Reply With Quotevery cool! Joe E. is not my favorite person......Red on the other hand and Sonny....seem to be more genuine when you see them on tv or in interviews, etc.
Well I went to the PNE for the fiftieth anniversary celebration of Elvis' appearance at Empire Stadium. I didn’t know if I’d make it as I work the midnight shift and I woke up with a horrendous headache, but I made it, and though the traffic was horrific close to town, I was getting really nervous because my heat was reading really high in the bumper to bumper traffic before the big bridge and with the way my luck has been going lately, I was thinking the worse!(lol) I was a little beside myself with anxiety but things cleared up and my temperature did too ,and my cars! I finally got into town and had a nice Chinese woman selling parking on the streets next to the PNE sell me a parking space, but it was the same price as the Fair! We tried to understand each other, she wanted to hang onto my keys and I didn’t want to leave them, and also we talked about getting my change when I got back...
Well I got into the fair and unfortunately I missed the "halftime"(Steve Elliot did a 50's and 60's Elvis to start the show) where Red and Joe got up on stage to talk about Elvis, and it was wall to wall people pretty much, and I had Joes book Straight-Up(that I wanted autographed) and a CD that I recorded with So High and Faded Love on it and I didn’t think I’d get them to him, but I noticed the tower beside the stage where it looked like the VIP's were sitting while the 70's Elvis, Wally Teimer was performing, well to try to make this short, I went back behind the stage area and saw a security guy come out and I ran and asked him if Joe was there and he said yes, so I got him to take my CD to give to him and get the book autographed, and he came back and I got what I set out to do!
After the concert was over I waited around to see if they had any Elvis pics or what ever and to see if could meet Joe and Red, and they came out and headed for an autograph tent for an hour. So I bought a replica '57 newspaper tour poster for the Empire concert and it has a great pic (you've all seen it) of Elvis, but in a lot bigger size. I couldn’t believe I was getting nervous to meet Red and Joe, but anyway, how would I feel if I was going to meet Elvis!!!(lol) I was talking to the gentlemen ahead of me and actually cracking some good jokes like Elvis might. For instance I told them about my singing and the CD, but after making a couple of jokes I told them that I tell a joke a lot better than I sing, and I told them how I had to get back to work, over an hours drive back, and sang “Well it's one for the money,2 for the show, ehhh, ah to heck with it,” I couldn’t come up with a line, and then I said, naturally! “3 to get ready now go, cat, go!”(Me to get back home), there were some other "wittier" things i came up with but I’ve gone blank! Well I first got the 70's guy to autograph my poster and then Red, I said hi Red and shook his hand, and told him how much I have enjoyed listening to him throughout the years, and he said to me and the ladies waiting behind me, how he can't believe he gets paid for doing something that he loves and enjoys so much!!! And then I met Joe, but he was all business, unlike Red, and he signed my poster, and I first said to him, “hi, Mr.Esposito”, and then I had my book that he already had autographed and he said, "Do you want that autographed too?”, and I told him that he already did, and he said, “Oh right”. I then asked him if he got my CD, and he at first didn’t know what CD, and then he said he did have it while patting his jacket pocket. Joe wasn’t making a lot of eye contact or smiling, but more of a business like attitude, just signing and turning away awaiting the next autograph. And then I got the 50's and 60's guy to autograph the poster and I stopped for those great Tom Thumb donuts they sell annually at the Fair, and then I went to hopefully get my change, and after asking an older Chinese man who had been on the corner all night, if he had seen the Chinese woman I had dealt with earlier, I saw her, and she was really friendly, gave me my change, and the rest is history!
I noticed some young ladies watching the 70's Elvis doing American Trilogy and then Amazing Grace, and although they are great songs, the young girls said, "Let's get out of here," and I think that when you are doing a show like this, to attract a younger more appreciative audience that for gospel, do songs like-Seeing is believing, So high, By and By, Run On, Let us Pray, There is no God, etc.(and contemporary ballad type gospel), and nobody can put across Trilogy etc. like Elvis anyway! Also do more obscure "gems!"
Here is one of the songs that I gave to Joe-
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Last edited by nolvis; 10-10-2007 at 12:08 AM. Reason: Switch to off post
very cool! Joe E. is not my favorite person......Red on the other hand and Sonny....seem to be more genuine when you see them on tv or in interviews, etc.
oh..just found the song....you have a nice voice.....great work.
Thanks, nolvis
I enjoyed reading about your experiences. Nice song & voice too.
Thanks for posting, interesting read and hey, you can sing. Your voice sounds really great... Faded Love!! Dovey
Thank's alot for your responses ksimms2 and cameron!I'm really glad that you liked reading about my experience at the Fiftieth Anniversary celebration's for Elvis' last concert in Canada(outside of the U.S.A.)And i'm happy that you liked the song!
hey, I love your first name....Ian....you should use that instead of "nolvis"....Ian is a sexy name....Originally Posted by nolvis
Thank you Ian for sharing your experiences with us
Loved your voice too
I always enjoy hearing you sing, you have a lovely voice and thanks so much for sharing your experiences with us.
Diane
P.S.-The tour poster that i posted isn't shown in it's full size.
Last edited by nolvis; 10-10-2007 at 02:58 PM.
I was there too at the 50th Anniversary and really enjoyed the show - even tho' I endured 2 more IMP's- (there's nothing like the real thing!).............it was a great tribute thanks to Red and a LOT of people turned out........I think they could have filled Empire Stadium again just for a tribute to our Elvis!!! We came over from Vancouver Island..........had just gotten back from Memphis and it was great to see Red and Joe again in Vancouver...............saw them in Memphis at Elvis Week..............
The Red he is speaking about is not Red West- its Red Robinson a DJ from the 50s.
Thanks for the story Ian, I really enjoyed reading it. Not heard of Tom Thumb donuts before!!!
When are you going to put a vocal to "Good, Bad But Beautiful" can't wait to hear your version of it.
Rita
Oh...DUH!! Thanks for correcting me....I was kind of wondering because I don't think Red West and Joe E. get along very well - do they? Sorry for my bluner.
Thank God you cleared that up!! I was sitting here thinking "why is everyone being so nice about Red West"! I feel better now!
p.s.- I really like the melody to Colour my Rainbow too!
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