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| Honky Tonk Angel, the first and definitive biography of Patsy Cline The Southern Cultural Heritage Foundation presents entertainment media journalist, author, playwright and Vicksburg Native, Ellis Nassour. Ellis will present a lecture on his book Honky Tonk Angel and also speak about his interviews with entertainers throughout the years. There will also be Patsy Cline musical tribute performances throughout the evening by Vicksburg vocalist, Maria Adona. This event will be held at the SCHF Auditorium on Friday, June 13th at 7:00 p.m. Admission is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow the next day at Lorelei Books on Washington Street. Honky Tonk Angel, the first and definitive biography of Patsy Cline, the first female country singer to cross the line into pop and blues, is based on exclusive and extensive interviews with Patsy Cline's mother, husbands, and also the country stars who knew and loved her. Patsy Cline, the beloved country singer, soared from obscurity to worldwide fame before her life tragically ended at age thirty. After breaking all the barriers in the Nashville boys' club of the music business in the 1950s, she brought the Nashville sound to the nation with her torch ballads and rockabilly tunes like "Walking After Midnight", "Crazy", and "I Fall to Pieces." Earthy, sexy, and vivacious, she has been the subject of a major movie and countless articles, and her albums are still among the top five best-sellers for MCA almost thirty years after her death. In the end it is her music that is a standard feature on jukeboxes from Seattle to Siberia. Ellis explores her colorful and poignant life in intimate detail. She is remembered in Honky Took Angel by the country stars who knew and loved her. Honky Tonk Angel lovingly re-creates the life of an American legend whose music lives on forever. Ellis Nassour has led a fascinating and colorful career. As vice president of artist relations for MCA Music, he participated in the development of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Jesus Christ Superstar and the careers of The Who, Elton John [supervising his American debut and first U.S. tour], Bing Crosby, Rick Nelson, Bill Cosby, Neil Diamond, Loretta Lynn, Brenda Lee, Conway Twitty, Crystal Gale, Florence Henderson, classical guitarist Andres Segovia; and, independently, the careers of disco diva Gloria Gaynor, soul diva Millie Jackson and Broadway composers Jerry Herman and Stephen Sondheim. Ellis coordinated tours headlining Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Peter, Paul & Mary, Al Hirt, Peter Nero, Connie Stevens, Julie London and Bobby Troupe. His first interview was with Bob Hope. He's a veteran of The New York Times and New York Daily News. Ellis provided the entire spoken word elements of the hit revue Always, Patsy Cline, which is an international hit; and has adapted his book into an original "Broadway" musical with the Patsy Cline hits and an original score with music by George Leonard. Ellis has written the lyrics. Ellis has conducted numerous creative writing seminars. He has endowed the University of Mississippi with the Mamie and Ellis Nassour Arts & Entertainment Collection, presently housed in the John D. Williams Library, in memory of his parents. Ellis was instrumental in getting Patsy Cline named to the Cowgirl Hall of Fame. For more on Ellis and Honky Tonk Angel, visit www.patsyclinehta.com. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Jazz News :: home page |