1997

June 1977: The Final Concert Tour [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this review back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter. Though I did not formally dissolve the club until 2000, it went on hiatus after I released this issue. A couple of months later, on August 21, 1997, I started my first website – Star Trek: The Film Frontier, devoted to the first six Trek movies. I added a blog element to The Film Frontier in 2006 and, before I knew it, I was writing about Elvis again. In many ways, I have gone full circle for this path eventually led to The Mystery Train Blog.

“We’re here to entertain you and to make you happy. So, just enjoy yourself, and leave the driving to us,” said Elvis to an adoring crowd in Rapid City, South Dakota on June 21, 1977. Elvis had been doing just that for over 20 years – entertaining his fans and making them happy.

What was to be Elvis’ last concert tour began on June 17, 1977, in Springfield, Missouri. The tour was a short one compared to many of his others, with concerts in ten cities in ten days.

The following day, the tour moved to Kansas City. The June 19 appearance in Omaha, Nebraska was taped for a CBS television special set to air that fall. Only three songs were used from the Omaha performance in the Elvis In Concert special, which was broadcast posthumously.

“If you think I’m nervous,” Elvis said quietly on stage, “you’re right.”

Many fans were interviewed on camera for Elvis In Concert, which is not officially available on video. Perhaps the most genuine in his responses was a young black man who said:

I give Elvis a lot of credit for bringing blues into rock and country. He’s the first guy to ever do that, and I admire him for it. He has a lot of courage. He’s my number one singer of all time. I hope to name my kid after him someday. . . .

I just love the guy. I know that sounds kinda weird, but I just love the guy, and I wish him many years of success. . . .

I have about four of his gospel albums, and my favorite is How Great Thou Art. It makes you feel good when he sings it. It brings tears to your eyes.

The next day, Elvis performed in Lincoln, Nebraska. CBS also taped his concert in Rapid City on June 21. It was from this performance that most of the songs in the Elvis In Concert special were drawn.

“If you haven’t guessed by now, you’re on television,” Elvis said with a characteristic grin to the audience. “Don’t let the lights and cameras throw you, and try not to throw the lights and cameras if you can help it.”

Elvis In Concert was Elvis’ first television special in four years after the blockbuster Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii. The contrast in his appearance between the two shows is striking.

“He was obviously way overweight,” said Elvis’ friend Joe Esposito a few years after the singer’s death. “Despite his age, only 42, we knew he was in bad health. It was rough for him, but Elvis accepted his appearance, and so did his fans.”

Although he did look ill, that special Elvis smile was still there. The love and magic was still there. He was Elvis. Through all the ups and downs, the fans always loved him and still do.

With CBS’s taping complete for the special, the concert tour continued through Sioux Falls, Des Moines, Madison, and Cincinnati over the next several days.

The Market Square Arena in Indianapolis hosted Elvis on June 26 for the last stop of the tour. The concert would prove to be his last before dying six weeks later at his home, Graceland.

For the last performance of his life, Elvis sang:

  • See See Rider
  • I Got A Woman/Amen
  • Love Me
  • Fairytale
  • You Gave Me A Mountain
  • Jailhouse Rock
  • It’s Now Or Never
  • Little Sister
  • Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
  • Release Me
  • I Can’t Stop Loving You
  • Bridge Over Troubled Water
  • Early Morning Rain
  • What’d I Say
  • Johnny B. Goode
  • I Really Don’t Want To Know
  • Hurt
  • Hound Dog
  • Can’t Help Falling In Love

Joe Esposito said it best, “Just six weeks before his death, he still poured his heart out. To the end, Elvis’ greatest gift – his incredible voice – never failed him.”

When all is said and done, after all the books have been written, and when all the tales have been spun, the only question that will be important is, “What did Elvis do?”

He made people happy.

That was his life.

Note: Years later, portions of the above circulated in bootleg promotional material without permission. It is reproduced here in its original context.

Review: Elvis rocks the Garden in new CD from RCA [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this review back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

An Afternoon In The Garden (RCA), recorded by Elvis Presley, June 10, 1972, Madison Square Garden (New York). Released: March 1997 (CD).

It’s hard to go wrong when buying an Elvis concert album. The power of Elvis’ stage performances remains unmatched to this day, as demonstrated by An Afternoon In The Garden, a new album from RCA that was recorded live in 1972.

RCA recorded Elvis’ afternoon and evening concerts at Madison Square Garden on June 10 of that year. The evening performance was released only a week after the actual event on the album As Recorded At Madison Square Garden. Although a few tracks have been released from the afternoon show in various compilations over the years, this is the first time the complete concert has been available.

There are not many surprises here, since the song selection and feel of the performance is very similar to the evening show. They were recorded the same day, after all. The most unique track is “Until It’s Time For You To Go,” which has never been released in a live version to my knowledge.

An Afternoon In The Garden is an exciting album that transports listeners to a front row seat to hear Elvis in concert. The roar of the crowd is nearly a constant presence, heightening the drama. Overall, I think RCA made the right choice going with the evening concert back in 1972, but I wish I could hear it in a similar sound quality as the afternoon concert on this album.

RCA cannot be praised enough for their work over the last seven years. An Afternoon In The Garden is evidence of their continuing dedication to giving Elvis fans what they want. Elvis performed over a thousand concerts in the last decade of his career, quite a few of which were recorded. Hopefully this album is only the beginning of a string of new live releases.

Until then, sit back, relax, and enjoy an afternoon at the Garden with Elvis.

Songs:

  1. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra
  2. That’s All Right
  3. Proud Mary
  4. Never Been To Spain
  5. You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me
  6. Until It’s Time For You To Go
  7. You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’
  8. Polk Salad Annie
  9. Love Me
  10. All Shook Up
  11. Heartbreak Hotel
  12. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
  13. Love Me Tender
  14. Blue Suede Shoes
  15. Reconsider Baby*
  16. Hound Dog
  17. I’ll Remember You*
  18. Suspicious Minds
  19. Introductions By Elvis
  20. For The Good Times
  21. An American Trilogy
  22. Funny How Time Slips Away
  23. I Can’t Stop Loving You*
  24. Can’t Help Falling In Love

All tracks previously unreleased except *

Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Disney goes Elvis [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this piece back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

To be released later this year, the new MGM/Walt Disney movie All Shook Up will feature a child who wants to be like Elvis when he grows up. “All Shook Up” was a number one hit for Elvis in 1957.

TRAIN still in station [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this piece back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Last Train To Memphis, the movie version of Peter Guralnick’s definitive Elvis biography, has been put on hold, according to Elvis World magazine.

MGM videos re-released [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this article back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

MGM is re-releasing 18 Elvis videos on July 8 in “The Elvis Commemorative Collection.” All of the videos are digitally remastered and include their original theatrical preview trailers. Jailhouse Rock, Viva Las Vegas, Elvis: That’s The Way It Is, Elvis On Tour, and Elvis: The Lost Performances are among the titles.

Unfortunately, despite the effort to digitally remaster the films, the videos will only be available in the standard “pan & scan” format rather than widescreen/letterbox. Over one-third of the theatrical picture is lost when movies are adapted for viewing on television sets unless the widescreen format is used.

Elvis’ uncle dies [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this article back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

Vester Presley, Elvis’ uncle, died on January 17. He was 78 and lived in Memphis.

Vester was the brother of Elvis’ father, Vernon. He became Elvis’ double uncle when he married Clettes Smith, the younger sister of Elvis’ mother Gladys. His wife passed away in 1994.

For over 20 years, Vester served as Graceland’s head gate guard, often posing with Elvis’ fans for photographs.

“Colonel” Parker dies at age 87 [The Elvis Beat newsletter]

/ TY

I was 22 when I wrote this article back in 1997 for The Elvis Beat #16, which turned out to be the final issue of my official Elvis Presley Fan Club newsletter.

“Colonel” Tom Parker, Elvis’ manager for over 20 years, died on January 21. He was 87 and lived in Las Vegas with his wife, Loanne.

Although not yet his manager, Parker began guiding Elvis’ career in mid-1955 while the singer was still on Memphis’ Sun Records label and slowly rising in popularity. He helped secure a contract for Elvis with RCA Records later that year.

Parker officially became Elvis’ manager in early 1956 for a 25 percent fee. Elvis would remain Parker’s sole client until Elvis’ death in 1977.

Parker’s innovative management style helped to transform Elvis from a relative unknown at the beginning of 1956 to an international celebrity with six number one hits, several million-sellers, and a starring role in a successful movie by the end of that same year.

Parker was often blamed for allowing Elvis’ movies to deteriorate into Grade C formula films in the 1960s. Parker once admitted that he didn’t even bother to read the scripts. “Anybody who’ll pay my boy a million dollars can make any kind of picture he wants,” Parker said. Despite the low quality of many of them, nearly all 33 of Elvis’ movies were box office successes.

In 1967, Parker renegotiated his contract with Elvis, increasing his own share to 50 percent with the argument that Elvis was his only client. [. . . .]

Parker negotiated lucrative deals for Elvis to appear in Las Vegas for extended engagements beginning in 1969. In the 1970s, Parker staged multi-city concert tours across the US for Elvis, who played 150 shows a year.

Parker orchestrated the 1973 Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii television special, which used satellite technology and drew millions of viewers.

Parker was born Andreas Cornelius van Kuijk in Holland on June 26, 1909. He immigrated to the US illegally in 1929, claiming West Virginia as his birthplace. He served in the US Army with the 64th Coast Artillery from 1929 to 1932. He married his first wife, Marie Ross, in 1932. A state governor made him an honorary Colonel in 1953.

In the 1950s, Parker became the promoter of singer Gene Austin and manager of country singers Eddy Arnold, from 1942 to 1951, and Hank Snow, from 1954 to 1956, before becoming Elvis’ manager.

In recent years, he was associated with country singer George Strait, negotiating for him to star in the movie Pure Country.

Joe Esposito, one of Elvis’ friends, said, “The bottom line is that Elvis would never have been so popular as he was without the Colonel’s brilliant management. Nor would the Colonel have had so much success with anyone else.”