Product Description

For the first time, the complete story of Elvis Presley's recording career is told in this remarkable book.With exclusive access to the RCA vaults, producer Ernst Jorgensen brings to intimate life every moment that Elvis spent in the studio--from the spontaneous joy of his early sessions to the intensely creative periods of his later career.At once the definitive recording session guide and a compellingly readable narrative, this is the ultimate companion to the singer and his songs. AUTHORBIO: Ernst Jorgensen produced many RCA Elvis box sets, for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award.He lives in Denmark.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #131334 in Books
• Published on: 2000-09-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

From Publishers Weekly
As director of RCA's Elvis catalogue, Jorgensen is one of the key figures behind the Elvis Presley CD box sets RCA has issued in recent years. This book makes a worthy companion to those historic releases. All of the King's known recordings?including rehearsals, live recordings and recordings made in the privacy of his hotel rooms?are approached with the same reverence that his studio sessions inspire, providing a framework for a narrative of Elvis's life. Indeed, eminent Presley biographer Guralnik (Last Train to Memphis) writes that, given Jorgensen's attention to detail, the author is "either a madman or a great detective." While so many Presley books are written by authors who never seem to overcome their poetic sense of awe regarding the King, Jorgensen, being an RCA executive, couches the story of Presley's life in the gritty details of the artist's work and gets past the myths, giving readers a glimpse of what it might have been like to be Elvis. Hence, his is a truly insightful book. 150 photos in color and b&w. Editor, Calvert D. Morgan.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Ernst Jorgensen produced many RCA Elvis box sets, for which he was nominated for a Grammy Award. He lives in Denmark.

Customer Reviews

Mr. Songman
At last a book NOT about Elvis the man, the myth, the legend...but about his MUSIC! Finally a decent describtion of his recording sessions. A must have for every Elvisfan and musiclover!

Ernst Jorgensen, together with Roger Semon, THE expert on Elvis' music, compilating all the Elvis CD's beeing released since the late 1980s/early '90s, has written THE book about Elvis' recordingsessions.

With it's hard cover, black and white picture of the '50s Elvis and over 150 pictures inside, this book really is a beauty to look at. Chronologically, ALL recordingsessions are described, from "My Happiness" in 1953 to "Moody Blue" in 1977. All songs officially recorded by Elvis can be found in this book and from each song is mentioned:

* when it was recorded;

* where it was recorded (which studio, place):

* who wrote the song;

* which musicians are playing;

* all matrixnumbers;

* the kind of soundcarrier, the song was first released at.

Further, the book contains a complete list of all legal Elvis LPs and CDs updated to 1997, including the chartposition the song(s) reached. Quite a lot pictures in this book have never before been published and all together, this is one of THE best books ever written about Elvis' musical legacy!

Music not gossip
This book is for people who really care about the making of Elvis's music. The authors go into detail about the origin of songs and how they were recorded. I particulary enjoyed the musician credits - finding out who played what on the records. Even Elvis played guitar and/or piano on selected numbers. Also, because of this book and and Mr. Jorgensen's previous edition I learned that singers and musicians go through multiple takes to complete a recording. Marvelous writing!

Simply the best book about the music of Elvis Presley
LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS and CARELESS LOVE by Peter Guralnick are the books about Elvis Presley's personal life and they really are the reference concerning the man.
A LIFE IN MUSIC is, for the fans and anybody interested in the music business, the reference concerning Elvis Presley's music.
It's all about his records, Colonel Parker's strategies, his attitude in the recording studio, etc...
There is NO OTHER BOOK as good as this one concerning Elvis's music. Everything is here, year by year: record sales, chart positions, recording sessions dates and locations. And it's only a part of it.
Ernst Joegersen, the author, is the man who resurrected Elvis's catalogue at BMG/RCA (now SONY) from the early 90's until now. He has gathered information concerning all this since 1973 and now he is the main authority about Elvis's music.
If you like Elvis and his music, this book is an amazing source of information.