MEMPHIS, TN. (Top40 Charts/ Beckwith Company) Elvis Week 2012, August 10-18, will feature more than 25 events including concerts, a daylong music festival spotlighting young
Memphis musicians, an art exhibition, movie screenings, panel discussions, autograph sessions, and sporting events. Tickets for all Elvis Week events are on sale now at ElvisWeek.com.
As part of the celebration of the life and legacy of
Elvis Presley surrounding the 35th anniversary of his passing,
Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. is sharing more details about the event that has become a pop-culture phenomenon and annual pilgrimage for music lovers from around the world.
The cornerstone event, the Candlelight Vigil, will begin with the traditional opening ceremony on Wednesday, August 15, at 8:30 p.m. at Graceland's front gate. Elvis music sets the tone of the evening as fans walk up the driveway to Meditation Garden. This free event lasts throughout the night as thousands of participants gather on
Elvis Presley Blvd. listening to music, remembering Elvis and enjoying the memorials that are created by fans along the street.
The much-anticipated Elvis 35th Anniversary Concert, on Thursday, August 16, at 8:00 p.m. at the 18,000-seat FedExForum, will celebrate Elvis' iconic performances which span multiple music genres including rockabilly, gospel, blues, country, and of course, rock 'n' roll.
The concert puts members of Elvis' original bands and back-up vocalists on stage as the King of Rock 'n' Roll is projected larger than life on state-of-the-art screens. All music in the concert production is performed live except for Elvis' voice.
The 35th concert will feature
Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie Presley, along with Joe Guercio,Elvis' musical conductor; TCB Band members Glen Hardin andRockand Roll Hall of Fame inductee
James Burton; Norbert Putnam,bass player for many of Elvis' recording sessions; DJ Fontana, Elvis' original drummer and member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame;The Sweet Inspirations -
Estelle Brown, Portia Griffin &
Kelly Jones; former members ofJ. D. Sumner and The Stamps Quartet - Bill Baize, Ed Hill, Larry Strickland and Donnie Sumner; Elvis' Imperials - Joe Moscheo, Terry Blackwood, Armond Morales and Jim Murray; and many others.
New for Elvis Week 2012 will be the Elvis Week Main Stage at Graceland, a 1,200 seat air-conditioned venue that will be the location for nine days of special events in a music festival atmosphere. Events at the Elvis Week Main Stage kick off on Friday, August 10, with the
Memphis Celebrates the King
Music Fest featuring performances by local musicians and bands celebrating Elvis.
The Elvis Songwriters Showcase on Saturday, August 11, is a new Elvis Week event taking place at the Elvis Week Main Stage and will be a blend of storytelling and music with songwriters that gave us some of Elvis' most well-known songs including Mike Stoller of the songwriting team Leiber and Stoller, who wrote songs such as "Hound Dog," "Loving You," and "Jailhouse Rock."
A series of panel discussions titled Conversations on Elvis, spread out over several days at the Elvis Week Main Stage, will explore various aspects of the King of Rock 'n' Roll's life with those who knew him best and include sessions such as "Elvis in the Movies" with co-star Mary Ann Mobley and "Behind the Camera" featuring famed photographer Al Wertheimer, who photographed Elvis in the 1950s.
Another event at the Elvis Week Main Stage is The Elvis Insiders Conference on Monday, August 13, which features special guests that will share behind the scenes details of Elvis' life and career. One of the highlights of the event will be an appearance by Elvis' friend Jerry Schilling along with Richard Nixon aide Bud Krogh, who will discuss the day Elvis met President Nixon at The White House. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee
Wanda Jackson will also make an appearance at the event to share her memories of the days she spent on the road touring with Elvis in 1955 and '56.
Executives from Sony
Music will emcee a free event at the Elvis Week Main Stage on Wednesday, August 15, as they present multiple awards for releases of Elvis' music that have achieved Gold, Platinum or Diamond status based on RIAA record sales.
The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest returns for the sixth year and features competitors from around the world including Elvis tribute artists (ETAs) from the United States, Canada, Australia and Japan. ETAs will compete during the semifinal rounds of the contest on Friday, August 17, at The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts in two separate rounds - one at 10:00 a.m. and one at 7:00 p.m. The top 10 semifinalists on Friday will then move on to compete for the top spot of Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist of 2012 at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 18.
The judges for the 2012 contest are:
David Keith, Golden
Globe nominee and veteran actor who played Elvis in "
Heartbreak Hotel"; Adam Block, President of Legacy Recordings at Sony Entertainment; Gina Keltner, Talent Coordinator at Grand Ole Opry; Robert Reynolds, founding member of the Grammy Award winning band, The Mavericks; and Stephen Shutts, Rock 'n' Roll Historian, Memorabilia Collector and Tour Manager.
This year, the Elvis Week Opening Event will take place at AutoZone Park in downtown
Memphis beginning at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 10, with a street party hosted by the
Memphis Redbirds. Attendees can enjoy live bands, a classic car show, and a special appearance by the Budweiser Clydesdales. Following will be an Elvis-themed
Memphis Redbirds baseball game against the Tacoma Rainiers which will include Elvis music, video and Elvis merchandise giveaways. The first 5,000 fans to enter the park will receive a commemorative, limited-edition Elvis bobble head. Attendees are encouraged to wear an "I Am An Elvis Fan" t-shirt at this event as they use the occasion to declare their love for the king.
Other Elvis Week events include a photography and art exhibition and movie screening at The Brooks Museum of Art, a screening of "Elvis on Tour" by Indie
Memphis at the Levitt Shell, a Rock 'n' Roll Historic Marker Dedication at Plastic Products Record Plant, a Beale Street music note dedication for The
Memphis Boys, an Elvis-themed Rugby game, a Graceland Trivia Tour, the Annual
Elvis Presley 5K Run to Benefit Livitup, Inc., a concert featuring former Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest winners Shawn Klush and Cody Slaughter, and more.
For a complete schedule of Elvis Week events, including ticket prices, guest bios and venues, visit ElvisWeek.com.
