Tag: Elvis Presley

Music Box: Levi’s Million Dollar Charm

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Went to see the Tony-nominated Best Musical MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET last night, thanks to a co-worker’s extra ticket. It wasn’t a perfect production, but it was enjoyable on the jukebox musical genre level that’s sadly permeated Broadway in recent years.

A semi-fictionalized account based on the iconic photo of Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis (above) during an impromptu recording session one afternoon at Sam Phillips’ Sun studio in 1956, the show’s main saving grace came in the form of singer/songwriter Levi Kreis.  In a performance that could have teetered toward cartoonish buffoonery, which would have been easy within the conventional storytelling mechanism of the book AND the fact that he portrayed Jerry Lee Lewis, Kreis infused the show with unabashed energy, charisma and an astonishing musical dexterity. He was a powder keg exploding – his Tony Award was well deserved.

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Music Box: Ghetto Unfabulous – Lisa Marie Presley w/Elvis Presley “In The Ghetto”

 

 

I’m not sure what’s worse – Lisa Marie pulling a Natalie Cole (ugh), performing necrophilia with her father and his canon; deciding to utilize the most racist song-masqueraded-as-social-commentary he (or anyone) ever recorded; or the director’s decision to fill the video with images of babies with guns, while a tear trickles down Lisa’s cheek. All in the name of New Orleans charity (a noble gesture) and the 30th anniversary of the death of the King of Rock N Roll. I know, I know, Chuck Berry ain’t dead, but I think you know what I mean.