Latest reissue from The King due in Sept.

The explosion of Elvis Presley's career on RCA Records during 1956 was a wondrous evolution. By the end of that fateful year, the rockabilly singer from Memphis whose audience was rooted in the deep Southern states, would be the most famous person in the world.  How did it happen?  

In one word: music.  “…My pelvis had nothin’ to do with what I do,” Elvis said in 1956.  “I just get kinda in rhythm with the music, I jump around to it because I enjoy what I’m doin’, I’m not tryin’ to be vulgar, I’m not tryin’ to sell any sex, I’m not tryin’ to look vulgar and nasty.  I just enjoy what I’m doin’ and tryin’ to make the best of it ...”  The rest, of course, is history.  Ten million singles sold, three million EPs, and 800,000 LPs’ worth, in just that first year.

Young Man with the Big Beat puts the focus on Elvis in 1956. The package includes his RCA studio master recordings and outtakes in New York , Nashville and Memphis; live perform­ances; interviews; and much more. Taking its name from an RCA poster campaign for his debut album, the super deluxe 5-CD, 12-inch square box set (with an amazing 80-page book with timeline) is available now for pre-order at www.elvis1956.com.

Pre-order customers will also receive an exclusive replica vinyl 7” of Elvis’ first 45rpm EP for RCA Records.  Sharing the same striking cover art as Elvis’ debut album, the EP (“extended play”) features “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Tutti Frutti,” “I Got A Woman” and “Just Because.” This vinyl single is only available through this special website offer and will ship with the box, available Sept. 27 on RCA/Legacy.

Among the five CDs:

CD One, Studio Recordings: 17 tracks recorded in New York, Nashville, and Hollywood, starting with the 12 songs on the debut LP, Elvis Presley (‘1254’), followed by non-LP single A-sides and B-sides, and EP tracks.

CD Two, Studio Recordings: 22 tracks recorded in New York, Nashville, and Memphis, starting with the 12 songs on the second LP, Elvis (‘1382’), followed by non-LP single A-sides and B-sides, and EP tracks.

CD Three, Live Recordings: Rare remasters of shows at the Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas (four songs); Little Rock , Arkansas (seven songs); and a recently discovered, previously unreleased concert in Shreveport, La., in Dec. (ten songs).

CD Four, The Outtakes:  Four outtakes from the first historic RCA session in January (“I Got A Woman,” “Heartbreak Hotel,” “I’m Counting On You,” “I Was The One”), segueing into the complete session of Feb. 3 (11 takes of “Lawdy, Miss Clawdy” and 12 takes of “Shake, Rattle And Roll”); plus the first of the interviews – the complete Warwick Hotel (NYC) interview by Robert Brown in March.

CD Five, the Interviews: The Paul Wilder interview, plus his interviews with Colonel Parker and Oscar Davis; plus two segments of Elvis’ rarely heard candid monologue, “The Truth About Me,” and two advertisements for RCA Victrolas.

            

Over the course of CD One and Two, Young Man with the Big Beat compiles Elvis Presley’s complete 1956 masters.  The year was fueled by a run of hits that kept radio well-stocked: “Heartbreak Hotel,” “I Was The One,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Money Honey,” “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You,” “My Baby Left Me,” “Don't Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog,” and “Love Me Tender” topping the list. 

In addition to the master takes, outtakes, and live performances heard on CDs One through Four, there is also the most extensive collection of audio spoken word material ever included on an RCA release. These extended and rare interviews are previously unreleased by RCA Records. The first of these segments, at the end of CD Four, is the complete Elvis interview by Robert Brown that took place at the Warwick Hotel in New York City on March 24. CD Five then presents:

• The Complete TV Guide Presents Elvis interview (Elvis interviewed by Paul Wilder backstage at the Polk Theater, Lakeland, Florida, on Aug. 10);
• Colonel Parker and Oscar Davis (interviewed by Paul Wilder backstage at the Polk Theater, Lakeland , Florida, on Aug. 10);
• The Truth About Me (Original spoken word 45rpm disc included in Teen Parade magazine.  Recorded on the set of Love Me Tender, Aug. 22);
• The Truth About Me Interview (Recorded on the set of Love Me Tender, Aug. 22);
• RCA Victrola radio ad 1;
• RCA Victrola radio ad 2 (both ads never before released commercially).

In tandem with the release of Young Man, RCA/ Legacy will also release (on the same date), Elvis Presley: Legacy Edition. This special double-CD package will couple, for the first time, the Elvis Presley and Elvis albums of 1956.  They will be heard as they are on CD One and CD Two of the Young Man box set (with the same bonus tracks). 

             

Elvis Presley: Legacy Edition has as its cover image the classic Elvis Presley debut LP design that has been paid homage by the Clash (London Calling), Big Audio Dynamite (F-Punk), k.d. lang (Reintarnation), and many others. The booklet will contain new liner notes and rare archival photography.

Young Man will feature one of the most extra­ord­inary books every created at Legacy.  The focal point of the book, spread across its 80 pages, will be a unique,  meticulously-researched, day-by-day chronology of Elvis’ iconic year, including every concert, every recording date, every television appearance, personal events in Elvis’ life, and much more.  A dazzling photo array of memorabilia will illustrate each day and entry.

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