Elvis' 1968 Home Demo --> Another Mystery?

[drjohncarpenter]

The Presley recording of "Danny" was not known to the public until ten years after this home demo.

Conway Twitty's re-do as "Lonely Blue Boy" was a top ten hit in 1960. And young Donna Lewis was a huge music fan, as her precise diary entries prove.

So, no, Elvis is likely not singing "Danny."

Cliff Richard recorded Danny back in 1959. It was on his first album that same year:

More recordings for Danny in 1959:
10-02-59 - Cliff Richard (LP);
00-02-59 - Marty Wilde (Philips PB 926);
00-06-59 - Gene Bua (Warner Bros 5098);
00-08-59 - Danny Jordan (Climax 106.

The version by Elvis is the original version.

Elvis' may be the original recording, but it appears Cliff Richard's album track, issued on 1959's Cliff, is the first version released.

All the releases you list in your post are U.K. artists and, as already noted, would have been unknown to either Elvis or a Memphis teenager almost ten years later.

Of course, if the tape ever surfaces we will have a definitive answer!

[Rockin_John]

Just have Cisco ask Ernst if this lead was investigated by him?

[drjohncarpenter]

Any more new info on the home recordings doc?

A full ten years on, a damn decade, and devoted fans have . . . nothing.

I suspect this is the way the story will end up.

Oh well, at least we'll always have Sun 223, August 13, 1955.


'

[Keith]

Oh well, at least we'll always have Sun 223, August 13, 1955.


'

Wow. So a home recording of Elvis from August 13 1955 singing 'Mystery Train' exists?

Keith

[drjohncarpenter]

Oh well, at least we'll always have Sun 223, August 13, 1955.


'

Wow. So a home recording of Elvis from August 13 1955 singing 'Mystery Train' exists?

Keith

Hope you feel better soon, Keith.

[Keith]

Oh well, at least we'll always have Sun 223, August 13, 1955.


'

Wow. So a home recording of Elvis from August 13 1955 singing 'Mystery Train' exists?

Keith

Hope you feel better soon, Keith.

Thank you John, I appreciate that sentiment, and I mean that

Keith

[drjohncarpenter]

Hope you feel better soon, Keith.

Thank you John, I appreciate that sentiment, and I mean that

Keith

Nothing is more important than one's health. Keep the faith, you will get there.

[Gary Crawford]

If anything rare and unreleased has surfaced in the last few years that has ended up in Ernst's possession it would potentially be held back for a 50th Anniversary release in 2027. However, can't say I'm very hopefully on that front. There are bound to be some unreleased tapes (particularly home recordings and rehearsals) in the hands of private collectors. I also would think very unlikely Billy Smith would be sitting on unreleased tapes that he is unwilling to share particularly for the right amount of money. Given that he and others have shared very private memories in books, interviews etc and I don't mean that in a judgemental way but just being realistic. A lot of the guys had to hock specific gifts Elvis gave them which would have arguably held more sentimental value than some home recordings. It also seems likely for those that did have tapes they would have been more likely to have already sold them to one of the very rich private collectors who we are told offer bigger sums of money than Ernst has at his disposal.

Hope I am wrong though and something surfaces in the future, but to refer to another thread, I think an attic find is probably more likely at this stage.

[Greg1995]

I've heard that there is an unpublished 1958 home recording recorded at home of King Creole co-star Jan Shephard - "birthday tape". Elvis sings songs like "Treat Me Nice" and "Long Tall Sally".

It's unverified - the information comes from a German fanclub owner who claimed he'd heard it. I'm working on this tape possibility.

[moonandback]

If anything rare and unreleased has surfaced in the last few years that has ended up in Ernst's possession it would potentially be held back for a 50th Anniversary release in 2027. However, can't say I'm very hopefully on that front. There are bound to be some unreleased tapes (particularly home recordings and rehearsals) in the hands of private collectors. I also would think very unlikely Billy Smith would be sitting on unreleased tapes that he is unwilling to share particularly for the right amount of money. Given that he and others have shared very private memories in books, interviews etc and I don't mean that in a judgemental way but just being realistic. A lot of the guys had to hock specific gifts Elvis gave them which would have arguably held more sentimental value than some home recordings. It also seems likely for those that did have tapes they would have been more likely to have already sold them to one of the very rich private collectors who we are told offer bigger sums of money than Ernst has at his disposal.

Hope I am wrong though and something surfaces in the future, but to refer to another thread, I think an attic find is probably more likely at this stage.

Do the august 14/15 1974 rehearsals exist on tape?

[drjohncarpenter]

I've heard that there is an unpublished 1958 home recording recorded at home of King Creole co-star Jan Shephard - "birthday tape". Elvis sings songs like "Treat Me Nice" and "Long Tall Sally".

It's unverified - the information comes from a German fanclub owner who claimed he'd heard it. I'm working on this tape possibility.

Written extensively about this home party thrown by actress Dolores Hart, a surprise celebrating "King Creole" co-star Jan Shepard's birthday. It happened at Hart's home on Hazeltine Avenue in the Sherman Oaks section of Los Angeles.

There are photographs and a home movie from the event. Never has anyone ever claimed recordings were made, and no microphones or recorders are seen in any of the photos or the film.

From Dolores' autobiography:

The last time I saw Elvis was at the birthday party I gave for Jan Shepard at the Hazeltine house. I invited Elvis and warned him that he had to be on time because it was a surprise party. He said he would try, though I didn’t think he would come. But on the night of the party he was there, on time, laden with gifts and, of course, his guitar. For most of the evening, we had a private Presley concert. I dragged out the clarinet, and we played duets of “Danny Boy” and Grandpa’s favorite tune, “Whispering”. Elvis went into the army when Creole wrapped.

- The Ear of the Heart, p. 74

Elvis is seen at the piano and playing a guitar, and is also known to have sung "Arrivederci Roma" that afternoon. But again, no recordings. The story is almost certainly false.

On a bright note, Jan turned 96 three weeks ago!

More here:

Jan Shepard Birthday Party -> February 22, 1958
https://www.elvis-collectors.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=38004