Monday, August 29, 2016

Linda Thompson Back In Los Angeles

Linda Thompson Back In Los Angeles After Whirlwind Book Tour

by Don Wilson

Linda Thompson at The Grove in Los Angeles. Photo: Don Wilson

HOLLYWOOD, CA.: August 29, 2016-- Linda Thompson touched down on her home turf in Los Angeles on Sunday after an early flight from Tennessee. This after a whirlwind book promotion tour for her new memoir A Little Thing Called LifeOn Loving Elvis Presley, Bruce Jenner and songs in Between. Linda made television appearances on such programs as "Good Morning America", "Nightline", "Entertainment Tonight", "Access Hollywood" and more, not to mention the local television interviews that she gave and the book signings in Memphis, Nashville and Ridgewood, New Jersey. This writer has been receiving calls from all over the country asking about upcoming book signings with Linda, many came from the Las Vegas area, and it stands to reason, Linda spent a lot of time there with Elvis during his engagements at the Las Vegas Hilton.



The book has been a long time coming, just as Elvis purportedly sang about Linda in a song that he recorded in 1973, "Your Love's Been A Long Time Coming". Elvis many times sang songs that reflected what he was feeling in his life at the time, whether it was good or bad. This song was definitely a more uplifting song than many in her last years. Linda was introduced to Elvis by Presley's friend, George Klein in 1972. After Thompson realized that Elvis was separated from Priscilla, she only then cozied up to him. Their first date was at a movie theater, a double-feature, and yet neither recall the films that were being screened.


Linda's story is not only for Elvis fans, although they seem to have waited the longest time to learn about their relationship directly from Thompson. After her relationship with Elvis ended she married Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner and kept secret for decades his desire to become a woman. She went on to marry record producer David Foster and she penned songs for Barbra Streisand, Kenny Rogers and Whitney Houston among others. Despite all of of this, Linda has a relatively quiet life in Malibu with her family and friends.



Linda Thompson on what she learned from Elvis.

The press questioned Linda equally about her relationship with Elvis Presley and Bruce Jenner. Of course, Jenner has been in the headlines a lot lately after his transformation into Caitlyn. Linda Thompson's appearance at Barnes & Noble was the last stop on this leg of her book tour. Personally, I would have preferred seeing Linda at her Memphis appearance, as I had lived in Memphis for a quarter century of my life and the fact that Memphis is also Linda's hometown. I am sure that the book signings were looser in the Mid-South than trendy West Hollywood. It's a completely different vibe and atmosphere. Although, for Los Angeles, this was a better experience than many book signings that I have attended here.


When I arrived at Barnes & Noble,  I asked where Linda was going to be signing her book, I was directed to the third floor, when I arrived there, via escalator, I was told that the event was indeed going to be held there. However, I would have to go back to the ground floor to purchase a book. So down I went and back up again I came. This would never happen in Memphis. If someone says I am nit picky, so be it, I write what I experience. It was frustrating, and not only to me. I was also handed a flyer which stated "This is a wristband event. Wristbands will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis. Lost or stolen wristbands will not be replaced." Purple wristbands, copper wristbands, each designating placement in the line. So LA. Whatever. I didn't even put mine on at all, it's still in Linda's book as a bookmark. That's Barnes & Noble's policy, of course, not Linda's, in all fairness.


Linda was fashionably late, by only a few minutes. I was thankful for that. Meantime, I was in earshot of her fans and readers, some spoke of Linda solely and what an inspiration she is, others spoke about Linda and Elvis and others spoke about her dedication and support of Bruce/Caitlyn. I was indeed at the right event. Lo and behold, I heard a lady say "Ladies and gentleman please welcome Linda Thompson!" and that they did applause filled the area, as Linda gracefully seem to appear out of nowhere and greet her friends and fans. I saw one gentleman with a red rose, he was waiting in anticipation to meet Thompson and present the rose to her, which he did. Rather than quote Linda, I am sharing video clips from the event so you can see for yourself. 



Linda Thompson's opening remarks.

Linda made time to sign books for all in attendance, personalize them and pose for photos with those who requested to do so. By the time I came to her in line, she had met nearly everyone. I asked Linda if she was tired, she said that she was, but no one could tell it. I know I  would be tired after a tour like she had been on, Linda was everywhere, not only on television, but in print, like an article in People magazine. This article is not a review of the book, this writer is still in the midst of reading Linda's life. But, her book, obviously has been well received.


Besides Linda's appreciative readers in attendance at this event, Linda had her "Mailbu Mafia". (I coined this affectionately for a group of nuturing friends that surround Linda.) I have met many of her friends because I have been at some events with Linda in the past. Unlike Elvis' "Memphis Mafia", these ladies are not on the payroll, as many of Elvis's pals were. The origin of the "Memphis Mafia" being coined is attributed to Hollywood columnist Rona Barrett, because Barrett had seen Elvis and his guys all in sunglasses and mohair suits in the 1960's.

Following the event I ran into Linda as she was posing for photos by a banner outside the Barnes & Noble store (above) just after I arrived, they were taking Linda's banner down, the event was over. I spoke briefly with Linda and she put her shades on and  disappeared with her friends into The Grove.



Saturday, August 6, 2016

Scotty Moore: Elvis And Tornell Darlin'

by Don Wilson

Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley in 1956.

HOLLYWOOD: When Scotty Moore died at age 84 on June 28th of this year, he left a lifetime's work behind. To see Scotty in person and to know him as I did, it was difficult to comprehend how unaffected his was by his fame and notoriety. This quiet, unassuming, polite man with a laid back manner was a dangerous and influential guitar player.

Scotty could be on stage with the biggest rock stars - of any generation and put them all to shame. they could wear a flashy suit, have the big Rocker pompadour, be the lead singer and player of a major million selling band. They would be strutting  their self on stage with any stage antics imaginable and they still couldn't top Moore by his sheer presence or his playing. Scooty Moore standing in a suit and tie with no stage bravado would bring the house down.
Scotty Moore, Patsy Andersen-Presley and Ronnie McDowell.

Close friend Patsy Andersen-Presley, the former Fan Relations manager at Elvis Presley Enterprizes saw first hand the man behind the legend. Presley remembers: "Scotty was a phenomenal guitar player! He was the most loyal friend I've ever met in my life. He never said a bad thing about Elvis Presley in his life. 'I liked him, he was a good friend.' he would say. 

Moore refused to do any appearances at Graceland after Patsy's departure. "He would say to me 'If you are in your office, then call me and I will be there for any appearance.' Presley never returned to her position and Scotty Moore never appeared for a Graceland function again. 

"I have great memories of being and his home and all...Paul McCartney called Scotty every year to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him!" A call from McCartney didn't faze Moore: "He was a calm, down to earth guy. He didn't care how famous he was. Keith Richards often phoned Moore at his home. They cut their teeth on Moore's guitar licks and riffs.

Paul McCartney checks out guitar licks that  Scotty Moore is picking.
Photo: Paul McCartney Archives
www.paulmccartney.com

Scotty Moore also was a friend to Elvis fan club president Daphne Craig. He affectionately called her 'Tornell Darlin' in reference to a question she had about Elvis saying that endearment on his "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy" record in 1956. Moore looked back on how that came to be:

Scotty Moore and Elvis Presley in a still from the M-G-M film, "Jailhouse Rock" in 1957.

"It was a small private joke between Elvis and me. In the early days of our recording, we often took records from either Elvis's or my personal collection of rhythm and blues into the studio and listened to them and picked out what we wanted to do. Then, we sort of arranged them on the fly. I made up guitar parts and he tailored lyrics to his style as we rehearsed and recorded." We might do several cuts, then listen to pick out the one we liked best."





"In the case of "Lawdy, Miss Clawdy", that was from Elvis's collection and he had already learned it and I just broke up at the line, 'Goodbye, Tornell Darlin'! I told him that it must be wrong, there couldn't be anyone named Tornell, it was too close to toe nail! Elvis said he was right and he sang it that way. After that recording, when we were putting together a list of songs to sing for a performance, I'd say, 'Let's do Tornell Darlin'!' and when he would sing it on stage, very often, he'd turn to me and grin."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSD2qlkmV2M



"When Elvis did the NBC-TV special in 1968, the last time I performed with him, we 
did "Lawdy Miss Clawdy". After the taping we went to Elvis's home for dinner. I had bought a studio in Nashville in 1964,and he said that all of his old 78's were getting chipped and brittle and he wanted me to copy them on (tape) reels for him at the studio. A few days after I came back to Nashville, he sent a runner with abriefcase of old 78's to copy. I made the tape copies and mailed them to him."



Scotty Moore played the guitar that changed the world, performing with the most influential entertainer of the 20th century, Elvis Presley. With Bill Black on bass and D.J. Fontana on drums, they were unbeatable and they are unforgettable.

    Keith Richards, Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana and Ron Wood.






Scotty Moore, Don Wilson and D.J. Fontana at a function in Memphis.

For Music Enthusiasts, here's Lloyd Price's version of "Lawdy, miss Clawdy", that Elvis had in his collection: