Apparently it shows Elvis with Roy Orbison in Midland, TX in 1955. According to Cecil Holifield's son the photo got burned but some relative had a copy of it.
(What about the large medallion around Elvis's neck? It reminds me of the one he got as a gift from 14-year-old super-fan Carol Vanderleck backstage at Maple Leaf Gardens in Toronto, Canada on Tuesday, April 2, 1957 before the first show. )
Can anyone confirm the authenticity of this picture?
Thank you very much for your efforts and contributions in advance.
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"This photo was taken at Sam Phillip’s house on Menden Hall Road in Memphis in the late spring of 1957. Elvis is wearing a medallion he got in Ottawa, Canada from a fan on April 3rd and his hair is certainly 1957, dyed black. Roy Orbison is wearing his “Ooby Dooby” diamond ring and his hair is also dyed black. The photo was taken to Cecile Hollifield in Midland/Odessa by Roy himself. This was a nice souvenir for Hollifield to have, as he was friends with both singers and with Sam Phillips. Roy always said he met Elvis in Memphis on June 1st 1956 at the Overton Park Shell, so this picture is definitely 1957..."
Note Elvis got the medallion in Toronto, Canada on Tuesday, April 2, 1957.
That's the photo that Cecil gave me a copy of about 8 years ago and told me he had taken, albeit its much clearer and higher quality than the copy I have (he had Xeroxed it). Mine is a slightly different crop too. I got his permission to show it to Brian Peterson at the time who showed it to have been taken at Sam's house, not in Midland but we decided it wasn't worth arguing with Cecil about it, especially since it wasn't going to be published. Several people representing Roy's family contacted me about it soon after and I referred them to Cecil but I don't think he was happy about it and I've stayed out of it since. I hadn't heard anything about him until recently when some local TV weatherman to there wanted to do a story and I gave him the last contact info I had. He told me he had connected with his grandson Jay and was going to talk with Cecil. I don't know if this pic or copy came out of that but I don't doubt its legitimacy, just where and when Cecil thought it was taken.
the crop of my copy is represented by the black rectangle.
Brian grabbed a frame of the film taken at Sam's house Easter weekend in 57 and you can recognize the furniture, lamp and bottom of curtain (unseen in recent crop).
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That's the photo that Cecil gave me a copy of about 8 years ago and told me he had taken, albeit its much clearer and higher quality than the copy I have (he had Xeroxed it). Mine is a slightly different crop too. I got his permission to show it to Brian Peterson at the time who showed it to have been taken at Sam's house, not in Midland but we decided it wasn't worth arguing with Cecil about it, especially since it wasn't going to be published. Several people representing Roy's family contacted me about it soon after and I referred them to Cecil but I don't think he was happy about it and I've stayed out of it since. I hadn't heard anything about him until recently when some local TV weatherman to there wanted to do a story and I gave him the last contact info I had. He told me he had connected with his grandson Jay and was going to talk with Cecil. I don't know if this pic or copy came out of that but I don't doubt its legitimacy, just where and when Cecil thought it was taken.
the crop of my copy is represented by the black rectangle.
Brian grabbed a frame of the film taken at Sam's house Easter weekend in 57 and you can recognize the furniture, lamp and bottom of curtain (unseen in recent crop).
1. The Roy Orbison Facebook post claims that the photo was taken in the spring of 1957 at Sam's house.
2. Elvis looks as we would expect him to look in the spring of 1957.
3. Details in the photo are indeed from Sam's house. The video makes that clear.
4. If it is fake, it is certainly not a recent fake. This is the same photo that Cecil sent to James 8 years ago.
5. Cecil claims to have taken the photograph in 1955, but this is from 1957.
6. The Facebook post also claims that Roy gave the photo to Cecil, rather than Cecil taking it.
So, if the photo is genuine, the likely explanation seems to be that it was in the Holifield's family archive and Cecil wrongly remembered it as a photo that he had taken. Perhaps he always liked the idea that he'd taken what would be an historic photograph of two of the great performers of the 20th century. It would appear that he didn't.
Would be nice to have confirmation of Roy's presence at Sam's house. This would be an elaborate fake if fake though.
Interestingly, there is no recollection of Orbison there on Easter weekend, April 19-21, 1957. Not a frame of film, nor a single photo.
I don't know that he was though Brian wasn't implying that the photo was taken that weekend. The photo only shows that the room and furniture are the same as depicted in the film confirming the location as Sam's house which contradicts Cecil's belief that it was taken in Midland.
So, if the photo is genuine, the likely explanation seems to be that it was in the Holifield's family archive and Cecil wrongly remembered it as a photo that he had taken. Perhaps he always liked the idea that he'd taken what would be an historic photograph of two of the great performers of the 20th century. It would appear that he didn't.
Cecil had a lot of photos and memorabilia that had been lost, stolen, sold and given away over the years. He took a lot of the photos himself and as you suggest likely misremembered it as one that he had. The photo had been out and seen by others before I saw it. I believe Brian said Ernst had seen it, I know Peter Guralnick said he had, and if I remember correctly I told Heather Mozart about it back then in case she was interested in buying it and I think she said she had already seen it too but wasn't interested (don't quote me on that). I don't believe it to be fake.
Interestingly, there is no recollection of Orbison there on Easter weekend, April 19-21, 1957. Not a frame of film, nor a single photo.
I don't know that he was though Brian wasn't implying that the photo was taken that weekend. The photo only shows that the room and furniture are the same as depicted in the film confirming the location as Sam's house which contradicts Cecil's belief that it was taken in Midland.
So, if the photo is genuine, the likely explanation seems to be that it was in the Holifield's family archive and Cecil wrongly remembered it as a photo that he had taken. Perhaps he always liked the idea that he'd taken what would be an historic photograph of two of the great performers of the 20th century. It would appear that he didn't.
Cecil had a lot of photos and memorabilia that had been lost, stolen, sold and given away over the years. He took a lot of the photos himself and as you suggest likely misremembered it as one that he had. The photo had been out and seen by others before I saw it. I believe Brian said Ernst had seen it, I know Peter Guralnick said he had, and if I remember correctly I told Heather Mozart about it back then in case she was interested in buying it and I think she said she had already seen it too but wasn't interested (don't quote me on that). I don't believe it to be fake.
Thank you so much. Let's hope this puts the naysayers in their place.
Interestingly, there is no recollection of Orbison there on Easter weekend, April 19-21, 1957. Not a frame of film, nor a single photo.
Yes, very interesting. It would therefore suggest to a logical mind that he wasn't there on the above date. It doesn't however prevent Roy being there on a different date, does it?
That's the photo that Cecil gave me a copy of about 8 years ago and told me he had taken, albeit its much clearer and higher quality than the copy I have (he had Xeroxed it). Mine is a slightly different crop too. I got his permission to show it to Brian Peterson at the time who showed it to have been taken at Sam's house, not in Midland but we decided it wasn't worth arguing with Cecil about it, especially since it wasn't going to be published. Several people representing Roy's family contacted me about it soon after and I referred them to Cecil but I don't think he was happy about it and I've stayed out of it since. I hadn't heard anything about him until recently when some local TV weatherman to there wanted to do a story and I gave him the last contact info I had. He told me he had connected with his grandson Jay and was going to talk with Cecil. I don't know if this pic or copy came out of that but I don't doubt its legitimacy, just where and when Cecil thought it was taken.
the crop of my copy is represented by the black rectangle.
Brian grabbed a frame of the film taken at Sam's house Easter weekend in 57 and you can recognize the furniture, lamp and bottom of curtain (unseen in recent crop).
As always, appreciate your input. But how in the world could this be seen as from October 1955?
This is Elvis in October 1955:
Backstage with Bill Haley at Brooklyn High School, Cleveland - Thursday, October 20, 1955
Photo: Tommy Edwards
The next step, if we assume it's authentic, is to see if Roy was even in Memphis between April 8 and 26, 1957.
Given Elvis' appearance, that can be the only timeline. Orbison's most recent Sun session had been the previous December, and his next would not be until late June, when he demoed his co-write with Norman Petty, called "A True Love Goodbye."
. Dr. John Carpenter, M.D. Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
But how in the world could this be seen as from October 1955?
I don't know how clear his copy was only how clear mine wasn't but I suspect Cecil was not the detail oriented fan like many are. He was a friend of most/all of those artists and the photos represent personal memories to him, in this case one not completely accurate. I doubt he ever bothered to make a comparison of known pictures of Elvis in those years, or knew much about what medallions Elvis got or when he got them. Like I mentioned of Brian's and my objective at the time, it was not in our interest to correct or argue with him about whether he could've taken it or where/when it was taken. We were content to know he had it and kept those other opinions to ourselves.
I saw the pic on Jaun's page the other day too after doing a google search. He is evidently a Roy fan but I wonder where his copy came from. In the google search I saw that in was also a link to the Roy Orbison Instagram account but I don't have an account and couldn't access it so I don't know if he got it from them or vice verse. In any case I will have to make a note on the page about Cecil where its mentioned that the photo he has/had he believed to be from October of 55 is in error. Hopefully that will prevent further confusion for some about the existence of another photo, or at least that page as the/a source of confusion. I'll let stand though as written what Cecil believes/d.
Also, my understanding is the Orbison demo session for "A True Love Goodbye" happened on 6-23-1957 (Sun).
Colin Escott on Bear Family Records "Roy Orbison The Sun Years" CD have 'A True Love Goodbye' recorded on October 1957
And of course the point of that specific date for the demo session is to quell any suggestion the photo might have been taken after Presley returned from his Hollywood work that summer.
Have some questions for you, little buddy.
Does your CD indicate that this was a full-band recording, not a solo demo of the song? Does it mention the session date as October 16, 1957? Does it make note that Roy is joined by Roland Janes (guitar), Stan Kesler (bass), Otis Jett (drums), Jimmy Wilson (piano) and Martin Willis [saxophone)?
Because it should.
. Dr. John Carpenter, M.D. Stop, look and listen, baby <<--->> that's my philosophy!
