We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. The tape recorder was playing the song Echoes of Love from Elvis Kissin Cousins album. Orion had several hits on the country music chart, including "Am I That Easy to Forget" (1980), "Rockabilly Rebel" (1981), and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (1981). The other lady was standing just behind Elaine. Ellis recorded an album under his own name, Sometimes Words Just Get In The Way, for a small label in . He said: man you may make it before I do. Shawn. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. [1] He attended Orrville High School, where he excelled in baseball, football and basketball. Scans of the unofficial CD titled JIMMY ELLIS THE SINGLES. A special thanks to Shelby Singleton, Sun Records; Bobby Smith, Boblo Records; Wayne Hodge, Stargem Records;Jim Hardin, Kardina Records; and Jerry Adams, Flatland Records, and Nick "Scott" Pettafor producing all the great Orion-Jimmy Ellis-Ellis Jamesmusic that will last a lifetime..Thank you!!! At one point he even released the single Im Trying Not to Sound Like Elvis. During his time with Sun, Ellis/Orion cut over 11 albums and toured with the Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other stars like Dionne Warwick. So, thats how Jimmy Ellis and I met and became lifelong friends. Here is the bizarre story of Jimmy Ellis, or, as he was also known, Orion. : Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive, Elvis at Madison Square Garden 40 Years Ago. For the next 10 years Jimmy would balance music and his business interests. Instead of listing Ellis' first album on the label, Singleton printed a question mark. In its way, the story underscores some of the dark, disturbing aspects of image-making, music marketing, and how the music industry builds stars but destroys individuals. HEARTBREAK HOTEL By the time he was a teenager, it was clear that Jimmy Ellis had two talents: singing, and inadvertently sounding almost exactly like Elvis Presley. The guys in the room were mostly the colleges basketball players. He would give you things and himself freely. It is the story of Jimmy Ellis, a singer from Alabama who was cursed with having a voice identical to that of . Solve the mystery and then use a smartphone or GPS device to navigate to the solution coordinates. Orion recorded a single, Ebony Eyes, for Sun in 1979, which became part of his debut album, Reborn. [1], At the start of his music career, Ellis sang in nightclubs and, in 1964, released a single, "Dont Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch," for a small Georgia label, Dradco. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYuszmPq3lw, "Orion" by Gail Brewer-Giorgio (Hardcover 1979). Jimmy Ellis Also known as Orion. Super rare memorabilia from the start up of the singing career of Jimmy Ellis! Then, he introduced me to Jimmy Ellis, the guy by the tape recorder who had said nothing. You can make comments on the tab provided, or on the Orion Facebook Fan Club. Given Jimmy's keen sense of humor he must be looking down and smiling! Well, once all the other guys left, Jimmy and I sang until late in the night with me strumming a small red guitar he had borrowed and Jimmy and I singing Elvis and Beatles songs. [3], On December 12, 1998, Ellis was murdered during a robbery in his store, Jimmy's Pawn Shop. Learn more about merges. He was who he was, no pretense. We join the Ellis family and friends and fans all . EIN often receives requests for information on these releases. We have just received an intro and preview clip from the up coming documentary "Orion The Movie". Welcome also would be details of his concert performances in the U.S.A. and Europe. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, A selection of the many colorful Orion masks, each with its own name. Here is what the website says: ORION: The Man Who Would Be King tells the story of Jimmy Ellis an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. He then dragged the cash register off the counter and got about $135.00 out of it. What exactly happened? Then it happened. In early 1965, I transferred to Georgia Southern College in Statesboro, GA and lost touch with Jimmy for a number of years. Ellis, Jimmy "Orion" Type: Person Gender: Male Born: 1945-02-26 Born in: Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States Died: 1998-12-12 (aged 53)Died in: Selma, Alabama, United States Area: United States ISNI code: 0000 0004 3983 0212 Rating We put the official web site www.orionjimmyellis.com together three months before his tragic death in December 1998. Artefact from Shelby Singleton's personal collection.conspiracy theorists, note the date! Death 12 Dec 1998 (aged 53) . 1 1953-56'In Depth Book Review: 'Aloha From Hawaii' 40th Anniv LEGACY CD Review: Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive Review: 'Prince From Another Planet In-Depth Review: Once Upon A Time: Elvis and Anita (Memories of My Mother) - Book Review: 'A Boy From Tupelo' special In-depth Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. He said, "Don't worry about it, you don't buy the fuckin records anyway." How many Elvis tribute artists have several websites devoted to them. That voice!.While he had a natural Elvis-like singing voice, throughout his adult life Jimmy strove to be recognised as a serious artist in his own right, a person who was inherently a wonderfully talented and gifted entertainer whose magical presence touched many people.That talent was genetically pre-determined and embryonically, DNA dictated.its essence was not because he sounded remarkably like Elvis! The film is being produced by Jeanie Finlay, a British artist and filmaker. JIMMY ( ORION ) ELLIS - LIVE ON STAGE 70s d pascalini 4.87K subscribers Subscribe 800 97K views 9 years ago JIMMY ( ORION ) ELLIS -- LIVE ON STAGE -- 70s Show more Comments are turned off.. Jimmy Ellis, the soulful lead singer of the Trammps, whose 1970s hit "Disco Inferno" was immortalized in the film "Saturday Night Fever," died on Thursday in Rock Hill, S.C.He was 74. Bobby Smith, owner of Boblo Records once told his engineer, Chet Bennett: take him in the studio and record different songs. December 1998. If I Can Dream.The internal struggle that Jimmy Ellis had with his Orion alter-ego and his burning desire to record quality music appears to have been ever present. After winning a state fair competition, his first professional performance was in a Demon's Den nightclub in Albany, Georgia. For a proud man who had so much wanted recognition as Jimmy Ellis - not Elvis Presley - we can only imagine how galling and emotionally and psychologically scarring this was!. 1 1953-56'In Depth Book Review: 'Aloha From Hawaii' 40th Anniv LEGACY CD Review: Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive Review: 'Prince From Another Planet In-Depth Review: Once Upon A Time: Elvis and Anita (Memories of My Mother) - Book Review: 'A Boy From Tupelo' special In-depth Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. 17 Comments / : --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. 'The Wedding' Elvis & Priscilla EIN special Spotlight: 'Elvis In Ottawa' Spotlight & Elvis Interview: 'Elvis: Live at the International' Book Review: Elvis By Special Request '71 At 40 (Book Review): "Kissed By Elvis" Janet Fulton Interview: "ReBooked At The International'- in-depth Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. ): I continued with my Human Resources career for many years and retired in the mountains of NC two years ago. compilation added to various unofficial releases page. This blog is for preview purposes only and all music downloaded should be deleted within 24 hours. The sale is temporary to offer fans who missed these CDs the first time around a real deal. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. Copyright the Elvis Information Network. It's like an artist painting a picture. How many Elvis tribute artists have a fan club with more than 15,000 members? The world lost a great singer. He was very generous and good-hearted. Two of the many Orion items still being sold in 2014: ----------------------------------------------------------------------. The book has been a huge task with 12+ years of research. He quickly says "he sounds just like Elvis" and then puts on a copy of the mask worn by Orion for the album picture. EIN: Jimmys death was tragic! You can see the trailer for the movie and back the project here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orion-the-man-who-would-be-king. His natural voice was very similar to the voice of Elvis Presley, read more Help us spreadthe word about our cinema releaseby signing up for an ORIONtweetor aFacebookpost here onThunderclap. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. In their illuminating examination of the infamous 'Elvis Underground' and activities around the belief Elvis did not die in 1977, Professors R. Serge Denisoff and George Plasketes addressed the Orion phenomenon. Mr. Click on the LP and 45 rpm records page. I was in a small band named the Catalinas in Macon, GA my hometown and loved music. Youmans put the record on the Dradco Recording Company label. How many Elvis tribute artists are still remembered nearly 20 years after their death? How many Elvis tribute artists made a living without singing Elvis songs for most of their career? Unfortunately, despite the fact that most of the songs he recorded were not covers of Elvis songs, he could not escape the uncanny similarities between their natural voices. Here's a new link to an excellent Orion page done by Nigel Patterson with the EIN (Elvis Information Network) in Australia. Apparently, it was just a few seconds after the guy entered that he fatally shot Jimmy in his left side and then swung the gun around shooting Elaine in the face killing her instantly. Well, Jimmy finally had enough and took the mask off at a New Years show in the Atlanta area in 1981. Perhaps critically, Jimmy had made a decision that a sporting future wasn't to shape the his story, and in so doing his future would be frustratingly shaped by his vocal chords as Jimmy's singing voice sounded remarkably like Elvis'. Jimmy was, and still is, my favorite Elvis sound-alike singer. It doesnt cost a penny but has great impact! He could laugh about most anythinghe was alot of fun at home and especially on stage!! New 2016 DVD release of the award winning documentary on the life and career of Jimmy Ellis. That's not recording. It has 408 pages, harcover and a CD included with some of Jimmys finest performances and also unreleased gems from the archives of Sun Records. Jimmy Hodges "Orion" Ellis Sr. I still record once in a while at home, as the mood strikes. We only index and link to content provided on other servers. was blessed with a natural singing voice remarkably similar to Elvis. After the first blast, which left the 53-year-old Ellis mortally wounded and crawling for safety, the gunman turned his weapon on the singer's 44-year-old ex-wife, Elaine Thompson, who was on a stool behind the counter. Sales have not been great since the fan base has long since scattered but I enjoy doing it to keep his talent known, as much as possible. Click on the LP and 45 rpm records page. A WARM WELCOME TO ORIONDISCS This website is a tribute to the U.S. recording artist Jimmy Ellis, and focuses on his many record releases. The answer is: ONE! The coffin cover caused a lot of controversy and was replaced. One of them is Orion's Reborn LP and he plays a snippet of "Washing Machine" written by Jimmy Ellis. Similarly, there was an incontrovertible and diametrically opposed outcome for each side. Bobby D.: Yes, that is just my natural voice. Scan of the German cassette release LET YOUR LOVE FLOW on the Sun/Bellaphon label. Little is known about Jimmy's life before becoming a recording artist - what is known is that he was raised by traditional but loving parents who ensured he was able to receive a good education. When Jimmy Ellis decided to give up the horse business and decided to go after a singing career, he sold his horse equipment and formed a company called Jimmy Ellis Productions, INC. Here he sold stock in himself as he needed money before going to L.A. and pursue singing. How did that come about and what can fans expect to find on the site? And, after I heard Jimmy, I knew I was not.>. The . Jimmy Fallon goes "Orion" - Fallon does segment on worst albums he says doNOT buy. ***Orion - Jimmy Ellis: The Official Web Site***: (includes news, photo gallery, Books, CDs and DVDs 'For Sale' and 'Free' MP3 downloads), (includes brief Orion biography, worldwide Jimmy Ellis/Orion discography info, bootleg info and gallery of the many different Orion masks), ***Orion Merchandise (available online) from Cafe Press***. His first two singles were covers of two of the King's former hits, "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky.". Scan of the Plantation Records cassette release 16 AWARD WINNING COUNTRY SONGS. James Burton Interview - Rick Nelson & Elvis: Elvis Drummer Jerome "Stump" Monroe EIN Interview: Elvis in 1969 - Ann Moses & Ray ConnollyInterviews: Ernst Jorgensen interview about 'On Stage' and Elvis' Legacy in 2010: 'The Nation's Favourite Elvis Song' Spotlight. The strange part of the tale began in January 1979, when author Gail Brewer-Giorgio received a bizarre early-morning phone call. Chet came back and said: Bobby, he sounds the same on all of them. The Dan Lentino Management Group in Las Vegas is honoring Orion / Jimmy Ellis posthumously with a lifetime achievement award. The gunman, who police believe is Plantersville resident Jeffery James Lee, then fired twice more in an attempt to blast Ellis a second time as he struggled to find a haven behind a computer desk, Huffman said. This is a FOUR CD 5" digi-pak, this set features three concerts, Shreveport Louisiana July 1, 1976, Baton Rouge, July 2, 1976 and Elvis' last home-town concert Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis July 5, 1976. The film is being produced by Jeanie Finlay, a British artist and filmaker. Allyson Adams 'The Rebel and The King' Interview: EIN interviews John Scheinfeld director of 'Fame & Fortune', Elvis Paradise Hawaiian Interview - with Peter Noone, Sam Thompson, Elvis' bodyguard, 2011 Interview. Bobby D.: Jimmy's story and music is important- he was very talented - and these releases will celebrate his life and career. The album featured some excellent songs including "Ebony Eyes", "Honey", and "Washing Machine". A talented athlete, Jimmy was awarded a two-year athletic scholarship at Middle Georgia Junior College and was courted for a baseball career and a tryout with the Milwaukie Braves but turned it down. Ellis was born in either Pascagoula, Mississippi,[2] Orrville, Alabama,[3] or Washington, D.C.,[1] United States, into a single parent home. Bobby D.: Actually, I know there are bootleg ones out there, but Im not familiar with all of them. Very unfortunately, Jimmy Ellis along with his wife, was killed in December the 12th 1998 by a male robber. This is the definitive book on a man with the voice of a King. Who was he? Bobby D.: As mentioned before, it was Elaine Thompson, Jimmys ex-wife and another lady who normally worked at the store. AVAILABLE HERE LOWER PRICE! EIN:Jimmy Ellis, the personaway from the stage or recording studio. Jimmy Ellis was one of the super talented yes like Elvis, Tom Jones, Engelbert my all-time favorite solo artists. Genesis.Jimmy Hughes Bell was born on 26 February 1945 to a single mother (named) Gladys. Jimmy continued, commmenting on the frustration he felt when he would have to stop the recording session because Shelby Singleton had arranged for a tour group to come through the studio: Now, what's the priority. Also like Elvis (surviving twin), he experienced an early life major event when, at the age of 4, he was adopted by Robert and Faye Ellis. I had just talked to him on Friday December 11. EIN: Bobby, you currently have a special offer on the site.