Being a dedicated die-hard Elvis Presley fan since my early childhood, my wife Gloria and I made the yearly trip down to Memphis Tennessee to attend 'Elvis Week' which ran August 8th-15th. Fans from all over the continent make the pilgrimage to pay love, respect and admiration to a man who came to be known as 'The King of Rock & Roll'.                             

Throughout August the weather in the deep south can be unbearable, and this year's celebration was no exception with temperatures skyrocketing into the triple digits.

Across the street from Graceland mansion, the place Elvis called home from 1957 until his passing on August 16th 1977, at the age of 42, fans can shop to their hearts content in the plaza that caters only to officially licensed Presley souvenirs and memorabilia. This is also home to channel 13, SIRIUS satellite Elvis radio where DJ's blast into outer space memories of the king while seated in a blue suede chair 24/7, 365 days a year.

Just down from the plaza is another strip of shops and home of  the ever popular outdoor tent where tribute artists from around the globe enter to perform karaoke in 1/2 hour sets, each dedicated to the king.  Although the non-stop daily activities and special events during Elvis Week are vast and plenty, many hundreds of fans make "the tent" a daily can't miss party, as the free entertainment runs from noon until 11 p.m. nightly.

The Graceland Crossing tent entertainment is hosted yearly by fan favorites, Danny McCorkle and Chris Drummond. The pair are equally dedicated to keeping memories of Elvis alive and put their own private lives on hold for the week to make this a reality and together are also seasoned entertainers & Elvis sound-alikes, as well.

The tribute artists this year were fantastic as always with many familiar faces that return year after year. You don't necessarily have to look & sound like the king, but it helps get the cat calls, hugs, kisses, and the occasional wipe of the brow from the ladies.  An interesting fellow by the name of Danny Frazier is physically challenged and born with no legs. At a height just over 3 feet, Danny had all the right stuff to authenticate his performance, black hair, pork chop sideburns, a flashy yellow shirt, huge belt buckle, and sunglasses.  Everyone was in total awe as he maneuvered his way up and down the catwalk stage balancing on just his hands singing his heart out through his headset microphone.                                                                                                     Another youngster that melted everyone's heart was 4 year old Noah Wade from South Haven, a suburb of Memphis, who was visiting along with his family. This adorable youngster was dressed in a white rhinestone jumpsuit and carried a non functional microphone every where he went. All week in the blistering heat he would walk around amongst the crowd and mimic the performers that were on stage. This cute little Elvis had all the leg, hand and arm moves down pat but it was the pouting lips and facial gestures that drove the crowds wild.  It’s just amazing to see that Elvis continues to inspire both young and old 33 years after his passing.

Elvis Week concluded with the 32nd annual candlelight vigil where more than 20,000 fans were reported to be in attendance. The Memphis city police closed down the four lane highway passing the mansion at around 5pm. A few thousand were already in the snake lineup getting an early place in front of the outside mansion wall that is literally covered in written felt pen messages to The King.

The 9 p.m. vigil began with ‘The Elvis Country Fan Club’ song, If I Can Dream, a short introduction and then the lighting of the candles while this year’s theme song, 'Anything That’s Part Of You' was played. This followed by a short service and silent prayer and then everyone filed through the mansion gates stopping to relight their candle from two main torches that were originally lit from the eternal flame that’s placed at the head of Elvis's grave. Now the long slow walk meandering up Graceland's driveway in the surreal still, hot, Memphis air began, as memories of the king were silently played through speakers around the property. Just to witness thousands of candles burning simultaneously was a breathtaking sight.  Fan clubs from all over the world sent beautiful floral wreaths and tributes that were on display as you entered the peaceful and tranquil Meditation Gardens, which is the final resting place of Elvis, his beloved Father, Vernon, Mother, Gladys, and his Grandmother, Minnie Mae.  A memorial plaque for his stillborn twin brother Jesse Garon is placed there, as well. The vigil continued until early the next morning until all had their chance to honor and pay respect to The King.

Going down to Memphis during Elvis Week is really an unexplainable feeling and for one to comprehend the love, joy and companionship that is present, can only be described as coming home and being with family every year.  Everyone is there for one reason and that is ELVIS AARON PRESLEY, The King, and it is truly an awesome and inspiring event which should be experienced by everyone at least once in their lifetime! 

4 Year Old Noah Wade

 from South Haven

Danny Frazier is Physically

Challenged but that didn't

stop him from honoring

his hero, The King of Rock

Thousands lined up at Graceland

last month, including our own

Ron Keessar who captured the

annual event

Pink Cadillac with "The King" Plates

Elvis Presley's Mansion

Elvis Week 2010

Photos and Story Courtesy of

Ron Keessar

Sample Audio Clip

It's been a few years since we found Chris Lucas and Preston Brust playing a wild 'country

meets hip-hop' show on the mainstage at the Annual Santa Cali Gon Days Festival in Independence, Missouri.  We weren't there to see the duo, but what caught our eye in passing was

their electricity on stage.  We not only went back to reclaim our seats in the

front row that day, but we hung with the guys a few other times during their regular

Midwest tours and watched the magic along the way.  Finally, after the usual struggles

trying to catch the right breaks in a crazy music business, including a few thoughts

along the way of throwing in the towel, the guys found redemption in the likes of Jeffrey Steele,

Nashville's heavy hitting songwriter and Cyrus family friend.  Stroudavarious Records it's called,

and it's LCC's new home.  I remember a quiet talk before a show in Warrensburg,

Missouri, with a very different guy than the Preston Brust you see on stage. 

I sat with him as he pondered after a radio show, and he wondered if

it was time to stop chasing the dream.  I've often thought about our conversation and

also had the same feelings and thoughts cross my own mind, but then, for whatever reason,

and more often than not, it's the fact that "this is what I do, it's all I

 know to do, I am a writer or in Preston's case a writer and electrifying performer.

LoCash fans are very glad he didn't throw it in, and all are ready for their

upcoming single co-written by Jeff Steele and Shane Minor.

Listen to a sound clip above

or visit www.locashcowboys.com to listen

to a preview stream of the entire song.

LoCash Cowboys Current Single

"Here Comes Summer"

Official Video

Best known for her current role as

Sam Puckett, in the Nickelodeon

show iCarly, Jennette McCurdy

may have one of the truest

country sounds to

come around in quite

some time.  The young

actress/singer-

songwriter has

accomplished a lot in

her eighteen years.

She's appeared in a

number of television

series, such as;

Malcolm In the Middle,

Law & Order,

Will & Grace, Zoey 101,

and Judging Amy, just to

run down the short list.

McCurdy's life has been

touched by cancer and

in turn, she released a

cover of "Homeless Heart"

and donated 20% of

the proceeds to The

Cody Water's Foundation

(Pediatric Brain Tumor

Foundation and American

Cancer Society).

Her mother is a breast

cancer survivor, as well.

After her single "So Close" was released in March 2009, McCurdy announced

that her debut album would be released on June 30, 2009.  By the time

June ended, no album had been released and on July 6, 2009,

the rising country songstress announced she had signed a deal with

Keith Urban's label, Capitol Records Nashville.

 The "King of Pop's" death was a tremendous

 blow for everyone in the music business

 everywhere, and we at New Country

 Star were no exception. 

 We were all looking forward to his

 comeback tour and knew "this really

 was it."  Stunned for weeks, we covered

 MJ's passing and the ceremonies which

 followed. Then finally, we found one 'saving

 grace' in a wickedly talented female guitarist

 named Orianthi Panagaris, MJ's gift to us. 

 I sincerely hate it when other mags or

 interviewers say, "and she

 goes by the name of..."  NO, and stop doing

 your job without educating yourself! Orianthi

 is her actual birth name.  Not all children are

 born Bobby, Brittany or Johnny. Needless to

 say, following the great success of Orianthi's

 high energy singles "According to You" and

 "Shut Up and Kiss Me," she is now

 showcasing her softer side with her new

 single "Courage," featuring Lacey Mosley

 from Flyleaf.  I have to admit, I was so

 skeptical when the marketing company

 approached us with this story, that I

 seriously talked through

 the first 10 seconds of the song!  Then,

 silence for my foolish moments.  Wow! This

 is different, this is exactly what our kids don't

 have right now, this is musical genius! On

 the tail of Shine Down's "Second Chance"

 which continues to annoy me as a parent,

 Teens have enough shit to deal with,

 without a chart topping band saying this

 is how to go out!  WTH? Hey Brent, not a

 parent, or a human being who cares about

 anyone other than yourself?

 Then keep it to yourself man.

 Bottom line, Grab this track, which features

 yet another stand out guitar solo - now on

 iTunes.  Orianthi and Lacey are set to film

 the song's music video in the coming week,

 so stay tuned to Orianthi.com and

 NewCountryStar.com over

 the next month for the "Courage" video

 debut, we'll keep you posted on the video's

 release.

Michael knew talent, because he was talent,

and he left us with Orianthi.

Thank you for that Mr. Jackson,

and thank you to Orianthi and her marketing

team for sharing such an amazing song with

New Country Star readers and listeners!

Finally something positive for our teens

who get as tired as we do of hearing

grunge and metal bands sing about suicide and

how it is justified.  Bah!  "Heroes are Survivors".

DOWNLOAD NOW

Hailing from Baltimore Maryland, born in the middle of the 1980s glam metal

hair band decade, this 26 year old singer-songwriter has taken the pop rock/punk genre by storm... and he's no newbie either, as most pop punk fans are aware. 

ET has been on the scene since 2002 as Avril Lavigne's lead guitarist. 

Avril not only wishes him well in the official video for his current single

"Pumpkin Pie," but she expresses her pride, as well.

Evan Taubenfeld is best plotted somewhere on the spectrum between, two of rocks most

current influential frontmen:

Everclear's Arthur

Paul "Art" Alexakis, and

The All American Rejects,

Tyson Ritter, but with what

seems to be the potential for

longevity and staying power

in the music biz.  Taubenfeld is no "one hit wonder" that's for certain.  Although, one hit, "Pumpkin Pie"

has gained him overnight success, going viral last month even landing him on the tech-news page Mashable.com. 

WATCH THE

OFFICIAL VIDEO

Here we are again, another Labor Day

Weekend in September, this one of 2010.

A weekend that we spend finalizing summer

concert coverage with a few late summer

surprises for you our readers, who we know are

ultimate music lovers. So, get ready and be watching to find out who we spend Labor Day weekend with this year!

What a year it's been, so many changes

over the past 12 months in the music business and New Country Star has been changing too.  Reaching out across genres seeing so many different shows over the past year, so many great artists and bands that have completely blurred the boundaries for us. One show, and one band, completely took us by surprise, ever so pleasantly, and "welcomed us to the future".

That band was  Jon Foreman and Switchfoot. It was just suppose to be another concert experience, another live show review, and another story to tell.  But, leaving the concert arena after seeing this band, was the beginning for us. As we were exiting the venue after standing in line for merchandise, there in front of the venue, shaking hands with, and even thanking everyone he could, for coming to the show, as if they'd been a personal guest in his home, stood Jon Foreman, the lead singer and frontman of Switchfoot.  After working in media for quite a while, I admit I've become jaded, even a little hardened.  As "Press" we get used to being treated like the "bad guy" for trying to cover a story, even if we're offering an artist publicity, whether it be a story or interview, etc. Personally, I've covered so many shows over the years that unless scheduled in advance via the record label or band's publicist, I make no attempt to interview, or meet an artist, and I'm just there to enjoy the show with everyone else, as I had planned to during one particular show last month.  In fact, the concert was a gift to my son for a job well-done in his first theatrical performance.

Literally, I had no idea that I would not only enjoy Switchfoot's stage performance that night, but their music, as well.  I also had "NO" idea that anyone put as much heart into a performance and actually went out into the crowd while performing just to hold the hands of and touch

the fans of whom paid to bring him there in the first place.  But, Foreman did exactly that, and more than once. Not just reaching over barricades to shake hands or just bending over from the stage to those seated in the front row, but this guy actually made his way out into the audience at least ten rows, standing on seats to reach out into the crowd further.  It was truly something to see, all the while, holding onto every note and never missing a lyric.  So to find this lead singer, standing alone without his bandmates outside the arena just shaking hands and thanking fans for coming (no bodyguards, no security people, just him saying, "I'm a guy who loves what I do and just want to thank you for letting me do it.") was amazing to me. I really believed that humility, the act of being human, was a thing of the past in music and entertainment in general.  But one guy, this guy, music fans, is worth your ticket dollars!  And it only takes one guy to make his band stand out among all others in or out of their genre.  Jon Foreman of Switchfoot is that guy.  Thanks Jon for making the concert experience so much better, for telling us about your first guitar, and for being human! I'll never regret paying ticket prices for a band that gives so much on stage and in person.  

Want To Know a Little More About

Jon Foreman?

Jon is a Southern California Boy who might remind

you a little of David Spade, although I haven't

figured out why.

Jon is the Lead Singer and Guitarist for the Alternative

Rock Band, Switchfoot of which his brother Tim,

plays bass and does back-up vocals.

Jon is 33 years old, and when he's not on tour

he resides in San Diego, California with his

wife Emily Foreman and his favorite pastime is

surfing.

Jon is an evangelical Christian

After most Switchfoot concerts, Jon enjoys playing

 what he likes to call an aftershow.  He finds a

quiet place outside the venue and any and all

are welcome.

Jon was forcefully removed from one of his

quiet aftershows in Tampa, Florida on 8/15/2010

by the police.  There was no rioting or public disturbance,

the officer was just tired and wanted to go home.

Jon Foreman is not just a writer of songs, but has

a column in the "Huffington Post"

where he has written about many things,

including his take on the stand-off with

a Tampa police officer.

Jon also plays the electric guitar

with his mouth, which some guitar players

say he is using the vibrations of voice

and others say he is actually picking strings

We'll Find Out Next Time From the Man Himself :)

'Visit

www.switchfoot.com

 Photo Courtesy of:  Amy Willis

Tune In July 6th at 7 a.m. (ET/PT)

Listen To Our Interview

With Brady Now!

Click Below To Listen Now  

Been There Drunk That

In stores on September 21st

But we've got a sample with the story

behind the songs!

www.billycurrington.com

Currington is a multi Grammy, Country Music Association and Academy of Country Music award nominated artist who's garnered six career #1 singles. This fall he joins Carrie Underwood on a 46-city tour which kicks off September 25 in Portland and includes stops in San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Nashville, Kansas City, Tampa, Charlotte, Toronto and Vancouver, to name a few.

The fourth record from Mercury Nashville singer/songwriter BILLY CURRINGTON is set for release SEPTEMBER 21. The album is entitled ENJOY YOURSELF, and includes the crooner's sixth #1 smash hit "Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer" written by Troy Jones. Enjoy Yourself, featuring the Georgia native's trademark mix of country, R&B and beach music, is produced by Currington and Carson Chamberlain.

"It's a great mix. It reflects who I am," Currington says about the collection of 10 songs. "I'm definitely not just one thing. I'm the beach guy, I'm the country guy, I love my dirt roads and fishin', but I love New York City and L.A. and Miami, too."

Billboard claims first single "Pretty Good At Drinkin' Beer" "is the kind of ditty worth spinning on loop. Currington is pretty good at more than just knocking back a few cold ones and this lead single sounds like a sure thing."

The album features Nashville's top songwriters, including Dave Barnes, Shawn Camp, Scotty Emerick, Jones and Mark Nesler.

"This record was about recording songwriter's songs," says Billy. "I could have gone back and recorded a bunch of mine that I've written, but there were a lot of writers I wanted to record, like Shawn and Troy. I had to put their songs on this album."

So what's a band to do?

With so much competition on the music scene today at a time when there are more phenomenal up and coming musicians than there are listeners left on mainstream radio, it takes more than just raw talent... sometimes you need to get creative right in the middle of four lanes of heavy Los Angeles traffic.  Which is exactly what the band, Imperial Stars, did Tuesday morning on Hwy US 101 near Sunset Blvd. The band had a driver park a box truck across four lanes on the interstate and while the driver bolted, the band climbed on top of the the vehicle for an impromptu performance of their song "Traffic Jam 101"  which pretty much describes the morning's event.

Police were on the scene and the three band mates were arrested and face charges

of obstructing traffic causing a mile long traffic jam.  While breaking the law may

seem a bit extreme to the average person, especially to those commuting on Hwy 101

that morning, it does say something about the times and the desperation musicians

feel in getting their music heard and making a living doing what they not only love,

but what many of them were born to do and have spent so much of their lives

focused on, that they know no other trade.  So, whether you agree with their

methods, it certainly says something about how hard musicians and songwriters

must work today to get noticed.  If you aren't lucky enough to earn a spot

on American Idol or America's Got Talent, or run into Simon Cowell or some

other music mogul in line at Waldbaums begging you to break into song, all the

talent in the world will idle, not Idol.  Even if you've written a song worthy of Billboard

recognition, without a little ingenuity on the side, it's likely you'll be sitting in the

basement with a book of hits nobody will ever hear or studying bartending at the

local trade school.  These are desperate times for everyone, and the music

business is no exception. "Desperate times call for desperate measures"

and while the web is buzzing with negative tweets and posts about

this band and their music, it is buzzing.

www.imperialstars.com

Last year Conrad walked away from the show that made her famous to pursue other opportunities. During her time off network television, she penned two bestselling books- "L.A. Candy" and "Sweet Little Lies" (her third nook, "Sugar and Spice" is due out next month), and she was also the spokesperson for Avon's "Mark" line, and launched her own clothing line for Kohl's, as well. 

With all that on her plate, why return to reality TV?  Conrad must know where the real money is and she can be pretty confident in knowing that she's a hot commodity right now.  Fans of "The Hills" have been tweeting for months how the show's ending was directly related to LC's departure, some even blaming the series wrap on her replacement, Kristin Cavallari.  Regardless, Lauren Conrad remains a fan favorite in TV Land, in or out of the Los Angeles spotlight. 

We'll keep you posted!