Recent Escapes from the Vaults
Elvis was found in a basement in New Jersey, in the incarnation of a long-lost song (which hit the charts this month). Meanwhile, the music label run by Jimi Hendrix's family has released its first largely non-Jimi project, a DVD set of never-before released 1962-1966 performances from the American Folk Blues Festival.

Elvis Presley recorded "I'm a Roustabout" for the 1964 film, "Roustabout," but the song was never released. (A different songwriting team came up with a different song with the same title.)

Earlier this year, songwriter Winfield Scott (who, with Otis Blackwell, wrote many of Presley's tunes) found an acetate disk version of the original "Roustabout" in his basement. A newspaper interview had reminded him of that piece of work, long neglected and otherwise forgotten.

Presley's label, RCA-Bertelsmann, included the lost song in their latest compilation of hits and fan favorites, "Elvis 2nd to None," which was released early in October to strong early sales.

Late this summer, Billboard magazine reported that the "Experience Hendrix" label was "chiming in with the 'Year of the Blues' theme by releasing two DVDs and one CD commemorating the American Folk Blues Festival, The sets feature performances in the early '60s by folk and blues masters playing to European crowds."

The DVDs feature 36 previously unreleased performances by artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, T-Bone Walker, Lightnin' Hopkins, Memphis Slim and Big Mama Thornton. They were recorded live in a German TV studio and remastered by producer/engineer Eddie Kramer.

The DVDs contains Hooker's rendition of "Hobo Blues" from 1965, Williamson sitting in on harmonica with Muddy Waters and Willie Dixon on "Got My Mojo Working" in 1963, T-Bone Walker's 1962 show, the earliest-known filmed performance by Jimi Hendrix, Lightnin' Hopkins' 1964 version of "Mojo Hand" and bonus footage of Magic Sam and Earl Hooker at the 1969 festival.

The packaging also features rare photographs from the tapings, extensive liner notes, and a commentary by the Rolling Stones' retired bass player Bill Wyman.

Find out about the lost (and found) Elvis Song from MSN or CBS

Browse the Elvis release at Amazon.com

Use Amazon.com to browse Blues Festival DVD volume 1 or volume 2

Find out more at the Experience Hendrix site