Very sadly, it is possible, even probable, Jimmy Ellis never fully realised the enormity and significance of his impact as a recording and performing artist! The answer is: ONE! With Jerry Adams, Sharon Attaway Nettleton, Gail Brewer-Giorgio, Boomer Castleman. We have just received an intro and preview clip from the up coming documentary "Orion The Movie". In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. Real Name: James Hughes Bell Profile: James Hughes Bell (February 26, 1945 - December 12, 1998), stage name Orion (based on the character from the same-titled book by Gail Brewer-Giorgio ), was an American singer. The CDs are offered on the official web site: www.orionjimmyellis.com. The album cover itself generated controversy because it depicted a phantom singer rising from a coffin, and was later withdrawn. I am always on the lookout for Orion/Jimmy Ellis concerts that I dont have. Many years later, I recorded four songs at Stargem Studios in Nashville, the same studio Jimmy had also recorded at earlier. His first two singles were covers of two of the Kings former hits, Thats All Right and Blue Moon of Kentucky.. Chet came back and said: Bobby, he sounds the same on all of them. They were sung in the same style in which Elvis would have sung them. [3], In 1978, writer Gail Brewer-Giorgio published a novel, Orion, about a leading popular singer based on Presley who faked his death. Popular Ellis/Orion bootleg releases included titles such as Crazy on the Blue Danube and Jimmy In A Viennese Cellar. http://www.elvisinfonet.com/spotlight-orion-2014.html, The Tonight Show from NY with Jimmy Fallon. 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. Running time: 86 minutes in full colour. The controversial 'Reborn' album with its "coffin" cover. Jimmy Ellis Also known as Orion. This blog is for preview purposes only and all music downloaded should be deleted within 24 hours. Bobby D.: Jimmy Ellis and I met in college at age 18 in 1963. Newspaper adverts and reports of his numerous appearances also very much appreciated. The Dan Lentino Management Group in Las Vegas is honoring Orion / Jimmy Ellis posthumously with a lifetime achievement award. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. When Jimmy Ellis decided to give up the horse business and decided to go after a singing career, he sold his horse equipment and formed a company called Jimmy Ellis Productions, INC. Here he sold stock in himself as he needed money before going to L.A. and pursue singing. [3] Well, he then said: no, its that guy, pointing to the guy sitting on the bed. Jimmy was a really good guitar player and very musically inclined. Orion's mystique and allure was so universally popular among fans that Orion singles and albums were released in Europe and "downunder" in Australia. Watch the stunning trailer for Orion The Man Who Would Be King. And, after I heard Jimmy, I knew I was not.>. : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Orion was well-known in the sixties and seventies for having a singing voice. One of them, a tall guy with a buzzed haircut, was sitting on a single bed by an old record player and a reel-to-reel tape recorder. Bobby D.: It was a pleasure. How many Elvis tribute artists have a fan club with more than 15,000 members? 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 wanted better recording material (new songs) and production sound in other studios but Sun (Shelby Singleton) would not agree. Ellis hair and long sideburns were dyed black, and he dressed in a loud, bejeweled polyester jumpsuit, with a mask to protect him from crazed fans. 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. Published by Flaming Star The official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Norway. There is a new film about Orion being made by the talented moviemaker from England, Jeanie Finlay. As Orion, Ellis reached Billboard's country chart with nine singles. His first two singles were covers of two of the King's former hits, "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky." The upcoming Orion documentary being done by Jeanie Finley in England should broaden exposure. In high school his teachers encouraged him to sing for the school's "Religious Emphasis Week," leading him to enter his first talent contest in 1963. These songs has appeared on other compilations or a collection of songs. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presleys label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. Who was he? Again, he was who he was period. had 10 Top 100 hits on the Country Music Chart in the US! EIN: Your friendship with Jimmy Ellis. It has 408 pages, harcover and a CD included with some of Jimmy's finest performances and also unreleased gems from the archives of Sun Records. They are remembered for their hit single "Disco Inferno" (1976). Kenneth Dokkeberg. However, after failing to retain his popularity using his real name, he returned to performing as Orion in 1987. He and I were alike in that respect. That one along with the first original album now on CD - Orion Reborn are offered for $8.95 each. had a stage presence which entranced his fans, did not want want to be an Elvis imitator, for most of his career did not make a living singing and performing Elvis songs, had fans who travelled (often as a family) up to 500 miles to see him perform, is the only Elvis stylist to have had an album replaced due to controversy, is the only Elvis stylist to have a best-selling book published about his persona. This is a fan site. In the 2006 EIN article, A Tribute to the "Masked Man": Jimmy Ellis aka "Orion", I observed: Of course his friends knew him from his early days as a child and when he started out as a singer, but this didn't stop the promoters of the "Elvis is alive" conspiracy theory. Our biography book on Jimmy Ellis is now available here on this website! EIN: Jimmy Ellis, the person.away from the stage or recording studio. Artist of the Year Theme by Foxhound Band Themes. Bobby knew a lot of people in the business and was a producer for King Records at one time. NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. Ellis first album appearance for Sun was as an unidentified singer singing duet with Jerry Lee Lewis on ten tracks of the 1978 album Duets (Sun 1011). 2. Posted by dokkeberg@hotmail.com in Top, Uncategorized and tagged as, 0 Comments / Bobby had recorded Otis Redding and Wayne Cochran plus many local bands. For the soul singer, member of The Trammps, please see Jimmy Ellis (2) Sites: Wikipedia, orionjimmyellis.com, oriondiscs.com Aliases: He started the album on the record player to play Echoes of Love. Scheduled for release next year is Jeanne Finlay's intriguing film, Orion: The Man Who Would Be King, and also due for release in 2015 is a radio documentary about southern USA music which includes a segment about the Jimmy "Orion" Ellis story. What exactly happened? Perhaps critically, Jimmy had made a decision that a sporting future wasn't to shape the his story, and in so doing his future would be frustratingly shaped by his vocal chords as Jimmy's singing voice sounded remarkably like Elvis'. The record got a little airplay in Macon, GA in 1964. Dradco will release a 6 CD set in 2018 to commemorate the 20th anniversary since Jimmys passing. 'My voice is both a blessing and a curse' (Jimmy Ellis/Orion during media interview), Controversial Sun Records 1978 Orion 'Reborn' (coffin) album cover. Sundance Selects acquires Orion: The Man Who Would Be King for US Theatrical release. His birth certificate states the mother was a secretary named Gladys Bell, and the father was Vernon (no surname). In a town steeped in strange success stories, hidden agendas, and dashed dreams, Orion's tale is one of the most curious ever to originate in Music City USA--which is saying something. Scan of the German cassette release LET YOUR LOVE FLOW on the Sun/Bellaphon label. The albums were quite popular, and Orion had three Top 70 hits, including Am I That Easy to Forget. He had four minor hits the following year, including the contemporary rockabilly song Crazy Little Thing Called Love, originally recorded by the rock group Queen. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. '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. ~ Sandra Brennan, Rovi. He left Sun Records, never again appearing to the public as Orion. The crew had also made a pretty decent copy of the blue mask Orion wore on the Reborn album. Jimmy Hodges "Orion" Ellis Sr. Jimmy was an accomplished songwriter who could write uptempo, slow and country songs as recordings such as the rockin' Washing Machine, poignant ballad It Ain't No Mystery and catchy, toe tapping Some You Win, Some You Lose, attest to. He could laugh about most anythinghe was alot of fun at home and especially on stage!! 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. Being in a band, we did some Elvis songs, and I was a big fan and knew Elvis voice well. Just before noon, he decided to go by his pawn shop to check on things. The label credited the recordings simply to "? 'Elvis: From Louisiana and Memphis 1976' FTD In-depth Review: FTD continues their extensive look at Elvis' performances in 1976 with three July 1976 concerts. It is hold together by a stitch in the upper left corner. If he sounds different on them, I will know he is faking. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYuszmPq3lw, "Orion" by Gail Brewer-Giorgio (Hardcover 1979). Elvis Presley, Elvis and Graceland are trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises. This boxed set documents Orion's career on the legendary Sun Records label. You can make comments on the tab provided, or on Facebook at "Orion Jimmy Ellis Fan Club" or "Orion Jimmy Ellis Group". The world lost a great singer. 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. Youmans formed a small group and had Jimmy sing at a few local schools. Anyway, he got that voice from somewhere in his original family.not from Sears, as he once said. Jimmy "Orion" Ellis, also known as James Hughes Bell was an American Singer. It's the story of a masked. Thank you very much!! Well, once all the other guys left, Jimmy and I sang until late in the night with me strumming a small red guitar he had borrowed and Jimmy and I singing Elvis and Beatles songs. 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!!!". Excitement - Orion (Jimmy Ellis) was fun loving, had a great sense of humor, and a great personality. On Monday I carried his CDs to work and played them throughout the day. EIN: The Jimmy Ellis story "lives on". Orion had several hits on the country music chart, including "Am I That Easy to Forget" (1980), "Rockabilly Rebel" (1981), and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (1981). We have a limited supply of this1979 hardcover version of the book "Orion" by Gail Brewer-Giorgio. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRx7ice15YY, Backed by the Jordanaires and opening act Sherry Carlisle, Orion sang to a packed house on August 12, 1997 at Nashville's Nightlife Theater. Backed by the Jordanaires and opening act Sherry Carlisle, Orion sang to a packed house on August 12, 1997 at Nashville's Nightlife Theater. New 2016 DVD release of the award winning documentary on the life and career of Jimmy Ellis. We let Bobby hear the record and he liked it but he said that it was too much like Presley, and he didnt think he could do anything with Jimmy.a huge mistake. How many Elvis tribute artists have had 10 Top 100 hits on the Country Music Chart? Bobby D: Jimmy Ellis was actually the same off stage as he was on stage. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: fanoscoatings.com, +62218463662, +62218463274, +622189841479, +62231320713, +623185584958 Home - FANOS ASIA Bobby D.: Basically he was very happy to get all the publicity from all the albums and live shows Sun Records provided, but he did not like wearing the mask. It was issued on Sun without an artist name, and created a furor because Ellis bore such an uncanny vocal resemblance to Elvis. Jim Highley. 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. Bobby D.: Jimmy never commented about the LP coffin cover to me, but he was not hot on the mask gimmick from the start. Scan of the Plantation Records cassette release 16 AWARD WINNING COUNTRY SONGS. I had just talked to him on Friday December 11. So, I have kept the site going since 1998. Details of songs performed at any of the listed shows would be especially welcome. Shawn. Went to Lanier Sr., a great all boys public, military high school. I responded: gosh Jimmy what if I did. Again, the speculation was that Elvis had sung on the songs, particularly "Save the Last Dance for Me". We only index and link to content provided on other servers. Bobby D.: Not very much except recording at home when the mood strikes. He said, "Don't worry about it, you don't buy the fuckin records anyway." I never gave up music and a friend and I played at a local pub for extra money while finishing school. All three men were apprehended. He also recorded several albums for Sun between 1979 and 1981 and built up a substantial live following, still wearing his mask. As they say all PR is good PR! Offered here is a two sheet info about the partnership which was presented to the stockholder. James Hodges Ellis (born James Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 - December 12, 1998), who used the stage name Orion at times in his career, was an American singer. For unofficial publicity purposes Orion continued to strike a favorite pose for the cover of: (one of nearly 150 'unofficial' Jimmy Ellis/Orion/Ellis James albums - with a striking but obvious graphically altered 'rip-off' cover design/image of the "reborn" Sun Records "Reborn" LP - as with its origination - Orion's facial expression on the cover nicely reflects the album title), The Comeback.While Jimmy probably never wanted to resurrect the Orion character, there was an inevitable comeback. We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. The book has been a huge task with 12+ years of research. Scans of the COUNTRY FROM THE HEART CD on the Lanier Records label. I was in a small band named the Catalinas in Macon, GA my hometown and loved music. Jimmy Ellis (Orion) - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me (live 1989) 21,230 views Nov 5, 2014 218 Dislike Kenneth Dokkeberg 677 subscribers Jimmy "Orion" Ellis live at Hillbilly Heaven on. EIN: Bobby, many thanks for taking time to talk to us today. [3], Singleton tore off his mask at a performance in 1983, saying he would not wear it again. Thanks, Nigel!! I miss him a lot! The jury recommended Lee be sentenced to life without parole, but the judge sentenced Lee to death. 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. EIN often receives requests for information on these releases. 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. Copyright the Elvis Information Network. Bobby D.: Not really. This blog does not store any files on its server. 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." A couple of songs can be heard at the URLs below. For the next 10 years Jimmy would balance music and his business interests. Could you clarify who was working with him that day? 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. Welcome also would be details of his concert performances in the U.S.A. and Europe. Jimmy was very happy we did this and he liked getting a periodic check for CD sales. Jimmy continued, commmenting on the frustration he felt when he would have to stop the recording session because Shelby Singleton had arranged for a tour group to come through the studio: Now, what's the priority. He released the Country, Rockabilly, and Glory albums in 1980, along with Trio Plus, which featured Orions voice overdubbed on old cuts with Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Charlie Rich. Leave a comment or question, Jimmy Fallon made a mention of Orion and played snippets of Washing Machine on his show Monday, April 7, 2014. [4] Aged two, he moved with his mother to Birmingham, Alabama, where he was put up for adoption and, aged four, was adopted by R. F. and Mary Faye (nee Hodges) Ellis. This site is very much a "work in progress" and is being updated all the time. In an, Georgia Pines CD - Playground Records Promo Card. 17 Comments / EIN: Jimmys first Orion album, Reborn. One of the guys asked me if I knew who that was singing on the tape recorder. Leave a comment or question. Some listeners believed that Orion was, in fact, Presley, who had supposedly faked his death. 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. EIN:One of the incredible things about Jimmy and his Orion alter-ego is that there were around 150 bootleg recordings of his studio and live recordings released. He appeared as Orion Eckley Darnell, the character created August 16, 1977, by a Marietta [Georgia], housewife Gail Brewer-Giorgo. is the only Elvis stylist to have merchandise and memorabilia released (still sold online in 2014! Raised in Orrville, Alabama, Ellis began his recording career in 1964. There is no media rate for international shipping, but we are covering part of the high shipping cost. Listeners of Orion were initially split into two camps: those who knew that Orion was Jimmy Ellis just having some fun sounding like Elvis , and others who sincerely believed or wanted to believe that he was truly Elvis coming back on the scene after faking his own death. EIN: Bobby, you currently have a special offer on the site. ): I continued with my Human Resources career for many years and retired in the mountains of NC two years ago. 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. Similarly, there was an incontrovertible and diametrically opposed outcome for each side. My mom had bought me GI Blues and a new record player when I was only 10 years old and I would try to play some of the songs and sing. Cover scans of any CD's on the unofficial Orion Records label. Before we talk about your friendship with Jimmy Ellis, who is Bobby D? Given you have a great singing voice why didnt you pursue a recording/performing career? 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! That was December 4, 1998 - The Nightlife Theatre in Nashville, TNwhat a show!!! MYSTERY MASKED MAN WITH THE VOICE OF A LEGEND. Bobby D.: The gimmick of Orion lasted about 3 years. The guys in the room were mostly the colleges basketball players. A Tribute to the "Masked Man": Jimmy Ellis aka "Orion". EIN: Listening to My Special Angel and Hes Got You it is apparent that you also have a singing voice very similar Elvis. Is that your natural singing voice? Ellis made a public confession in 1983 admitting he was Orion. Around the same time, Ellis released another single under his name, "I'm Not Trying To Be Like Elvis", and an album, By Request Ellis Sings Elvis. How many other Elvis tribute artists have book, film and radio documentary adaptations of their story? We hope that thisweb site will in some way bring to light thetalent of Jimmy Ellis (Orion) and that it will bring you, as fans, or as new comers, joy through the love of his music and his short life on this earth. 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". The film is being produced by Jeanie Finlay, a British artist and filmaker. That's not recording. Bobby D.: Actually, I know there are bootleg ones out there, but Im not familiar with all of them. Two of the many Orion items still being sold in 2014: ----------------------------------------------------------------------. Directors Statement Who was that masked man? Besides, I had childhood issues that I was not good enough. Bobby D.: I loved music but needed to use my education to pay the bills. "Mr. Ellis never had time to do nothing or say nothing," Dallas County Sheriff Harris Huffman Jr. told APB News. he wears as mask
Solve the mystery and then use a smartphone or GPS device to navigate to the solution coordinates. The sale is temporary to offer fans who missed these CDs the first time around a real deal. 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. Singleton then persuaded Ellis to start appearing as "Orion", wearing a small mask with dyed hair and in similar clothing to that worn by Presley. EIN:Bobby D. its been great talking with you. So I said: come on, thats Elvis I have the album. Official site; Kenneth Dokkeberg's Jimmy Ellis / Orion website; Musiclovers - Discography, audio samples and a lot more! $11.99. Elaine was sitting on a stool behind the counter top to the left of the entrance door and Jimmy was standing some feet away also behind the counter. It has hundreds of unseen photos, interviews with musicians and other people close to Jimmy. 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. Oct 7, 2013 - Orion Jimmy Ellis - The Official Web Site. He once said: you cant make it on someone elses coattail. A year prior, Jimmy Ellis voice had been overdubbed with Jerry Lee Lewis on an old single from the Sun archives, Save the Last Dance for Me; on it, Ellis was billed only as Friend. The single made the Top 20 and caused quite a stir as listeners tried to guess the mysterious Friends identity. At first with all the attention he was getting, Im sure he had fun with it but he really wanted to be known as himself and not try to fool people into thinking he might be Elvis Presley. Feb 6, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by Patricia Milligan. Pinterest. In his insightful interview, Bobby D. reveals what (the real) Jimmy Ellis was like off-stage and covers a range of subjects including: Bobby D. operates the official Jimmy Ellis/Orion website and is a singer himself. 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. To see the film clip andmake a donation, pleaseclick on the link below. $4.00 shipping. For a proud man who had so much wanted recognition as Jimmy Ellis - not Elvis Presley - we can only imagine how galling and emotionally and psychologically scarring this was!. You can see the trailer for the movie and back the project here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orion-the-man-who-would-be-king. On December 12, 1998, Jimmy Ellis and his ex-wife were both shot and killed by a man who was robbing his pawnshop in Alabama. How many Elvis tribute artists have several websites devoted to them. 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! So, thats how Jimmy Ellis and I met and became lifelong friends. Artefact from Shelby Singleton's personal collection.conspiracy theorists, note the date! Pictures and track listings are shown below of the titles I have managed to source. . Mr. He began by overdubbing him onto recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, and Charlie Rich, and then recording solo albums which many fans thought were better than many of Elvis's later LPs. I often wonder what that would have done for Jimmys career since Phil Walden was nationally known. 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. (much like how each of Elvis' jumpsuits had its own name): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, Orion (Jimmy Ellis) with (also in character) members of supergroup KISS, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Jimmy just could not help that he sounded like someone else EP. 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. 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. No breach of copyright is intended or should be inferred.
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