Ramblin Rhodes: In '56, Elvis got so lonely he could die

It was 53 years ago next Tuesday that RCA Records released Heartbreak Hotel , the company's first single by Elvis Presley.

Presley made his national TV debut the next day, on Stage Show, (with band-leader brothers Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey as hosts).

Heartbreak Hotel , written by Mae Boren Axton (mother of singer Hoyt Axton) and Tommy Durden, sold 300,000 copies in its first week and was Presley's first gold record.

HAPPY BIRTHDAYS: Teddy Gentry of Alabama, 57, today; Polly Lewis Copsey of The Lewis Family, 72, Friday; Becky Hobbs, 59, Doug Kershaw, 73, and Ray Stevens, 70, Saturday; Tracy Lawrence, 41, and Cheryl White of The Whites, 54, Tuesday.

JERRY TUTEN MEMORIAL SERVICE: Friends of Augusta musician Jerry Tuten have organized a memorial service and reception from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 8 in the Augusta Rowing Club room at The Boathouse at the Augusta Riverfront Marina.

Sammy O'Banion, an organizer of the service, said Mr. Tuten died Dec. 13 after doing his last public appearance the night before. He was buried in Hillcrest Cemetery.

Mr. Tuten, 61, was a lifelong resident of the Augusta area. He performed with local bands including Joey and The Sensations and his own groups, The Mod VI, and Jerry Tuten and The Graduates. Mr. O'Banion had performed with him in a band called The Features.

James Brown used another band that Tuten was in, Santa Fe Train, as his opening act for about a year, and got them a spot on The Mike Douglas Show .

In recent years, he had been doing disc jockey work and performed with keyboardist Ronnie Lane. Mr. Tuten also had bit parts in the movies Cannonball Run and Carny .

For more information, call Patty Leopard at (706) 860-3278.

Don Rhodes has written about country music for 38 years. He can be reached at (706) 823-3214 or at don.rhodes@morris.com.