#AND ANNNDD he makes the decision to change the studio and session musicians hes working with by cutting in memphis instead of nashville for

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Today's lil' Elvis Music Gem🙏

Yes, again with more Back In Memphis! But this time we've got "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" and the interesting Neil Diamond-filled story of the famed American Sound Studio sessions.

In 1969 just the day after his Elvis' 34th birthday when Elvis was planning his return to music recording, Marty Lacker successfuly convinced Elvis to skip on Nashville and to instead give Chips Moman and his Memphis-based American Sound Studio a chance. When Elvis agreed (without even consulting the Colonel first) but with a tight turn around, Moman had to reschedule the recording sessions of Neil Diamond that had already been set just four days out. "Fuck Neil Diamond, he'll just have to be postponed. Tell Elvis he's on." Moman told Lacker as he called from the front hall phone at Graceland.

Soon after, during a break in recording due to Elvis' cold turning to laryngitis, Elvis and the guys were going through the demos back at Graceland. When realizing the selection of songs being brought in by the Colonel were aweful Elvis made an important declaration; that from then on he would pick his own music. He asked that everyone be bringing in songs, "... from now on I want to hear every song I can get my hands on, and if I've got a piece of the publishing, that's fine, but if I don't and I want to do the song, I'm going to do it."

And the boys got to work, bringing in new music for Elvis to sample beyond the usual songs that the Colonel had special interests in. George Klein having connections with artists through his TV show then immediately got on the phone with Neil Diamond. He may have been kicked from his original recording slot, but Elvis' prior L.A. next-door neighbor agreed to him singing "And the Grass Won't Pay No Mind" when the sessions resumed in late January and February.