A Little MORE Conversation: The Elvis Podcast Shane Tutmarc and Jason Brewer

We are reaching the end of our journey. We had hoped to get this final episode out in time for the 50th anniversary of Elvis' June 1970 Nashville marathon sessions, but last month was a crazy one with both Jason and Shane putting out new records. Jason's The Explorers Club put out two records on June 12th (which Shane was also involved with), and Shane's Dolour put out The Royal We on June 19th. So we've been super busy with those releases. But we decided in the spirit of this era we are now all living in, that we'd do a ZOOM recording for this last episode, which brought a little bonus energy, but maybe a slightly lower fidelity. Jason's final album of our series is That's the Way it Is, and Shane's is Elvis Country - and since they were both recorded simultaneously (along with what ended up on the Love Letters From Elvis album), we've decided to go through the sessions song-by-song to give you a break down of all 40 recordings Elvis made over the course of 5 days in June, and one final day in September 1970. Thank you to everyone who has joined us on this journey! Be sure to find our music projects on social media to keep up with us.

This episode takes a further look into Elvis’ incredible American Sound sessions. They follow the 12 month release schedule from the first single to the last. Praising the highlights of the Back In Memphis album made up of left-overs from the sessions, while also questioning RCA’s strange release strategy. They discuss the impact these sessions had on Elvis’ rejuvenation in the late 60s through the early 70s, and question whether or not The Colonel was making the right moves at this time (spoiler: he wasn’t). So join the boys as they go further down this rabbit hole to better understand this crucial period in the artistry of Elvis Presley.

Shane and Jason breakdown their shared favorite Elvis album, 1969’s From Elvis in Memphis. Recorded on the heels of the legendary "'68 Comeback," Elvis is on fire during these sessions. As usual the boys share details and unique insights on the recordings, the musicians, producers, and even the photographer of the sessions. In this first of 2 parts, they cover all 12 songs of the album, saving the singles and a further dig through the remainder of the prolific American Sound sessions for a follow-up episode.

Shane and Jason take a deep dive into Elvis' gospel recordings. From 1957's Peace in the Valley through 1972's He Touched Me and beyond. To really understand Elvis the artist, you have to understand Elvis the gospel singer. So don't just sit there crying in the chapel, swing down your sweet chariot and take a ride down by the riverside where no one stands alone.

This episode is Shane and Jason's first foray into Soundtrack Elvis with his masterpiece, 'Blue Hawaii' from 1961. The boys break down each song with fascinating backstories on the songwriting, musicians, and plenty of tangents - ranging from Andy Williams to Ed Wood, from Queen Lili'uokalani to Bonnie Guitar. And being that this episode deals with Hollywood Elvis for the first time, we include a chat with Andrew and Rob of Jailhouse Talk: An Elvis Movie Podcast. So throw a lei around your neck, grab a pineapple drink, and dive in!

Shane and Jason breakdown Elvis' first post-Army album, 1960's "Elvis is Back!" From Elvis' fuller vocal range to his use of the Nashville A-Team musicians at RCA Studio B, the boys explain why this album should be in every hardcore music fans collection.