He appeared as Orion Eckley Darnell, the character created August 16, 1977, by a Marietta [Georgia], housewife Gail Brewer-Giorgo. The records were endorsed as genuine Presley recordings by the song's co-writer Doc Pomus, the music journalist Roy Carr, and the TV show Good Morning America which undertook a voice comparison test of the song against Presley's voice. Jimmy "Orion" Ellis, also known as James Hughes Bell was an American Singer. he wears as mask He was professionally known as Orion, and his double-edged claim to fame was that his natural speaking and singing voice sounded almost exactly like that of [Elvis Presley]. : Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive, Elvis at Madison Square Garden 40 Years Ago. Youmans formed a small group and had Jimmy sing at a few local schools. EIN: Jimmys death was tragic! He was standing before the display counter in his Jimmy's Pawn and Package Store just after noon Saturday when the gunman burst in and, in seconds, turned the quiet shop into a slaughterhouse. Scans of the unofficial CD titled JIMMY ELLIS THE SINGLES. 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. One of the guys asked me if I knew who that was singing on the tape recorder. It doesnt cost a penny but has great impact! 5 1969-70' Book Review: 'From Hawaii to Las Vegas' FTD CD Review: 'Young Man with the Big Beat' In-Depth Review: 'Fashion For A King' FTD in-depth Review: The Music of Elvis Presley - Australian Radio Show, Elvis Presley In Concert "downunder" 2006, Graceland - The National Historic Landmark. At one point he even released the single Im Trying Not to Sound Like Elvis. During his time with Sun, Ellis/Orion cut over 11 albums and toured with the Oak Ridge Boys, Jerry Lee Lewis, and other stars like Dionne Warwick. Singleton then persuaded Ellis to start appearing as "Orion", wearing a small mask with dyed hair and in similar clothing to that worn by Presley. It is the story of Jimmy Ellis, a singer from Alabama who was cursed with having a voice identical to that of . Other LP/CD's Featuring Jimmy Ellis/Orion, Other LP's/CD's featuring Jimmy Ellis/Orion, Other LP & CD's Featuring Jimmy Ellis/Orion, Stargem/Kardina/Southern Tracks Promo Photos. He quickly says "he sounds just like Elvis" and then puts on a copy of the mask worn by Orion for the album picture. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. You can make comments on the tab provided, or on Facebook at "Orion Jimmy Ellis Fan Club" or "Orion Jimmy Ellis Group". [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. . The shot missed, and then Lee allegedly turned his attention to the cash register, which he knocked off the counter after he could not open it, Huffman said. 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. The tape recorder was playing the song Echoes of Love from Elvis Kissin Cousins album. To see the film clip and make a donation, please click on the link below. Bobby had recorded Otis Redding and Wayne Cochran plus many local bands. Singleton duly took Orion back to Elvis's roots in rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, country, blues, and gospel. How & where do I sell my Elvis collection? Oct 7, 2013 - Orion Jimmy Ellis - The Official Web Site. Orion". Kenneth Dokkeberg. It is hold together by a stitch in the upper left corner. A couple of songs can be heard at the URLs below. 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." Thank you very much!! (Jimmy Ellis single on the regional Boblo label - released in 1978 - it is viewed by many as the singer's plea for acceptance in his own right rather than because of his uncanny Elvis-like singing voice). Real Name: James Hughes Bell Profile: James Hughes Bell (February 26, 1945 - December 12, 1998), stage name Orion (based on the character from the same-titled book by Gail Brewer-Giorgio ), was an American singer. For the musician also known as Orion, see, "Jimmie Ellis and the Appolos: Don't Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch", "U.S. Supreme Court won't review cases of two Alabama death row inmates", "Orion: The Man Who Would Be King review wonderfully weird | Film", "Orion: The Man Who Would Be King (2015)", "British Independent Film Awards 2015: the winners in full", "Sundance Selects acquires 'Orion: The Man Who Would Be King' for US Theatrical release", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jimmy_%22Orion%22_Ellis&oldid=1135156032, This page was last edited on 23 January 2023, at 00:00. He then dragged the cash register off the counter and got about $135.00 out of it. had a stage presence which entranced his fans, did not want want to be an Elvis imitator, for most of his career did not make a living singing and performing Elvis songs, had fans who travelled (often as a family) up to 500 miles to see him perform, is the only Elvis stylist to have had an album replaced due to controversy, is the only Elvis stylist to have a best-selling book published about his persona. 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. Ellis was gunned Down in His Alabama Pawn Shop December 12, 1998. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRx7ice15YY, Backed by the Jordanaires and opening act Sherry Carlisle, Orion sang to a packed house on August 12, 1997 at Nashville's Nightlife Theater. It's like an artist painting a picture. Ellis recorded an album under his own name, Sometimes Words Just Get In The Way, for a small label in . A man who for more than 10 years chased a career as a romantic southern crooner with a love of rockabilly and nostalgic love songs. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. The terrain is 2.5 and difficulty is 2 (out of 5). Sundance Selects acquires Orion: The Man Who Would Be King for US Theatrical release. 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. I really like the way he sang songs that Elvis never recorded in versions that still sounded a lot like Elvis. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: jean-puy.com Jean Puy un peintre fauve We are told that the documentaryis moving along but, as with many projects,monetary donations would be appreciated to help get it to completion. He was who he was, no pretense. Scans of any Jimmy Ellis/Orion release or alternate versions not included on this website would be greatly appreciated. EIN: Listening to My Special Angel and Hes Got You it is apparent that you also have a singing voice very similar Elvis. Is that your natural singing voice? Who was he? JIMMY ELLIS, LTD., LIMITED PARTNERSHIP 1975 CONTRACT RARE! I do miss playing live. 6 1971-1973' Book Review: 'Elvis - The Man & His Music'#100 review: 'Elvis - Aloha Via Satellite: A 40th Anniv Release' Book Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. He started the album on the record player to play Echoes of Love. I still record once in a while at home, as the mood strikes. I responded: gosh Jimmy what if I did. 2. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presleys label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. Orion mention on The tonight show with jimmy fallon, http://beta.orionstc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/17-Out-Of-My-Life-live.mp3. He would give you things and himself freely. The book has been a huge task with 12+ years of research. Copyright the Elvis Information Network. With few bookings for Jimmy Ellis 'live on stage' there was still a substantial (albeit diminishing) demand of fans to satisfy their deep-seated psychological need and hope that their King had not left them. Consequently, this meant Jimmy could only get well paying work if he donned the Orion mask and (to him) even worse, an Elvis jumpsuit. Bobby D. on YouTube (who does Bobby sound like? Then he started the tape recorder and put the little microphone down by the record player and sang with the song overlaying Elvis voice with his. Dates, venues, photographs would all be of great help. Orion to recieve Lifetime Achievement Award in Las Vegas! When Jimmy would come for a visit to my house in the early days, it was like Elvis was comingthere was electricity in the air. [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. The apposite outcome saw Jimmy dramatically rip off his Orion mask in frustration during a" live" performance in 1983. 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. Bobby D.: Well, we just had a limited number of the out-of-print CD - Orion Country repressed. Giorgios book had just come out, so Singleton decided to cash in on its popularity and transform Jimmy Ellis into the mysterious Orion who had phoned the author earlier that year. I was in a small band named the Catalinas in Macon, GA my hometown and loved music. 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. Interview conducted by Nigel Patterson, EIN (July 2014), Read: EIN's 2014 "Jimmy Ellis/Orion" article. Excitement - Orion (Jimmy Ellis) was fun loving, had a great sense of humor, and a great personality. If you want to support the artist or artists that recorded and released this music, please go and purchase their music. "Mr. Ellis never had time to do nothing or say nothing," Dallas County Sheriff Harris Huffman Jr. told APB News. The label credited the recordings simply to "? In 1979 Jimmy Ellis finally merged with an identity, but it still wasn't himself. 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). His first two singles were covers of two of the King's former hits, "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky.". Who is this person??? Instead of listing Ellis' first album on the label, Singleton printed a question mark. 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. 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. Raised in Orrville, Alabama, Ellis began his recording career in 1964. EIN:One of the incredible things about Jimmy and his Orion alter-ego is that there were around 150 bootleg recordings of his studio and live recordings released. So who is this person a performer whose sad end is one we normally expect from a fabricated and dramatically intensified Hollywood film? Lets hope this music finds a way out at some other point. You know , it was like, here I am creating this and doing the work. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. Scan of the German cassette release COUNTRY & WESTERN CLASSICS VOL.1 on the Sun/Bellaphon label. Sun Records legend Orion (Jimmy Ellis) is known internationally for his gifted singing ability and dynamic personal appearances. Ellis was born in either Pascagoula, Mississippi,[2] Orrville, Alabama,[3] or Washington, D.C.,[1] United States, into a single parent home. Given Jimmy's keen sense of humor he must be looking down and smiling! Allyson Adams 'The Rebel and The King' Interview: EIN interviews John Scheinfeld director of 'Fame & Fortune', Elvis Paradise Hawaiian Interview - with Peter Noone, Sam Thompson, Elvis' bodyguard, 2011 Interview. They are remembered for their hit single "Disco Inferno" (1976). Went to Lanier Sr., a great all boys public, military high school. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------. Artefact from Shelby Singleton's personal collection.conspiracy theorists, note the date! We let Bobby hear the record and he liked it but he said that it was too much like Presley, and he didnt think he could do anything with Jimmy.a huge mistake. Sung By . That eventually led to Sun Records in Nashville. All trademarks, labels, covers and logos shown on this website are the sole property of the companies concerned and are included here for reference purposes only. Click on the LP and 45 rpm records page. He fired once into her face, killing her instantly and hitting another worker, Helen King, in the hand. It is written by myself (Kenneth Dokkeberg), Steve Kelley (Orions road manager) and Bobby Dillard (personal friends since College). was courted for a baseball career and a tryout with the Milwaukie Braves but turned it down. The association ended in 1982, and this boxed set includes the very best of the recordings that Jimmy Ellis made for Sun. So, thats how Jimmy Ellis and I met and became lifelong friends. Chet came back and said: Bobby, he sounds the same on all of them. To The Official Orion - Jimmy Ellis Web Site, http://tribecafilm.com/stories/tribeca-film-festival-2015-viewpoints, http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/orion-the-man-who-would-be-king. (EIN Comment: Bobby D. should get back to playing "live" - he is naturally gifted with a great voice!). http://www.orionstc.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Jimmy-Ellis-Early-years-PROMO.mp3. 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. ORION (JIMMY ELLIS) A STRANGER IN MY PLACE 6 RADIO STATION SPOTS SUN 1152 MINT-. 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. Thunderclap is a tool that lets a message be heard when you and your friends say it together. It begins with the 1972 single on which Orion, then simply Jimmy Ellis, recorded 'That's All Right/Blue Moon Of Kentucky.' You can make comments on the tab provided, or on the Orion Facebook Fan Club. This blog does not store any files on its server. He travelled to Nashville and tried to break into the music business - but found. It was issued on Sun without an artist name, and created a furor because Ellis bore such an uncanny vocal resemblance to Elvis. We were both only children, but Jimmy was not selfish or too self-centered. Scans of sleeves and labels would be of real interest as would track listings of further foreign releases. Could you clarify who was working with him that day? The film, which had its world premiere at Tribeca and won [], Calling all Orion fans and film supporters. He then left the store and caught up with his two young friends waiting down the road in a car. And that's the way it was. Low prices on Jimmy Ellis discography of music albums at CD Universe, with top rated service, Jimmy Ellis songs, discography, biography, cover art pictures, sound samples, albums, etc. Love For A Lovely Girl.What A Great Song.BY Lester Brown/ Bob Gibson/ Johdn D Loudermilk. Bobby D.: Yes, that is just my natural voice. ..replaced with a completely new cover and no coffin! . The Dan Lentino Management Group in Las Vegas is honoring Orion / Jimmy Ellis posthumously with a lifetime achievement award. AVAILABLE HERE LOWER PRICE! And, after I heard Jimmy, I knew I was not.>. So I said: come on, thats Elvis I have the album. 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. That was December 4, 1998 - The Nightlife Theatre in Nashville, TNwhat a show!!! Scan of New Zealand release of the JERRY LEE LEWIS - DUETS album (Sun L27036). 'Elvis: From Louisiana and Memphis 1976' FTD In-depth Review: FTD continues their extensive look at Elvis' performances in 1976 with three July 1976 concerts. 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. This is thebookthat started the Orion legend created by Shelby Singleton at Sun Records. He also started to run a store in Selma, Alabama, with his girlfriend Elaine Thompson. Bobby D.: I was born in Macon, GA in 1945. My mom had bought me GI Blues and a new record player when I was only 10 years old and I would try to play some of the songs and sing. 1 1953-56'In Depth Book Review: 'Aloha From Hawaii' 40th Anniv LEGACY CD Review: Aloha From Hawaii - The Concert 2013- EIN Exclusive Review: 'Prince From Another Planet In-Depth Review: Once Upon A Time: Elvis and Anita (Memories of My Mother) - Book Review: 'A Boy From Tupelo' special In-depth Review: 'The Elvis Files Vol. They wrote both of the songs. 1. We were in the same dorm building on campus at Middle Georgia College in Cochran, GA. Every morning from my room I would hear this loping sound of cowboy boots coming down the hall and some guy humming and singing lowly. Mr. (much like how each of Elvis' jumpsuits had its own name): ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------, Orion (Jimmy Ellis) with (also in character) members of supergroup KISS, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, ------------------------------------------------------------------------------. INTERNET DOWNLOADS. Jimmy really liked my version of My Special Angel that we listened to for the first time while riding around in Nashville. These books arevintage - new and are a collector's item. Add your masked portrait to I Am Orion, THE ROLLERCOASTER RISE AND TRAGIC FALL OF THE 'My voice is both a blessing and a curse' (Jimmy Ellis/Orion during media interview), Controversial Sun Records 1978 Orion 'Reborn' (coffin) album cover. 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. This One's For. The other lady fell to the floor with blood on her and played dead while Jimmy tried to crawl behind a computer desk. We only index and link to content provided on other servers. When autocomplete results are available use up and down arrows to review and enter to select. )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.