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In 1979, I began as an apprentice audio engineer and was trained to record and edit spoken word recordings such as training tapes and audio books. I remained a dialog editor using razor blade editing as the only form of audio editing available back then. I used my audio perception (not visual perception, which is how audio editing is executed today) to match voice tone and levels, as well as create smooth content and flow for these products.
That apprenticeship led me to becoming a full time audio engineer for 8 years. In 1986 I left Ambience Recordings, where I had completed my apprenticeship, and worked as a full time audio engineer, and began to work for my then part time business, Primeau Productions.
I authored the book “The Art of Production” and am currently writing two up-coming books on the topics of Video Production and Audio Forensics. I earned a merit award in 1993 from the Michigan chapter of The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for sound restoration on the NBC show “Peter and the Wolf”.
I attended the University of Detroit from 1979 to 1985 with my major in communication studies and a minor in criminal justice (transcript available upon request). While at the University, I was a volunteer probation officer for the 53rd district court in Troy, Michigan under Judge Drury.
Since then, I have completed dozens, if not hundreds of successful audio and video forensic investigations, testified in several courts located across the United States and worked on various International cases. I have authored several articles that have been published (available upon request).
I am a member of AES, ACFEI, IAI and NSA. I am a Registered Investigator (RI) and Certified Forensic Consultant (CFC), as well as a member of the American Board of Recorded Evidence with the American College of Forensic Examiners International.
I help courts and law enforcement agencies understand the science and technology of audio and video forensics. Voice identification is one of my most sought after services at Primeau Forensics followed by audio and video authentication, clarification/enhancement.
With regard to voice identification, it is scientifically known that we all have distinctive characteristics to our voice and words as well as how we pronounce those words. Each of us has a unique nasal cavity, larynx, teeth, tongue, and mouth. These distinct characteristics all come together and create a unique sounding voice that can be examined and analyzed to determine if the voices in question are from the same person.
My forensic philosophy is that authentication and clarification of audio/video media combines art as well as science. The methods that I use require attention to detail and scientific principles, complemented by an appreciation for clarity and aesthetics. My techniques are derived from both a formal education and the application of skills gained by working in many forensics situations.
I also look at forensics as an experimental science because there are no two cases that are the same. As a forensic expert I conduct experiments that include variables and that measure how each outcome pertains to the scientific aspect of the case at hand. My forensic processes that I use to arrive at my opinions are accepted in the scientific community and are structured and methodological. I always take scrupulous (work product) notes that are a part of each case.
To present a few milestones: I have provided audio restoration of informant wire recordings that served as key evidence in convictions involving two Detroit area judges. In the course of my career, I have completed dozens of forensics-focused assignments for attorneys throughout the United States.
- 1979-1985: University of Detroit (Communications major, Criminal Justice minor)
- 1978-1981: Probation Officer, 53rd District Court, Troy, Michigan
- 1980-1988: Ambience Recording Studio, Audio Engineer/National Sales Manager
- 1984-present: Primeau Productions, LLC – President; focusing on marketing videos for professional speakers, audio/video editing, convention/conference production
- 1996 – present: TASA audio and video identification/restoration/authentication expert
- 2006: Member of International Association for Identification
- 2005: Member Audio Engineering Society
- 2006: Member American College of Forensic Examiners
- 1998-1999: National Speakers Association ofMichigan, President
- Certified Digital Video Expert at Pelco Global Training Institute
- Member American Society of Information
- Established expert with acetate and vinyl restoration – Primeau Productions, LLC
- Hundreds of spoken-word recordings analyzed, clarified and/or restored using computer technology and visual examination of audio and videotape to establish critical listening skills
- Experienced in court testimony and pre-trial preparation of counsel
- Published author, audio and video forensics articles (Homeland Security magazine, American College of Forensic Examiners International, National Speakers Association)
- Author of the book “The Art of Production”
- Resource Audio and Video Forensics for Dateline NBC.
- Served as Voice ID expert for the Wall Street Journal
- Appointed to the Office of Drug Control Policy of the State of Michigan under State Drug Czar
- Manager of the Digital Audio and Video Forensics Group on LinkedIn
- April 20, 2010 approved by ACFEI as a Registered Investigator (RI)
AUDIO FORENSIC SERVICES
Background noise removal
Sound clarification/enhancement
Voice identification
Audio recording authentication
Audio file format conversion
Courtroom Testimony
VIDEO FORENSIC SERVICES
Video authentication and restoration
Image clarification/enhancement
Digital and analog video analysis
Courtroom Testimony
Any and all formats of audio and video accepted
Retainer agreement available on request; travel expenses will be quoted in advance excluding meal expenses and flat rate time for travel instead of hourly.
The following is a partial list of cases I have worked on and/or testified in.
US Cases:
1. William Richmond
121 2nd St.
Beckley, WV 25801
Beckley Steel Inc.
Ex-employee recorded conversations of Beckley Steel management with employee. I analyzed recordings on behalf of plaintiff Beckley Steel and was deposed via the telephone. The case never went to court.
2. DiGiacomo & Baffa
16th Floor
1601 Market Street
Philadelphia, PA 19103
Fitzgerald V. Skobeloff:
I represented the plaintiff with counsel DiGiacomo in a medical malpractice suit against a doctor (Skobeloff) and hospital. The case involved a phone answering machine tape erasure – accidentally erased by court reporter. I confirmed the erasure and explained the information could not be recovered. I testified in this case in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.
3. Camile Conway
Pugh, Jones & Johnson
180 N. LaSalle St.
Suite 2910
Chicago, IL 60601
E2 Disaster:
This was the well-publicized Chicago nightclub stampede disaster that made national news. I was retained by the city attorney ofChicagoto examine a nightclub’s digital surveillance system. The system had been tampered with and the original footage was not available to examine.
Several people were trampled while trying to evacuate a nightclub on Michigan Avenue. The surveillance system incorporated a digital video recorder. One of the owners was behind the accidental erasure of all video evidence.
4. Patrick Coolihan
Coolihan, DeMeo & Beard, P.C.
1900 Spring Rd.,Suite508
Oak Brook, IL 60523
People of the State of Illinois V. Michael Hay:
I represented the defendant as a video expert. A CCTV video tape of a (jewelry store) robbery was provided and I captured some frames from the surveillance video and clarified them. I then made several prints of the captured video frames and sent the prints and video files (on a CD). I testified to my findings in the DuPage County courthouse, 1900 Spring Rd., Oak Brook, IL 60523.
5. Mark Bendure
Bendure & Thomas
577 E. Larned,Suite210
Detroit, MI 48226
The Judicial Tenure Commission V. Ferrara:
I represented the defendant, Judge Ferrara, with Counsel Mark Bendure. My responsibilities included voice identification and examining the tapes for tampering. The Executive Director, Allen Sobel, represented the JTC. I testified in this case here inDetroitin front of the Judicial Tenure Commission.
6. Jeff Ogren
Bochetto & Lentz
1524 Locust St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Michigan Public Service Commission
Knox V. Pathfinders:
I represented the defense, Pathfinders, with Counsel Jeff Ogren. My responsibilities included determining if a third-party verification recording had been tampered with and if the caller’s voice matched the defendants. I testified in front of Judge Goldstein and the Michigan Public Service Commission.
7. Deborah Marik
Newton Falls, Ohio, Circuit Court
Clark and Langley V. Patrick Layshock:
I represented the plaintiff with Counsel Deborah Marik. My responsibilities were to determine whether the (8) audio tapes submitted to me were intercepted phone calls; determine how these calls were made; were they tapes made by anyone involved in the conversations and were the police involved in making the recordings. I was deposed inMichiganfor thisOhiocase.
8. Margolis Edelstein
1500 Grant Building
Pittsburgh, PA 15219-2203
(412) 281-4256
David Brinker V. Municipality of Marysville:
I represented the Municipality of Marysville to analyze general police department tapes for authenticity and possible alteration. I testified via deposition. I was hired by the police department inMarysville,Pennsylvania.
9. Charles McKinney
Columbus, Ohio
People of Ohio V. Wendell Jackson:
This is a criminal case I testified in where a CI made audio cassette recordings of a police officer during business transactions. He tried to entrap the officer with receiving stolen merchandise. I examined the cassette recordings, testified in court in Columbus, Ohio for this criminal case and determined that they could not be authenticated. We won the case which went on to a civil case I also testified in.
10. Michael Gorte
Bay City, Michigan
989-894-670
People V. Edward Murray:
In this case, I examined an answering machine recording and compared the voice of the accused with the voice on the evidence recording. This was a parole violation matter. I examined the answering machine and recording under the supervision of the Sheriff’s Department as well as the prosecuting attorney. I testified in court 10/14/05.
11. Ron Snyder
Columbus, Ohio
614-461-4455
State of Ohio V. Wendell Jackson:
This is the civil case as described above held in City Hall in Columbus Ohio. I testified on behalf of Wendell Jackson, the plaintiff on March 29th 2006.
12. Steven Potter
Auburn Hills, Michigan
248-377-1700
Haddad V. Indiana Pacers:
I was the video expert for the defense, the Indiana Pacers, during this one week trial, took the stand once to explain the video evidence I had assembled from all network sources, including ESPN, Fox Midwest and WB20. I testified in The United States District Court, Eastern Division of Michigan. The jury returned a not guilty verdict on behalf of the Pacers.
13. Garry Weiss
Merrillville, Indiana
219-736-5297
State of Indiana V. Wesley English:
This is a criminal case in the Circuit Court of Lake County in front of Judge Thomas Stefandaker Jr. that Involving analog video tape.
I was retained by the defense to prove to the court that video evidence submitted was not reliable as video evidence and should not be used in the trial. I testified on behalf of the defendant Wesley English.
14. JKD Diamond Brokers
Dianne Marx
Dayton Ohio
937-222-2500.
U.S. Gold and Diamonds V. JKD Diamond Brokers:
This case is in Federal Court in Dayton Ohio November 3rd, 2008. It involves my examination of an Integral Technologies digital video CCTV system examination and authentication of video evidence and the operational characteristics of the system itself.
The Software is version 4.0. Integral Technologies was sold to Pelco December of 07 and is now known as Pelco; Global Leaders in Security Systems.
On November 24th 2008 the jury awarded my client a total of 6.9 million dollars in loss and compensatory damages as well as legal fees.
A letter from my client reads:
Ed,
Just writing to let you know the jury came back with a very favorable verdict: $8,400 which represents the actual cost of the diamond, plus the cost of shipping ($400); $1.7 million representing the wholesale price of the diamond and $2.3 million which represents the retail value. We are entitled to treble damages on the $2.3 million. We couldn’t have done it without you! We, obviously, are very, very pleased, as is Mr. Stafford. Thank you again for all your help.
Patty
Complete article appears in the Dayton Business Journal November 25th 2008.
Link to article: http://dayton.bizjournals.com/dayton/stories/2008/11/24/daily21.html
15. Jerry McHenry
Columbus, Ohio
614-466-5394
Ohio Public Defenders Office
State of Ohio V. James McClellan:
I testified in this video case held in the Allen County Court of Common Pleas and helped the court understand the details about a poor quality police car video tape of a traffic stop.
16. Jeff Updyke
Patrick Dunn
Warren, Michigan
248-377-1700 Ext. 13
People V. Jeff Updyke:
I testified July 23, 2009 in a criminal matter where Jeff Updyke was accused of impersonating a police officer. The perpetrator called and left a voice mail message claiming the family’s daughter was dead behind a shopping center and had overdosed on heroin. This was a voice identification case which included evidence recording and exemplar created by me here in our Rochester Hills location.
17. William Poss
Parker McFarland
Cumming, Georgia
770-889-2522
State V. Poss:
I testified in The Superior Court of Forsyth County about an original digital audio recording that had been intentionally deleted. A copy of the audio was admitted into evidence and I testified why that was not an actual original.
18. Louis Moux
Co-council: Thomas Sullivan
646-247-0346
Renee Hill Law Offices of Murray Richmond
Bronx, New York
718-892-8588
People V. Louis Moux:
I testified in the Bronx County Hall of Justice about a digital video file being used as evidence that was not an original. It included anomalies and could not be authenticated.
19. Mack Brooks
Mary Hickey
313-331-8262
Hancock County Common Pleas Court
People V. Mack Brooks:
I testified about a CCTV police car video being used in the trial of Mack Brooks.
20. Awad Rasras
Maureen Williams
309-999-1177
Henry County Court
People V. Awad Rasras:
This was a motion to reconsider previous decision. A digital video recording was used to convict in the original trial. My report convinced the judge to allow me to examine the video and hear my findings.
21. Chuck Upchurch
Judge Julie Nicholson
53-2 District Court
Rochester Hills, Michigan
People V. Chuck Upchurch
Charge: DUI
This is a case where the probable cause was not clear as submitted by an Oxford, Michigan police officer. He stopped Mr. Upchurch because of the wrong color license plate tab. I clarified the police car video showing the tab was the correct color, eliminating probable cause and winning the case for the defense.
22. Detective Dorothy Peterson
Sparks Police Department
1701 E. Prater Way
Sparks, Nevada 89434
I assisted Detective Peterson and the Sparks Police Department with both the audio restoration and transcription of a seven hour interrogation video.
23. Margaret Debler
Johnson, Rosati, LaBarge, Aseltyne & Field, PC
34405 W. Twelve Mile Road, Suite 200
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Khother V. West Bloomfield
Wright V. Bloomfield Township
Gamble V. Van Buren Township
I have worked with Margaret and her firm on three cases, both audio and video.
24. Shannon Smith
The Law Office of Shannon M. Smith, PC
122 Concord Road, Suite 102
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304
I was hired to provide expert testimony regarding digital photographs that were used in this case.
25. Lisa Scolari
Law Office of Lisa Scolari
20 Vesey Street, Suite 400
New York, NY 10007
I was able to restore and clarify images from a video to assist in this case for which I testified at the US District Court in the Southern District of New York.
International Cases:
26. Trond Sefatsson
Rattskonsulterna AB
Box 55509
102 03
Sweden
I was asked to examine still images from a bank robbery committed in Nassjo, Sweden in 2002. I was able to determine the number of people in the images as well as their height.
27. Lionel Tavera
Lieu-dit Curtanile
20231 Venaco
Corsica, France
I conducted voice identification for this case from a DVD. I was able
to determine whether or not Mr. Tavera’s voice was part of a song
featured in the film.
28. Indian Forensic Lab
Delhi, India
I was asked to conduct an investigation in regards to an audio recording. I was able to discover if there were any edits or anomalies to the recording.
29. Lila Pigliafiori
Mount Isa, Qld
Australia
M: 0439-164-713
I clarified and enlarged images from a surveillance video that showed an incident with an individual being struck by a car door. I was able to prove that the individual did not suffer the amount of physical injuries they claimed to from the door, but instead, that the injuries occurred after the incident when the individual instigated a fight.
An email from my client reads:
Hi Ed and Mike,
Just thought you may like to know how the court matter turned out. We won! All charges dismissed. No convicition and all thanks to the video.
Thank you.
Regards,
Lila Pigliafiori
Publications:
Article and Video Links for Trayvon Martin case:
Video:
Ed Primeau speaks with CNN on the Trayvon Martin Murder, stating his professional opinion of whether or not those screams heard on the 911 recordings are indeed Trayvon’s voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPrBKbW2YzE
Ed Primeau speaks with MSNBC on the Trayvon Martin Murder, stating his professional opinion of whether or not those screams heard on the 911 recordings are indeed Trayvon’s voice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blmwbMc_EDc
Article:
Contributed to an article as voice ID expert for the Wall Street Journal:
(Letter from author of article)
Hi Ed,
Thanks again for your help with the story. Your critical ear was right; it was Pynchon. When I confronted the publisher with your findings they admitted it, so it was a great scoop for the Journal. Here’s a link to the story.
-Steven Krutz
http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2009/08/11/pynchon-revealed/
Yup, It’s Him: A Pynchon Mystery Solved
Last Tuesday, long-suffering fans of the reclusive writer Thomas Pynchon received a double gift. Pynchon’s latest book, “Inherent Vice,” a stoned-out detective story set in early-‘70s L.A., was released by Penguin Press (read the Journal’s review). And to promote it, the publisher put out a cool video trailer featuring a narrator whose slow, lazy cadence sounds suspiciously like that of Pynchon’s, as evidenced by a guest appearance on “The Simpsons” and this clip from what appears to be a German TV spot. Inquiries by GalleyCat and others as to whether Pynchon is the guy channeling the novel’s main character, beach bum private eye Doc Sportello, have been met with “no comment” from Penguin Press and the video’s producers, Meerkat Media. And, of course, the man himself is mum (Would Pynchon fans expect anything else?).
In an effort to solve the mystery, Speakeasy did a little sleuthing and called Ed Primeau, a Michigan-based sound engineer and voice identification expert. Like handwriting analysis, voice identification is an inexact science, often used by law enforcement to rule out a suspect rather than to provide a 100% clear-cut ID. Still, people have unique vocal timbres and deliveries, especially Pynchon, who sounds like actor John Astin (i.e. Gomez Addams from the old TV show), mixed with aMidwestcorn farmer, with a dollop of aging stoner.
So is it possible to rule out the man in the “Inherent Vice” trailer as being the same guy in the Simpsons episode and German TV clip? Not at all, according to Primeau. In fact, he says, based on a preliminary analysis the speech pattern and inflection is “virtually identical” in all three clips. “It’s a very unique style of delivery,” Primeau says. “It’s very up-and-down. He’ll hit these accented spots every few words. You know the TV show “Dragnet,” how Joe Friday talked? It’s the opposite of that.”
We should point out Primeau is an unbiased witness, having never read Pynchon (“I don’t know this guy but it looks like he has some history as an author,” he said). Nevertheless, if he hasn’t been taken by the man’s work, Primeau is intrigued by his voice, which he describes as “a tobacco-driven soft rasp.”
Primeau’s conclusion: “Beyond a reasonable degree of professional certainty, I believe these voices were delivered by the same person.” Confronted with Primeau’s findings, Tracy Locke, a publicist at Penguin, came clean and admitted, “It is, in fact, Thomas Pynchon doing the narration.”
Copyright 2008 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Peter Goodspeed: CCTV puts eyes on London rioters
Peter Goodspeed Aug 9, 2011 – 6:24 PM ET
As Britons woke to scenes of devastation from riot-hit cities across the country Tuesday, they were also bombarded with digital security camera images of some of the looters who caused the havoc.
Scotland Yard wasted no time in trolling through film from a plethora of closed-circuit television (CCTV) security cameras to retrieve shots of the thugs and arsonists who caused the mayhem.
The police are aided by the fact Britain, perhaps more than any other country in Europe, is saturated with hundreds of thousands of the cameras that monitor building lobbies, stores and streets for security, watch for traffic jams and bill motorists who drive into London’s city centre in an attempt to reduce traffic congestion.
Every day, the average Briton is filmed many times — on trains and buses, in schools, hospitals and department stores, sports fields, streets and shops.
The looters and arsonists who have ravaged a half-dozen cities and boroughs are on the same cameras.
“It’s incredible, they have cameras everywhere in London,” said Edward Primeau, an audio-video forensic expert from Detroit.
“It’s a huge advantage to law enforcement. Everything is digital and everything is done with a sophisticated system. The infrastructure and computers that record and sort information are mind-blowing.
“They can sift through 30 images a second and if they are advancing from image to image, all they have to do is hit the export button to distribute an image [of a suspect] from that surveillance footage.”
On Tuesday, Scotland Yard released 15 photographs of riot suspects, posting the images on the Internet and asking citizens “to identify people that were engaged in criminality.”
“We will be coming to arrest you over the coming days — if necessary, weeks and months,” promised Tim Godwin, the acting police commissioner.
“Those who have or intend to go out and commit violent criminal acts should be warned. We will have photographs and evidence that we will use to identify you and bring you to justice,” added police Commander Simon Foy.
While rioters are using BlackBerries and smartphones to coordinate their looting sprees, police are also relying on sophisticated new technology.
Many looters have tried to disguise themselves by wearing bandanas, masks or hoods. But modern computer recognition software, combined with London’s plethora of surveillance cameras, can still home in on them.
Detectives scouring thousands of hours of CCTV video can use detailed digital images, isolated to individual pixels, to identify a suspect’s face or a special feature of their clothing. Then, they let high-speed computers search for that image on other surveillance footage.
It is possible to track a suspect’s movements before and after an offence. That can lead police to uncover images where people they are following may have removed their disguises and even identify where they live.
“The recognition software is out there,” said Mr. Primeau. “I know the FBI is using it here in the United States and I know the technology is available.”
Similar evidence from closed-circuit surveillance cameras helped British police arrest more than 180 people who vandalized buildings in downtown London during a recent student protest over increased tuition fees. The technology enabled counter-terrorism officials to track the movements of terrorists who carried out bombing attacks on the capital’s bus and subway system in July, 2005.
Police also could be turning to criminals themselves to make arrests.
Some looters have thoughtfully posted their own photographs and videos of the riots on Internet sites, such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, sometimes even posing with trophy items they stole.
National Post
pgoodspeed@nationalpost.com
Ed Primeau authenticates never before heard Elvis Presley song for WWMT TV Kalamazoo, Michigan
MICHIGAN (NEWSCHANNEL 3)
News channel 3′s I-Team has uncovered a recording that could change music history.
Elvis fans have been living in the heartbreak hotel since his death, wanting to hear anything new from the king.
Now, a new, never before heard recording, potentially a demo track, has surfaced that could be Elvis Presley.
This is the story of a king, and a recording of a song called ‘Living to Love You.’
According to Battle Creek attorney Violet Hinton, that recording has Elvis Presley singing. She says the song comes from songwriter Jimmie Crane and producer Albert Leigh, recorded in 1976, the year before Elvis died.
There was a series of unfortunate events, Hinton says Jimmie Crane passed away, Albert Leigh had a stroke, his studio was broken into and Leigh died after a second stroke. The recording disappeared, only to be rediscovered years later, collecting dust in the attic of Albert Leigh’s wife’s home.
“Her house was foreclosed on,” said Hinton. “She just recently gave what was left of Albert Leigh’s things to her sons. They were going through it, they found all this stuff.”
One of those sons lives in Battle Creek and brought the recording he believed to be Elvis to Hinton along with a table full of documents.
“All the tapes, all the contracts, all the songs written by Jimmie Crane, copyrights,” said Hinton.
Hinton, a lifetime fan of Elvis, couldn’t help but be ‘all shook up’ by the possibility of an undiscovered recording.
“He was the greatest. There’s no one like Elvis Presley, never will be,” said Hinton. “When I heard that, I knew that was Elvis Presley. I knew it.”
Hinton says she’s verified the authenticity of the documents and says they connect Elvis, Jimmie Crane and Albert Leigh to the song. Perhaps most important are shipping records, on the song line, “Living to Love You,” on the artist line, “Elvis.”
However, Hinton admits there’s no smoking gun, no one piece of evidence that proves the recording is Elvis Presley.
Hinton brought the case to News channel 3 and we tracked down forensic audio expert Ed Primeau and noted music journalist Gary Graff to help solve the mystery.
“A complete, previously unreleased song by Elvis is a grail, maybe not a Holy Grail, but it’s still a significant find,” said Graff.
Primeau has done forensic audiovisual analysis work on dozens of legal cases. He says the best case scenario would be having Elvis sing the song today and matching the recording to that, but that’s obviously not an option.
“So what we do is we go back to that same era, we pull a piece of music,” said Primeau. “We find a similar phrasing vocally in the music and call that our exemplar. We compare that to the sample that we want to know if it is indeed Elvis or not.”
The files in, and his ears ready, Primeau takes a close listen to the recording.
And then, Primeau listens, and listens and listens some more, to ‘Living to Love You,’ to ‘What Now My Love’ and ‘I’ll Remember You’ off ‘Aloha From Hawaii.’
He also analyzes the audio spectrum, watches the waveforms bounce and eventually the veteran witness from dozens of court cases, delivers his verdict.
“Putting you under oath, is this Elvis?” asked News channel 3′s Mike Chesney.
“Yes,” said Primeau. “It’s Elvis Presley, there’s no doubt in my mind.”
The tonality, vibrato, phrasing and the spectrum, all a match.
And we took it one note further, comparing the out the audio from a known Elvis song and our mystery recording to an Elvis impersonator and another performer, we used Neil Diamond. They clearly didn’t match.
“There’s no two Elvis Presley’s on this planet,” said Primeau. “We heard several nuances that were similar in the impersonator and Elvis, but at the end of the day, it’s different.”
“Ed Primeau is one of the leaders in his field,” said Graff. “His word carries a substantial amount of weight.”
It’s enough weight for Graff to also believe that the recording is Elvis.
Graff says by the mid-70s, Elvis wasn’t doing much recording, which makes this find even more special.
“You’re really talking about one of a handful, if that many, of new songs that Elvis recorded in that time period,” said Graff. “Who knows what the intent was here. Was this the beginning of a new Elvis album? Was he starting to look for material? Were there discussions about putting him back in the studio?”
“What you’ve discovered here is an update to an estate that has been quiet for a long time,” said Primeau.
“There’s going to be a lot of commercial possibilities for this,” said Graff.
We want back to Hinton with the news, telling her that the forensic audio expert says the recording is in fact, Elvis.
“I knew it, I just knew it,” said Hinton. “I knew the first time I heard it that it was really Elvis. I know there are impersonators, but I knew this was Elvis.”
Now Hinton hopes to start the ball rolling for her clients, the family of producer Albert Leigh.
“I’m hoping this gets enough notoriety that the people I’ve been trying to reach, I’ll be able to get through to now,” said Hinton.
And Hinton hopes to eventually make it so other Elvis fans across the world can enjoy the king’s ‘newest’ song as well.
This may only be the beginning of the journey for the recording. Graff says if the right people hear about it, they could raise ownership questions. Also, the original reel to reel may also exist, but the Leigh family doesn’t have that.
News channel 3 reached out to Graceland and Sony Music Entertainment about this story, but we did not get a response.
Edward John Primeau, RI, CFC
Audio Video Forensic Expert
Certified Digital Video CCTV Expert
Member ACFEI, AES, IAI, NSA
Primeau Forensics, LTD
(248) 853-4091
(248) 289-1869 (FAX)
