Work In Progress - The Companion Album

LP cover

Front and back of the single
Hey Jude (unedited version) / Susan When She Tried (different mix)

Announcement:
In 1980 Felton Jarvis, Elvis' record producer for the last decade came to the remarkable idea to freshen up some of Elvis' recordings. The idea was to add totally new backing tracks to Elvis' voice. This resulted in the 1981 record release of "Guitar Man".

You hate it or you love it is probably the right thing to say about the album.

Felton was convinced Elvis would have loved it. The original album contained 10 songs. But Felton worked on a bunch of other songs to see if they would suit the project.

This special LP / CD & 45 RPM set contains many of those unreleased versions that never made it to the record. Also included are some unreleased unfinished versions of tracks that did make it to the final GUITAR MAN album.

The title track "Guitar Man" written and first performed by Jerry Reed was obviously one of the tracks that had to end up on the album. Jerry Reed was part of the original recording by Elvis in 1967 and now Jerry

Reed was back in the studio with Felton Jarvis to work on the new title track for the 1981 re-release. Besides the guitar work he also recorded a "duet" version of the song. This version never made it to the album, but it probably should have. Felton finished this track most likely for his own pleasure or for Jerry Reed and it is one of the many highlights of this set. This is just an example of one of the many surprises you will find on this amazing set. And all in a wonderful sound quality.

This wonderful 2 LP set is packed with unreleased tracks like : Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain, The Fool, Susan When She Tried, Help Me, Funny How Time Slips Away and many many more.

Felton Jarvis sadly passed away early January 1981 even before the album came out.

This amazing 2 LP set is accompanied by a cd with the best tracks from the sessions and a wonderful 45rpm containing Hey Jude & Susan When She Tried.
Available in a very limited edition in purple or white vinyl

Track listing LPs:
Side A: 
Hey Jude [KWA 5 8237] / For Ol’ Times Sake [KWA 5 8238] / Only The Strong Survive [KWA 8240] / Blue Suede Shoes [KWA 5 8242] / In The Ghetto [KWA 5 8243] / Susan When She Tried [KWA 5 8245] / Shake A Hand [KWA 5 8248] / That’s What You Get For Loving Me [KWA 5 8250]
Side B:
Funny How Time Slips Away [KWA 5 8251] / Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain [KWA 5 8252] / Bitter They Are, Harder They Fall [KWA 5 8253] / I’ll Hold You In My Heart [KWA 5 8554] / Help Me [KWA 5 8555] / I’ll Be There [KWA 5 8559] / The Fool [KWA 5 8560] / Burning Love [KWA 5 8563]
Side C:
If You Talk In Your Sleep [KWA 5 8565] / Long Black Limousine [KWA 5 8573] / Kentucky Rain [KWA 5 8567] / For Ol’ Times Sake [KWA 5 8238] with Tony Joe White / Help Me [KWA 5 8555] with The Gatlin Brothers / Guitar Man [KWA 5 8566] with Jerry Reed / Hey Jude [KWA 5 8237] different mix / She Thinks I Still Care [ KWA 5 8564] no backing vocals
Side D:
She Thinks I Still Care [ KWA 5 8564] with backing vocals / Guitar Man [KWA 5 8566] / Too Much Monkey Business [KWA 5 8236] / Lovin' Arms [KWA 5 8247] / You Asked Me To [KWA 5 8249] / In The Ghetto [KWA 5 8249] no backing vocals / I'm Movin' On [KWA 5 8246] / If You Talk In Your Sleep [KWA 5 8565] / Susan Whe She Tried [KWA 5 8245] dry vocals