and if so what were they offering him in terms of money, advances and royalty rates?


thank in advance

thanks everyone for help in answer my questions

hounddog
07-17-2008, 11:30 PM
Also Elvis' sold his rights back to RCA in 1973 i think. So he didn't get royalities for tracks recorded before 1973 anymore. One of the best deals fro RCA and the worst for Elvis. I think i've got that info right.

Unchained Melody
07-18-2008, 11:39 PM
Colonel tried to make it sound to Elvis like no one listened to those old records from the 50s anymore and all this BS and that is completely false.
american graffiti was a HUGE hit in 1974 and Happy Days was a #1 show on television. elvis saw it as a way to get a HUGE amount of money by doing absolutley nothing.