- Date: 1980
- Place: Nashville Tennessee
- Artist: Orion AKA Jimmy Ellis
- Artist: Wayne Jackson
While visiting Nashville in 1980
I came cross this bizarre story about Orion and the possibility of him being Elvis’s stepbrother in 1980, when I had the pleasure of meeting a remarkable man, John Singleton, the brother of Shelby Singleton—a renowned record producer and entrepreneur. Shelby was best known for acquiring the rights to Sun Records from Sam Phillips, though this excluded Elvis Presley’s recordings.
John and his wife embodied the essence of Southern hospitality. John had a collection of cars, one of which was a yellow taxi cab. While unremarkable in New York, this car stood out as one of a kind in Nashville. Every time we arrived at a restaurant in that bright yellow “eye-mobile,” heads would turn, fascinated by the unusual sight.
Shelby Singleton
Achieved his first hit single with Brook Benton’s The Boll Weevil Song and went on to produce numerous chart-topping records. He worked with renowned artists such as Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Stevens, and Charlie Rich. Notably, Singleton acquired the master recording of Hey Paula by Jill and Ray, renamed them Paul and Paula, and saw the song spend three weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1968, he achieved another worldwide hit with Jeannie C. Riley’s Harper Valley PTA. The following year, Singleton purchased the Sun Records catalog, excluding Elvis Presley’s recordings. From that point forward, much of his career focused on releasing and repackaging the Sun catalog, including a significant amount of previously unreleased material.
Meeting Shelby Singleton
Not long after, I was introduced to Shelby himself, a man you might describe as a real character. He took me to his recording studio, which, despite being named Singleton Sound Studios, was designed to evoke the legendary Sun Studios. Shelby had mastered the art of selling Sun Records memorabilia—T-shirts, drink mats, and more, all featuring reproductions of Sun singles. The studio even made it onto the Nashville coach tour itinerary.Playfully, I pointed out, “But the real Sun Studio is in Memphis.” With a knowing grin, Shelby replied, “The guests don’t seem to know or care. They love buying the memorabilia—and besides, it saves them a three-hour drive to Memphis.”
Introducing Orion
Knowing I was a huge Elvis fan, Shelby soon introduced me to a new album he’d produced called Reborn featuring an artist named Orion. He played me a couple of tracks, and I was utterly blown away. It was the most astonishing Elvis impersonation I had ever heard. Shelby explained the album’s unique promotional angle: it subtly hinted at the theory that Elvis hadn’t actually died but had instead chosen to step away from the limelight while continuing to record.
Skeptical, I said, “I don’t think people will believe that story.” Shelby countered with a grin, “There are three million Elvis fans out there who want to believe he’s still alive. That’s who I made the record for.”
Lover Please Orion
The story grew even stranger when I learned about the origins of Orion. Back in January 1979, author Gail Brewer-Giorgio had begun writing a novel about a fictional music superstar named Orion, who faked his own death to escape the pressures of fame. The plot was eerily similar to the circumstances surrounding Elvis’s death, sparking endless intrigue.
Orion the artist
James Hodges Ellis (born James Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 – December 12, 1998). His album Reborn, showed the singer emerging from a coffin, and was released on gold-coloured vinyl on the Sun label. He face adorned a ridiculous eye mask resembling the Long Ranger, which he wore at all times when in public as the artist Orion.
In 1982 I was in the London’s distributors office, when he arrived with Shelby, I was stunned to see he was wearing his mask and even more remarkable he NEVER spoke a word. I was invited to lunch at the La Loggia restaurant just off the Edgware Road London. Unfortunately, I had a meeting and had to decline. I did ask one of the guests on his return how the gathering went. He told me that Orion mask remained on and he never spoke a word, his food was ordered for him. I said, “Maybe he should has sung his food order.”
By 1983, Ellis had grown weary of playing the role of Orion and decided to retire his mask for good, stating that he would never don it again. Unfortunately, over the next four years, he struggled to find success under his real name and eventually returned to the character. Disillusioned by the industry, Ellis opened a store in Selma, Alabama, alongside his comeback as Orion.
The Murder of Jimmy Ellis
On December 12, 1998, Ellis was tragically shot and killed by Jeffrey Lee during a robbery at his store, Jimmy’s Pawn Shop. Lee also fatally shot Elaine Thompson, Ellis’s ex-wife and an employee at the shop, and injured Helen King, another employee who managed to survive.
In April 2000, Lee was found guilty of the murders of Ellis and Thompson, as well as the attempted murder of King. Although the jury recommended a life sentence without the possibility of parole, the judge sentenced Lee to death, citing significant aggravating factors.
Was Jimmy Ellis Elvis stepbrother?
Some of Ellis’s friends have speculated that Orion might have been Elvis Presley’s half-brother. It’s not far-fetched to consider the possibility that he could have been related to Elvis.
Jimmy Ellis was born in 1945, during a time when Vernon and the Presley family had yet to move too Memphis and were still based in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis’s birthplace. It was claimed that Jimmy’s birth certificate, was issued in Mississippi, and it listed Gladys Bell as his mother, and the father was listed as Vernon, with no last name. The field was left blank.
Apparently, Jimmy never really spoke about that part of his life. He was always secretive about it didn’t know anything about his origins; except he was adopted. Vernon Presley and Jimmy Ellis have a striking resemblance. The same features, the same hairline, the same ears. It’s uncanny. Could that really be a coincidence, especially with that voice?
Vernon Presley
Jimmy Ellis AKA as Orion
An experiment overlaying Vernon face onto Jimmy’s.
It an interesting question
Does this story ring true, who knows, but one thing is for sure, Jimmy Ellis had a very interesting life albeit a sad one.
One other Nashville connection: Wayne Jackson
Wayne Jackson, born in Arkansas, was an influential American soul and R&B musician. He played trumpet for The Mar-Keys and served as a member of the house band at Stax Records. Later, he was part of The Memphis Horns, often regarded as one of the greatest soul horn sections of all time. Throughout his career, he recorded with legendary artists including Elvis Presley, Neil Diamond, Otis Redding, Dusty Springfield, and the Doobie Brothers.
Meeting Wayne
I first met Wayne in Nashville in 1980, shortly after I finished the recording of Bill Haley album, Everyone Can Rock and Roll
The saxophonist on the album, Ed Logan, was a close friend of Wayne’s and also a member of The Memphis Horns.
The birth of the Memphis Horns
We quickly became close friends and would always meet up whenever I was in Nashville. One day, I asked Wayne how the Memphis Horns came to be. He explained that producers and artists used to book each brass player separately, so he came up with the idea of gathering the best musicians into a single group. This way, not only would it be more convenient to make one call to book the entire section, but the players, already familiar with each other’s techniques, would create a unique, cohesive sound.
Soon after, bookings started pouring in. Their success grew so rapidly that they raised their fees, first doubling and then tripling them. Before long, The Memphis Horns became the most sought-after horn section in the United States.
Elvis and Wayne
After I stopped visiting Nashville regularly in the late 1980s, we lost touch. Years later, he reached out to me on Facebook, sending a photo of himself with Elvis. I responded, “Wayne, it’s great to hear from you! Could you remind me which one you are in the picture?” He replied with the same humor and warmth I remembered so fondly. He was not only an exceptional musician but an even better person, and I still miss him to this day. (November 24, 1941 – June 21, 2016)
Hi Wayne, please remind me, which one are you?
https://youtu.be/Dte3STdgIDI
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