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Friday, January 13, 2012

Blood Harmony

I'm really looking forward to April 7, when The Original Elvis Tribute will be performing in Vara, Sweden. This show has been touring Europe for the last couple of years, but for the first time Mary and Ginger Holladay will be among the musicians. Today I recieved an e-mail from the producer Arjan Deelen, titled "Ginger Holladay recalls her first meeting with Elvis" that I'd like to share with you.
Even though it’s now 40 years ago that she first met Elvis, Ginger Holladay’s memories of that January 1969 meeting still remain vivid in her mind: “Yes, it was when we were recording "In The Ghetto". A crowd of men laughing and joking walked into the studio and then parted and there he was, in the center of them all. He came over and introduced himself to us (as if we didn't already know...he was such a gentleman) and shook each of our hands”.

At the time, Elvis was recording at American Sound Studios in Memphis. These sessions rejuvenated Elvis’ career as a relevant recording artist. And he fell in love with the ‘Holladay Sound’: the girls ended up working on virtually every studio album he did between 1969 and ’75 (16 original albums in all), and their voices were even dubbed onto some of the live recordings. “We had a sound that someone described as blood harmony, a sound that only comes if you are family”, says Ginger, “Elvis liked our sound, as did Felton Jarvis, his producer for RCA”.

Mary and Ginger Holladay will be coming to Europe for the first time this April as part of the ‘Original Elvis Tribute’ show. These shows will mark the first time that the original backing vocals of classics like “Suspicious Minds” and “In The Ghetto” can be heard live in concert in Europe. They will be doing shows in Finland, Norway, Sweden, Holland and Luxembourg. “Bobby Wood suggested us to Arjan Deelen who is creating the shows”, Ginger notes. “We’ve worked together with Bobby for many years, but this will be our first time working with the other guys, and we are looking forward to creating a great show with them. According to Bobby and Arjan, it will be great fun creating music with them all. These shows are going to be filled with the "heart of rock n roll" because we are thrilled to be able to bring you the music of Elvis Presley, who is the King of it!”.

‘The Original Elvis Tribute’, which also includes a.o. Duke Bardwell, Bobby Wood and Jerome ‘Stump’ Monroe, will be doing the following shows: Vara Konserthus, Sweden – April 7; Sibelius-talo, Lahti (FI) – April 10; Tampere-talo (FI) – April 11; Savoy Theater, Helsinki – April 12; Deichhall, Ettelbruck, Luxembourg – April 13; Elvis Cruise Stena Lines, Oslo (NO) – April 14/15; Het Paard, Den Haag (NL) – April 21; 013, Tilburg (NL) – April 22. For more info, please go to: www.elvisnews.dk

The Holladay Sisters just recorded a special promo for the tour opening show in Vara, and you can see it here: http://youtu.be/Oi6Bu7sxne4

Sounds like I'm in for a treat together with all the other fans who will attend the opening show. (According to Arjan Deelen on The Original Elvis Tribute Facebook group, a month after sales started, they have already sold half of the tickets).

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