Hello Elvis Fan Clubs & Podcasts,
I am writing with curiosity if you ever have guests on your podcast or featured on your platform. I am a lifelong Elvis fan, and performer. I would love to share my story with you, and then briefly explain my inquiry. 
My parents, both Elvis fans, met and married in three months in 1980 after discovering each other; Their love of Elvis is what began their first conversation. My mother and father both worked in separate departments of the Department of Motorvehicles on Long Island,NY; My mother heard about another employee, my father, who had taken a trip to Graceland in 1979, and wanted to talk to him about it, they instantly hit it off, and got married 3 months later. In July of 1987 my parents found out they were going to have a baby, and while some parents play classical music to their unborn child, my Dad placed headphones on my Mom’s belly and played Elvis. As you can imagine, I came into this world an immediate fan. I can vividly remember sitting in-front of the TV as a small child watching 68 Comeback, Aloha, and That’s The Way It Is; absolutely mesmerized and captivated by everything Elvis had to offer, his soul jumped off the screen and into mine. We were connected deeper than most. My parents bought me a CD/Cassette/Radio when I was about six years old, and with it came a stack of CD’s. The first CD in the pile was Elvis’ Golden Records, and I played that CD countless times, the songs embedded in every grain of my mind. I wanted so badly to be like Elvis.
When I was 10 years old in 1998 I entered the school talent show in Lindenhurst NY, I wanted to just perform with Elvis’s version of “Johnny B. Goode”, but the teacher opted for me to do it with a student who had some tracks on his keyboard. The instrumental didn’t exactly match the song, but we made it work. It was truly a monumental moment in my life. I had always wanted to be a performer but this experience really cemented it in my soul. We did three shows, and the response from each show fed me an energy I had never felt before;The exchange between the performer and the audience. In addition to that, the performance made the local paper, and to a 10 year old it might as well have been Rolling Stone Magazine.
1998 Talent Show Performance

Right out of high school I pursued an original music career; I released several original albums, including my own unique spin on “That’s All Right”, which I recorded at Sun Studio in 2010. But as most people are aware, the music business is a tough one. I never broke into the big time, but I enjoyed myself along the way. 
During the pandemic I began supplementing my income with another passion of mine, graphic design. I combined passions and started designing original Elvis art; One piece in particular captured the eyes of Karin Ågren of Sweden. After seeing the piece on Instagram, she wrote to me, and we began talking everyday all day; Our connection was instantly deep. In July of 2021, I flew to Sweden to meet Karin, and much like my parents, by September we were married, all through the love of Elvis. 
I now happily live in Sweden permanently with Karin, and we are pursuing an Elvis Tribute act. The idea behind the act is pairing lesser popularized Elvis hits, with songs Elvis very well could have performed if given the opportunity. 
My hope is to expose this story and performance through a variety of podcasts and magazines with listeners/viewers who actually may be interested in it all, then take this around Europe, and all over. I have attached our current presskit while our website is still under construction. I have also included some links of me performing Elvis style songs in my home studio, our full band promo will be filmed June 10th.
Burning Love
Loves Me Like A RockGreased LightningHow The Web Was Woven 
I hope this story finds you well and that you enjoy the tribute.
Best Regards 
Matthew Zeiss

Five best quotes Elvis Presley were profound and universally true (by Jack Denis)

Elvis Presley changed the world of music, entertainment, fashion, merchandising and innovation.
Graphic by Jack Dennis, Photos courtesy of Texas Elvis Fan Club archives
Elvis Presley had just turned 36-years-old eight days before he found himself almost lifeless from fright as he
stood in the wings about to go up to the stage. He looked down and noticed his hands were shaking and then he
began perspiring profusely. The man next to him was not a member of the Memphis Mafia, a personal entourage
that served as his supportive work staff and team of friends.
“I’m scared to death,” he expressed to the man, Frank C. Taylor, who reminded the performer that he had appeared
hundreds of times to crowds much larger than the two thousand gathered.
“Yeah, but not like this,” Elvis reacted nervously.
He wasn’t there to sing. After all, Elvis had just flown in from singing in Las Vegas the previous night just to settle
into the top floor of the River Mount Hotel so he could be nearby for this exceptional event. It was January 16,
1971 and Elvis was at the Memphis Municipal Auditorium to accept an award as one of “The Ten Most Young
Outstanding Men in the Nation.” He had to give a speech.
Past and future prominent recipients of this United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) award included
Presidents John Kennedy, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, and Bill Clinton. Others notables were Howard Hughes,
Orson Wells, Nelson Rockefeller, and Ted Kennedy.
“It was a different plateau for him,” Taylor, the Chairman of the event for the Jaycees, told the Memphis Press-
Scimitar later. “For the first time, he was being paced on the level with achievers in realms other than ​
entertainment, and for the first time Elvis felt he was being accepted like a true professional. He liked the
association of being given such an honour along with those nine other guys, and he was impressed by their
tremendous abilities. And none of the others singled Elvis out for adulation more than any other, and he liked that
too.”
When Elvis’ turn came, he took his place at the podium and looked back at the other winners seated on stage. With
a sweeping gesture, he said: ‘These men may be the Kingdom of God.'”
The famous voice cracked, he could not go on.
“‘He was the only one to have genuine tears in his eyes and to break up,’ Taylor observed.
Elvis stopped, stepped back for a second, regrouped himself and spoke again.
Then the famous singer began to speak, incorporating a favourite Roy Hamilton Rhythm and Blues tune, “Without
a Song.”
“When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books, and I was the hero of the comic
book. I saw movies, and I was the hero in the movie. So every dream I ever dreamed has come true a hundred
times. These gentlemen over there, these are the type who care, are dedicated. You realize if it’s not possible that
they might be building the Kingdom, it’s not far-fetched from reality. I learned very early in life that: ‘Without a
song, the day would never end; without a song, a man ain’t got a friend; without a song, the road would never
bend, without a song.’”
Elvis paused with tears in his eyes, saying humbly, “So I keep singing my song. Goodnight. Thank you.”
The superstar walked off the stage with the Jaycee Award, what he often referred to as his most valued
achievement. The honour was so significant to him, that Elvis went to great lengths to make certain he could be
there in person and laboured weeks over his now famous speech. Elvis considered those words to be among his
most valuable quotes.
Ron Ziegler, who was a fellow recipient that night in the National Affairs category, said Elvis was “very pleased to
receive the award, and it was an honour to him, and he so indicated, he was expressing a little discomfort of how
he was going to react and to relate to the other people who were there. So we talked about that a little bit. It
appeared to me at that time that he wanted to reach out and talk to someone different to that what he could find in
his entourage. I didn’t get the impression that he was limited or dull witted, I found him to be somewhat articulate
and poised individual, I did sense however an individual who was withdrawn and an individual who was
somewhat shy.”
Elvis was not comfortable giving speeches. Although his most famous words are “Thank ya. Thank ya very
much,” it’s a difficult task choose his finest quotes. When selecting the five best for AXS Entertainment, it became
clear that some of his utmost profound and eloquent messages came from Elvis’s humblest quotations. Although
almost 40 years have passed since his death on August 16, 1977, Elvis still remains in the hearts and minds of
millions of fans worldwide.
The following quotes, deemed among the five best of Elvis Presley, offer valuable insight into the beliefs of the
greatest entertainer in history.
“People ask me where I got my singing style. I didn’t copy my style from anybody.”
One of the biggest mistakes people have made since the beginning of his career was to label, pigeonhole, or even
try to brand Elvis. He was too big for anything the world had ever dealt with to be able to do that.
Although deemed the King of Rock n’ Roll, the fact is Elvis’s contributions go far beyond that genre and even
further than just music. He not only pioneered, engineered and premiered in Country, R&B, Gospel, Blues, and ​
Rock, Elvis evolved, revolved, and was involved in fashion , movies, entertainment, merchandising (Teddy bears
and guitars, for instance), and even travel (Hawaii tourism exploded because of some of his films).
“ When I was a boy, I always saw myself as a hero in comic books and in movies. I grew up believing this dream.”
Elvis, with his be jewelled and flashy white jumpsuits, literally became the star from his beloved comic books. He
collected law enforcement agency badges (even from President Richard Nixon), wore police uniforms, carried a
gun, learned karate and even had a police force flashlight with him the night of the Jaycee awards. Within months
of becoming a singing sensation, at age 21, he was whisked away to Hollywood to become a box office idol in 33
movies.
“When things go wrong, don’t go with them.”
Elvis continually faced rejection, obstacles and criticisms throughout his life. As a young boy his father was sent to
prison. Soon his mother and he lost their home. In the 8th grade, his music teacher graded Elvis a “C” in her class.
He was turned down after auditioning for an amateur gospel quartet called the Songfellows in 1954. The next year,
he was given a thumbs down for TV’s talent show, Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts. Critics, reviewers, evangelists,
politicians and entertainers slammed him. Even Ed Sullivan, Frank Sinatra and other show business greats initially
cut him down.
What did he do? He didn’t follow the advice of the naysayers and anchor draggers. Elvis forged on by blazing new
trails and actually changed the world. Later, he adopted a Taking Care of Business (TCB) lightening symbol to go
along with his comic book hero dreams of getting things done in a flash.
“Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t going away.”
A universal law, full of certainty, reality and actuality, is rolled up into this simple quote. Despite the trials of his
extraordinary life of 42 years, Elvis bled the music in the words to many of his songs. Examples? “His truth is
marching on…” from “American Trilogy,” and “I did it my way…” from Paul Anka’s tune of the same name.
“Sad thing is, you can still love someone and be wrong for them.”
This 13-word quote is about a profound as any of the words from some of his most tear-jerking love songs.
“Heartbreak Hotel,” “I Was the One,” “It Hurts Me,” “I’m so Lonesome I Could Cry,” and “Separate Ways” are
just five that come to mind. ​

Elvis Presley remains on Top Earning Dead
Celebrities of 2015 list

By: Jack Dennis AXS Contributor Oct 28, 2015
Elvis Presley is ranked #2 on the top list of high earning deceased celebrities for 2015.
Graphic by Jack Dennis, Photos courtesy of Jack Dennis and Texas Elvis Fan Club archives
Decades after the death of Elvis Presley, America’s greatest music legend’s legacy remains strong with the King placing extremely high on Forbes’ new list of “Top-Earning Dead Celebrities of 2015.”
The release of another commemorative stamp, new albums, international recognition and new generations of Presley fans are key indicators as to why Presley earned $55 million in pre-tax earnings between Oct. 1, 2014, and Oct. 1, 2015. Forbes has him listed in the #2 spot on their top ten chart.
Besides the stamps, music, merchandise and movies, the Presley estate brings in a considerable amount of revenue from Graceland, the late singer’s mansion in Memphis, Tennessee. Last month, Jack Soden, the President and CEO of Elvis Presley Enterprises met with residents of the Whitehaven community to shared proposed plans to enhance the neighbourhood.
“Here is really, basically the reason people come here from 170 countries a year, from every corner of the earth,” Soden said, motioning to the direction of the Graceland mansion, from the Elvis Presley Car Museum across the street. “That’s never going to change. That’s the heart and soul of this whole thing.”
A preview of the revitalization of the west side of Elvis Presley Blvd., presented in blue prints and diagrams by Soden, included “state-of-the-art” facilities comprised of two restaurants, a soundstage, retail shops, and more parking.
“I am excited about the two new museums,” said Mark Griffen. “One will be a modern Elvis car museum and the other will be about Elvis, the Entertainer. Updating this region is long overdue and it all begins with the Graceland area.”
“This is our opportunity to take what we have welcomed and served 19 million visitors with and do something better,” CEO Jack Soden stated, also indicating Elvis’s jumpsuits, gold records, guitars and other memorabilia would be prominently displayed in the “Elvis the Entertainer” museum.
Elvis Presley Enterprises built an archives building that opened in 2015 and expect the new 450-room resort hotel Guest House at Graceland to hold a grand opening on Oct. 27, 2016. On that date the Heartbreak Hotel will be officially closed to make room for needed tourism parking near the intersection of Elvis Presley Blvd. and Craft street.
Graceland sits on the original 13.8 acre estate Presley purchased in 1957 for a sum of $100,000. Soden, Priscilla Presley, and Elvis’ Aunt Briggs cut the ribbon for opening the home to the public as a museum on June 7, 1982. On Nov. 7, 1991, Graceland was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006.

Did Colonel Parker Take the
King for a Ride? A Lawyer for
Elvis’ Daughter and Sole Heir
Says Yes
By Salley Rayl
He should have been the richest entertainer of all time. He was, after all,
the only performer who had ever generated more than a billion dollars in
earnings from his concerts, tours, films, recordings, promotions and
franchises. But Elvis Presley’s net worth at his death in August 1977 was
put at a relatively paltry $10 million. That is why on December 10 attorney
Blanchard E. Tual will charge in a Shelby County probate court that
Presley’s long time manager and friend, Col. Tom Parker, unconscionably
drained off more than half of the King’s earnings during his lifetime. A 300-
page report prepared for the hearing argues that since Elvis’ death Parker
has “violated his duty both to Elvis and to the estate” by charging
commissions that were “excessive, imprudent…and beyond all reasonable
bounds of industry standards.”
The trouble began last May, when the executors of Elvis’ will—including his
ex-wife, Priscilla—asked Memphis Probate Judge Joseph W. Evans to
approve an arrangement that would reportedly have guaranteed Parker
half of all the estate’s annual income (some $1.2 million last year). They
revealed at that time that Parker’s share of Presley’s earnings had been
roughly that large while Elvis was alive. Attorney Tual, appointed by the
court to protect the interests of Presley’s sole beneficiary, his 12-year-old
daughter Lisa Marie, then began an investigation of the deal and
concluded that Parker’s cut was indefensible. “A 50 percent fee was
exorbitant,” the report states. “It raises the question of whether Parker has
been guilty of self-dealing, of a breach of the fiduciary relationship owed to
Elvis.” (Most showbiz managers today earn between 10 and 25 percent.)
In Tual’s view, Colonel Parker—whose previous clients included Hank Snow
and Eddy Arnold—was a short sighted negotiator for Elvis and a most
determined advocate for himself. As a case in point, the report cites the ​
seven-year contract Parker negotiated with RCA Records for Elvis in 1973.
It called for a flat-rate royalty of 50 cents per record sold, which meant
that, as record prices rose, Elvis’ royalty percentage would fall. Tual also
maintains that the price Parker negotiated with RCA for Elvis’ master
recordings ($5.4 million) was a fraction of their worth. Parker’s company,
All Star Shows, split the proceeds of both deals with Presley 50-50, but
when it came to merchandising Presley and, the star got an even smaller
cut. Parker held 40 percent of the stock in Boxcar Enterprises, the holding
company for merchandising rights; Elvis owned 15 percent. Before August
16, 1977 Parker’s share in Boxcar increased to 56 percent, with 22 percent
going to the estate. Notes Tual’s report: “It has not been explained why,
since Elvis was the star and totally responsible for the merchandising
rights, he had such an incredibly small percentage of Boxcar.” The
document does, however, suggest one reason: “Elvis was naive, shy and
unassertive. Parker was aggressive, shrewd and tough. His strong
personality dominated Elvis, his father and all others in Elvis’ entourage.”
Tual contends that Elvis lost millions because of Parker’s lack of business
savvy (including his failure to organize Presley’s finances in such a way as
to minimize his taxes) and that Parker received lavish gifts from recording
and franchising companies with which he struck agreements. Elvis, of
course, was free to sign whatever deal he wished with Parker—and Parker
was free to take whatever he could get from his client; the rule of law, as
of life, is caveat emptor. Tual’s purpose is simply to convince the court that
Elvis’ estate and its heir, Lisa Marie, are not served by continuing the deal
with Parker—and that Parker should be forced to repay whatever he has
earned from the Presley business since Elvis’ death. Parker, 70, who is said
by friends to be recovering from an arm fracture, has refused all comment
on the Tual report. But those who know him expect that, come his day in
Evans’ court, the reclusive colonel will put forth a fiery self-defence.​