Music News & Notes

Elvis Receives Five More RIAA Certificates

Five, count them, five more RIAA gold and platinum records were presented on August 14 during Elvis Presley Week in Memphis. The certificates were earned over the last year but were officially given to the estate of Presley during the annual week saluting his life and career. The presentation was part of Conversations With Elvis at the Orpheum Theater.

The new certificates were for:

•Aloha From Hawaii Deluxe Edition DVD received multi-platinum certification (4X)

•Elvis '68 Comeback- Special Edition DVD received multi-platinum certification (2X)

•50 Greatest Love Songs received gold multi-disc set certification

•The Essential Elvis received gold multi-disc set status

•Blue Christmas received platinum album certification

Presley had previously earned 151 other gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards from the RIAA.

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Third Man Releases Two New Conan O’Brien Albums

Conan O’Brien and Jack White’s Third Man Records are releasing not one, but two new pieces of vinyl that the comedian made on a June stopover in Nashville. The label has announced last Wednesday that “Conan O’Brien Live at Third Man” and a spoken-word 7-inch recording “And They Call Me Mad?” are now available at Third Man’s website.

The rockabilly-flavored live show includes a duet with White of Eddie Cochran’s “20 Flight Rock” while the 7-inch is a spoken-word improvisation of the Frankenstein legend. The B side is White’s interview of O’Brien.

O’Brien has spent the summer on his “Legally Prohibited From Being Funny On Television Tour” and his new show on TBS kicks off in November.

http://www.thirdmanrecords.com/

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Eric Clapton to Release New Album Clapton Sept. 28

Eric Clapton is scheduled to release his 19th solo album, simply called 'Clapton,' on September 28, 2010. It' will be his first solo album since the 2005 CD 'Back Home.' The 14-track set was co-produced by Clapton and his longtime collaborator Doyle Bramhall II. J.J. Cale also joins Clapton on the album as does legendary drummer Jim Keltner. In addition, there are guest appearances from Sheryl Crow, Derek Trucks, Steve Winwood, Wynton Marsalis, and Allen Toussaint.

Clapton and Crow have often teamed up on stage at various performances and reportedly had a personal relationship at one point. Clapton and Winwood were both in the band Blind Faith and recently did a string of dates together. Derek Trucks Band has also toured with Clapton and performed at his annual concert to benefit the Crossroads Treatment Center he helped found in Antigua.

The record mixes covers of older and obscure traditional and country-blues songs as well as a handful of new original tunes penned specifically for the album.

"This album wasn’t what it was intended to be at all," he said. "It’s actually better than it was meant to be because, in a way, I just let it happen. It’s an eclectic collection of songs that weren’t really on the map—and I like it so much because if it’s a surprise to the fans, that’s only because it’s a surprise to me, as well."