Jimmy Orion Ellis - 1999 - Who Was That Masked Man. (4 Cd's) @320

 

Jimmy "Orion" Ellis

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. His voice was similar to Elvis Presley's, a fact which he and his record company played upon, making some believe that some of his recordings were by Presley, or even that Presley had not died in 1977. Ellis appeared with many artists, including Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, and the Oak Ridge Boys 

Early life

Ellis was born in either Pascagoula, Mississippi, Orrville, Alabama, or Washington, D.C., United States, into a single parent home. His birth certificate states the mother was a secretary named Gladys Bell and the father was Vernon (no surname). Aged two, he moved with his mother to Birmingham, Alabama, where he was put up for adoption and, aged four, was adopted by R. F. and Mary Faye (nee Hodges) Ellis. He attended Orrville High School, where he excelled in baseball, football and basketball. After winning a state fair competition, his first professional performance was in a nightclub named Demon's Den in Albany, Georgia. Ellis entered Middle Georgia College on an athletic scholarship, then transferred to Livingston State University.[1]

Music career

At the start of his music career Ellis sang in nightclubs, and in 1964 released a single, "Don’t Count Your Chickens", for a small Georgia label, Dradco.[5] His vocals closely resembled Elvis Presley, and in 1969 Shelby Singleton, who had acquired the rights to Sun Records' back catalogue, other than Presley's recordings for the label, released a single of Ellis' recordings of Presley's early songs, "That's All Right (Mama)" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky". The label credited the recordings simply to "?", and it was rumored that they were alternate takes from Presley sessions (despite featuring an electric rather than string bass). 

After Presley's death in 1977, Singleton revived the hoax by releasing singles which 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", on which there was simply a credit to "Friend". The records were endorsed as genuine Presley recordings by the song's co-writer Doc Pomus, music writer Roy Carr, and by the TV show Good Morning America which undertook a voice comparison test of the song against Presley's voice. Around the same time, Ellis released another single under his own name, "I'm Not Trying To Be Like Elvis", and an album, By Request - Ellis Sings Elvis.

In 1978, writer Gail Brewer-Giorgio published a novel, Orion, about a leading popular singer – clearly based on Presley – who faked his own death. 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. His album Reborn, showing the singer emerging from a coffin, was released on gold-colored vinyl on the Sun label in 1978. Some listeners clearly believed that "Orion" was, in fact, Presley, who had supposedly faked his own death. Orion then 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). He also recorded several albums for Sun between 1979 and 1981, and built up a substantial live following, still wearing his mask.

He tore off his mask at a performance in 1983, saying that he would not wear it again. However, after failing to retain his popularity using his real name, he returned to performing as Orion in 1987. He also started to run a store in Selma, Alabama, with his girlfriend Elaine Thompson.

Death

On December 12, 1998, Ellis was murdered during a robbery in his store, Jimmy's Pawn Shop. Jeffrey Lee was convicted of the murder of Ellis and Ellis's ex-wife Elaine Thompson, who was working as an employee at the store, and the attempted murder of employee Helen King. Lee was sentenced to death and his appeal against the sentence was refused on October 9, 2009.

Orion: The Man Who Would Be King

In 2015, film-maker Jeanie Finlay released a documentary film, after pitching it at Sheffield Doc/Fest's 2013 MeetMarket, about Ellis' life and career entitled Orion: The Man Who Would Be King. The film won 'The Discovery Award' at the British Independent Film Awards 2015. It was released theatrically in the US by Sundance Selects on December 4, 2015.

Tracks;

Disc 1;

Orion - 01 - Moody Blue.mp3

Orion - 02 - Return To Sender.mp3

Orion - 03 - Hurt.mp3

Orion - 04 - Kentucky Rain.mp3

Orion - 05 - It's Now Or Never.mp3

Orion - 06 - Burning Love.mp3

Orion - 07 - You Don't Have To Say You Love Me.mp3

Orion - 08 - My Way.mp3

Orion - 09 - Love Me Tender.mp3

Orion - 10 - Can't Help Falling In Love.mp3

Orion - 11 - Mean Woman Blues.mp3

Orion - 12 - (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear.mp3

Orion - 13 - Hound Dog.mp3

Orion - 14 - That's All Right.mp3

Orion - 15 - Blue Moon Of Kentucky.mp3

Orion - 16 - I Forgot To Remember To Forget.mp3

Orion - 17 - Such A Night.mp3

Orion - 18 - Where He Leads Me.mp3

Orion - 19 - Sweet Hour Of Prayer.mp3

Orion - 20 - I Surrender All.mp3

Orion - 21 - Peace In The Valley.mp3

Orion - 22 - It Is No Secret.mp3

Orion - 23 - I Believe.mp3

Orion - 24 - He Touched Me.mp3

Orion - 25 - Softly And Tenderly.mp3

Orion - 26 - Where No One Stands Alone.mp3

Orion - 27 - Just A Closer Walk With Thee.mp3

Disc 2;

Orion - 01 - Honey.mp3

Orion - 02 - Billy And Sue.mp3

Orion - 03 - Last Kiss.mp3

Orion - 04 - Long Black Limousine.mp3

Orion - 05 - Teen Angel.mp3

Orion - 06 - Endless Sleep.mp3

Orion - 07 - Patches.mp3

Orion - 08 - Tell Laura I Love Her.mp3

Orion - 09 - Tragedy.mp3

Orion - 10 - Ebony Eyes.mp3

Orion - 11 - Rocky.mp3

Orion - 12 - Susie Q.mp3

Orion - 13 - Long Tall Sally.mp3

Orion - 14 - Peggy Sue.mp3

Orion - 15 - Rockin' Little Angel.mp3

Orion - 16 - Maybellene.mp3

Orion - 17 - Mona Lisa.mp3

Orion - 18 - Lonesome Angel.mp3

Orion - 19 - Midnight Rendezvous.mp3

Orion - 20 - I Hear You Knockin'.mp3

Orion - 21 - Matchbox.mp3

Orion - 22 - I'm Gonna Be A Wheel Someday.mp3

Orion - 23 - Rockabilly Rebel.mp3

Orion - 24 - Crazy Little Thing Called Love.mp3

Orion - 25 - Memphis Sun.mp3

Disc 3;

Orion - 01 - Feeling.mp3

Orion - 02 - Before The Next Teardrop Falls [Extended Version].mp3

Orion - 03 - She Hates To Be Alone.mp3

Orion - 04 - Am I That Easy To Forget.mp3

Orion - 05 - Just Out Of Reach.mp3

Orion - 06 - There Ya Go.mp3

Orion - 07 - What Did I Promise Her Last Night.mp3

Orion - 08 - Rollin' With The Flow.mp3

Orion - 09 - Green, Green Grass Of Home.mp3

Orion - 10 - Long Black Veil.mp3

Orion - 11 - Faded Love.mp3

Orion - 12 - Crazy Arms.mp3

Orion - 13 - Release Me.mp3

Orion - 14 - Texas Tea.mp3

Orion - 15 - Please Help Me, I'm Falling.mp3

Orion - 16 - Send Me The Pillow You Dream On.mp3

Orion - 17 - He'll Have To Go.mp3

Orion - 18 - Snowbird.mp3

Orion - 19 - I Can't Stop Loving You.mp3

Orion - 20 - I Love You Because.mp3

Orion - 21 - No One Will Ever Know.mp3

Orion - 22 - Old Mexico.mp3

Orion - 23 - Night Of The Rain.mp3

Orion - 24 - These Sometimes.mp3

Orion - 25 - Listen To Daddy (I'll Sing You What To Dream) (And Shana).mp3

Disc 4;

Orion - 01 - Be-Bop-A-Lula.mp3

Orion - 02 - On My Knees.mp3

Orion - 03 - Dixie Fried.mp3

Orion - 04 - Gentle As A Lamb.mp3

Orion - 05 - Money.mp3

Orion - 06 - Breakup.mp3

Orion - 07 - Matchbox.mp3

Orion - 08 - Good Rockin' Tonight.mp3

Orion - 09 - Gone, Gone, Gone.mp3

Orion - 10 - Sittin' And Thinkin'.mp3

Orion - 11 - Save The Last Dance For Me.mp3

Orion - 12 - Sweet Little Sixteen.mp3

Orion - 13 - I Love You Because.mp3

Orion - 14 - C.C. Rider.mp3

Orion - 15 - Cold, Cold Heart.mp3

Orion - 16 - Hello Josephine.mp3

Orion - 17 - It Won't Happen With Me.mp3

Orion - 18 - What'd I Say.mp3

Orion - 19 - Good Golly Miss Molly.mp3

Orion - 20 - Rockin' The Boat Of Love.mp3

Orion - 21 - Your True Love.mp3

Orion - 22 - Put Your Cat Clothes On.mp3

Orion - 23 - Country Boy.mp3

Orion - 24 - Caught In The Middle.mp3

Orion - 25 - When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold Again.mp3

Orion - 26 - Honey Don't.mp3

Orion - 27 - Get Rhythm.mp3

Orion - 28 - Who Will The Next Fool Be.mp3

Orion - 29 - Lonely Street.mp3

Orion - 30 - Ballad Of A Teenage Queen.mp3

Orion - 31 - Glad All Over.mp3

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