“The coupling of Ronnie McDowell’s great paintings with an insider’s delightful stories about Elvis makes
The Genuine Elvis a magic combination.”
—Dick Clark, American Bandstand
Untold stories, candid photographs, and personal memories fill the pages of this ultimate tribute to the king of rock-’n’-roll. From anecdotes about Elvis’s high-school years from friend Jimmy Angel to the personal memories of Elvis’s best friend, Jerry Schilling, about the Christmas of 1975 and Elvis’s cousin Edie Hand’s childhood memories of their summertime family reunions, this book is a must-have for fans and collectors of Elvis memorabilia.
This collection features contributions from Elvis’s friends and family members, country music star Ronnie McDowell’s original paintings, and dozens of remarkable pictures by Al Wertheimer. Highlights include the entries from Pat Boone; Louise Smith, widow of Elvis’s cousin Gene; and the never-before-told story of the exclusive 1956 interview disc jockey Charles Watts recorded with Elvis and his mother, Gladys, and father, Vernon.
About the Authors
Ronnie McDowell is a country music star whose blockbuster 1977 Elvis tribute, “The King Is Gone,” launched his music career. He has appeared on such programs as WSM’s
Grand Ole Opry and Dick Clark’s
American Bandstand. He continues to tour with his band, the Rhythm Kings.
A member of Presley’s extended family, Edie Hand has starred in national commercials and television soap operas and was CEO of her own advertising agency. She is the author of Pelican’s Recipes for Life: A Cookbook for the Heart and Soul with Edie & Friends.
Joe Meador is a songwriter, manager, producer, and performer. He is the president/CEO of Grand Entertainment Group in Nashville, and during his more than thirty years in the music industry, he has toured with such artists as Ricky Nelson and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.
THE GENUINE ELVIS
Photos and Untold Stories about the King
By Ronnie McDowell, Edie Hand, and Joe Meador
MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Rock
MUSIC / Genres & Styles / Soul & R ’n B
112 pp. 6 x 6
8 color illus. 10 color photos 25 b/w photos
ISBN: 9781589806955