Pseudo Holidays with Elvis and Sammy

It’s a Feel Good Friday at The Country Station, and if you’re needing a National Workin’ Woman’s Holiday (or workin’ man’s holiday for that matter) then you don’t want to miss Sammy Kershaw TONIGHT at Whiskey Dicks in El Paso. This is an 18 and over show, small surcharge for minors; doors open at 7, show starts at 10; tickets are $25 at Corral West.

On the air, the Elvis DVD giveaway ends today. Grab the Presley Password from the Spotlight Artist section and be prepared to win this afternoon during the Happy Hour. Meanwhile, back in Memphis, Elvis Week is wrapping up today and tomorrow. First though, word is in from yesterday’s finals of the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist contest. Brandon Bennett won the 2008 title. Brandon is from Louisiana, works as a fireman in the real world, and has been performing as Elvis for the past eight years. Also featured is a photo from the Elvis Insider’s Conference. Host Tom Brown is interviewing DJ Spankox about his re-mix of the Elvis classic, "Baby Lets Play House."


Today’s activities for Elvis fanciers include performance art, a theatrical DVD premiere, and a tour of Presley Place, an apartment complex supported by EP Charitable Enterprises that has been a safe haven for more than 100 families since its inception in July 2001. And then after mass, the crème de le crème of Elvis Week takes place tonight beginning at sundown. It's the reason that the Elvis faithful come to Memphis in droves to honor the memory of their king: the candlelight vigil. Fans of all ages, shapes, sizes, and colors will converge on Graceland to walk quietly up the driveway to the Meditation Garden to pay respects to the man who passed on 31 years ago Saturday. The processional usually lasts until the wee hours of the morning of the 16th. No one is turned away. It’s not until the last person leaves that the gates of Graceland are closed on another successful Elvis Week – until next year.

For those wishing to pay their respects from home, you may be able to see some of the activity on the Graceland Cam.
And finally, since you’ve been waiting so patiently all week, through cover songs, impersonators, and historic reels, it’s only right to end your Elvis Week Video of the Day with the man himself. This is Elvis Presley, and “My Way.”



With all eyes on China and Memphis this week, country music is rather short on news. But there are a couple notes to end the week. Dierks Bentley has announced his 3rd Annual Miles & Music for Kids Celebrity Motorcycle Ride and Concert to benefit Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. The ride will take place Sunday, October 5th. Tim McGraw and John Rich have already been named as participants, more names will be announced in the coming weeks.

And if you like to read western tales of Texas Rangers, cattle rustling, Indian Warriors, saloons, shootouts, and women of ill repute, then you will not want to miss Willie Nelson’s new book A Tale Out of Luck. Co-authored with Mike Blakely, this is Willie’s first foray into fiction. The book was written as a back story for his false-front western town outside of Austin, named “Luck.” Recently, Luck has served as the backdrop for a variety of events and productions including commercials, and the country music video, Beer for My Horses. It looks like the release date of the book is September 3rd.