Posted via email from Dogmeat
June 30, 2010
THE ULTIMATE ELVIS DIARY!
1957 THE ULTIMATE ELVIS DIARY!
Sold For $1,100
Original Elvis Presley Diary with flesh-colored decorative cover, depicting a singing Elvis, a hound dog and a broken heart; brass lock intact. 5 ¾"" x 4 ½"" x 1"". This ‘Smithcrafted One Year Diary’ was published by The S.K. Smith Company in Chicago; the back cover bears the Elvis Presley Enterprises mark. Used in 1957, it was owned by Miss Margaret McMinn of College Park Georgia, a High School student, who wrote to ‘Dear Diary’ in a clear cursive handwriting throughout the year; about three quarters of the daily entries are filled with news of, and her thoughts about, Elvis. This is a rare piece of memorabilia with superlative Elvis content! If this diary were to be published today, it might be entitled ‘Elvis Day-by-Day: The Story of My Life.’ Its author, the teenage Margaret McMinn, lived, it would seem, two lives at once: high school student by day, Elvis biographer at night. Of course she was in love, so much so that it was hard, if not impossible, to report one thing (a failed geography quiz , say, or punishment laps in gym) and, in the next moment, comment on Elvis' newest record, or how he did on ‘Ed Sullivan.’ It is supererogatory to comment on such an undertaking. Here is a week in The Life:
January 1: ‘Marlon Brando was a dream’, she reports, in ‘Tea House of the August Moon’ but ‘Now, for the nice part, I went with Faye to the drive-in to see ‘Love Me Tender: for the 10th and probably last time. It was marvelous. I love Elvis so much...’ January 3: ‘Found out I am getting an A in English. New magazines on Elvis came in this afternoon. Of course I got all three of them... Wonderful news! Elvis has a new record coming out Monday...’
January 4: ‘I can hardly wait 'til Sunday. Elvis is on the 'Ed Sullivan Show.' Then Monday his new record comes out, and Tuesday is his birthday. Some line-up, huh? I know the name of one side of his record is ‘Too Much.’ I'm not sure about the other side. I've got to get him a card to send for his birthday. I'd love to get him a gift but no money... I'm just living for the day he comes to Atlanta.’
January 5: ‘This afternoon was the E.P. Fan Club meeting. Man, did we have a time... Well, I'm already getting excited, tomorrow's the big day. I hope Elvis sings both sides of his new record. Linny just called me a little while ago and she heard it on the radio. I've been by the radio for over an hour... 'Love Me Tender' is still number 2 on the Parade. I love Elvis.’
January 6: ‘He was marvelous, out of this world, precious, etc. Who? Elvis, of course. He was way beyond all my expectations. He sang 'Hound Dog', 'Heartbreak Hotel', and 'Don't Be Cruel.’ Then he sang his new song, 'Too Much,' oh-ho-ho, it's great! The last song he sang was 'Peace in the Valley' he sang this heart-full hymn wonderfully. His voice is definitely getting deeper. He was then leaving for Hollywood to start a new movie and do a benefit show for Hungarian relief. You should see his beautiful clothes...’
January 7: ‘Yesterday was terrible. I failed a geography test, Chuck pestered me to death, and Elvis' new record didn't come in. I absolutely flunked that stupid test, Coach Shaddly made me do 3 laps... Chuck, I'm so mad at that boy... Mrs. Steed said that maybe Elvis' record would be in tomorrow. I sure hope so. There is a precious picture of Elvis in the paper tonight. He is with a little crippled girl. He is also campaigning for the polio fund. I love him so much...’ What Miss McMinn couldn't know was that everything was in confusion for Elvis that week. Gladys had told him the Colonel had caused him to become bitter and big-headed; he'd replied she was the one who'd changed for the worse. Furious, he went on a buying spree, decided to move to a mansion, then took his Draft Board physical, broke up with a girlfriend - and the Hungarian benefit? Never happened.
Need any more be said about this lot?
Posted via email from Dogmeat
Ringo Starr's gold drum on view at the Met, starting July 7
NEW YORK - On Wednesday, July 7, Ringo Starr's 70th birthday, The Metropolitan Museum of Art will inaugurate a special display of his gold-plated snare drum that will remain on view to the public through December 2010 in the Museum's second-floor Musical Instruments Galleries. On loan from Ringo Starr, it was originally presented to him by the Ludwig Drum Company during The Beatles' 1964 visit to Chicago when the legendary rock group, in which Starr was the drummer, was on its first tour of the United States."This special presentation drum—made for the most influential drummer of a generation and representing the highest-end production of the most important drum manufacturer of the 20th century—holds iconic stature," stated Jayson Kerr Dobney, Associate Curator in the Metropolitan Museum's Department of Musical Instruments. "We are so pleased to be able to display in our galleries this spectacular loan from Ringo himself, who has owned it since it was first presented to him in September 1964, for thousands of visitors to see during this landmark birthday year."
Following the appearance of The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show in early 1964, on which Ringo Starr appeared playing a Ludwig oyster black pearl drum set with the name "Ludwig" prominently displayed, the manufacturer experienced an enormous surge in sales and had to schedule round-the-clock production to accommodate orders. That September, The Beatles performed their first concert in Chicago, home to the Ludwig Drum Company. To thank Ringo for using their instruments, company president William F. Ludwig, Jr., presented him with the specially made, one-of-a-kind gold snare drum ("Super-Sensitive" model) before the concert. It bears a plaque reading: "Ringo Starr, The Beatles." At the presentation, Mr. Ludwig said, "I have never known a drummer more widely acclaimed and publicized than you, Ringo Starr. Your millions of fans have honored you and the other members of The Beatles by their overwhelming acceptance of your recordings and concert appearances. On behalf of the employees and management of the Ludwig Drum Company, I would like to thank you for choosing our instruments and for the major role you are playing in the music world today."
The snare drum, which measures 14 inches in diameter and 5-1/2 inches high, will be on view in a special display within the Metropolitan Museum's newly renovated Musical Instruments Galleries, which house its renowned collection of instruments from six continents and the Pacific Islands, dating from about 300 B.C. to the present. Unsurpassed in its comprehensive scope, the collection illustrates the development of musical instruments from all cultures and eras.
Also in celebration of Ringo Starr's 70th birthday in July, public television stations throughout the United States will broadcast Live from the Artists Den: Ringo Starr with Ben Harper and Relentless7. This one-hour second-season premiere of the popular contemporary music series features Mr. Starr, folk-funk star Ben Harper and Relentless7, and singer Joan Osborne in an intimate concert on the stage of the Metropolitan Museum's Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium. Ringo Starr and Ben Harper are also interviewed in the Museum's Musical Instruments Galleries. The initial New York-area broadcast of Live from the Artists Den will take place Friday, July 9, at 9:30 p.m. on WNET/Channel 13, and Saturday, July 10, at 10 p.m. on WLIW/Channel 21; check local listings and www.TheArtistsDen.com for dates and times in other areas.
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