The 'New' Elvis Presley Story Charlie Van Dyke CHUM Radio RARE Radio Special '81

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Many folks will either confuse this with the RCA Special Products LP set called "The Elvis Presley Story" or with the Watermark Productions documentary hosted by Wink Martindale of the same name that was produced in 1971, edited in 1975 and a 13th hour added after Elvis' death in 1977 (I have all three versions).  No, this is The NEW Elvis Presley Story that was produced by Toronto based CHUM radio in 1977 and re-issued in 1981. These LPs are from the 1981 LP pressing and include a digitally remastered CD set.

Our remastered CD sets aren't just some guy copying LPs direct to CD. No, we do all of the remastering for the American Top 40 shows from 1970-1995, American Country Countdown from 1973-2004 and Soundtrack of the 60's from 1980-1984. These are professional remasters suitable for broadcast.

However, enough about us, here's the history behind the only LP set I've ever seen of this RARE special hosted by frequent American Top 40 guest host, Charlie Van Dyke!

The following description of this program is lifted from this article, http://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2015/10/01/chum-toronto-beatles-and-elvis.

In 1971, Watermark Productions syndicated The Elvis Presley Story. It was a 12 hour documentary. CHUM bought it for their group of stations in Canada. In 1975, Watermark revised and updated the show and put it into syndication once again. CHUM exercised their right of first refusal.

Watermark placed The Elvis Presley Story with CKY in Winnipeg and CKLG in Vancouver, both stations owned by competing Moffat Communications, despite CHUM’s right of first refusal. The excuse was that CHUM had not owned radio stations in Winnipeg and Vancouver when the agreement had been made in 1971. The real story was that Watermark was pissed at CHUM for giving away the Beatle documentary at a time that they had planned to originally syndicate their Presley documentary.

Bob Wood called Warren Cosford into his office. There was a problem. Somehow, CHUM had to put their own Elvis Presley documentary on the air in Winnipeg and Vancouver, and do it before Watermark’s program could clear customs.

As hard as it may be to believe today, in 1975, there was only one book written about Elvis Presley. It was by Jerry Hopkins. Cosford bought two copies of the book, gave one to Bill McDonald who moved into a hotel and began writing, and Cosford took the other and copied every name of every person Jerry mentioned in his book. He then called information in both Memphis and Nashville and tried to find out who might talk to them. Everyone he called said that they would call him back, and everyone who called back agreed to be interviewed. He booked a flight for his Production assistant Bob McMillan and he to fly to Memphis on Wednesday and to Nashville from Memphis Thursday night, with a return to Toronto Saturday morning.

Then he got some good news and some bad news. The bad news was from RCA Records Toronto. Earlier he had called them for help in lining up interviews. They told him that Elvis would not be available because he was in the hospital, but that someone living just outside of Toronto had worked for Elvis and might agree to be interviewed. Whoever that person was declined the interview.

The good news came next. He had been trying to reach Mae Axton, co-writer of Heartbreak Hotel, at her home in Broken Bow Oklahoma. There was no answer. Incredibly, she turned up at CHUM on the very day they were leaving for Memphis! She was in Toronto promoting a TV special hosted by her son Hoyt Axton best known for having written Joy To The World for Three Dog Night. Mae was their first Elvis interview. She later sent them a tape of Elvis singing That’s Alright Mama on a TV show that Mae had hosted (WHERE IS THIS TODAY? TO MY KNOWLEDGE, IT HAS NEVER BEEN RELEASED OR AIRED?)

Incredible but true. And it gets better.

The first interview that Bob McMillan and Cosford were scheduled to do in Memphis was with someone who had grown up with Elvis that now worked at a Law Office. As they got off the elevator there was a sign with two arrows. The arrow pointing right was to the Law Office. The arrow pointing left was to The Memphis Southmen Football team.

In 1975, The Memphis Southmen were a franchise in The World Football League. Their coach was Leo Cahill. Leo was the former coach of The Toronto Argonauts of The Canadian Football League. When he was fired, he was hired as a sports commentator at CHUM. Cosford trained him. Following the interview in the Law Office they dropped in on Leo.

He was wearing "The Medallion."

Elvis fans will know that "The Medallion" was shaped as a thunderbolt with the letters TCB written across it in gold. It was a gift that Elvis gave to people who worked for him, or that he cared about. Cahill had it because Elvis was a football fan.

When they told Leo why they were in Memphis, he picked up the phone and called Richard Davis. Richard was an executive with Stax Records and, legend has it, the only person outside of family that Priscilla allowed to stay at Graceland after she and Elvis were married. Leo told Richard that they were friends of his and that "any favors Richard might afford us would be a favor to me".

The picked up four interviews with people who had not been mentioned in Jerry Hopkins book. The Elvis Door had opened wider.

Now Cosford's favorite part of The Elvis Experience.

From the beginning he had been trying to reach Gordon Stoker of The Jordanaires. He still hadn’t connected with him by the time they got to Nashville. He called Cosford at The Holiday Inn. Cosford asked for the interview. Stoker said the same thing that everyone else had said. He would have to call back. He did, and offered to come to the hotel. Gordon walked into the room and said…."you’ve been getting the party line about Elvis. I’ll tell you the truth. All you gotta do is ask the right questions". Then he said…do you know why you’ve been getting all this co-operation from the Elvis people? They said no…thinking that it had to do with CHUM’s influence in Canada. Then Stoker said something that Cosford said would stay with him for the rest of his life. Gordon Stoker said…."Elvis heard your Beatle Documentary and said to give you all the help you needed".

It’s the truth.

J.Robert Wood’s vision of getting The Beatle documentary widely distributed had paid off. WHBQ Memphis had aired the show and Elvis Presley had heard it!

Amazing.

CHUM’s The Elvis Presley Story went on the air at CFRW Winnipeg and CFUN Vancouver before Watermark’s Presley show cleared customs. CHUM later sold the show into syndication through TM in Dallas who later sold it to Wagontrain Productions in New Mexico. Wagontrain is now defunct and out of business. It last was released as this LP set, "The Presley Years." The Narrator is Charlie Van Dyke.

Bill McDonald later became Chuck Blore’s partner. Chuck Riley became the Voice of CBS-TV and Emmis Broadcasting. Doug Thompson, who co-produced The Beatles documentary, has done many since, including Ringo’s Yellow Submarine and The John Candy Series. Bob McMillan has a donut shop in Brandon, Manitoba. Charlie Van Dyke is reading liners on a radio or TV station near you. J. Robert Wood is a consultant. He is preparing his 4th application for a Toronto FM Radio license.

Warren Cosford is the Operations Manager of CKLW/CKWW/89X/THE RIVER in Windsor Ontario.

Bill, Chuck, Bob, Robert and Warren went on to produce the 64 hour documentary "The Evolution Of Rock" in 1976, which I also have in my collection and is an EXCEPTIONAL production!!