Elvis Presley — The Truck Driver Who Dared to Rock

A little over two months after his May 1967 wedding to Priscilla Beaulieu, an elated 32-year-old Elvis Presley picks a Fender Coronado II Sunburst electric guitar while shooting “There Ain’t Nothing Like a Song” at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios in Hollywood. “Speedway” was Presley’s 27th film and culminated with this infectious duet with Nancy Sinatra. Image Credit: MGM Studios / Elvis Pictures [Facebook]

Since the advent of the twenty-tens I’ve chronicled the King of Rock ’n’ Roll’s often untold relationships with musicians, costars, confidants, and artists subsequently influenced by his groundbreaking oeuvre. “Jeremy’s Elvis Presley Notes” functioned as my column on Examiner for seven years before the Denver-based news website ceased activity. At last, all 55 of my Elvis-themed stories are accessible in this “Elvis Presley — The Truck Driver Who Dared to Rock” beat. Expect that tally to remain in flux. An interview with J.D. Sumner and the Stamps Quartet bassist Larry Strickland, still mourning the loss of wife and ’80s traditional country star Naomi Judd, is on deck.

Merle Haggard, Ronnie Milsap, the Pointer Sisters, Sweet Inspirations, Chips Moman and the Memphis Boys, Telecaster champ James Burton, drummer Jerry Carrigan, TCB final pianist Tony Brown, Glen Campbell, Jerry Reed, Charlie Daniels, Jordanaire Ray Walker, Voice leader Donnie Sumner, “Suspicious Minds” songwriter Mark James, “There Goes My Everything” lyricist Dallas Frazier, Mamas and Papas architect John Phillips, the Beatles, Booker T. & the M.G.’s, Clint Black, the Statler Brothers, Rick Nelson, Bruce Lee, Johnny Carson, Led Zeppelin, Bobby Darin, John Wayne, Robert Mitchum, Steve McQueen, James “The Virginian” Drury, Sonny West’s coauthor Marshall Terrill, unrealized Fame & Fortune documentarian John Scheinfeld, Memphis Mafiosos Richard Davis and George Klein, 1950s Cleveland deejay Tommy Edwards, Carl Perkins, Wanda Jackson, tribute artist Terry Mike Jeffrey, Elvis’ guitar prowess, a censored appearance at the Florida Theatre, and more await you below.

Good Lord, how does anybody look this freakishly good? Free-spending NASCAR race car driver Steve Grayson [Elvis Presley] will soon have sexy IRS agent Nancy Sinatra breathing down his neck in director Norman Taurog’s “Speedway,” distributed to cinemas on June 12, 1968, coincidentally the same month Elvis began shooting his career-saving “Comeback Special” for NBC. “Speedway” served as Elvis’ third picture where he rendered an auto enthusiast and was notably inferior to his first racing excursion — the Ann-Margret vehicle “Viva Las Vegas.” Only four additional movies, with a decidedly reduced emphasis on musical numbers, remained on the atomic-powered singer’s horizon before he pivoted to unremitting touring. Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios / “The Dream Tiger” [Tumblr]

Songwriting therapy from the bruised soul of Lisa Marie Presley

On the brink of becoming an artistic phenomenon: The incendiary deejay who broke Elvis Presley…

Six-string brothers: Louisiana guitar slinger James Burton champions the timeless allure of Rick…

More thunder on the piano — Ronnie Milsap relives Memphis days with Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley’s last bass singer had a dream

Elvis confidant Donnie Sumner salutes Voice compadre Sherrill Nielsen

Tony Brown’s biggest rush playing piano with Elvis Presley

Music publishing fiascos, creative frustrations, and Elvis Presley’s scrapped 1977 Nashville…

Elvis Presley, Southern gospel, country songwriting, politics, and unusual 88 interludes with Tony…

Elvis’ pianist nearly mounted the last Bee Gee’s Nashville comeback

Memphis Mafioso Richard Davis was struck by love at Elvis Week

Gauging Elvis Presley’s Shakespearean destiny from an outsider’s perspective

Ink-slinging Steve McQueen biographer Marshall Terrill dishes on Elvis, Paul Newman, and the Duke

Imagine Bruce Lee being interviewed by Johnny Carson and doing kung fu with Elvis

That kid is destined for pictures — The fantastic voyage of John Scheinfeld

‘Estelle, Myrna and Sylvia’ — The perfect Sweet Inspirations playlist

Inside ‘Fairytale,’ the Pointer Sisters’ defiant country kiss-off covered by Elvis

Uncensored Elvis and blown chances with Glen Campbell’s MVP Carl Jackson

Revelations from Elvis’s rebellious ‘Love Me Tender’ brother tempered by a Benedictine nun

When Robert Mitchum considered Elvis Presley for ‘Thunder Road’

What Johnny Carson really said about Elvis Presley on ‘The Tonight Show’

Motorcycles and Mississippi mamas: The unlikely camaraderie of Elvis Presley and John Phillips

‘Heartbreak Hotel’ knocked him flat on the ground—Mark Lindsay salutes Elvis

‘True Love Travels on a Gravel Road’ and four more magic sparks destined for Elvis Presley

Talkin’ about Elvis, Merle Haggard, imaginary girls, and ‘Like the Rain’

Searching for Elvis Presley’s humanity with Statler Brother Jimmy Fortune

Still keepin’ the fires burning — The wit and wisdom of singing sensation Ronnie McDowell

Back when Memphis was electric — B.J. Thomas on Chips Moman and the Memphis Boys

Straight shooter Roben Jones rights an unjustly neglected Memphis music saga

A beautiful mess with ‘Memphis Boys: The Story of American Studios’ wordsmith Roben Jones

A primer ’60s soul playlist for Chips Moman and the Memphis Boys

The Memphis Boys triumphantly declare hit-filled legacy during Elvis Week

‘Wearin’ That Loved on Look’ — Terry Mike Jeffrey salutes Chips Moman and the Memphis Boys

Scrapping the setlist with electrifying Elvis crusader Terry Mike Jeffrey

‘Raised on Elvis — Volume 5:’ Revisiting Terry Mike Jeffrey’s tribute to an icon

Elvis Presley’s seriously underrated rhythm guitar chops

Setting the record straight on Elvis Presley and Glen Campbell’s recording summit

Elvis Presley’s cover of ‘Talk About the Good Times’ contains an uncredited Jerry Reed guitar solo

Ray Charles’ ‘Hallelujah I Love Her So’ by way of guitar hotshot Jerry Reed

Bass maestro Ray Walker evokes sizzling Nashville nights with Elvis and Jerry Reed

Jordanaires Gordon Stoker and Ray Walker divulge sweet memories with Ralph Emery

Jerry Carrigan’s drum discography with Elvis Presley

The deep heritage of Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre…and that time Elvis Presley could only move…

Elvis Presley, charismatic icon

Jesus and Elvis with sultry-voiced Kelly Lang

Legendary Memphis deejay George Klein salutes Elvis every Friday on SiriusXM

The final interview of Duck Dunn, bassist for sixties soul sensation Booker T. & the M.G.’s

Beatles protégé Ken Mansfield recalls the Elvis Presley summit that never was

Have guitar, will travel: Maverick Wings axeman Laurence Juber steps out

When Led Zeppelin and Elvis Presley collided on Letterman’s ‘Late Show’

Dickey Lee, Mike Stoller, and Mark James wow during Elvis Songwriters Showcase

Patrick Wayne unmasks extraordinary dad’s vulnerability in exclusive birthday tribute

The fate of posthumous Charlie Daniels music documented in unseen interview

Larry Gatlin’s baby sister gets back to gospel-country roots, Elvis Presley, and Roy Orbison

Full sail with ‘Bobby Darin: Directions — A Listener’s Guide’ word slinger Shane Brown

Hello and farewell to cool rockabilly cat Carl Perkins

Rippin’ it up with hard headed rockabilly icon Wanda Jackson

Drake Milligan looks like Elvis and sounds like Strait

‘Dig That Beat!’ In focus with steadfast roots music expert Sheree Homer

Who I am in nine questions suggested by Bonnie Barton

© Jeremy Roberts, 2022. All rights reserved. To touch base, email jeremylr@windstream.net and mention which story led you my way. I appreciate it sincerely.