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Jimmy Ellis ( Orion ) – by Patrick Ranasinghe James Hodges Ellis (born James Hughes Bell, February 26, 1945 – December 12, 1998), who used the stage name Orion at times in his career, was an American singer. His voice was similar to 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. At the start of his music career Ellis sang in nightclubs, and in 1964 released a single, “Don’t Count Your Chickens”, for a small Georgia label, Dradco. His vocals closely resembled Elvis Presley, and in 1969 Shelby Singleton, who had acquired the rights to Sun Records’ back catalogue, other than Presley’s recordings for the label, released a single of Ellis’ recordings of Presley’s early songs, “That’s All Right (Mama)” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky”. The ...