Memphis albums: Elvis at his most authentic?

[epf]

For some reason i tend to like the albums recorded in Memphis best, be it Sun records or the Jungle Room Sessions and everything that lies inbetween. Sometimes i get the feeling that Elvis just gave that little bit extra most of the time when recording in Memphis, with the exception of the first Stax session, though i really dig the musicianship that the musicians displayed on that occasion. For that reason ROR has found a soft spot in my collection.

Also, i believe that Elvis just gave that little bit extra when perfoming in Memphis, though the decline through the years is obvious. But, as Elvis himself said, By God, he was gonna show them.

I would love a comprehensive overlook of his achievements (1969 not to be forgotten) in Memphis, for i got the feeling that most of the material he cut in Memphis gives you a blueprint of what the man was all about, save for most of the gospels. Also, Elvis Is Back is an album where you can sense that extra input.

What are your thoughts on this? Agree or disagree and why?

[George Smith]

There's certainly an intriguing list of projects from Memphis ...
** The Sun Recordings
** The Russwood Park Concert
** The Million Dollar Quartet
** The 1961 Concerts
** The American Recordings
** The Stax Sessions
** The 1974 Concert
** The Graceland Sessions
... to name but the most obvious and a few of these would be included in any "Best Of" list.

Whether Elvis consciously gave more because it was his hometown I couldn't say but certainly there is an intensity to the Sun and the American sessions because so much was riding on them.

The 1956 and 1961 gigs were key moments too and it would be fabulous to hear tapes of these.

[KingOfTheJungle]

There's certainly an intriguing list of projects from Memphis ...
** The Sun Recordings
** The Russwood Park Concert
** The Million Dollar Quartet
** The 1961 Concerts
** The American Recordings
** The Stax Sessions
** The 1974 Concert
** The Graceland Sessions
... to name but the most obvious and a few of these would be included in any "Best Of" list.

Whether Elvis consciously gave more because it was his hometown I couldn't say but certainly there is an intensity to the Sun and the American sessions because so much was riding on them.

The 1956 and 1961 gigs were key moments too and it would be fabulous to hear tapes of these.

It has always been a dream of mine that a tape of the Russwood Park show would surface.