I just got's to know.....

[Peacoat]

Glad to see another Elvis fan on the Lounge! :thumb:

And another.

 

[too much coffee]

Count me in as well!

I remember back in the late 1970's, I was attached temporarily to an Infantry Division for the big REFORGER exercise. I happened to be in Friedberg, at Ray Barracks eating supper in the dining facility. There was a big sign that read "Elvis Aaron Presley Mess Hall" (it might of read "dining facility"...can't remember).
Even though Elvis lived downtown he did eat some of his meals there. The Third Armored Division was certainly proud of the fact that Elvis served his Army time there.
Very cool eating supper in that mess hall.

Regards,
coffee

 

[too much coffee]

Preach on brother. Elvis, as Eddie Murphy rightly said, was rugged when he was allowed to be the rocker he wanted to be, instead of the schmaltz the Colonel dreamed up. Sigh... what coulda been.

Worf

Just to piggyback on brother Worf's reference to Eddie Murphy and Elvis; if you haven't seen Murphy's "Delirious" show, he does one hilarious Elvis skit. Back when Eddie was a young very funny stand up.

 

[Peacoat]

Count me in as well!

I remember back in the late 1970's, I was attached temporarily to an Infantry Division for the big REFORGER exercise. I happened to be in Friedberg, at Ray Barracks eating supper in the dining facility. There was a big sign that read "Elvis Aaron Presley Mess Hall" (it might of read "dining facility"...can't remember).
Even though Elvis lived downtown he did eat some of his meals there. The Third Armored Division was certainly proud of the fact that Elvis served his Army time there.
Very cool eating supper in that mess hall.

Regards,
coffee

Coffee: The Air Force has dining facilities; the Army has mess halls. The Air Force has rest rooms; the Army has latrines. The Air Force sleeps on soft beds in the dormitory; the Army sleeps on the ground. Have you forgotten already?

But yes, that is a cool place to have supper.

 

[Aerojoe]

Even fat Elvis was hot Feraud

there's only one thing we have to say to you here dear;

you look like an angel
walk like an angel
talk like an angel
but we got wise
you're the devil in disguise
oh yes you are
fedora devil in disguise
oh yes you are

 

[too much coffee]

Coffee: The Air Force has dining facilities; the Army has mess halls. The Air Force has rest rooms; the Army has latrines. The Air Force sleeps on soft beds in the dormitory; the Army sleeps on the ground. Have you forgotten already?

But yes, that is a cool place to have supper.

LOL Peacoat! Yes, I guess I did forget........must be too many freezing nights on the ground rolled up in a poncho liner or maybe too many rides with you Slick drivers flying nape of the earth.

Regards,
coffee

 

[rue]

there's only one thing we have to say to you here dear;

you look like an angel
walk like an angel
talk like an angel
but we got wise
you're the devil in disguise
oh yes you are
fedora devil in disguise
oh yes you are

 

[Worf]

LOL Peacoat! Yes, I guess I did forget........must be too many freezing nights on the ground rolled up in a poncho liner or maybe too many rides with you Slick drivers flying nape of the earth.

Regards,
coffee

Stop you're depressing the hell out of me... Winter exercises at Ft. Lost in the Woods Misery... Also "Team Spirit" in Korea for 2 years in a row... yegads... I'm getting the chills just thinkin' about it.

Worf

 

[Peacoat]

Stop you're depressing the hell out of me... Winter exercises at Ft. Lost in the Woods Misery... Also "Team Spirit" in Korea for 2 years in a row... yegads... I'm getting the chills just thinkin' about it.

Worf

At least you have the memories; Air Force EM spend a four year tour and have no memories.

 

[too much coffee]

I used to teach the Feds' Instructor Assessment Course to military vets desiring to become instructors in the Sandbox. I would always ask them their former military branch of service and what their jobs were. Everytime one of these guys would say "Air Force" I would reply..."I asked what branch of the military you were in."
Sorry Phantomfixer!

 

[Peacoat]

I used to teach the Feds' Instructor Assessment Course to military vets desiring to become instructors in the Sandbox. I would always ask them their former military branch of service and what their jobs were. Everytime one of these guys would say "Air Force" I would reply..."I asked what branch of the military you were in."

Ouch.

 

[oneterrifichog]

Ok, Mess Hall, KP how can one forget......Kasernes in Darmstadt and Wiesbaden...Everybody in V-Corp claimed Elvis was here when I was stationed there in the late 60's and 70's.

I liked early Elvis work especially from early Blues. I think he had the same feel as many of the African American folks in Memphis and rural Mississippi.

 

[Fanch]

Ok, Mess Hall, KP how can one forget......Kasernes in Darmstadt and Wiesbaden...Everybody in V-Corp claimed Elvis was here when I was stationed there in the late 60's and 70's.

I liked early Elvis work especially from early Blues. I think he had the same feel as many of the African American folks in Memphis and rural Mississippi.

"Heartbreak Hotel" was one of Elvis' earliest and my favorite of all of his songs by a large margin. One can just feel the blues' beat that likely originated from Beale Street in Memphis. No question that Elvis' earliest songs were heavily influenced by the blues.

 

[Peacoat]

"Heartbreak Hotel" was one of Elvis' earliest and my favorite of all of his songs by a large margin. One can just feel the blues' beat that likely originated from Beale Street in Memphis. No question that Elvis' earliest songs were heavily influenced by the blues.

Heartbreak Hotel was his first hit. His first first commercial single was That'a AllRight Mama, originally written and released by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup--a straight 12 bar blues. I was too young for that one, but I do remember when Heartbreak Hotel was being played. It was so much different than anything else on the radio, it just hit me hard, and I was hooked on the "new" music.

Interestingly, years later I actually played the piano that Heartbreak Hotel was written on. Also got the story first hand from Mae Axton about the writing of the song and the subsequent pitching to the Colonel. She and Tommy Durden (co writer) naively thought they would pitch directly to Elvis. Not so. By that time the Colonel had taken over. He required them to agree to give Elvis 1/3 of the writers' credit before he would even let Elvis hear the song.

Back then, the writer only got one cent for each copy sold. If there were two writers involved, they each split that one penny. The publishing company also got one penny. The other .98 went to the record label for its cut and distribution to the artist. So even that early in Elvis' career, the Colonel was getting as much as he could squeeze out of people, even the poorly paid songwriters who were barely making a living from that one penny, or portion thereof. So, Mae, Tommy and the Colonel each got 1/3 of a penny for writers' credits for Heartbreak Hotel.

The law has changed and now the songwriters can actually make a decent living. A few weeks ago I was talking to a successful song writer here in Middle Tennessee who has had a bunch of hits for Crystal Gayle and others. He told me they are now paid up to seven cents per song, depending on how long it has been in circulation. I believe that is the gist of it. May be more complicated than that. But they now get a bunch more than that one penny.

I had heard a lot of stories about the Colonel, and when Mae told me about her first dealings with him, I knew they probably were all true.

 

[too much coffee]

Hi Peacoat............extremely interesting post. It's all about the history of prior events that sometimes are more fascinating than the events themselves.
That's really kicka$$ about playing that piano!

Did Sheryl Crow's homestead near you ever sell?

Regards,
coffee

 

[Fanch]

Heartbreak Hotel was his first hit. His first first commercial single was That'a AllRight Mama, originally written and released by Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup--a straight 12 bar blues. I was too young for that one, but I do remember when Heartbreak Hotel was being played. It was so much different than anything else on the radio, it just hit me hard, and I was hooked on the "new" music.

Interestingly, years later I actually played the piano that Heartbreak Hotel was written on. Also got the story first hand from Mae Axton about the writing of the song and the subsequent pitching to the Colonel. She and Tommy Durden (co writer) naively thought they would pitch directly to Elvis. Not so. By that time the Colonel had taken over. He required them to agree to give Elvis 1/3 of the writers' credit before he would even let Elvis hear the song.

Back then, the writer only got one cent for each copy sold. If there were two writers involved, they each split that one penny. The publishing company also got one penny. The other .98 went to the record label for its cut and distribution to the artist. So even that early in Elvis' career, the Colonel was getting as much as he could squeeze out of people, even the poorly paid songwriters who were barely making a living from that one penny, or portion thereof. So, Mae, Tommy and the Colonel each got 1/3 of a penny for writers' credits for Heartbreak Hotel.

The law has changed and now the songwriters can actually make a decent living. A few weeks ago I was talking to a successful song writer here in Middle Tennessee who has had a bunch of hits for Crystal Gayle and others. He told me they are now paid up to seven cents per song, depending on how long it has been in circulation. I believe that is the gist of it. May be more complicated than that. But they now get a bunch more than that one penny.

I had heard a lot of stories about the Colonel, and when Mae told me about her first dealings with him, I knew they probably were all true.

Peacoat, that was a very interesting post. I was hoping to make it to Lebanon (Wilson County) last week where my mom was reared while visiting my old stomping grounds of Chattanooga but didn't make it. All of my grandparents and great-grandparents on my mom's side are buried there, including my great-grandfather who was a colonel that fought in every major battle of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and was the only field officer to cross over Cemetery Ridge at the Battle of Gettysburg and return intact. He later became a Baptist minister.

 

[Treetopflyer]

This all reminds me that I have not heard of any good Elvis sightings in years. Last I heard he was working at a Burger King somewhere down South. That was about ten years ago.

 

[Peacoat]

This all reminds me that I have not heard of any good Elvis sightings in years. Last I heard he was working at a Burger King somewhere down South. That was about ten years ago.

Worry not. I have the inside scoop on that as well: He is living in a submarine off the coast of Australia along with Adolph Hitler and Amelia Earheart.

 

[Peacoat]

Hi Peacoat............extremely interesting post. It's all about the history of prior events that sometimes are more fascinating than the events themselves.
That's really kicka$$ about playing that piano!

Did Sheryl Crow's homestead near you ever sell?

Regards,
coffee

Don't think so. Haven't been by there in a while, but it was still on the market in June. She was initially asking 7.5 million, but I believe she had to drop the price. Recently she bought a new house just a little South of Nashville for 5.2 million, so I imagine she would like to move the properly in my community. Cash flow is probably more than a bit tight right now.

As to the piano, it sure is. I wish I had some pictures, but at the time I didn't think much about it. I was at Mae's house with two real musicians from California who were looking for a hit--aren't they all! The piano was in the living room, and I asked if I could play it. She very graciously said yes. When I finished, she said, well you have just made history. I didn't understand, so she told me I had just played the piano Heartbreak Hotel was written on. She then told me the story. I believe this was in the early to mid 80s. She died in the mid 90s.

 

[Peacoat]

Peacoat, that was a very interesting post. I was hoping to make it to Lebanon (Wilson County) last week where my mom was reared while visiting my old stomping grounds of Chattanooga but didn't make it. All of my grandparents and great-grandparents on my mom's side are buried there, including my great-grandfather who was a colonel that fought in every major battle of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia and was the only field officer to cross over Cemetery Ridge at the Battle of Gettysburg and return intact. He later became a Baptist minister.

Lebanon isn't that far from Chattanooga. Had you not wasted so much time with Wilbur there in Chattanooga, you would have had the time.

Interestingly Mae Axton is from your part of the country, Texas--as are many good songwriters and musicians. We have a saying here: "If it weren't for Texas, there wouldn't be a Nashville." She came up to Nashville by way of Oklahoma and then Florida where she was a high school English teacher. Life takes many unforeseen twists and turns.