1954
Elvis play Texarkana, AR Municipal Auditorium and sang “Old Shep” and “That’s All Right”
https://www.scottymoore.net/texarkana.html
Bobby Jean Frost, Elvis Presley, and Dora Lou Pate backstage at Arkansas Municipal Auditorium – Mar. 6, 1955**
Photo courtesy Texarkana Gazette
1955
Elvis Presley‘s first release on RCA Victor Records was announced. The first two sides were actually purchased from Sam Phillips of Sun Records: “Mystery Train” and “I Forgot to Remember to Forget”. Elvis was described by his new record company as ‘The most talked about personality in recorded music in the last ten years.’
Elvis performed at the Montgomery, AL State Coliseum, Alabama.
The other acts were Roy Acuff, Kitty Wells, Johnnie & Jack, Fred Wamble, Jack Turner, Buddy Hawk, Eddie Hill
WBAM DJ Dan Brennan, Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore (obscured) and Bill Black at State Coliseum, Montgomery, AL, Saturday December 3, 1955
1956
Elvis purchased a new 1957 2 door hardtop Eldorado Cadillac Seville for $8,400.
1958
1960
1964
Elvis Presley’s single “Are You Lonesome Tonight” hit #1 in the U.S.
Wild in the Country production
1961
Kid Galahad October 23, 1961 until December 20, 1961
1964
Elvis was at the Memphian nearly every night of this month.
, 1967
Elvis’ radio christmas special aired – and was what Parker wanted for the tv show the next year
https://www.elvisrecords.com/special-christmas-program/
On Sunday, December 3, 1967, a special called Season's Greetings From Elvis aired on over 2,000 stations across the United States. Why is it mostly forgotten? Season's Greetings From Elvis was a radio special.
The special contained no new numbers by Elvis, but instead featured previously released Christmas and religious music. The songs in the half-hour show included:
• Elvis Presley Lyrics Here Comes Santa Claus (1957)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics Blue Christmas (1957)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics O' Little Town Of Bethlehem (1957)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics Silent Night (1957)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics I'll Be Home For Christmas (1957)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics I Believe (1957)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics If Every Day Was Like Christmas (1966)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics How Great Thou Art (1966)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics His Hand In Mine (1960)
• Elvis Presley Lyrics I'll Be Home For Christmas (1957)
The special's finale, I'll Be Home For Christmas, contained a new voice-over by Elvis : 'Thank you for listening. I'd like to wish you a merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year'. Oddly, this 1967 audio was later placed on top of Silent Night on 1982's 'Memories Of Christmas' (and re-released on 1994's 'If Every Day Was Like Christmas'). However, the beginning music of I'll Be Home For Christmas and not Silent Night can still be heard in the background on those releases as Elvis speaks the lines.
Exactly one year later, on December 3, 1968, the more famous Elvis Christmas special aired. Colonel Tom Parker's original concept for the '68 special sounded like little more than a TV version of Season's Greetings From Elvis. The eventual show turned out much different, of course, and changed everything.
https://www.elvis.com.au/presley/elvis- ... cial.shtml
1968
In his first appearance before a ‘live’ audience in seven years, and months of filming and 4 actual concerts in the NBC studio with invited audience members: Elvis Presley’s comeback special airs on NBC-TV.
The NBC special, “Singer Presents Elvis” was aired at 9.00 p.m. and was viewed by 42 % of the viewers, giving NBC its biggest rating victory of the year.The press was critical but loved it too. Los Angeles Times: “I don’t think many viewers care to see singers sweat on TV, but there is no question: Elvis is back”.
At the end of the show The King performs his latest single, “If I Can Dream”, which is currently #12 on the Billboard Hot 100, his highest charting song since his 1965 hit “I’m Yours” reached #11.
It charted on Billboard’s Hot 100 for 13 weeks, peaking at #12, with more than one million sales; though the RIAA has only certified the song as gold (500,000 units shipped) as of March 27, 1992. In Canada the song peaked at 6 on RPM‘s top singles chart, lasting more than several weeks.
The Trouble with Girls: Movie Production.
1970
Elvis made a big donation of $7,000 to the LA Police community relations program, however, he requested that the gift could be stay unknown to the public. A little time later, Elvis received a gold commissioner’s badge from Chief Davis.
On this same date Elvis went shopping at Kerr’s Sporting Goods. It took 4 salesmen to help him, because he made purchased not only for himself, but as well as for friends and even customers who were wandering in off the street.
1971
Elvis returned to Los Angeles from Palm Springs and within a few days he flew to Dallas.
1974
Elvis returned to Dr. Ghanem’s home during this week, accompanied by Linda Thompson and Charlie Hodge. He had to undergo a second “sleep diet”.
1975
Hilton Las Vegas in the V Neck suit.
Also Sprach Zarathustra
See See Rider
I Got A Woman/Amen
Love Me
Fairytale
Big Boss Man
And I Love You So
Tryin’ To Get To You
All Shook Up
Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
Blue Christmas
Polk Salad Annie
[band introductions]
My Boy
Just Pretend
How Great Thou Art
Burning Love
Softly, As I Leave You
Mystery Train/Tiger Man
America The Beautiful
Can’t Help Falling In Love
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/elvis-p ... las-vegas/
He’d joined the Army. He’d filmed movies. He’d even recorded a number of albums. But what Elvis Presley hadn't done for nearly a decade, until July 31, 1969, was play a proper concert.
His original run with Sun Records and RCA from 1954-8 produced some of the most recognized songs in the history of popular music. Then, of course, came two years in the Army – after which, many assumed he would get back to doing what he did best. The only problem was that Presley's manager Col. Tom Parker had other ideas.
Prior to going into the Army, Elvis made four movies, with 1957's Jailhouse Rock as the standout. Upon returning from his service, Parker took Presley off the road and set him up in Hollywood full-time in an attempt to solidify Presley's spot as the biggest star on the planet. Beginning in 1960 with G.I. Blues, and ending in 1969 with Change of Habit, Presley made a total of 27 films.
At the outset, this shift in focus may have been a smart play. As time passed, however, the quality of the films dramatically decreased – and the King began to lose some of his luster, both at the box office and on the charts. Sensing that it was again time for a change, in 1968 Parker negotiated a deal with NBC for an Elvis TV special. When the show debuted on Dec. 3, it drew in millions of viewers – scoring big ratings and rave reviews.
Elvis was officially back. To capitalize on the success of the special, Parker realized his client could be even more profitable if he was on stage. He negotiated a deal with Alex Shoofey of the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Presley would be paid $500,000 for four weeks worth of shows at the hotel, which was still under construction.
Before he could play to an audience, though, Presley would need a backing group. He decided to forego familiar faces like Scotty Moore, D.J. Fontana and the Jordanaires, settling instead on a new lineup – later dubbed the TCB Band (short for "Taking Care of Business") – that featured lead guitarist James Burton, rhythm guitarist John Wilkinson, pianist Larry Muhoberac, bassist Jerry Scheff, drummer Ronnie Tutt and a vocal gospel backing outfit named the Sweet Inspirations. The ensemble held rehearsals at RCA Studios in Hollywood prior to the first date, working out as many as 150 songs from Presley’s extensive back catalog.
The debut show sold out, of course, but Parker continued blanketing the city with advertisements. Some 100,000 glossy 8x10 pictures were printed up, along with an extensive list of other materials such as calendars and catalogs. Barbra Streisand was playing the International the night before Elvis and, almost immediately after the final note escaped her lips, Presley’s people ripped down every trace of Streisand throughout the building and replaced them with ads for Presley.
Fans weren't the only ones flocking to the show. A slew of big stars said they planned to attend – from Fats Domino and Pat Boone, to Dick Clark and Paul Anka, to say nothing of several other key Vegas Strip headliners. Presley’s old label head Sam Phillips received a personal invitation from Elvis himself. As show time neared, Presley began to feel the weight of expectation.
He seemed, as long-time friend Joe Esposito later remembered, more nervous than he’d ever been in his life. “Everything was fine right up until that night," he said. “He was pacing back and forth, back and forth; you could see the sweat just pouring out of him before he went onstage. He was always nervous before every show, but he was never nervous like that again.”
A lot of this pressure also came from Col. Tom. According to Peter Guralnick's Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley, Parker was said to have told his star, “If you don’t do any business, don’t blame me. Believe me, everyone in town will know that Elvis Presley is coming, but you’re the only one that can bring them in.”
Presley, dressed in bell bottoms and a black tunic, was greeted by the roar of 2,000 audience members as he launched into a straight-ahead rock version of the Carl Perkins' hit "Blue Suede Shoes." The hits kept coming, as Presley performed favorites from his catalog like "All Shook Up," "Love Me Tender," "Jailhouse Rock" and "Don’t Be Cruel" – as well as covers of songs made popular by Del Shannon ("Runaway"), Ray Charles ("I Got a Woman") and the Beatles (both "Yesterday" and "Hey Jude").
Midway through the set, Presley addressed the crowd. “Good evening ladies and gentlemen," he said. "Welcome to the big, freaky International Hotel with those weirdo dolls on the walls and those little funky angels on the ceiling – and, man, you ain’t seen nothing until you’ve seen a funky angel. Before the evening’s out, I’m sure I will have made a complete and utter fool out of myself – but I hope you get a kick out of watching.”
Presley attacked the material with a fiery determination. “He was all over that stage," producer Felton Jarvis recalled. "I mean, he almost hurt himself. He was doing flips and cartwheels and all kinds of stuff. On "Suspicious Minds" [which made its debut on this night], he’d be down on one knee and do a flip across the stage and just roll. He was about half crazy.” After the final song, Elvis left the stage and gave his manager a big hug, his body shaking from spent energy and raw emotion.
Filled with raw charisma and undeniable talent, the concert was a performance for the ages – and it helped briefly move Presley back to the top of a rock and roll pecking order. Presley released "Suspicious Minds" as a single later that fall, and it shot up the Billboard Hot 100 chart – becoming Elvis' last No. 1 hit. He would ultimately play more than 700 sell-out performances through 1976 at the International, by which time it had become the Las Vegas Hilton. In July 2014, the hotel traded hands again and became known as the Westgate.
Read More: The Night Elvis Presley Began His Las Vegas Residency | https://ultimateclassicrock.com/elvis-p ... m=referral
1976
Hilton Las Vegas 2 shows – one in the Chief Jumpsuit and the later show the Blue Swirl.
A Lazy Legend in Las Vegas in 1976?
by Geoffrey Mc Donnell, Australia.
Elvis was coming under increasing criticism from cab-drivers to 'Celebrities' who saw him in Las Vegas in 1976 who felt he was a parady of his former triumph's their and performing lazily and as Bill E. Burk asked after watching his final 12.12.76 show possibly for the last time?.
Firstly to set the picture before Elvis arrived in Las Vegas in December 1976 it's important to remember the changes that had taken place. Firstly he was missing the support of 3 of his former 'Bodygards' - Red West, Sonny West and newcomer Dave Hebler. Also after a 4 and a half year relationship with Linda Thompson a 'Newcomer' was in her place - Ginger Alden. Therefore the people around Elvis were largely different (Ed Parker back helping) and also for the first time ever he was going with only one days break from being 'on tour' on the road DIRECTLY into performing a Las Vegas 15 Performance season. This was only one performance less than last years successful pre-Xmas season but although only in Vegas from 2nd - 12th December with 2 shows a night on weekends for BOTH Saturday AND the Friday nights this was arguably a heavier performing shedule than last year. This season has been very briefly mention by Geoffrey Mc Donnell in his OBSEVATIONS ON 76' article and Connie Kirchberg talking about bootlegs, also Bret Grieve's 'GOODBYE TO VEGAS' article to name the few major articles. Perhaps the most original EYE WITNESS reports are to be found from Todd Slaughter in E.M.#206 (which is REALLY INTERESTING) or Anne Nixons report on the 2.12.76 Opening Show in E.M. #323. Latest has been (E.M.#'s 436,441) Lee J.Hanney's look at the last Vegas engagement and Dee Mahers continuing U.S.A. experiences of Elvis in Las Vegas part 3 published in 1997, however here I'd like to examine what was going on here with Elvis's feelings in his shows and what was going on behind the stage.
As things turned out Vegas 76' wasn't a Disaster at all-indeed it was another success as he was asked back for a December 77' season. Some reporters RAVED about how good he was such as Charles E. Supins review in Las Vegas spring valley times. Fans present at shows reported that he looked good and was in great voice. However I'd like to look at the attitude of Elvis in his fifteen shows and try and look at why some shows were not very good.The fifteen different shows seem to fall into 3 groups the first 5 shows 2.12.76 O/S - 4.12.76 M/S which were the BEST SHOWS. The middle 5 shows which required only ONE performance from Elvis each night which were from 5.12.76 - 9.12.76 and were the WORST performed ranging from Fair/Average to rather Poor shows,where Elvis curtailed performances and /or relied heavily on his back up singers/musicians to fill in show time for him. The last grouping are the last 5 shows from 10.12.76 D/S - 12.12.76 M/CL/S. These performances ranged from fair to good and were better than the middle of the week 5 shows but not as good/Exciting as the first 5 shows performed this season. Why did the performances vary so much? What was going on behind the scenes which caused his most inconsistent season ever?
Elvis had 'trimmed' down considerably before his October 1976 Tour and although it is noted that his weight had increased before the November Tour leading up to the Vegas Season and for the record Elvis was his heaviest ever in Las Vegas in no way was he as heavy as in August 1976, where he seemed at his heaviest for the entire year. It's also worth noting that only 2 weeks AFTER the 76' Vegas Season Elvis's weight was back down to his October 76 Touring weight Triumph. Therefore following his Excellent show in Anaheim on 30.11.76- which delighted John Wayne in the audience. Elvis flew to Las Vegas with nothing else on his mind except 'New' love Ginger Alden. On the first of December Elvis wasn't doing any rehearsing with the band as he was too busy entertaining Ginger. So busy was Elvis that he delayed having his hair done prior to the Opening Nights show until the last possible moment. Elvis's spirits were high before the first night and he then was about to perform not only the best show of the season-but one of the best opening shows ever since maybe 18.3.75?.
Opening show 10pm 2.12.76 (KING OF SPADES SUIT)
THIS TIME THE GIRL IS GOING TO STAY.
Notable for this show is that every song sung wasn't rushed- even the 'oldies'. Elvis was in great spirits and even sang a good 'off the cuff' version of the 1970's 'I JUST CAN'T HELP BELIEVING'. Elvis must have been thinking of Ginger on opening night!. The show was just about as long as you could expect without sacrificing any quality (1'40") and the 'stars' including Glen Campbell were witnessing a great show from Elvis - what a relief the Rumors' weren't true as after the Opening Night it was clear that Elvis still had his Magic and Charms and best of all appeared to be in full control-sharp and very witty!. There were many old friends to meet after the show and so finally Elvis got to bed late. Shots from this show aren't common possibly on page 87 of 'King in Vegas' book. Even through TRUE FANS had to TIP heavily the Maitre D to get up front it must have been worth it for those lucky ones their.
10pm Dinner Show 3.12.76 (INDIAN FEATHER SUIT)
SOUNDING LIKE DONALD DUCK!
Apart from a shot in T.M. & H.M. #18 page 34 the best visual representation comes from the nearly complete VIDEO available of this show. R/T 62 minutes. For this show Elvis is again in great spirits and voice, but a couple of things seem of concern. Elvis looks quite 'Fat' in his indian Feather jumpsuit and restricts his stage movements during POLK SALAD ANNIE (not doing the low squats he did so well as seen on video from the Anaheim 30.11.76 show), he does nevertheless pose with a fine Karate STANCE and arm movements at the end of the song. As he bends down to pick up things thrown onto the stage by the audience he seems to be having difficulty bending over as if in stomach pain. Directly after C.C. RIDER Elvis says; "Before I do anything at all I want to apologize for being a little late" (Elvis was 10 minutes late and blamed this on someone leaving dry cleaning fluid on his suit!). According to Todd Slaughters opening editorial in E.M.#206 this was also the first show that some of Todd's 'group' with him in Las Vegas viewed, althrough Super Fan Anne Nixon I believe was there for the whole season and her many memories are especially appreciated from this season as all her accounts are FIRST HAND - yet I have to rely on this seasons AUDIO tapes and many, many thanks again to whoever taped those shows!. Elvis STILL makes the stage his own the WAY he puts the mike back on the stand during I GOT A WOMAN and motions with his hand for it to stay their, almost as if he were touching the audience through water with bow waves he seemed to have all the stage and the air around him at his disposal here-the stage truly was his own. However this aside Elvis plays his guitar whilst wearing a brown scarf on BLUE CHRISTMAS (after a fans request for WELCOME TO MY WORLD!) and gets into his 'oldies' such as ONE NIGHT with style. At the end he good naturedly reminds the audience that he has another show to do tonight before leaving the stage. Just as Elvis stands letting the sweat fall on the stage after the show a FAT LADY rushes to him for a kiss and then afterwoods tries to go back for another (and the lax security for this season is evident here)!. Only a couple of hours later Elvis was back on stage for the 1am 4.12.76 show- this makes identifying show dates difficult this year as the 1am shows were booked for the previous day in a similar manner as the previous years seasons had all been 8pm and Midnight shows on one day. Running time 62 minutes.
https://www.elvisconcerts.com/real/vegas76-01.htm
1983
The Elvis Presley album “A Legendary Performer Vol. 4” hit #91 in the U.K
2001
BMG releases “The Country side of Elvis” – a career spanning 2 disc set
2017
Pontiac Silverdome Stadium is demolished – site of 1975 New Year’s Concert
Elvis Presley And Little Mix Return To The UK Top 10 With Big Albums
Matt Heath: All shook up over Elvis Presley New Zealand Herald
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2018
50 Years Ago: Elvis Presley Returns to Live Performing With ”68 …
The Boot–12 hours ago
On Dec. 3, 1968, Elvis Presley made his triumphant return to the stage with an NBC TV special presented by the Singer sewing company.