Re: Elvis Stuff

[Kame'a Media <media...>]

Trudi Goodman wrote:

> From: Trudi Goodman
> Check his friend George's biography/memoir of the El.
> George is Jewish.  Knew Elvis since childhood, grew up in the same hood.  I
> believe his last name is Stein???

Klein.

> The story goes that when Elvis' mother died--according to her wishes,
> because her mother was Jewish(El's grandmother) she wanted a Jewish star
> puton her headstone.Elvis did this--and his father Vernon freaked and
> demanded that it be removed---Vernon didn't want anyone to know that his wife
> was part Jewish.

> I don't know if the star is actually still on the headstone---many people
> knew this story though.
> Elvis always maintained that he was part Jewish.
> Of course, some of his friends were Jews growing up, like George.  Also when
> his family was destitute(I think when his father Vern was in Jail) a local
> Rabbi rented his mother and him an apartment--or gave them space to live in
> his basement.
> So, if he wasn't Jewish he at least wanted to be.  Close enough for Jazz, I'd
> say.

I beg to differ.  Acknowledging one's family history and blood lines is hardly
the same as "wanting to be Jewish".   Elvis  had no Jewish upbringing;  he was
raised in the church and at revival meetings. If he had wanted to be Jewish, I
don't think he would have recorded all those gospel albums or celebrated
Christmas like aSouthern <poretz>, with his legendary lavish gift-giving, do
you?'
There is no record of any <seder> ever having taken place at Graceland or of
Elvis ever exploring conversion...According to the definitive Elvis biography
(the two-volumes by American Music scholar Peter Guralnick -- Elvis did indeed
have Jewish ancestry on his mother's side.  He also carried  a dozen other
blood lines including Native American and several European nationalities.

I don't think "close enough for jazz" is either a valid or an accurate
statement.
The implication is that jazz is some sort of sloppy, half-ass music.  One  must
be
a very good and well-versed player to improvise creatively, no?

Wolf


>
>
> >From: Reyzl Kalifowicz-Waletzky <reyzl (at) flash(dot)net>
> >Reply-To: jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org
> >To: World music from a Jewish slant <jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org>
> >Subject: RE: Julio Inglesias Jewish? -Reply
> >Date: Sun, 4 Jul 1999 13:00:36 -0400
> >
> > >My understanding is that Elvis's maternal grandmother was Jewish.
> >
> >I don't think that this is true.   I know that his mother was born in
> >Palestine but that doesn't automatically mean that the family was Jewish.
> >
> >
> >Reyzl
> >
> >
> >
>
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