He used to say: you can sound like other artists and make it but if you sound like Elvis they dont want to play your records. The . Directors Statement Who was that masked man? Actually, I think it made him more determined to try to be accepted by radio and the music industry as Jimmy Ellis, even though he sounded like EP. As Orion, Ellis reached Billboard's country chart with nine singles. A couple of songs can be heard at the URLs below. Jimmy Ellis In The Shadow Of a King Book NOW AVAILABLE! As Jim Ellis, he released an album in 1987 and continued to tour North America; interestingly, he resumed wearing his mask. Which memorial do you think is a duplicate of Jimmy Ellis (19214)? In an, Georgia Pines CD - Playground Records Promo Card. Scans of the unofficial CD titled JIMMY ELLIS THE SINGLES. He said, "Don't worry about it, you don't buy the fuckin records anyway." Scan of the cassette release BY REQUEST, ELLIS SINGS ELVIS. Jimmy was a really good guitar player and very musically inclined. This boxed set documents Orion's career on the legendary Sun Records label. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. Then, shortly after Elvis's death, legendary producer Shelby Singleton reconnected with Ellis, signing him to Sun, and creating the myth of Orion, the hero of a book, in which a famous star fakes his own death, and takes himself and his music back the roots. Dradco will release a 6 CD set in 2018 to commemorate the 20th anniversary since Jimmys passing. Oct 7, 2013 - Orion Jimmy Ellis - The Official Web Site. In 1999, the famed German company, Bear Family Records, released a 4CD box set of 108 Orion recordings: From the pr for the box set: It was Orion Eckley Darnell, keeping the flame of rootsy Southern music alive in the Seventies, and doing it by sounding remarkably like Elvis Aaron Presley. Cover scans of any CD's on the unofficial Masked Man label. Mr. However, in the beginning recordings like Save The Last Dance For Me, Ebony Eyes and Honey convinced many Elvis fans that their King was still physically among them. Ellis recorded an album under his own name, Sometimes Words Just Get In The Way, for a small label in . Shawn. His voice was similar to Elvis Presley's, a fact which he and his record company played upon, making some believe that some of his recordings were by Presley, or even that Presley had not died in 1977. Ellis appeared on the album cover wearing a mask over his eyes. Bobby D. on YouTube (who does Bobby sound like? On this website you will find the latest Orion/Jimmy Ellis news along with other info you might find useful. Sundance Selects plans Dec 4 release theatrically and on demand. Oh well, it is publicity!! Orion to recieve Lifetime Achievement Award in Las Vegas! 3. Raised in Orrville, Alabama, Ellis began his recording career in 1964. Even before the Orion phenomenon had really taken off he released a self-penned single on the small Boblo label, I'm Not Trying To Be Like Elvis. 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. Genesis.Jimmy Hughes Bell was born on 26 February 1945 to a single mother (named) Gladys. Of the thousands who in some way look(ed), perform(ed) or sound(ed) like Elvis there is one performer who stands well apart from the rest. Very unfortunately, Jimmy Ellis along with his wife, was killed in December the 12th 1998 by a male robber. )more than 20 items including coffee mugs, beer steins, calendars, mouse pad, t-shirts, sweat shirts and clocks, is the only Elvis stylist who nearly 20 years after his tragic death still elicits interest from his fans, is promoted today by a commercial company operating in his name, has several websites devoted to his life and music, had several of his recordings featured on the soundtrack of a number of films, has featured in a number of documentaries about music in the southern states of the USA, is the subject of a documentary film being released in 2015. The album cover itself generated controversy because it depicted a phantom singer rising from a coffin, and was later withdrawn. It is pertinent to say that while Jimmy was fanatically worshipped by fans, it was Gail Brewer-Giorgio and Shelby Singleton (remember the infamous "Duets" album with Jerry Lee Lewis) who were banking the lion's share of money as the cash registers kept on "ching chinging" as Jimmy Ellis/Orion connected with an avid, loyal and increasingly fanatical audience. It was issued on Sun without an artist name, and created a furor because Ellis bore such an uncanny vocal resemblance to Elvis. A few weeks later, some guys asked me to come down to their room where they were playing music so I decided to go. SUBSCRIBE FOR ARTIST + LABEL NEWS, ANNOUNCEMENTS, EVENTS AND MORE. Read about his childhood, reaching for the music scene, chasing his dream and finally his tragic end. There is no media rate for international shipping, but we are covering part of the high shipping cost. Their fascinating book, True Disbelievers The Elvis Contagion, featured excerpts from several interviews with Jimmy Ellis which shed further light on his frustration with his musical direction, including: On working in the recording studio with Shelby Singleton, Jimmy stated: We'd play it back, you know, in Shelby's office, and I'd say, "That's not right." EIN: Your friendship with Jimmy Ellis. 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! All songs in superb quality, unreleased material from Los Angeles in 75, unrelesased home recordings and soundboard. A fine talent in his own right, Ellis recorded the song "I'm Not Trying" (Boblo 536) and the album By Request - Ellis Sings Elvis (Boblo 78-829). Thanks for your help! Scans of the COUNTRY FROM THE HEART CD on the Lanier Records label. In reality, Orion was the club singer Jimmy Ellis, who was born in Orrville, Alabama, in 1945. She is an accomplished documentary film maker with 6+ well known films. 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. It is old and worn just like it should be. Fittingly, his legend lives on, and quite ironically, both as Jimmy Ellis and Orion! EIN:Jimmy Ellis, the personaway from the stage or recording studio. Jimmy was an accomplished songwriter who could write uptempo, slow and country songs as recordings such as the rockin' Washing Machine, poignant ballad It Ain't No Mystery and catchy, toe tapping Some You Win, Some You Lose, attest to. Well, he then said: no, its that guy, pointing to the guy sitting on the bed. Many fans will not be aware of this circumstances. [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. Which brings us to the incredible story of Orion. I am always on the lookout for Orion/Jimmy Ellis concerts that I dont have. We are told that the documentaryis moving along but, as with many projects,monetary donations would be appreciated to help get it to completion. Bobby D: Jimmy Ellis was actually the same off stage as he was on stage. The Elvis Information Network has been running since 1986 and is an EPE officially recognised Elvis fan club. EIN: Given you have a great singing voice why didnt you pursue a recording/performing career? Copyright the Elvis Information Network. [5] His vocals closely resembled those of Elvis Presley, and in 1969 Shelby Singleton, who had acquired the rights to Sun Records' back catalog, other than Presley's recordings for the label, released a single of Ellis' recordings of Presley's early songs, "That's All Right (Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky". I have to say I was floored. Running time: 86 minutes in full colour. EIN: Jimmys death was tragic! Only Jimmy Ellis/Orion can lay claim to these remarkable achievements (and he could only be categorised as an Elvis tribute artist in his final years, well after his seminal period as the masked man, Orion). "Mr. Ellis never had time to do nothing or say nothing," Dallas County Sheriff Harris Huffman Jr. told APB News. The Elvis Information Network has been running since 1986 and is an EPE officially recognised Elvis fan club. Police later found Lee holed up in a motel about 30 miles outside Atlanta. 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. Who was he? Ellis hailed from Orrville, Alabama and began his recording career in 1964. Singleton duly took Orion back to Elvis's roots in rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, country, blues, and gospel. A Tribute to the "Masked Man": Jimmy Ellis aka "Orion". The other lady was standing just behind Elaine. It begins with the 1972 single on which Orion, then simply Jimmy Ellis, recorded 'That's All Right/Blue Moon Of Kentucky.' He also recorded several albums for Sun between 1979 and 1981 and built up a substantial live following, still wearing his mask. He appeared as Orion Eckley Darnell, the character created August 16, 1977, by a Marietta [Georgia], housewife Gail Brewer-Giorgo. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. In the 2006 EIN article, A Tribute to the "Masked Man": Jimmy Ellis aka "Orion", I observed: Of course his friends knew him from his early days as a child and when he started out as a singer, but this didn't stop the promoters of the "Elvis is alive" conspiracy theory. EIN often receives requests for information on these releases. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________. In an outstanding article in The Nashville Tennessean newspaper on August 12, 1997, it was reported that "Orion having the same vocal cords as Elvis has been both a kiss and a curse, but Orion sings his own tune!!!". Love For A Lovely Girl.What A Great Song.BY Lester Brown/ Bob Gibson/ Johdn D Loudermilk. Jimmy Ellis (born February 26, 1945 - died December 12,1998) was born in Orrville, Alabama on February 26th of 1945. And, after I heard Jimmy, I knew I was not.>. The apposite outcome saw Jimmy dramatically rip off his Orion mask in frustration during a" live" performance in 1983. Manage all your favorite fandoms in one place! [4] Aged two, he moved with his mother to Birmingham, Alabama, where he was put up for adoption and, aged four, was adopted by R. F. and Mary Faye (nee Hodges) Ellis. This dynamic performer differentiates himself from all others for a number of reasons. NASA.gov brings you the latest images, videos and news from America's space agency. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, A selection of the many colorful Orion masks, each with its own name. An album featuring the duet came out and the controversy really heated up when Good Morning America had the Friends voice scientifically scanned and analyzed and concluded that it could be no one but Presley. Dates, venues, photographs would all be of great help. 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!!! Production costs turned out to be too high compared to the demand on the box set, making the release too economically challenging to make. Look for a micro hidden container. The world lost a great singer. I love music too and do some song leading at church. Orion in Sweden Listeners of Orion were initially split into two camps: those who knew that Orion was Jimmy Ellis just having some fun sounding like Elvis , and others who sincerely believed or wanted to believe that he was truly Elvis coming back on the scene after faking his own death. Hopefully in time the details given can be guaranteed to be100% correct but a great deal more info is required before reaching that stage. $4.00 shipping. 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. The CDs are offered on the official web site: www.orionjimmyellis.com. That's not a career. I still record once in a while at home, as the mood strikes. I miss him a lot! Interview conducted by Nigel Patterson, EIN (July 2014), Read: EIN's 2014 "Jimmy Ellis/Orion" article. [6] His album Reborn, showing the singer emerging from a coffin, was released on gold-colored vinyl on the Sun label in 1978. EIN: The Jimmy Ellis story "lives on". In high school his teachers encouraged him to sing for the school's "Religious Emphasis Week," leading him to enter his first talent contest in 1963. By the late 1980s, Jimmy was again performing on stage in his Orion persona and while not enjoying the buoyant career he had between 1978 and the early 1980s he had regular bookings, including in Europe where he was especially sought after. Orion recorded a single, Ebony Eyes, for Sun in 1979, which became part of his debut album, Reborn. $11.99. Could you clarify who was working with him that day? It was obviously a terrible tragedy, and I will never forget the call I got at 11:00 pm on that Saturday night December 12 from Shirley telling me Jimmy was dead. We are told that the documentary is moving along but, as with many projects, monetary donations would be appreciated to help get to completion. Tell us about that. Memorial ID. The answer is: ONE! : Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive, Elvis at Madison Square Garden 40 Years Ago. He has appeared with Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, the Oak Ridge Boys and many many others. ", and it was rumored that they were alternate takes from Presley sessions (despite featuring an electric rather than string bass). December 1998. Brewer-Giorgio's novel, Jimmy Ellis' career aspirations, and Shelby Singleton's business converged to create Orion, the masked singer who allowed Jimmy to essentially perform as Elvis Presley for those grief-stricken audiences who wanted to believe he was still alive. EIN:Bobby D. its been great talking with you. He is a phenomenon in his own right albeit because of his Elvis connection - a connection which figuratively haunted him throughout his tragically, shortened career. ): I continued with my Human Resources career for many years and retired in the mountains of NC two years ago. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presleys label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. American vocalist (February 26, 1945 in Orrville, Alabama - December 12, 1998 in Alabama), also known as Jimmy "Orion" Ellis, and known for his close vocal similarity to Elvis. The story of Orion, the singer whose voice bears an incredible likeness to that of Elvis Presley, is an interesting and unusual one to say the least. The book has been a huge task with 12+ years of research. If you can help with any small detail please contact me at: Promotional 8 track tape added for upcoming Dradco release of the album, Updated info on the new CD release of the. Bobby D.: Yes, that is just my natural voice. What exactly happened? [9][10][11] The film won the Discovery Award at the British Independent Film Awards 2015. [1] He attended Orrville High School, where he excelled in baseball, football and basketball. Explore. Official site; Kenneth Dokkeberg's Jimmy Ellis / Orion website; Musiclovers - Discography, audio samples and a lot more! He also started to run a store in Selma, Alabama, with his girlfriend Elaine Thompson. Original Name James Bell Birth 26 Feb 1945. During that same year, with record in hand, I took Jimmy Ellis to Macon to meet Bobby Smith at his recording studio. is the only Elvis stylist to have merchandise and memorabilia released (still sold online in 2014! . The tape recorder was playing the song Echoes of Love from Elvis Kissin Cousins album. Cover scans of any CD's on the unofficial Orion Records label. Thunderclap is a tool that lets a message be heard when you and your friends say it together. If you sat in a room with him and heard him sing Happy Birthday, the National Anthem, or Its Now or Never, he sounded exactly the same. The film is being produced by Jeanie Finlay, a British artist and filmaker. Leave a comment or question. Ellis hair and long sideburns were dyed black, and he dressed in a loud, bejeweled polyester jumpsuit, with a mask to protect him from crazed fans. James Hodges Ellis (born James Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 December 12, 1998), who used the stage name Orion at times in his career, was an American singer. Youmans formed a small group and had Jimmy sing at a few local schools. he wears as mask A real EP story. [3], In 1978, writer Gail Brewer-Giorgio published a novel, Orion, about a leading popular singer based on Presley who faked his death. He was 53 years old. 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. Orion Jimmy Ellis - The Official Web Site Welcome!! EIN: Did the Orion experience change Jimmy as a person? As they say all PR is good PR! Elvis Presley, Elvis and Graceland are trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises. So who is this person a performer whose sad end is one we normally expect from a fabricated and dramatically intensified Hollywood film? Spotlight article by Nigel Patterson, June 2014, (for the purposes of this article I will use the term Elvis stylist in reference to the person in question). 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. Learn more about merges. For unofficial publicity purposes Orion continued to strike a favorite pose for the cover of: (one of nearly 150 'unofficial' Jimmy Ellis/Orion/Ellis James albums - with a striking but obvious graphically altered 'rip-off' cover design/image of the "reborn" Sun Records "Reborn" LP - as with its origination - Orion's facial expression on the cover nicely reflects the album title), The Comeback.While Jimmy probably never wanted to resurrect the Orion character, there was an inevitable comeback. He wanted better recording material (new songs) and production sound in other studios but Sun (Shelby Singleton) would not agree. 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. Among the titles are 'Such A Night', 'Honey', 'Patches', 'Ebony Eyes', 'Rocky', and 'Release Me'; the complete overdubs with Jerry Lee Lewis, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, and Carl Perkins, plus many previously unissued titles. Anyway, he got that voice from somewhere in his original family.not from Sears, as he once said. Scan of the Plantation Records cassette release 16 AWARD WINNING COUNTRY SONGS. Bobby Dillard was a close friend of the late Jimmy Ellis.the man who, wearing a mask, became a key part of the 'Elvis is alive' movement, as the mysterious singer, Orion! 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. Jimmy Ellis (born February 26, 1945 - died December 12,1998) was born in Orrville, Alabama on February 26th of 1945. Bobby D.: Not really. Jimmy then met with Phil Walden, owner of Capricorn Records (the Almond Brothers Band and others) in Macon and was offered a contract, but since Jimmy was under age at the time his parents wouldnt let him sign.another huge mistake. We have just received an intro and preview clip of the up coming documentary "Orion The Movie". Ellis's Orion character claimed to have been managed by one Colonel Mac Weiman, and have been born in Ribbonsville, Tennessee on December 31, 1931. ORION FEAT.JIMMY ELLIS.CH About me THE STORY OF ORION BEGAN AS FICTION A Georgia-based writer,Gail Brewer-Giorgio concocted a tale about a charismatic rock 'n'roll singer,Orion Eckley Darnell,who came to be called 'King' because of his enormous popularity across the world.However
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