Merle Travis Sings His Signature Song

Merle Travis wrote "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke, That Cigarette," and that in itself would be enough for any songwriter, but he also wrote "Sixteen Tons," "Dark as a Dungeon," "So Round, So Firm, So Fully Packed," and "Nine Pound Hammer."

Merle also pioneered his legendary finger picking style on the guitar, and will always be remembered for his amazing flair and virtuosity.

To top it off, he and Nudie were great friends, and Merle certainly knew the value of stage presence. Hence, he wore many Nudie Suits. Nudie and Merle got on so well, Merle was married in Nudie's backyard in an outbuilding on Nudie's compound that became known as "The Wedding Chapel."

In this clip of Merle singing his signature song, note that his Nudie Suit matches his big signature sunburst guitar, and don't miss the very ending where he reveals who he really owes his soul to.

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The Guy That Started it All with his Signature Song

When Nudie was new to Hollywood he would go out to clubs to see the hottest Western Swing acts to try to convince them to buy his duds. At the top of the pack were Tex Williams and his Western Caravan.

Nudie stalked Tex, and engaged him in conversation one day at his home. Tex and Nudie instantly hit it off, and Nudie proposed that he make new suits for Tex and the band. The only problem was Nudie didn't have a proper sewing machine to get started.

Tex had a horse he wasn't particularly fond of, and made a deal with Nudie to auction off the horse and a saddle, to get the proceeds to get Nudie started. With $150 Tex put Nudie in business, a sewing machine and fabric was purchased, and Nudie got to work.

Nudie was so happy to get the job, a party broke out during the initial fitting to take the musicians' measurements. Tex and the Western Caravan were a numerous and a boisterous bunch, so soon there was a full blown hillbilly soiree atmosphere. Nudie had enlisted a friend or two to help take all the measurements, and everyone got pretty liquored up. Quite a few of the measurements like waist and inseam sizes got mixed up in the revelry.

When Nudie made the suits and presented them to the band a couple of days before the show, disaster for the tailor reared its ugly head. Few of the suits fitted properly and Nudie had to remake many of them. With less than 48 hours to work, and depleted of fabric, Nudie staged a sit in at the fabric store, until they would give him the gabardine to make the new suits on credit, just to get rid of him.

Nudie and Bobbie worked frantically to complete the suits for the show, and were rewarded for their efforts when over 3,000 folks arrived to witness Tex and his Western Caravan in their new spiffy threads. The Nudie Suits were a spectacular success and the relationship between Tex and Nudie was cemented.

This amazing clip of Tex in action late in his career shows Williams doing his signature song "Smoke, Smoke, Smoke That Cigarette" in a wonderful fully rhinestoned and embroidered Nudie Suit.

Ironically Tex would lose most of his Nudie Suits in a house fire, and yes, Tex died of lung cancer. Still as his deadpans in this performance - "I ain't dead yet - quite."

And anyone who wore as many Nudies as Tex did certainly lived more than most.

The Most Fun You Can Have with Your Nudie Suit On

The Rodeo Tailor outfits Rex Allen for the Rodeo Twist. If you don't smile watching this clip then you better check your pulse.

Rex Allen in a Very Understated Nudie Suit Sings An Outrageous Song

Rex Allen was known to sport some of the wildest Nudie Suits ever, but in this clip he tones it way down, and lets this crazy song steal the scene. You'll never guess the ending to this song, so you'll just have to give it a listen and enjoy. It is pretty twisted . . .

Robert Redford Lights Up the Vegas Night in his Nudie

Another Nudie Suit parody -- Robert Redford gets sick of the "Electric Horseman" schtick, and Sonny Steele steals his famous horse. Incredible footage of vintage Vegas, and a truly inspired get-up and getaway.

Another Nudie Suit Gets Groped on Film

Ann Margret doesn't do the fondling this time, but many girls in her presence can't keep their hands of Conrad Birdie in his gold lame Nudie Suit. Watch for the one who gets a good feel of his posterior as he is walking up the stairs to get the key to the city and sing "Sincere."

Nudie made many suits that parodied his other suits, he was more than happy to make fun of himself, and he laughed all the way to the bank.

Ann Margret Feels up the Governator in his Nudie Suit

Nudie made a Lone Ranger - esque suit for Arnold Schwarzenegger to wear in the early 1980's screen gem "the Villain" aka "Cactus Jack." As this clip shows, Ann Margret really appreciated the cut of his jib.

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The Nudie Nixon Connection

Last week I featured Elvis meeting Richard Nixon wearing Nudie, and this week I feature Clayton Moore, the Lone Ranger meeting the president wearing Nudie.

I always wondered what was happening in the photo. It looks like some weird drug deal, except I think those are postage stamps being exchanged. Clayton Moore signed this photo to Nudie "You're the Greatest" and dated it 1969. I'm not sure how many Lone Ranger outfits Nudie made for the masked man, but from the opening of the Lone Ranger you can see that they took quite a bit of abuse in the form of dirt, dust, and sweat.

Nudie and Marilyn

I've always loved these two pictures of Nudie & Marilyn as they both wave to the crowd. I've started a new blog "Marilyn for Sale" so mosey on over and check it out. http://marilynforsale.blogspot.com/

Michael Jackson will not Join Nudie at Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills

The news is Michael Jackson will not be laid to rest at his beloved (Okay, he came to hate it apparently, but only after he lost it to debts and bad press) Neverland Ranch, or near the Nudie family at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills.

He will be interred at Forest Lawn, Glendale in the private "Holly Terrace" Mausoleum, final resting place of such Silver Screen Golden Age luminaries as Clark Gable, Carol Lombard, and Jean Harlow.

For the moment, MJ is still on ice in a freezer at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. I had heard that he was in Berry Gordy's mausoleum there, which certainly seems fitting, but reports that he is in a deep freeze seem plausible too.

Forest Lawn kept Bobbie Nudie looking fresh as a daisy for a week until she was interred next to Nudie -- so I don't doubt they can keep remains in tip top form until the day of burial arrives.

The weird thing is, he is finally being laid to eternal rest (I still vote for an Elvislike Graceland type burial at Neverland) on what would have been his 51st Birthday, August 29th. Weird, maybe, but my friend's mom who was tragically killed by a drunken driver was also buried on her birthday -- October 31st -- Halloween! Now, THAT was creepy.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/glendale-will-bill-michael-jacksons-family-for-public-costs-of-burial.html

Nudie and Bobbie are in the Courts of Remembrance Mausoleum at Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills. Liberace and Bette Davis stand guard at the entrance to the Courts, if you walk through toward the East, and then turn North you will find them about midcourt, midwall. Barbara Nudie is across the court.

Please feel free to visit them, and bring them flowers, or leave a note on their Find a Grave sites.

Unfortunately, where Michael will be is a private area of Forest Lawn, though I hear it is lovely, I think he should be accessible, like Marilyn Monroe. You can even buy the space above MM on eBay, if you have 5 Million dollars or so to pay for the privilege http://www.popeater.com/2009/08/19/for-sale-ebay-marilyn-monroe-crypt-grave-obits/. Note, that Hugh Hefner owns the space next to her, so you might want to think about your neighbors for eternity . . . if the afterlife is anything like the third act of "Our Town" then this is something to be seriously considered.

The Nudie Elvis Hilton Attendance Gold Belt on Display

The Famous Nudie Elvis Gold Hilton Belt used to be displayed with its special Nudie leather tooled case across the street from Graceland, but now they have teamed it together with the complete outfit Elvis wore when he met Nixon.

In true Nudie style it features an oversized trophy style Cowboy type buckle, and medallions featuring bears, and elk, and other manly animals. Nudie worked with many of the finest silversmiths in California, and this belt is in a Bohlin style, but I am leaning towards Sunset Trails as the silversmithing company that helped Nudie complete this vision. Nudie stamped his silverwork with Nudie's Rodeo Tailors, and although most of his items were made in house in his extensive workshop, the welding necessary to work silver and gold was not condusive to a shop full of fabric, so these large scale pieces were often done off site.

The King is Dead

This is August 16, the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death in 1977. I remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I was at the 7-11 across from the Sonoma
County Fairgrounds buying Mystic Mint cookies with my friend. We were teenagers photographing the big California State Horseman's Show (know then as "Convention") and sleeping in the jockey room underneath the grandstand of the race track. We were vaguely aware of Elvis, of course . . . that fat guy in a jumpsuit some of our mothers listened to and adored, but we really didn't understand the magnitude of his stardom and influence on popular music. We were listening to Elton John, and Boz Skaggs, and the rumblings of a new music set to turn disco on its ear -- Punk.

Later of course, I would get the whole Elvis thing . . . in my life his death will loom large as a "where were you?" moment.

In honor of Elvis and Nudie today I am featuring the Famous Gold International Hotel Belt Nudie made for him. It commemorated Elvis breaking attendance records at the hotel. Elvis loved this belt. Unlike the belts that matched the jumpsuits made by Bill Bellew, Elvis could wear this Gold and Silver western wrestler style creation with everything.

In this famous photo Elvis was meeting with Richard Nixon to accept a postion as a soldier in the war against drugs. Ironic, isn't it?

The story follows:

Meeting and entertaining kings is one of the jobs of U.S. presidents. On one famous occasion, a U.S. president -- Richard Nixon, met the king of entertainment -- Elvis Presely.

On December 21, 1970, three men got out of bed in rooms 505-506 & 507 of the Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C. where they had registered under the names of Jerry Schilling, Sonny West, and Jon Burrows.

Schilling and West were along for the ride, but Mr. Jon Burrows had a definite agenda -- and a pistol. Right after breakfast, the trio set out to visit the White House.

Three weeks earlier, Burrows had spoken in Palm Springs, CA with Spiro Agnew, the Vice President of the United States and had come away with a burning desire to fight the drug culture, hippies, the SDS, and the Blank Panthers.

Early that morning, Burrows simply walked up to the White House gates and handed the guard a 5-page letter addressed to President Richard Nixon. In his hand-written letter on American Airlines stationary, Burrows asked to meet with the President to give him a present and have the President appoint him "Federal Agent at Large" in the war against drugs.

Was Mr. Burrows immediately hustled away by the Secret Service, never to be seen again? No. A few hours later, Mr. Burrows stood in the Oval Office of the White House speaking with the President Richard M. Nixon.

How could this have happened? "Mr. Jon Burrows," you see, was far better known by his kingly name -- Elvis Presley.

During the brief Oval Office meeting, Elvis presented Nixon with a commemorative World War II-era Colt .45 pistol and told Nixon he felt the Beatles promoted an "anti-American" theme appealing to violence, drug use, dissent and protest. [See: Memo summarizing the meeting (National Archives)]

The Colt. 45 pistol is now on display at the Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace in Yorba Linda, CA.

Complete Text of Elvis' Letter to President Nixon

Dear Mr. President.

First, I would like to introduce myself. I am Elvis Presley and admire you and have great respect for your office. I talked to Vice President Agnew in Palm Springs three weeks ago and expressed my concern for our country. The drug culture, the hippie elements, the SDS, Black Panthers, etc. do NOT consider me as their enemy or as they call it The Establishment. I call it America and I love it. Sir, I can and will be of any service that I can to help The Country out. I have no concern or Motives other than helping the country out.

So I wish not to be given a title or an appointed position. I can and will do more good if I were made a Federal Agent at Large and I will help out by doing it my way through my communications with people of all ages. First and foremost, I am an entertainer, but all I need is the Federal credentials. I am on this plane with Senator George Murphy and we have been discussing the problems that our country is faced with.

Sir, I am staying at the Washington Hotel, Room 505-506-507. I have two men who work with me by the name of Jerry Schilling and Sonny West. I am registered under the name of Jon Burrows. I will be here for as long as long as it takes to get the credentials of a Federal Agent. I have done an in-depth study of drug abuse and Communist brainwashing techniques and I am right in the middle of the whole thing where I can and will do the most good.

I am Glad to help just so long as it is kept very Private. You can have your staff or whomever call me anytime today, tonight, or tomorrow. I was nominated this coming year one of America's Ten Most Outstanding Young Men. That will be in January 18 in my home town of Memphis, Tennessee. I am sending you the short autobiography about myself so you can better understand this approach. I would love to meet you just to say hello if you're not too busy.

Respectfully,
Elvis Presley

P. S. I believe that you, Sir, were one of the Top Ten Outstanding Men of America also.
I have a personal gift for you which I would like to present to you and you can accept it or I will keep it for you until you can take it.

Michael Jackson's Original Rhinestoned Nudie Glove

Michael Jackson had many, many rhinestoned gloves in many colors and configurations but there can only be one first.

Nudie made this glove for Michael, for his groundbreaking performance of "Billie Jean" at the Motown 15th Anniversary special.

Michael gifted it to Walter "Clyde" Orange, a founding member of the Commodores, who continually asked Michael for his autograph, which Michael would decline on the basis that he should be asking Clyde for HIS autograph.

Under the circumstances Mr. Orange now finds it fitting to get the glove out of his collection and on display for all the world to see. He will be auctioning the glove off in a few months and hopes that it will find it's way into a venerable museum like the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame.

Nudie was adept at covering just about anything with rhinestones but this glove is a little unusual in that he used mesh set smaller rhinestones and attached it to the glove instead of his traditional prong set technique. What screams Nudie to me is the pearl snap at the base of the glove.

Many other items from Nudie's would find their way onto Michael's costumes. The western buckles in multitude that adorned the sleeves of his Bad leather jacket came from Nudie's . . . but what is really fitting is that Nudie gave not only the King of Rock 'n Roll his signature flash, but he bestowed it upon the King of Pop as well.

I wonder what happened to the rest of the outfit? At any rate it was the gimmick of the one glittering glove that really stuck and Michael used to great affect.

Elvis in Black Leather & Naked Cowgirl Nudie Label

The Black Leather Elvis Nudie Racer jacket has an unusual feature - an original naked cowgirl Nudie label. By the time this jacket was made Nudie had switched to the "classic cowgirl" label with a bolero and skirt giving the cowgirl a more conservative look, less risque look.

Apparently, Nudie thought Elvis could handle his hot muse in all her glory . . . the original model for the racy logo was none other than Bobbie Nudie herself. One night she emerged from the boudoir in nothing but a hat, boots, and holster, and coyly asked Nudie "when do I get the rest of the outfit?"

The Nudie's Rodeo Tailors label was born, and about 15 years later in the early 1960's the Nudie girl on the label finally got the rest of the outfit.

Some say it was Dale Evans who convinced Nudie to fully clothe the cowgirl, and some say it was Nudie's conversion from Judaism to Christianity. Either way, it gives collectors a way to date and value their Nudie Suits.

But, as we see here, sometimes Nudie mixed it up and put the older label on a newer item. I'm guessing Nudie made this black leather jacket for Elvis sometime around 1970, and also begs the question "Did Nudie also make Elvis' '69 Comeback Special Black Leather Suit?" We'll explore that one later . . .

Another Iconic Nudie Piece for Elvis

Well, when I was looking for a photo of the Clambake "Millionaire Suit" worn by Elvis -- I found this!!! Another iconic Nudie piece made for Elvis just sold for $13,000. Quite a bargain, considering the provenance. I'll let the pictures do the talking.

http://www.gottahaverockandroll.com/LotDetail.aspx?lotid=3437

This black leather "Cafe Racer" jacket made for Elvis by Nudie, fit him like a glove. And as a bonus the lucky high bidder received one of Elvis' mini cigars in the pocket. Elvis loved his palomino Tennessee Walking Horses, and this photo of him wearing the jacket and riding is so "Elvis at Graceland." When I visited Graceland in 2004 one of his horses was still alive and hobbling around (do the math, the horse was nearly 30 years old) the back 40.

Elvis would have been really, really old now

Yes, we are right in the middle of Elvis week in Memphis, leading up the anniversary of his death in 1977.



The famous "Clambake" Nudie Suit Elvis wore in this flick (cream with black signature Nudie "frankenstein football stitching") sold last year for over $100,000.

If anyone out there knows who bought it, let me know.

The West Coast Woodstock

This weekend is the 40th Anniversary of Woodstock. I happened to grow up in the San Francisco Bay Area, and we had a little Woodstock of our own on the left coast . . . which, well . . . admittedly didn't turn out so well. It was called "Altamont" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altamont_Free_Concert, and although I didn't attend as I was too young and busy watching "the Partridge Family", "the Monkees", and "the Brady Bunch", my older radical leftist liberal sister did.

Altamont was a barren, windy, hilly place out east of the Bay Area on the way between the Livermore valley and Tracy, and to this day is a barren, windy, hilly place out east of the Bay Area on the way between the Livermore valley and Tracy. Considering the growth that has occurred in the last 40 years this description is telling of the general bleakness of the spot. Add Hell's Angels and drug riddled Rock musicians and fans to the equation and well, I think you know the solution.

Woodstock had its share of Nudie wearing artists - Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone, the Grateful Dead -- and Altamont had a few as well, the Stones, Gram Parsons and Gram Parsons.

If you are a Gram Parsons fan you know exactly where I am going with this post, and if you are not, then what the hell are you doing reading this? My point is, if you don't know the story, then educate yourself. Here, let me help you.

George Jones Sings "White Lightning"

Hey, mosey on over to my Redneckonomics blog at http://redneckonomics.blogspot.com/
for another topical George Jones post. Here we are honoring the possum singing White Lightning is a marvelous red Nudie Suit.

Hank Thompson's Hat Defies Gravity

Hank Thompson always looked swell in Nudie, but what really amazed me was the way he could balance his hat way on the back of his head. Makes you want to hoist a Falstaff and salute his ingenious way of wearing a cowboy hat, and still showing off his coif!

In later years that hat finally left his head, and he compensated with every more elaborate Nudie Suits. Drink in the deep, dark lyrics to this Hank Thompson penned classic, and enjoy how the rhinestones on his Nudie Suit catch the light, even in black and white they put on quite a show.

Webb Pierce's Signature Nudie Suit

I'm rather partial to this Nudie Suit -- it hangs in my closet. Yep, I own Webb Pierce's signature spider web Nudie Suit.

Nudies for the Ladies

A curious thing about Nudie's business is that 90 % of his flashy rhinestone Nudie Suits were made for men. I guess you could chalk this up to the "peacock" effect, and I will present Nudie's literal peacock suits in another blog.

Nudie began his career as a shopkeeper and designer with "Nudies for the Ladies" off Times Square in the 1930's. He made outfits for the girls in the chorus, vaudeville and burlesque queens . . . i.e. the strippers of the day.

His brother sold ligerie and Nudie fell in love with rhinestones, so the stage was set for Nudie's later work in Hollywood -- when he married rhinestones with his love of the American West, it's myths, legends, and clothing.

But, in the beginning it was "Nudies for the Ladies". Ladies always loved Nudie and his creations, but the men seemed to steal the show for most of his life.

Still, some lovely talented creatures lit up the stage and screen in Nudie Suits and dresses. Here is Goldie Hill (who later married Carl Smith, years after he divorced June Carter) in a fetching Nudie number. This tailored suit with heart piping was one of Nudie's very popular designs in the early 1950's, and really shows of Nudie's skill in fitting and accentuating the human form. Goldie was a great customer and also had the rhinestoned dress made in many colors. Enjoy.