For the last six years, I've also played weekly with a gospel band. Did you grow up in a musical environment? Andy: Absolutely. I remember being a kid and going to bluegrass festivals and gigs that Dad was playing, and I loved it.
Dad also loved country. So being around all of that definitely helped instill a lot of my love for honest, soulful roots music.
Bill: Everyone in my family is musical. I grew up listening to my dad play trumpet and my sister practicing piano. We always had music playing in the house, although it tended to be my dad's classical records. I had to discover rock n' roll on my own which made it all the more interesting. Slawdaddy: My Dad always played good music on the stereo - dixieland jazz, big band, pop, musicals and some classical, but I didn't grow up in a musical family per se.
How did you discover rock'n'roll music? Through the radio, a band, a record? Andy: Well, I was exposed to a lot of it growing up. I remember being a kid and loving the oldies station on the radio. I was quite the angst-ridden teen and got into hardcore, punk, oi, and then ska. Will: I first discovered rock and roll through my father. I was starting to show an interest in music and listening to the radio.
I remember latching on to a certain Van Halen song. My father clued in really quick that he needed to do something. He brought home a large box set of Buddy Holly with Chuck Berry soon to follow. I was hooked on that early rock and roll sound ever since. Bill: I grew up listening to s AM rock stations. I had an ancient old tube radio that just got AM. I heard a lot of oldies and loved them. When I finally got a good stereo, I was able to play along with records- usually hours a day. My parents were saints to put up with all that racket!
I was aware of rock and roll before then, but nothing had hit me like they had. My cousin had played "Meet the Beatles" about a year before and I couldn't stand it. One year later I was watching TV and that song came on - obviously something had changed.
It was like being hit by lightening. Elvis seems to have a certain influence on the band. Do you remember the first time you heard him? The first time I was aware of him was via one of his movies - it might've been "Jailhouse Rock" or "Loving You" - it was definitely one of the early ones. Your bio says you even "stayed in the apartment where Elvis lived as a teenager" Slawdaddy: Real good times - neat vibe.
It made me giddy just being there. Bill discovered that you could rent it out and we were there! Who got the idea for the name of the band by the way? Anyway- the Hamburger James story was one of our favorite funny, bizarre Elvis stories. Well, I was totally excited about it, finished it that night, and then went to go email the guys the lyrics the next morning.
He had written a song about the exact same thing, on the exact same night, and he and I had NEVER talked about it before!
So that settled it right then and there to call our band Hamburger James. Will: I first heard of Hamburger James Caughley after Slawdaddy told the legendary story at the dinner table on Bill's 40th birthday cruise through the Caribbean.
I remember joking that if we ever had a band we had to call ourselves Hamburger James. You could look and see the immediate spark in Slaw and Bill's eyes. I remember that Andy wasn't so hot on it at first. He didn't want people to think that HE was Hamburger James. Kind of the Hootie and the Blowfish effect. That guy will be Hootie for the rest of his life. You backed the late Janis Martin, any special memories you'd like to share with us?
Janis was so awesome. It was a crazy scramble to get ready for that show. We had less than three months to learn to play together, put together an opening set of 14 or 15 songs of our own, and learn the 20 or so songs that Janis wanted to do.
All while working and living our lives, and having to drive miles to practice together. But it was totally worth the effort. Janis was amazing! We had no idea what to expect, and we were completely blown away! Her voice was as strong as ever, she was so full of energy and life- just incredible. Much of it boils down to a simple term — character — who you are when no one is looking.
Perhaps that was part of the issue. Those around him knew his character was such that he valued others appropriately, fairly and honestly. There is nothing worse than a liar and a thief. Presley knew what it was like to be unfairly hurt. While some point to various MM members as the Judas Iscariots of the group, those having to live with themselves, especially after the death of Elvis, seeing the ugly reflection of betrayal staring back at them every single day must have been an awful cross to bear.
Their reputation is forever tarnished, the same as Hamburger James. You are commenting using your WordPress. You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account.
You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Facebook YouTube Twitter Search. Search for: Search. Share this: Email. Like this: Like Loading Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:. I get it!.
Jul 15 , PM. Just letting everyone know, we've released our TV show about Elvis! I've spoken in the past about having one of The Kings Court moderators on our radio show to interview him about your forums! Nov 7 , PM. Just wanted everyone to know that we're publishing our first book - and there will be Elvis related info in the book.
Please check out our Kickstarter campaign and read more and decide if you want to be a sponsor of our first pressing of the book. Powered By IP. Licensed to: elvis-tkc. Sep 20 , PM Post 1. They followed Elvis around, acting as his companions, bodyguards, and right hand men. These men were, for the most part, loyal to a fault and clearly know more about the real Elvis Presley than most anyone else. The book, Elvis: What Happened? But over the years, many of them have shared stories, written books, gone on radio or TV interviews, and kept the legend of Elvis Presley alive.
Stanley tells a story of Hamburger James - a now almost mythical story to those who are looking for the more bizarre and unusual accounts of the King of Rock and Roll. First, I learned about a rock-a-billy band based out of Richmond, Virginia that goes by the name Hamburger James named for the Elvis story.
With only a name and the internet at my disposal, I set out on my own search for Hamburger James. But I felt I should try to search for him - and hear his side of the story. This is the story as Rick Stanley tells it: Hamburger James was a guy who wanted to be in the Memphis Mafia, and was eventually initiated as a member - but unlike Red West and some of the others, his role in the Memphis Mafia was somewhat limited. Mainly, he was just the guy who went out for hamburgers at am or whenever Elvis had a sudden desire for one.
When Elvis wanted something, he wanted it right then and there. One day, Elvis calls out to Rick that some money and some pictures were missing from his kit. Rick and Elvis get the rest of the Memphis Mafia who were present and they all started trying to figure out what happened. No one can find Hamburger James. It was assumed that James stole the goods and hit the airport to fly back to Memphis. Elvis and the boys left the hotel and fled to the airport in search of Hamburger James.
They strapped on guns in shoulder holsters and stormed the airport searching for him. Someone noticed that there was a flight leaving for Memphis in a few moments. As they jumped around looking through the crowd for James, people everywhere started to panic.
They charged toward the gate where the flight was boarding for Memphis. She asks for his autograph and tells him of how she adores him. He accepts her flattery but then flashes a badge he collected badges and told the lady that he was a Federal Agent and demanded the plane be rolled back to the gate at once.
And it was. The plane was stopped and brought back to the gate. The Mafia enters the plane and finds Hamburger James in the back with the kit. They drag him off the plane and take him back to the hotel, frightened to death. Elvis walked up to Hamburger James, smacked him twice in the face, then started crying. But James was ready for his exit from the Memphis Mafia.
Thus ended his run as the errand boy of the Memphis Mafia. So - as I mentioned, with a name and the internet, I began my search for Hamburger James. I located his residence and phone number and decided to place a call to set up an interview.
I reached his wife. We run a website where we review things that are somewhat off the beaten path.
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