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Overview Of The Elvis 50th Anniversary Year

June 07, 2004 | Other
Following is a press release issued by EPE as a brief summary of the many projects happening in this the 50th anniversary year of Elvis’s career and beyond. Many other projects for this period will be announced soon and there will be updates on everything as the weeks go by. The occasion for this press release is EPE management’s attendance at the international licensing show in New York City this week. This major annual event brings together licensors with potential licensees. Most fans know a lot of the information, but you have been getting it item by item all year. This summary should prove useful and interesting to you as a means of seeing just how big this special year is and how much more excitement there is to come.

That's All Right – Presley Estate Celebtrates 50 Years Of Elvis And Rock 'N'Roll.

Milestone DVD releases, a world-wide rock ‘n’ roll celebration and other special projects are under way for the 50th anniversary year of Presley’s first recording.

Memphis, TN -- Fifty years since Elvis Presley’s career began and more than 26 years since his death the Elvis phenomenon has never been more powerful. The world is now celebrating the 50th anniversary year of Elvis Presley’s career, which began in earnest on July 5, 1954, when he recorded his first single release, That’s All Right, for the Sun Records label in Memphis. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. (EPE) and its collaborators are working through several major projects throughout this very special 50th Anniversary year. Highlights include:

- The city of Memphis in cooperation with EPE is presenting a yearlong celebration to mark the 50th Anniversary of Rock ‘n’ Roll. World-renowned musicians with ties to the city and its music - Justin Timberlake, B.B. King, Isaac Hayes and Scotty Moore – are serving as musical ambassadors.

- Graceland will be bathed in golden lights on the evening of July 1 to kick off the Anniversary Weekend. The golden lights will shine each evening at Graceland from July 1 through Elvis Week in August.

- Hard Rock's "50 Years of Rock Mobile Tour” arrives at Graceland July 1 where it will be available for free public tours through July 4. Memphis is just one stop on the mobile tour's multi-city itinerary. Elvis artifacts are featured on the tour and include a pair of black and white shoes worn frequently by Elvis in the 1950s on loan from Graceland. The mobile tour moves to Sun Studio to participate in the 50th Anniversary celebration on July 5.

- July 5, Memphis will be the focal point for a Global Moment in Time – a moment at which radio stations across the world will simultaneously play That’s All Right, many of them doing so via a live feed from Sun Studio in Memphis.

- Throughout the year, visitors to Graceland will see special artifacts from the Graceland Archives on display just for 2004.

- All of EPE/Graceland’s 2004 branded marketing initiatives, as well as targeted promotions and special merchandising feature EPE’s own official 50th Anniversary logo and artwork.

- June 22, EPE will release through BMG its highly anticipated, new comprehensive DVD collections – Elvis: ’68 Comeback Special – Deluxe Edition DVD (3 discs) and Elvis, Aloha from Hawaii – Deluxe Edition DVD (2 discs). These sets chronicle Elvis Presley’s historic 1968 and 1973 television specials with all the previously released material and a complete collection of the previously unreleased material – all presented with remastered sound and picture.

- Also on June 22, shortly before the 50th anniversary of That’s All Right, BMG/RCA will release ELVIS AT SUN a new, comprehensive collection of Elvis Presley’s Sun Records recordings.

- The '68 and Aloha DVDs will be premiered via closed circuit theatrical screenings in 41 Regal Theatres throughout the country on June 21. (A press preview screening happens in New York City on June 9 and will be attended by EPE management and the original producer/director of the 1968 TV special, Steve Binder.)

- The recently announced CBS mini series for 2005, and the as yet untitled, new Elvis network special for airing in the second quarter of 2005 and produced by the acclaimed David Saltz (further details to come soon), are just two of the major network television projects in development.

- All Shook Up, a new musical inspired by and featuring the songs of Elvis Presley, is currently making its way toward Broadway with its first regional production slated to open in Chicago in December 2004.

- Vermont Teddy Bear Company’s successful "Make A Friend for Life" program opens in the Graceland Plaza this summer as "Make A Friend at Graceland". Visitors will be able to create customized bears with a variety of options for fur, emotions, accessories and a wide selection of outfits. Each bear will come with a certificate from Graceland.

- Designer Paul Frank has a new line of limited-edition collectibles incorporating the original Sun Records logo and new, unreleased Elvis artwork. Items featured include a limited-edition silk-screened handbag featuring Elvis's original acoustic guitar case embroidery, a brushed silver belt buckle and belt with vinyl stitched Elvis logo, a jukebox wallet, a CD case which comes with a 5-- track CD featuring some of Elvis’s Sun Records songs.

- TV Guide is planning special promotions with EPE to commemorate the anniversary.

- Grammy- and Emmy-winning Producer/Director Todd McFarlane, well-known as the creator of Spawn and founder of spawn.com, and the creative force behind McFarlane Toys, has created an Elvis Presley Super Stage action figure based on his famous '68 Comeback Special. A Rockabilly Elvis figure will follow soon.

- Warner Home Video helps celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Rock ‘n’ Roll with the DVD release of six of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s popular movies - It Happened at the World’s Fair, Double Trouble, Speedway, Spinout, Harum Scarum and The Trouble with Girls. Each of the new DVDs feature an Elvis Presley trailer gallery and all are available August 3

- Billboard Magazine will join in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Rock 'n' Roll by honoring Elvis Presley with the publication of a Special Spotlight Issue on September 18, 2004.

- Stern Pinball, the only company in the world today manufacturing pinball machines is producing the first-ever Elvis themed pinball machine, designed by pinball great Steve Tirchie, the best-selling pinball designer in history.

- The Hound Dog™ Collection of pet accessories from Fox & Hounds Ltd. debuts in June. The new line is perfect for every pooch – hound or otherwise – and features sparkling collars that cry Viva Las Vegas™, a Jailhouse Rock™ ensemble, plush toys in the shape of Blue Suede Shoes™, a cozy cable sweater reminiscent of Elvis in the ‘50s, rugged denim and army jackets, body-hugging black tees with red rhinestones, Love Me Tender™ collars and ceramic treat jars and bowls.

- Diggit Entertainment Group is developing a comprehensive suite of Elvis-branded applications for mobile devices worldwide. Diggit Entertainment Group is EPE’s exclusive wireless partner and producer of all Mobile Elvis content, with plans to provide Elvis fans 24-hour access to more of the great content they love with the next generation in entertaining formats. Diggit is launching the Mobile Elvis program in several phases beginning in June in order to maximize the different content opportunities within active mobile territories around the world.

- Miller Beer and Rolling Stone magazine are partnering to pay tribute to 50 years of rock with special promotions, advertising sections and retail point of sale displays featuring rock’s most influential artists including Elvis Presley. One of the famous Rolling Stone magazine covers featuring Elvis will appear on millions of Miller Lite 24-oz cans available for sale in June as part of this major nationwide promotion.

- Edy’s Grand Ice Cream is celebrating the anniversary with t
Source:EPE - Elvis Presley Enterprises
Lex wrote on June 07, 2004
Maybe he'll get his first golden collar :-)
Jim Semple wrote on June 07, 2004
Thats all great but how much of the promotion actually applies to anybody OUTSIDE the USA ?? We in the UK need some promotion big style very quickly.
Colin B wrote on June 07, 2004
Wonder if they'll be updating his RIAA awards ?
Kenneth wrote on June 08, 2004
CANADA is another country that has not rec'd any promotion, none at all.
SilviaZ wrote on June 08, 2004
Austria is another country where there is no promotion at all!
Crawfish wrote on June 08, 2004
Fully agree with Jim and Pacer: please, please where is the UK promotions - from any part of industry - let's show them the loyalty and importance of this date. But better make it quick!
pacer1965 wrote on June 07, 2004
Well done you guys in the USA but what about the rest of the world ? Your right Jim where is the promotion for Elvis in the uk. Theres nothing at all over here and by the looks it there won 't be. Is there any other countrys having this problem as well ?