Jerry Lee Lewis And Friends – Record-facts…

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This LP certainly generated controversy, as it contains Orion, aka Jimmy Ellis, who overdubbed vocals on all these original early ’60s cuts Jerry did for Sun sometime in 1978. 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.
This album was slapped together in 1978 to cash in on the death of Elvis Presley by Shelby Singleton’s Sun Label.
The Sun label basically dug through its Jerry Lee Lewis archives, pulled out some of the better recordings, and added new vocals from Presley soundalike Jimmy Ellis.
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.

Tracklist

1. “Save The Last Dance For Me” (Written-By – Pomus / Shuman) – 1:49
2. “Sweet Little Sixteen” (Written-By – C. Berry) – 2:50
3. “I Love You Because” (Written-By – Leon Payne) – 1:50
4. “C.C. Rider” (Written-By – M. Rainey) – 2:44
5. “Am I To Be The One” (Written-By – R. Stevenson, O. Blackwell) – 1:40
6. “Sail Away” (Written-By – Charlie Rich) – 2:23
7. “Cold Cold Heart” (Written-By – H. Williams) – 3:03
8. “Hello Josephine” (Written-By – Domino/Bartholemew) – 1:39
9. “It Won’t Happen With Me” (Written-By – Ray Evans) – 2:55
10. “What ‘d I Say” (Written-By – Ray Charles) – 3:18
11. “Good Golly Miss Molly” (Written-By – Marascalco, Blackwell) – 2:17