Marty Lacker talks about Elvis and The Grammys:

[presley31]

Elvis' close friend Marty Lacker responded to our story (see yesterday news below) about the Wertheimer exhibition at the Grammy's museum. The lack of respect that Elvis received in his lifetime from this institution still upsets Marty Lacker to this day.

Marty Lacker > "Reading your story about the Elvis Grammys exhibit in a way makes my stomach turn because of the way the Grammys treated Elvis while he was alive and now they're acting like they have been/are his champion.

To begin with other than the Living Legend Award, the only Grammys Elvis ever won was for 2 or 3 of his Gospel Records. None of his records from the 50's or 60's, the ones that changed the world's music was ever awarded a Grammy. Even though they were some of the most important and biggest records in music history and if he hadn't come along there might not be any Grammys or much of today's music.

However the biggest injustice done by the Grammys happened in the early 70's. This story was told to us by Colonel Parker. He received a call from Pierre Cossette the longtime producer of the Annual Grammys Award Shows he told Parker that the

Grammys would like to present to Elvis A Lifetime Legend Award. Parker told them that was nice of them. Pierre then said,"We'd like Elvis to do one song on the show after we present him the award." Parker asked him how much they were paying. Cossette told him the Grammys (NARAS), which stands for The National Academy Of Recording Arts and Sciences, does not pay performers for performing on the Awards Shows. Parker then told him, Elvis does not perform without being paid and he couldn't guarantee that Elvis would be at the show either. Parker said Pierre then coughed and said he'd get back to him.

A week later, Parker got a call, this time from Pierre's assistant telling him that since Elvis wouldn't sing they no longer were going to give him the award. How petty and chickenshit was that?

During the 70's I had made a name for myself in the national music industry and in addition to that I was the co-founder of the Memphis NARAS Chapter, (Grammys) and I was on the National Board Of Governors of NARAS representing Memphis. One of my good friends, Ron Alexburg who at the time was VP of Columbia/Epic Records in NY, came to Memphis for a meeting with me and my partner as our company represented his records in the south. I told him the story and he got mad and he and I went on a tirade to NARAS about the shabby treatment to Elvis and that of all people he should get a Living Legend Award.

Two weeks later, on a Monday, when I received the big music magazine issues for the week, I open Cash Box magazine and lo and behold there's a picture of Bobby Vinton and national promotion man, Pete Bennett presenting Elvis The Living Legend Award on behalf of the Grammys in his Vegas dressing room. They didn't even have the decency to give it to him on the next awards show. I never told Elvis about what I did.
- -- I just wanted to set the record straight with the truth of the matter. - Marty, January 2010.

source:
http://www.elvisinfonet.com/index.html

[GIORGIA]

I'm So Happy For Elvis,because He receive this Important Award!But this story It's truly a shame!Because It's Elvis!And I always thought:Why just 3 Grammys?It's truly incredible!I'm sure that Elvis was so much proud of HimSelf for won these Grammys for the Gospel(The Music that He Love So Much!)but for 14 nominations,only 3 win,well it's a shame!Shame at the Grammys!

[Raised on Rock]

I agree with Mr. Lacker all the way, and although 14 nominations and 3 winners, plus the Lifetime Achievement Award (or Living Legend as he call it) is actually not bad, Presley deserved more than that. Yet, at his prime time as a recording artist, the days when he changed music: '56-'61, Grammys were to much of a conservative institution, and although Presley got nominated, I'm sure there were many heads wanting not to give any award to that side-burned delinquent.

By the mid to late 60's their attitude changed, rock music was mayor force in the business, and since then it became the object of several Grammy awards every year, but Presley (except for the Grammy winner How Greath Thou Art) was to busy by then doing The Clam and the Bake. Then after his great comeback, he recorded many great music up to his last recording session, yet, it was RCA fault as we know, to put it together in the right way, to pack it and selling it in the right proper way to release an album, and so it was hard I guess to choose any Presley L.P. as a serious Grammy contender, except once again, his grammy awarded gospel releases.

Now about the story Mary Lacker tells, (if its true of course) well it just sucks right? I'm not giving you the award if you don't come and kiss my ***? And although I know Col. Parker could have been less of a jerk, and allow Elvis to do tons of things, this time I do kind of like his attitude: if your giving the man an award just give it, don't ask for anything back, so sorry dude, we don't sing for free on award ceremonies, right it sucks, but, we don't, ah you don't giving me the award then, well PRESLEY DIDN'T NEEDED THE GRAMMYS, they didn't made him sell more records, made more money, neither gave him more fans or more love coming from his fans, so sorry, we don't kiss asses, 40 years the Grammys kiss his ***, end of story.

Anyway, who really gives a shit about the Grammys, I mean really. Its not like the oscars lol.

[GIORGIA]

I agree with Mr. Lacker all the way, and although 14 nominations and 3 winners, plus the Lifetime Achievement Award (or Living Legend as he call it) is actually not bad, Presley deserved more than that. Yet, at his prime time as a recording artist, the days when he changed music: '56-'61, Grammys were to much of a conservative institution, and although Presley got nominated, I'm sure there were many heads wanting not to give any award to that side-burned delinquent.

By the mid to late 60's their attitude changed, rock music was mayor force in the business, and since then it became the object of several Grammy awards every year, but Presley (except for the Grammy winner How Greath Thou Art) was to busy by then doing The Clam and the Bake. Then after his great comeback, he recorded many great music up to his last recording session, yet, it was RCA fault as we know, to put it together in the right way, to pack it and selling it in the right proper way to release an album, and so it was hard I guess to choose any Presley L.P. as a serious Grammy contender, except once again, his grammy awarded gospel releases.

Now about the story Mary Lacker tells, (if its true of course) well it just sucks right? I'm not giving you the award if you don't come and kiss my ***? And although I know Col. Parker could have been less of a jerk, and allow Elvis to do tons of things, this time I do kind of like his attitude: if your giving the man an award just give it, don't ask for anything back, so sorry dude, we don't sing for free on award ceremonies, right it sucks, but, we don't, ah you don't giving me the award then, well PRESLEY DIDN'T NEEDED THE GRAMMYS, they didn't made him sell more records, made more money, neither gave him more fans or more love coming from his fans, so sorry, we don't kiss asses, 40 years the Grammys kiss his ***, end of story.

Anyway, who really gives a shit about the Grammys, I mean really. Its not like the oscars lol.

Great Great Great Great Post!

[GIORGIA]

Yet, at his prime time as a recording artist, the days when he changed music: '56-'61, Grammys were to much of a conservative institution, and although Presley got nominated, I'm sure there were many heads wanting not to give any award to that side-burned delinquent.

I always thought that!Unfortunatelly was that!

[GIORGIA]

Anyway, who really gives a shit about the Grammys, I mean really. Its not like the oscars lol.

Well,to Me the oscars are like the grammys!

[Getlo]

Marty is full of crap here.

The fact is that Elvis' early work, despite what Marty and others might say, was simply not Grammy-worthy material.

The Grammys were awarded for mainly mainstream stuff, and Elvis certainly wasn't mainstream, at least not when he started out.

It's only with the benefit of hindsight that we can say his early works are "classics" worthy of awarding. But in the 50s? No way.

And as for the Grammy people telling The Colonel to get stuffed after he refused to let Elvis perform without paying ... fair enough.

The lifetime achievement award was a great honour, and The Colonel should not have asked for payment. And if Elvis knew about it, he should have said he'd go on the show for nothing, and screw Parker.

As it is, The Grammys have treated Elvis very well over the years, with dozens of nominations. But the fact is, when Elvis missed out, that means another artist had better work on offer.

The three Grammys for Elvis' religious work are something to be proud of, and it's rubbish like this from Lacker than simply causes trouble.

[Junebug]

Marty is full of crap here.

The fact is that Elvis' early work, despite what Marty and others might say, was simply not Grammy-worthy material.

The Grammys were awarded for mainly mainstream stuff, and Elvis certainly wasn't mainstream, at least not when he started out.

It's only with the benefit of hindsight that we can say his early works are "classics" worthy of awarding. But in the 50s? No way.

And as for the Grammy people telling The Colonel to get stuffed after he refused to let Elvis perform without paying ... fair enough.

The lifetime achievement award was a great honour, and The Colonel should not have asked for payment. And if Elvis knew about it, he should have said he'd go on the show for nothing, and screw Parker.

As it is, The Grammys have treated Elvis very well over the years, with dozens of nominations. But the fact is, when Elvis missed out, that means another artist had beter work on offer.

The three Grammys for Elvis' religious work are something to be proud of, and it's rubbish like this from Lacker than simply causes trouble.

Could be.....

But I do know The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences did not establish the Grammy Awards until 1958.

This probably factors heavily into why his Grammy-worthy '50s classics were not honored in those early years.


And as far as Marty and his story.....well, I guess he got bored since noone bid on his Ann-Margret 'Spanky' photo!!!

[john carpenter]

I agree with you Getlo (first time for anything) Elvis would have done the show for free..but, the Colonel was greedyand Parker wanted to line his pockets as usual I disagree that the 50's stuff didn't deserve Grammy Nominations. He should,ve won for every Catagory..Gospel,Country Rock ect.

[Brian]

Marty is full of crap here.

The fact is that Elvis' early work, despite what Marty and others might say, was simply not Grammy-worthy material.

The Grammys were awarded for mainly mainstream stuff, and Elvis certainly wasn't mainstream, at least not when he started out.

It's only with the benefit of hindsight that we can say his early works are "classics" worthy of awarding. But in the 50s? No way.

And as for the Grammy people telling The Colonel to get stuffed after he refused to let Elvis perform without paying ... fair enough.

The lifetime achievement award was a great honour, and The Colonel should not have asked for payment. And if Elvis knew about it, he should have said he'd go on the show for nothing, and screw Parker.

As it is, The Grammys have treated Elvis very well over the years, with dozens of nominations. But the fact is, when Elvis missed out, that means another artist had beter work on offer.

The three Grammys for Elvis' religious work are something to be proud of, and it's rubbish like this from Lacker than simply causes trouble.

Yes, the grammys did actually nominate Elvis more than a lot of other famous artists and I believe That's alright mama, Heartbreak hotel, Hound dog, Suspicious minds, Don't be cruel and Are you lonesome tonight have all been inducted into the grammy hall of fame.

So Marty's actually wrong about the Grammys not honoring those recordings.

[Brian]

I agree with you Getlo (first time for anything) Elvis would have done the show for free..but, the Colonel was greedyand Parker wanted to line his pockets as usual I disagree that the 50's stuff didn't deserve Grammy Nominations. He should,ve won for every Catagory..Gospel,Country Rock ect.

When the grammys first started in 1959 I think both ''A fool such as I'' and ''Big hunk o' love'' both received nominations but each lost to other recordings.

[Raised on Rock]

Well,to Me the oscars are like the grammys!

You´re right, I know, I was being sarcastic

[romar]

Mariah Cary, Celine Dion, Lionel Ritchie make an album and instantly get 5 or 6 grammy's.
And they are better than Elvis? How do you figure?
In the 90's the 50's master box was nominated 3 times. It did not win for liner notes, packing and it was not considerd most historical album. Instead an album with musical numbers of the 40'won. That is historical? Mr. Lacker is full of it...??
I think the grammy's just like the oscars do not mean anything. It is just for the intelectual establishment. Who, as a rule, do not know anything at all. It is just a big joke.

[Junebug]

From Elvis.com:

Grammy Awards

Elvis received 14 Grammy nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS). His three wins were for gospel recordings - the album How Great Thou Art (1967), the album He Touched Me (1972) and his live Memphis concert recording of the song How Great Thou Art (1974).

In 1971, NARAS also recognized him with their Lifetime Achievement Award (known then as the Bing Crosby Award in honor of its first recipient). Elvis was 36 years old at the time.

Six of Elvis' recordings, all of them his original studio masters, have been inducted into the NARAS Hall of Fame: Hound Dog (1956 recording, inducted 1988), Heartbreak Hotel (1956 recording, inducted 1995), That's All Right (1954 recording, inducted 1998), Suspicious Minds (1969 recording, inducted 1999), Don't Be Cruel (1956 recording, inducted 2002) and Are You Lonesome Tonight (1960 recording, inducted 2007).

The Recording Academy's national trustees established the Grammy Hall Of Fame in 1973 to honor recordings of lasting qualitative or historical significance that are at least 25 years old. Many inductees are recordings that were created and released before the 1958 inception of NARAS and the Grammy Awards.

[Tony Trout]

Marty is full of crap here.

The fact is that Elvis' early work, despite what Marty and others might say, was simply not Grammy-worthy material.

The Grammys were awarded for mainly mainstream stuff, and Elvis certainly wasn't mainstream, at least not when he started out.

It's only with the benefit of hindsight that we can say his early works are "classics" worthy of awarding. But in the 50s? No way.

And as for the Grammy people telling The Colonel to get stuffed after he refused to let Elvis perform without paying ... fair enough.

The lifetime achievement award was a great honor, and The Colonel should not have asked for payment. And if Elvis knew about it, he should have said he'd go on the show for nothing, and screw Parker.

As it is, The Grammys have treated Elvis very well over the years, with dozens of nominations. But the fact is, when Elvis missed out, that means another artist had beter work on offer.

The three Grammys for Elvis' religious work are something to be proud of, and it's rubbish like this from Lacker than simply causes trouble.

Sorry, Getlo, but I'm gonna have to disagree here, bro. I think that Elvis's works in the 50s were considered Grammy-worthy.

I agree with Mr. Lacker all the way, and although 14 nominations and 3 winners, plus the Lifetime Achievement Award (or Living Legend as he call it) is actually not bad, Presley deserved more than that. Yet, at his prime time as a recording artist, the days when he changed music: '56-'61, Grammys were to much of a conservative institution, and although Presley got nominated, I'm sure there were many heads wanting not to give any award to that side-burned delinquent.

By the mid to late 60's their attitude changed, rock music was mayor force in the business, and since then it became the object of several Grammy awards every year, but Presley (except for the Grammy winner How Greath Thou Art) was to busy by then doing The Clam and the Bake. Then after his great comeback, he recorded many great music up to his last recording session, yet, it was RCA fault as we know, to put it together in the right way, to pack it and selling it in the right proper way to release an album, and so it was hard I guess to choose any Presley L.P. as a serious Grammy contender, except once again, his grammy awarded gospel releases.

Now about the story Mary Lacker tells, (if its true of course) well it just sucks right? I'm not giving you the award if you don't come and kiss my ***? And although I know Col. Parker could have been less of a jerk, and allow Elvis to do tons of things, this time I do kind of like his attitude: if your giving the man an award just give it, don't ask for anything back, so sorry dude, we don't sing for free on award ceremonies, right it sucks, but, we don't, ah you don't giving me the award then, well PRESLEY DIDN'T NEEDED THE GRAMMYS, they didn't made him sell more records, made more money, neither gave him more fans or more love coming from his fans, so sorry, we don't kiss asses, 40 years the Grammys kiss his ***, end of story.

Anyway, who really gives a shit about the Grammys, I mean really. Its not like the oscars lol.

There is photographic evidence of the NARAS people giving Elvis the "Lifetime Achievement Award" in his dressing room - so the story about Elvis not receiving the award at the actual show is true. The photo can be found (in one place) inside the booklet that comes with the 70s box set.

Yes, the grammys did actually nominate Elvis more than a lot of other famous artists and I believe That's alright mama, Heartbreak hotel, Hound dog, Suspicious minds, Don't be cruel and Are you lonesome tonight have all been inducted into the grammy hall of fame.

So Marty's actually wrong about the Grammys not honoring those recordings.

Agreed, Brian.

[Jungleroom76]

I agree with you Getlo (first time for anything) Elvis would have done the show for free..but, the Colonel was greedyand Parker wanted to line his pockets as usual

ABSOLUTELY RIGHT ON JOHN!!!

I certainly don't have a problem with The Colonel wanting Elvis to get paid for appearances (that was his job as manager certainly), but there HAS to be exceptions to that rule...like being offered a LIFETIME LEGEND AWARD by the Grammys. This was a perfect time for The Colonel to allow Elvis to appear and accept the award without any conditions or fees...but once again, as John said, it was all about The Colonel lining his pockets!!!

Just one more example of how much of a crook The Colonel really was...

TCB!
Mike

[Jungleroom76]

Yes, the grammys did actually nominate Elvis more than a lot of other famous artists and I believe That's alright mama, Heartbreak hotel, Hound dog, Suspicious minds, Don't be cruel and Are you lonesome tonight have all been inducted into the grammy hall of fame.

So Marty's actually wrong about the Grammys not honoring those recordings.

Technically Marty isn't wrong Brian...

The songs that you mentioned as being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame were all done posthumously. I believe Marty was referring to the number of nominations and wins that Elvis received during his lifetime.

TCB!
Mike

[Brian]

Technically Marty isn't wrong Brian...

The songs that you mentioned as being inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame were all done posthumously. I believe Marty was referring to the number of nominations and wins that Elvis received during his lifetime.

TCB!
Mike

the grammys couldn't of honored those songs when they came out

Heartbreak hotel, Hound dog, That's alright mama and don't be cruel came out during 1954 and 1956 the grammys weren't established until 1958.

I would also say that ''Are you lonesome tonight'' did receive 8 nominations including song of the year or record of the year but lost to Georgia on my mind by Ray Charles and other recordings.

[Jimmy1966]

could not give a **** about the grammys..all that ever mattered was his music and what that voice could convey with a song when he sang from his heart it also reached the hearts of all that heard him..that's what matters most.

LONG LIVE THE KING

[kathy parkinson]

could not give a **** about the grammys..all that ever mattered was his music and what that voice could convey with a song when he sang from his heart it also reached the hearts of all that heard him..that's what matters most.

LONG LIVE THE KING