The crew had also made a pretty decent copy of the blue mask Orion wore on the Reborn album. We were both only children, but Jimmy was not selfish or too self-centered. ORION FEAT.JIMMY ELLIS.CH About me THE STORY OF ORION BEGAN AS FICTION A Georgia-based writer,Gail Brewer-Giorgio concocted a tale about a charismatic rock 'n'roll singer,Orion Eckley Darnell,who came to be called 'King' because of his enormous popularity across the world.However 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. He left Sun Records, never again appearing to the public as Orion. EIN: Did he come to resent the Orion character and if so, how strongly? You tell your friends who tell their friends who tell their friends WHAT IS THUNDERCLAP? In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. your own Pins on Pinterest However, after failing to retain his popularity using his real name, he returned to performing as Orion in 1987. Elvis Presley, Elvis and Graceland are trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises. Original Name James Bell Birth 26 Feb 1945. Given Jimmy's keen sense of humor he must be looking down and smiling! I hope people will remember that some of the masters are owned by us and others over in Norway/Denmark. 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. The film tells the story of Jimmy Ellis, an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. So if you filmed him, recorded him or are in possession of anything I might be interested in then do not hesitate to take contact with me thru my e-mail: jimmyellisfan@yahoo.no, All Rights Reserved. * Released After Jimmy Ellis's death in 1999. And, you wonder if helistened to "Ebony Eyes" and the rest of the LP. [3], In 1978, writer Gail Brewer-Giorgio published a novel, Orion, about a leading popular singer based on Presley who faked his death. Just before noon, he decided to go by his pawn shop to check on things. Police later found Lee holed up in a motel about 30 miles outside Atlanta. All songs in superb quality, unreleased material from Los Angeles in 75, unrelesased home recordings and soundboard. A WARM WELCOME TO ORIONDISCS This website is a tribute to the U.S. recording artist Jimmy Ellis, and focuses on his many record releases. It is old and worn just like it should be. I never gave up music and a friend and I played at a local pub for extra money while finishing school. We only index and link to content provided on other servers. Bobby D. on YouTube (who does Bobby sound like? Chet came back and said: Bobby, he sounds the same on all of them. Singleton duly took Orion back to Elvis's roots in rockabilly, rock 'n' roll, country, blues, and gospel. Could you clarify who was working with him that day? Leave a comment or question. 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. Today. It will focus on his early years before he became the masked singer Orion. Wonder how in the world the producer picked an Orion album?? Jimmy was an accomplished songwriter who could write uptempo, slow and country songs as recordings such as the rockin' Washing Machine, poignant ballad It Ain't No Mystery and catchy, toe tapping Some You Win, Some You Lose, attest to. If you can provide any additional info, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem, to the list of details in the concert section of this site please get in touch. ORION: The Man Who Would Be King, a film by Jeanie Finlay tells the story of Jimmy Ellis an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. Feb 6, 2015 - This Pin was discovered by Patricia Milligan. 1. They are remembered for their hit single "Disco Inferno" (1976). And, after I heard Jimmy, I knew I was not.>. Backed by the Jordanaires and opening act Sherry Carlisle, Orion sang to a packed house on August 12, 1997 at Nashville's Nightlife Theater. December 1998. Pascagoula, Jackson County, Mississippi, USA. Jimmy was, and still is, my favorite Elvis sound-alike singer. I could not believe what I was hearing. The album cover itself generated controversy because it depicted a phantom singer rising from a coffin, and was later withdrawn. ***Orion - Jimmy Ellis: The Official Web Site***: (includes news, photo gallery, Books, CDs and DVDs 'For Sale' and 'Free' MP3 downloads), (includes brief Orion biography, worldwide Jimmy Ellis/Orion discography info, bootleg info and gallery of the many different Orion masks), ***Orion Merchandise (available online) from Cafe Press***. These songs has appeared on other compilations or a collection of songs. Get the latest updates on NASA missions, watch NASA TV live, and learn about our quest to reveal the unknown and benefit all humankind. Jimmy then met with Phil Walden, owner of Capricorn Records (the Almond Brothers Band and others) in Macon and was offered a contract, but since Jimmy was under age at the time his parents wouldnt let him sign.another huge mistake. Scan of the German cassette release COUNTRY & WESTERN CLASSICS VOL.1 on the Sun/Bellaphon label. The coffin cover caused a lot of controversy and was replaced. If you can add to the info given please e-mail me. In 1972, he worked for Sun Records (Presley's label) with producer Shelby Singleton in Nashville. It's like an artist painting a picture. Here is what the website says: ORION: The Man Who Would Be King tells the story of Jimmy Ellis an unknown singer plucked from obscurity and thrust into the spotlight as part of a crazy scheme that had him masquerade as Elvis back from the grave. Ellis appeared with many artists, including Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, and the Oak Ridge Boys. 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. Anyway, he got that voice from somewhere in his original family.not from Sears, as he once said. EIN:Bobby D. its been great talking with you. Informacin detallada del sitio web y la empresa: jean-puy.com Jean Puy un peintre fauve A fine talent in his own right, Ellis recorded the song "I'm Not Trying" (Boblo 536) and the album By Request - Ellis Sings Elvis (Boblo 78-829). Welcome also would be details of his concert performances in the U.S.A. and Europe. Bobby Dillard was a close friend of the late Jimmy Ellis.the man who, wearing a mask, became a key part of the 'Elvis is alive' movement, as the mysterious singer, Orion! To The Official Orion - Jimmy Ellis Web Site All LP Albums Now on Sale These Classic LP Albums from Sun Records are new and sealed and will never be made again. In 1999, the famed German company, Bear Family Records, released a 4CD box set of 108 Orion recordings: From the pr for the box set: It was Orion Eckley Darnell, keeping the flame of rootsy Southern music alive in the Seventies, and doing it by sounding remarkably like Elvis Aaron Presley. JIMMY ( ORION ) ELLIS - LIVE ON STAGE 70s d pascalini 4.87K subscribers Subscribe 800 97K views 9 years ago JIMMY ( ORION ) ELLIS -- LIVE ON STAGE -- 70s Show more Comments are turned off.. He once said: you cant make it on someone elses coattail. Scans of the orange label version of the CD single SUNDAY FATHER on the Lanier Records label. Cover/label scans wanted of any of the following: Cover scans of discs issued on the unofficial Jack Daniels label. ", and it was rumored that they were alternate takes from Presley sessions (despite featuring an electric rather than string bass). As they say all PR is good PR! They wrote both of the songs. That day, Elaine Thompson, his x-wife was filling in for Shirley Connell who had gone home to Memphis for the weekend. 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. Bobby D.: No, not really. That's not recording. And that's the way it was. Instead of listing Ellis' first album on the label, Singleton printed a question mark. It will be presented at this years Las Vegas Elvis Fest at the LVH formerly the Las Vegas Hilton on July 11th. Sundance Selects acquires Orion: The Man Who Would Be King for US Theatrical release. Ellis continued recording and performing through 1983 as Orion, and scored only one more minor hit before trying to break his Sun contract to become a recognized performer in his own right. Jimmy Ellis (with mask) as Orion (note his hair color), Orion (sans mask) as Jimmy Ellis (note his natural hair color), Above images sourced from the official "Orion-Jimmy Ellis" website. He makes a mistake and some asshole over here says don't worry about it, it will be alright. The leader singer of The Trammps. A few weeks later, some guys asked me to come down to their room where they were playing music so I decided to go. Well, he then said: no, its that guy, pointing to the guy sitting on the bed. Evaluating the Jimmy Ellis/Orion legacy..While many continue to dismiss Jimmy Ellis as simply an Elvis imitator, to do so ignores critically important organic elements which place his story on a very different level to that of normal Elvis tribute artists! He tells in great detail the story of Jimmy Ellis, a successful horse farmer who took over the family business in the small town of Orrville, Alabama. The King is gone.Long live the King!.Jimmy's mortal life ended tragically when, on 12 December 1998, he was fatally shot in his Alabama pawn and package shop during a robbery gone bad. How & where do I sell my Elvis collection? Orion had several hits on the country music chart, including "Am I That Easy to Forget" (1980), "Rockabilly Rebel" (1981), and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" (1981). What exactly happened? Available now! Official site; Kenneth Dokkeberg's Jimmy Ellis / Orion website; Musiclovers - Discography, audio samples and a lot more! The mysterious phone call came from a stranger with a Presley-like voice, claiming to be Orion. Along the way, and particularly towards the end, Jimmy was not happy with the whole thing. In later years after the breakup with Sun, Jimmy and I got back together for visits in Memphis. EIN often receives requests for information on these releases. EIN: Jimmys first Orion album, Reborn. A BRIEF BIOGRAPHY. You can make comments on the tab provided, or on the Orion Facebook Fan Club. He wanted better recording material (new songs) and production sound in other studios but Sun (Shelby Singleton) would not agree. 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]. Published by Flaming Star The official Elvis Presley Fan Club of Norway. Shawn. Bobby D.: It was a pleasure. Bobby D.: A few months before Jimmy passed away, I had suggested we put a web site together to sell his CDs. No breach of copyright is intended or should be inferred. $4.00 shipping. Later that day, sheriff's deputies caught up with the two alleged accomplices, Andre Darren Lee, 19, who is the alleged gunman's brother, and Jerry Dewayne Johnson, 17, who is his cousin. THIS SITE IS DEDICATED TO JIMMY ELLIS "ORION" THE MUSIC & LEGEND OF THE MAN WHO HAD THE VOICE OF A KING. 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." He has appeared with Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, the Oak Ridge Boys and many many others. 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. 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. The answer.Jimmy Ellis aka the masked man, Orion. The Jimmy Ellis/Orion story is one of great potential, qualified success, ongoing disappointment and ultimately, tragedy! Jimmy Ellis 1937-2012 It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of our friend and original lead singer, Jimmy Ellis, on Thursday, March 8, 2012 in Rock Hill, South Carolina. he wears as mask 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). It has 408 pages, harcover and a CD included with some of Jimmy's finest performances and also unreleased gems from the archives of Sun Records. He started the album on the record player to play Echoes of Love. His first two singles were covers of two of the Kings former hits, Thats All Right and Blue Moon of Kentucky.. That voice!.While he had a natural Elvis-like singing voice, throughout his adult life Jimmy strove to be recognised as a serious artist in his own right, a person who was inherently a wonderfully talented and gifted entertainer whose magical presence touched many people.That talent was genetically pre-determined and embryonically, DNA dictated.its essence was not because he sounded remarkably like Elvis! [3] Who is this person??? Born in 1945 in Orville, Alabama. He then dropped the gun, fled the store and drove off in a car with two accomplices, authorities said. Lets hope this music finds a way out at some other point. 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. It was part of a comedy sketch with artists not to play. It was obviously a terrible tragedy, and I will never forget the call I got at 11:00 pm on that Saturday night December 12 from Shirley telling me Jimmy was dead. This is thebookthat started the Orion legend created by Shelby Singleton at Sun Records. Bobby D.: I loved music but needed to use my education to pay the bills. James Burton Interview - Rick Nelson & Elvis: Elvis Drummer Jerome "Stump" Monroe EIN Interview: Elvis in 1969 - Ann Moses & Ray ConnollyInterviews: Ernst Jorgensen interview about 'On Stage' and Elvis' Legacy in 2010: 'The Nation's Favourite Elvis Song' Spotlight. He also recorded several albums for Sun between 1979 and 1981 and built up a substantial live following, still wearing his mask. [3], After Presley died in 1977, Singleton revived the hoax by releasing singles that overdubbed Ellis' voice onto known Sun recordings by Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and others, including a version of "Save the Last Dance For Me," [6] on which there was simply a credit to "Friend". Very sadly, it is possible, even probable, Jimmy Ellis never fully realised the enormity and significance of his impact as a recording and performing artist! Well, once all the other guys left, Jimmy and I sang until late in the night with me strumming a small red guitar he had borrowed and Jimmy and I singing Elvis and Beatles songs. Dates, venues, photographs would all be of great help. Fittingly, his legend lives on, and quite ironically, both as Jimmy Ellis and Orion! had 10 Top 100 hits on the Country Music Chart in the US! These Classic LP Albums from Sun Records are new and sealed and will never be made again. Then, he introduced me to Jimmy Ellis, the guy by the tape recorder who had said nothing. So who is this person a performer whose sad end is one we normally expect from a fabricated and dramatically intensified Hollywood film? We will review the memorials and decide if they should be merged. After winning a state fair competition, his first professional performance was in a Demon's Den nightclub in Albany, Georgia. [13], "Orion (musician)" redirects here. 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? Ellis hailed from Orrville, Alabama and began his recording career in 1964. Then it happened. Orion page at Sun Records; Jimmy at Elvis Wiki JIMMY ELLIS, LTD., LIMITED PARTNERSHIP 1975 CONTRACT RARE! The apposite outcome saw Jimmy dramatically rip off his Orion mask in frustration during a" live" performance in 1983. This is a FOUR CD 5" digi-pak, this set features three concerts, Shreveport Louisiana July 1, 1976, Baton Rouge, July 2, 1976 and Elvis' last home-town concert Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis July 5, 1976. Did Jimmy ever comment to you about the cover? Ellis entered Middle Georgia College on an athletic scholarship, then transferred to Livingston State University. Touch device users, explore by touch or with swipe gestures. We join the Ellis family and friends and fans all . EIN: Bobby, is there anything else you would like to say to our readers and Jimmy Ellis/Orion fans? You know , it was like, here I am creating this and doing the work. An attempt to compile a complete list of official DVD recordings by Glimmer Films featuring the U.S.A. recording artist Jimmy Ellis also known as Orion. Copyright the Elvis Information Network. Pinterest. 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 loved to have a good time, loved to sing and entertain. Ellis, Jimmy "Orion" Type: Person Gender: Male Born: 1945-02-26 Born in: Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States Died: 1998-12-12 (aged 53)Died in: Selma, Alabama, United States Area: United States ISNI code: 0000 0004 3983 0212 Rating With fans more interested in seeing "Kemo Sabe" rather than Jimmy Ellis, he spent the next few years focusing more on his business affairs than his music career. Sales have not been great since the fan base has long since scattered but I enjoy doing it to keep his talent known, as much as possible. 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. The upcoming Orion documentary being done by Jeanie Finley in England should broaden exposure. Another regular lady was also working that day. Taken straight from the mastertapes. Are they still available in 2014? This site is very much a "work in progress" and is being updated all the time. That one along with the first original album now on CD - Orion Reborn are offered for $8.95 each.