Grand Ole Opry 1957 (updated)

[davide]

de

[claude 91]

wonderful thank you very much David

[JamesVRoy]

1.
The Wilson Brothers

The Wilburn brothers, not Wilson
Otherwise, cool! you've had some nice compilations, always nice to credit the sources when you can though

[davide]

1.
The Wilson Brothers

The Wilburn brothers, not Wilson
Otherwise, cool! you've had some nice compilations, always nice to credit the sources when you can though

Thanks james, I'll work on the credits as soon as possible

[hilton22000]

Great post, like always. Thank you very much

One notification: Elvis and The Colonel visited the Governor Frank Clement before Grand Ole Opry.

[drjohncarpenter]

Great post! You might want to edit your title -- it's the "Grand Ole Opry."

[Monique]

Great job! Loved to read it. This is the first time I noticed the pants he's wearing in the first 3 pictures; looks like leather to me.

[Rocker]

Great work !

Hank Snow introduced Elvis on October 2, 1954 when he appeared on Hank's portion of the Grand Ole Opry. Colonel Tom Parker was Hank Snow's manager and the two were partners in Hank Snow Enterprises and Jamboree Attractions.Elvis briefly sang Hank's "I'm Gonna Bid My Blues Goodbye' on the MDQ session,and 'I'm Movin On' in 1969.

Elvis also did "A fool such as I" which was a Hank Snow-hit

[hisby]

Great job! Loved to read it. This is the first time I noticed the pants he's wearing in the first 3 pictures; looks like leather to me.

imitatie.....of leather look

marcel

[Monique]

Great job! Loved to read it. This is the first time I noticed the pants he's wearing in the first 3 pictures; looks like leather to me.

imitatie.....of leather look

marcel

Thanks. I just never noticed it before.

[RCsun]

what a great post.! Thanks for putting that up, a great representation of a few moments in time!

[davide]

I have updated this post with some new photographs and some better quality and more info - and are as follows:
picture
1. improved ident
2. Increase in size/quality(slight crop on rof)
3. Increase in size/quality
4. Improved ident
5. Improved ident
6. Increase in size/quality
7.8.9. no change
10. Increase in size/quality(cropped)
11. no change
12. Increase in quality
13. Increase in size/full frame/quality
14. New addition*
15. New addition*
16. Full frame/less cropped
17. Increase in size(slight crop rof)
18. added since first post
19-23 no change.

thanks Davide

[TONY]

Great post! You might want to edit your title -- it's the "Grand Ole Opry."

Yes. Disgraceful!!! Ruins the whole post!!! Must try harder, Davide!!

[Elton]

Great stuff there Davide!!
Good to see all the Opry photos together like this.
Once again,I thank you for all the work you do!!

[drjohncarpenter]

Great post! You might want to edit your title -- it's the "Grand Ole Opry."

Yes. Disgraceful!!! Ruins the whole post!!! Must try harder, Davide!!

David strives for accuracy, and both solicits and appreciates my input.

Too bad the only thing you contribute is witless sarcasm, two years after the fact.

[Elvis Australia]

David, this is without the ebay text

[pjdlibra]

thank you for your awesome history on that day in time. Wow!!!!

[davide]

I thought I would post an update :

Brenda Lee describes the meeting -

I was back in Nashville for my debut performance at the Grand Ole Opry. Elvis Presley was visiting backstage, and the two of us danced together in the wings..

You can bet the cold December air in Nashville's Ryman Auditorium was thick with anticipation that night. Elvis was the hottest thing in the entertainment world and ruled the charts with such smouldering hits as "All Shook Up," "Hound Dog" and "Teddy Bear." I don't care how many other people were there - I swear to you that I was the most excited person in that hall. I looked my best in a crisp gingham dress, a pair of scuffed slip-on flats and a starched white pinafore, but I only had eyes for the King of Rock 'n' Roll. WhenI looked up at him, I grinned from ear to ear.

Elvis had just received his draft notice and was in Nashville to see his manager, Col. Parker. I sang "Bill Bailey, Won't you Please Come Home" for my Opry Debut. But I remember Elvis more vividly than my performance. When he danced with me backstage, I thought I had died and gone to heaven. His hair was dyed jet black, he was wearing dramatic - looking mascara, and when he smiled that curled-lip smile, I thought he was the sexiest thing I'd ever seen.

The record label, of course, took full advantage of the meeting. My Decca boss Paul Cohen called journalist Charlie lamb on the spot, begging for coverage.

Charlie Lamb :

"Paul sputtered to me, 'I've got to have a photographer down here right now!'

"Well, my official photographer was Elmer Williams, who worked for an undertaking company. So I called him. "I'm running real tight tonight,' the photographer apologized, 'I don't know if I can make it. I guess I can come by, but I'll have to just run in and out. I've got a body in the hearse.'

'Do what you've gotta do,' I pleaded.So Elmer dutifully showed up at the Ryman to snap Brenda with the King of Rock 'n' Roll.

"The next morning I called and said, 'how did you do?' He said, 'The pictures turned out great: the guy died.' and that's the famous picture of Brenda with Elvis.

From the book -'Little Miss Dynamite by Brenda Lee'


Davide

[srlogicom]

Jimmy Snow ,Elvis,and Jimmy Snow's fifteen year old fiancee,with Stoney Cooper laughing in the background.



Great post, Davide. FYI, re: this photograph: the girl, Jimmy's fiance, is actually Stoney and Wilma Lee Cooper's daughter, Carol Lee Cooper, who has been the leader of the Opry staff background singing group since 1973.

[Jove]

Amazing thread. Thank you davide!!

[drjohncarpenter]

Jimmy Snow ,Elvis,and Jimmy Snow's fifteen year old fiancee,with Stoney Cooper laughing in the background.



Great post, Davide. FYI, re: this photograph: the girl, Jimmy's fiance, is actually Stoney and Wilma Lee Cooper's daughter, Carol Lee Cooper, who has been the leader of the Opry staff background singing group since 1973.

snapshot20090329170048.jpg

Correct. She and Jimmie Rodgers Snow got married in 1958, had two daughters, and filed for divorce in August 1972, 14 years later. Both of her parents, Stoney and Wilma Lee Cooper, are seen in the background, and were Opry regulars. She fondly recalled Presley's visit in a 2009 book.

090701_Carol Lee Cooper quote_Genuine Elvis.JPG

Ronnie McDowell, Edie Hand, Joe Meador, The Genuine Elvis: Photos and Untold Stories About the King (Louisiana: Pelican Publishing, July 1, 2009)

[hilton22000]

Excelent topic, so much information and photos - great work, congratulation to all contributors.

From an old post of Brian Petersen: "Taken early in the morning of December 21, 1957 by Memphis Press Scimitar photographer Bill Leaptrott.
Elvis had received his draft notice on December 20th. Sometime after midnight he came back to Graceland after having had a night on the town with his buddies and fans and reporters had gathered at the gate.
Elvis is holding his draft notice in his hand.
Elvis wears the same clothes as when he drove to Nashville on December 21 to visit Colonel Parker and hand over his Christmas present, a BMW Isetta 300, to Parker."

[drjohncarpenter]

If after the Saturday trip to Nashville, wouldn't that photo be from early Sunday morning, December 22, 1957?

[Tony..]

Great post! You might want to edit your title -- it's the "Grand Ole Opry."

Yes. Disgraceful!!! Ruins the whole post!!! Must try harder, Davide!!

David strives for accuracy, and both solicits and appreciates my input.

Too bad the only thing you contribute is witless sarcasm, two years after the fact.

As opposed to your witless put-downs?!

[bripet56]

If after the Saturday trip to Nashville, wouldn't that photo be from early Sunday morning, December 22, 1957?

No Doc, the photo shows Elvis early in the morning prior to leaving for Nashville on December 21 where he wore the same clothes when he presented the Colonel with the BMW Isetta 300.

Sincerely
Brian
http://www.brian56.dk