Tim Rice Talks Elvis Presley & FROM HERE TO ETERNITY

Legendary Tony- and Oscar-winning lyricist Sir Tim Rice discusses his new West End musical, currently in previews, FROM HERE TO ETERNITY, as well as his famous collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, including working with the King of Rock N Roll himself, Elvis Presley, on one of his final recordings in a new interview.

So, how precisely did Rice get the chance to work with The King? "Gosh, long story," Rice relates at first.

"Basically, I knew Elvis's music publisher, Freddie Beanstalk," Rice asserts.

"He said, 'If you guys,' - because Andrew [Lloyd Webber] wrote the music - 'If you've got a song that would suit Elvis, then I'll try to get it to him,'" Rice says of the meeting.

"So, two days later we gave him two songs," Rice says, "and, Elvis recorded it ["It's Easy For You"] about three years later."

"It was on Elvis's last album before he was tragically taken from us," Rice adds on a historical note.

Remarking on the ceremonious inclusion, Rice says, "It was the last track on the last side of his last album and we thought, 'My God,'"

"We thought perhaps we might have finished him off!" Rice jokes, capping it with a boisterous laugh.

As for Rice's most recent endeavor, he speaks extensively about his new musical FROM HERE TO ETERNITY in the convivial chat, as well.

"It's nice to work with new people," Rice says, summing up.

Listen to the entire interview here.

Photo Credit: Christopher Jones