Search - Jerry Lee Lewis :: Duets

It's Jimmy Ellis, NOT ELVIS

R. Bird | Gnaw Bone, IN United States | 02/07/2001

(1 out of 5 stars)

"This album was slapped together in 1978 to cash in on the death of Elvis Presley by Shelby Singleton's Sun Label. Jimmy Ellis joined the label in 1974 with his hauntingly similar Elvis-like vocals. His first single for Sun was "Changes" in 1974. In 1977, Sun had him change his stage name to "Orion" (meaning "reborn") and his first LP for the label had "schlockey" artwork showing a Masked man rising from a coffin! In early 1978, this LP was released with the specific intention of fooling the public into thinking the "duets" were Elvis and Jerry Lee, when actually, old Jerry Lee tracks were overdubbed with cheap strings and Ellis' Elvis-like vocals. With the reissue of this CD, all the rumors started again. IT'S ELLIS, NOT ELVIS!"

Remaster with added Elvis soundalike. Great Job.

R. Bird | 03/26/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am a Jerry Lee Lewis fan and an Elvis fan. Here on one CD you get both, almost. These are 1978 remasters of old material (primo old material to be sure) of Jerry Lee's that has been given some added vocal tracks. It sounds so much like Elvis singing with Jerry Lee that it could fool Colonel Tom if he were still around. It is probably Orion who also has some products available here at Amazon. The best songs (most heartfelt) are "Cold, Cold Heart," "Save The Last Dance For Me" and "Hello Josephine." The piano sound of Jerry Lee is as strong as any of his fifties recordings with the possible exception of his work on "Whole Lotta Shakin'," "Great Balls Of Fire" and "You Win Again." None of those titles are on this remarkable CD. The piano on "I Love You Because" sounds like the Sun Studios piano heard on the early Jerry Lee Lewis recordings. It was probably engineered by Sam Phillips originally before the background vocals and Elvis style voice were added. I think this is about as good a remix as there is available for rockabilly fans. Tom Willett"

What's The Point?

David Penn | NYC | 10/06/2006

(1 out of 5 stars)

"It's a shame that these great Jerry Lee Lewis tracks were tampered with by adding an Elvis imitator. I can't see how anyone could be fooled into believing that these are duets with Presley. It is particularly absurd that the voice is that of the Elvis in the seventies with early Jerry Lee.

This disc is just a novelty. If you're a Jerry Lee completist, you'd want to have it, but I'd recommend that you buy any and every other CD of his before you get this one."