Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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ekenee
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Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

#459274

Post by ekenee »

I just wonder, given the fact that collectors that have rare tapes and acetates of Elvis buy this stuff and just sit on it, that it's probable that very very rare photo's exist of some very early Elvis performances, that have yet to see the light of day.

For example:

1945 Fair performance of Old shep.
-----------
1952-53 talent show performances at Humes High.

Surely the yearbook photographer would have been there to take pics of all the performers, even if they didn't make it into the yearbook.
--------------
And still no photo evidence of the first Overton park show.
Obviously someone took Elvis' picture backstage, so he must have been captured while singing at either the afternoon or night show.
With a large crowd at this venue, it would seem possible someone could have filmed at least a portion of this with an 8mm movie camera too.




Luuk

Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

#459284

Post by Luuk »

Glenn Miller went missing in 1944. In the 1990's lots of acetates were discovered featuring radio shows from 1939-1942. Then another bunch was discovered with recordings made at Abbey Road for war propaganda broadcasts.
So who knows what's still to be discovered on Elvis. However, I do not expect it to be this lifetime, unless I live to be 120 years old.



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bc55
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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by bc55 »

ekenee wrote:I just wonder, given the fact that collectors that have rare tapes and acetates of Elvis buy this stuff and just sit on it, that it's probable that very very rare photo's exist of some very early Elvis performances, that have yet to see the light of day.

For example:

1945 Fair performance of Old shep.
I've seen a photo of this - it was taken for the newspaper and it's in one of my Elvis books - can't recall which one though .....
ekenee wrote: 1952-53 talent show performances at Humes High.

Surely the yearbook photographer would have been there to take pics of all the performers, even if they didn't make it into the yearbook. .
This I doubt will ever surface ..... if there was a photo taken.
ekenee wrote: And still no photo evidence of the first Overton park show.
Obviously someone took Elvis' picture backstage, so he must have been captured while singing at either the afternoon or night show.
With a large crowd at this venue, it would seem possible someone could have filmed at least a portion of this with an 8mm movie camera too.
Yes, that would be something like finding the holy grail ( wait, it's underneath the Louvré in Paris, right ) ?!??!

It also surprises me that no more pictures were taken during Elvis' SUN sessions. There's a few publicity shots etc., but not a full series of pictures from one and the same session ..... or is there ?

Cheers

BC55


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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

#459311

Post by nigel »

bc55 is correct. The photo of Elvis WEARING GLASSES!!! at the 1945 Tupelo Fair Youth Contest is in the Bill Burk book, Early Elvis: The Tupelo Years. The accompanying story and other photos dispel the enduring myth that Elvis won a prize that day. In fact he finished 5th.

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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by Scarre »

nigel wrote:bc55 is correct. The photo of Elvis WEARING GLASSES!!! at the 1945 Tupelo Fair Youth Contest is in the Bill Burk book, Early Elvis: The Tupelo Years. The accompanying story and other photos dispel the enduring myth that Elvis won a prize that day. In fact he finished 5th.

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IIRC...the pic has been posted on this MB too...or was it perhaps on the old MB.



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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

#459331

Post by Steve Morse »

The Memphis Recording Service book on Tupelo has the clearest picture of Elvis at the 1945 talent show, lined-up with the other prize winners.

Their first book has a picture (back stage) of the July 30th 1954 Overton Park show.

I'm not at home so, can't check precisely.

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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by ekenee »

I think ya'll may have mis-read my post.
The key word is "performance".
What I was asking about was photo's taken during the performance.
Is there really a glasses shot of Elvis while singing?

Is it possible that these have been discovered and somene is just holding on to them?



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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by ColinB »

Luuk wrote:Glenn Miller went missing in 1944. In the 1990's lots of acetates were discovered featuring radio shows from 1939-1942.
Then another bunch was discovered with recordings made at Abbey Road for war propaganda broadcasts.
Were they produced by George Martin ?


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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by tcb1977 »

could somebody post some photos?



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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by KingOfTheJungle »

ekenee wrote: 1952-53 talent show performances at Humes High.

Surely the yearbook photographer would have been there to take pics of all the performers, even if they didn't make it into the yearbook.
I believe you may be referring to the "The Annual Minstrel Music Program". I have seen a picture from the Minstrel show at Humes from the year AFTER Elvis was in it, and all of the kids were made to wear blackface makeup. So if there are pictures out there of Elvis wearing blackface, I would rather they stay in the hands of private collectors, as I think Elvis's critics would have a field day with such images.


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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by drjohncarpenter »

KingOfTheJungle wrote:I believe you may be referring to the "The Annual Minstrel Music Program". I have seen a picture from the Minstrel show at Humes from the year AFTER Elvis was in it, and all of the kids were made to wear blackface makeup. So if there are pictures out there of Elvis wearing blackface, I would rather they stay in the hands of private collectors, as I think Elvis's critics would have a field day with such images.
Not every student wore blackface at such a show, it was likely relegated to a production number, not individual performances.


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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by ekenee »

KingOfTheJungle wrote:
ekenee wrote: 1952-53 talent show performances at Humes High.

Surely the yearbook photographer would have been there to take pics of all the performers, even if they didn't make it into the yearbook.
I believe you may be referring to the "The Annual Minstrel Music Program". I have seen a picture from the Minstrel show at Humes from the year AFTER Elvis was in it, and all of the kids were made to wear blackface makeup. So if there are pictures out there of Elvis wearing blackface, I would rather they stay in the hands of private collectors, as I think Elvis's critics would have a field day with such images.
I am not sure. Didn't Elvis perform in front of the Humes High class at least twice, once in the 11th grade and once in the 12th grade, or twice as a senior? I thought they had just an old fashioned talent show that you had to enter and the winner got an encore, which I believe he did one time. He sang, "cold cold icey fingers", and "til I waltz again with you", not sure of the song order. You would think they would have snapped a photo of the winner during their encore??

Of course the Kurt Russel version he sang "old shep", but that could be correct too, if for example he sang that at the minstral show.
I wonder if any of this stuff will ever be sorted out.
Is there any info on the talents shows from Burke's book on the Humes high years?



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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

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Post by drjohncarpenter »

ekenee wrote:Didn't Elvis perform in front of the Humes High class at least twice, once in the 11th grade and once in the 12th grade, or twice as a senior?
Elvis' sole appearance in front of the student body at Humes High School came on Thursday, April 9, 1953.


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Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

#459610

Post by ColinB »

The earliest 'performing' photo I could find:


Image


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memphisflash

Re: Photo evidence of first times Elvis performed?

#459634

Post by memphisflash »

ColinB wrote:The earliest 'performing' photo I could find:


Image

Damn !! And it's in color too !!! Amazing !!!!!, be fast and hide it, otherwise I'm sure it pops up in the next book combi by the 'Memphis Recording Service' :D


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