Orion (musician)
| Jimmy Ellis | |
|---|---|
Photo of Jimmy's alias trademark look "Orion". Photo by Shelby Singleton, used with permission
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | James Hughes Bell |
| Also known as | Orion, Ellis James, Shadowman, Steven Silver |
| Born |
February 26, 1945 Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States |
| Died | December 12, 1998 (aged 53) Orrville, Alabama, United States |
| Genres |
Rock Country Rockabilly Gospel |
| Occupation(s) |
Singer Songwriter |
| Years active | 1962 – 1998 |
| Labels | Various |
| Website | http://www.orionjimmyellis.com |
Jimmy Hughes Bell (February 26, 1945 – December 12, 1998), stage name Orion, was an American singer. His voice was almost indistinguishable from Elvis Presley's, a fact which he and his record company played upon, making some believe that some of his recordings were by Presley, or even that Presley had not died in 1977. Ellis appeared with many artists including Loretta Lynn, Jerry Lee Lewis, Tammy Wynette, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Greenwood, Gary Morris, the Oak Ridge Boys.
Ellis was born in Pascagoula, Mississippi, United States, into a single parent home. His birth certificate states the mother as Gladys Bell and the father as Vernon (no surname). When he was two, Gladys left him at the Montgomery Children's Home where he was put up for adoption. The child was taken in by R. F. Ellis and his wife Mary Faye, where his surname was changed to Ellis.
While not much is known of Jimmy's early musical development, he told Goldmine magazine in 1985 that his idols included Presley, Ray Price and Eddy Arnold and that his first public appearance was at the age of 17 at Orrville High's "Religious Emphasis Week". He sang "Peace in the Valley". Subsequently, Ellis won the finals of a statewide talent contest in Alabama where he sang "Unchained Melody" and "The Days of Wine and Roses" accompanied by a piano. The prizes included a trip to the Ted Mack Amateur Hour and a $1,000 savings bond.
Ellis later settled into a two-year athletic scholarship at Middle Georgia Junior College in the town of Cochran. He transferred to Livingston State University where he started playing small clubs. He got a "One Shot Deal" with Challenger Records (MCA) in 1974 before moving to the small Boblo Records label. One of his five singles for Boblo was "I'm Not Trying To Be Elvis".
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