Expert: Mel Priddle - 8/16/2004

Question
Mel, I'm sorry about the "Red Hots", and the year. 1977, Right after Elvis' death, Pete came to me, his potential son-in-law. To the best of my knowledge, RCA filed two lawsuits against Pete Falco et al; one for fraud, and one for copyright infringement. RCA won the fraud suit with many attorneys, and testimony from an employee from the Phoenix studio, who wasn't alive when Elvis was there. A short time after that, Jackson got life in prison from his third conviction of Child molesting, and Statutory rape. RCA went to Jackson, and bought the original tape(s) for $10,000! Phony? I told this story to as many people as possible in hope of satisfying my own doubts. A customer of mine, said "I beleive this story, because I owned a club in Phoenix in 1954, and Elvis came in asking for a gig. Since I wasn't there it's hard to explain details of that scene. PS. I made a tape of the 1958 (off to the Army) album, with Tell Me in between each of the songs, and the interview at the beginning. The judge in the fraud case would not let Pete play the tape in his courtroom, nor let a voice-print expert testify. This case "broke" Pete, both  emotionally, and economically. Pete's ex-wife, swore to me that Pete had come home from his gigs, and told her the story of a young singer/player that he wanted to take with the band, on the road, and Elvis refused. Jim-------------------------
Followup To
Question -
In 1979, my girlfriends' father, Pete Falco, played a tape for me that he purported to be Elvis Presley, singing "Tell me pretty baby". Pete had written the song while doing gigs on the West coast with a band called "Joey Falco and the Red Hots". A man in Grand Prairie, Tx. named Andrew Jackson, made a large number of 45's from the original tape(s). RCA sued Pete for copyright infringement, and fraud at the same time. I have proof that the recording is truly Elvis. What are your feelings about this? Jim
Answer -
Hello Jim,

My information on this particular recording is that it was claimed to be Elvis' first ever recording, supposedly made at Audio Recorders in Phoenix, Arizona in 1954. It was released in 1978 on the Elvis Classic label (EC-5478), lasted 2 minutes 12 seconds, with writing credit going to Andrew (Lee) Jackson, production by Pete Falco, and music publishing by Sheri-Kay Publishers/Golgotha BMI. It was distributed by Cin/Kay Records Distributors of Nashville, Tn.

In an affidavit signed by Pete Falco on July 6th 1978, he stated that he paid Elvis $15 to record "Tell Me Pretty Baby" with his group, the Red Dots. Elvis' father, Vernon Presley contested the song's authenticity, stating that Elvis was never in Phoenix in 1954 and never recorded for any company before Sun Records.

Apparantly a singer by the name of Michael Conley later admitted making the fake recording, although his manager, Hal Freeman, stated that Conley lied.

Unknown or "lost" recordings by Elvis are extremely rare. If you have new information that the recording of "Tell Me Pretty Baby" was genuine, then I'm sure that the entire Elvis world will be absolutely delighted.

My personal opinion, from listening to my own copy, is that it is not Elvis singing. But I would be delighted to be proved wrong.

Cheers.........Mel.  

Answer
Hello again Jim,

Notwishstanding everything you say, and it is certainly all very interesting, at the end of the day I rely on the judgement of my own two ears. I have just played the song once again, so that it is fresh in my mind, and, to me, it just does not sound enough like Elvis in 1954 to be convincing.

I would love to be proved wrong, for your story to be absolutely correct, but I'm afraid that personally I just can't see it. Sorry Jim, and good luck to you.

Cheers.......Mel.