March 2026

It is impossible to overstate the musical and cultural phenomenon that was Elvis Presley. 

The kid from Tupelo, Mississippi was born during the Great Depression, and grew up in poverty. 

But he was blessed with one of the greatest singing voices of the 20th century, along with looks and charisma of a Hollywood movie star. 

Just a few years after the birth of Rock and Roll, Elvis became the biggest music superstar the world had ever seen. 

An instant icon.

When film director Baz Luhrman was researching for his 2023 Elvis biopic (starring Austin Butler as Elvis,) he was given access to a vast collection of Elvis concert footage hidden away in the MGM vault, deep underground in a salt mine.

Fellow film director Peter Jackson was enlisted to restore the footage, as he had done previously with World War 1 historical reels and film of the Beatles in the studio for his Get Back documentary.

The results are amazing! The restoration is so good it's being shown on IMAX screens.

The film is called EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert. It captures Elvis at the peak of his performing ability in the early 1970's. 

Elvis is lean and fit, before his health problems, and the concerts of this era are considered by many the best of his career. The film blends concert footage with behind the scenes rehearsal footage and some narration by Elvis himself.

Several of my students have seen the new film and they loved it!

Elvis was a big deal in our house when I was a kid. Mom absolutely adored Elvis. She never missed a chance to see an Elvis movie or watch any television show he was on. I remember going to see Saturday matinee showings of old Elvis movies at the Rialto, the same theater where mom had seen them as a teenager when they were brand new movies. 

I vividly remember the day he died. My mother came into my room sobbing. "Elvis died. It was just on the news," she told me.

In 2018, I played Elvis music for her at night as she lay dying of cancer, and the playlist at her funeral was all Elvis.

Go see this movie on the biggest screen you can. Take the kids, or the grandkids.

Let them see why this man is the King of Rock and Roll.

A legend and an icon for the ages.  

In the aftermath of the Beatles breakup, Paul McCartney went MIA as he retreated to his run-down, isolated farmhouse in Scotland. He eventually came around to writing and releasing new music, and forming a new band called Wings.

His solo output would surpass all of his former Beatles bandmates in the 70's.

This new documentary tells the story of post-Beatles McCartney in the 70's, as he tries to step out of the Beatles shadow on his own, while creating even more timeless, classic hit songs and touring the world.

McCartney songs from this era include:

Band on the Run

Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey

Live and Let Die

Maybe I'm Amazed

Silly Love Songs

Let 'Em In

Goodnight Tonight

My Love

Jet

With a Little Luck

Mull of Kintyre

McCartney tells his own narrative in the new documentary, along with interviews from his fellow Beatles, his late wife Linda, his children, friends like Mick Jagger, and his Wings bandmates.

Now streaming on Amazon Prime.

Paul McCartney and Wings wrapped up their Wings over the World tour with this show, captured on film. By this time Paul was playing some of his old Beatles songs in concert again.

Great concert! It's also available on DVD.

I've seen McCartney in concert twice. 1993 in Milwaukee, and 2019 in Green Bay. I think he is the most important musician of the past 100 years, and it's amazing he's still out there touring and bringing the joy with his music.