Elvis In Concert
Encyclopedia
Elvis In Concert is a posthumous 1977 TV special starring Elvis Presley
. It was Elvis' third and final TV special, following Elvis (aka The '68 Comeback Special) and Aloha From Hawaii
. It was filmed during Presley's final tour in the cities of Omaha, Nebraska
, on June 19, 1977, and Rapid City, South Dakota
, on June 21, 1977. It was shown on CBS
on October 3, 1977, two months after Presley died. It is one of the few videos of Elvis which remain unlikely to ever be released for home viewing and is only available in bootleg form
.
On June 1, 1977, it was announced that Elvis Presley had signed a deal with CBS
for a new television special. It was agreed that CBS would videotape concerts during the summer of 1977. The final special was culled from footage from two performances on June 19, 1977, in Omaha, and June 21, 1977, in Rapid City, although much of the footage from Omaha was considered unusable due to sound and performance problems. This concert has been heavily edited and bootlegs (possible stolen tapes) have appeared on auction web sites over the years. The show was shot on NTSC videotape although many film conversions have appeared over the years. The crew also filmed footage of Elvis at the airport in Indianapolis, receiving a golden record by RCA, on June 26. This is the last known footage of Elvis ever filmed, and he can be seen wearing his favourite DEA jacket.
During the special, Presley performs a number of songs spanning his career. A notable moment is his performance of "Are You Lonesome Tonight" in which he appears to forget the words during the song's long monologue portion, improvising mumbled jokes instead; this footage was included in the later documentary This is Elvis
to illustrate his poor condition at the time. (Darrin Memmer's book "Elvis Presley - The 1977 CBS Television Special", published in 2001 by Morris Publishing, makes a strong case that Elvis regularly played around with the words during the spoken portion of the song on stage, rather than it being a case of poor memory; indeed, a 1969 performance of Elvis breaking into laughter during the same section of the song has been widely released.) Presley also sings his much-performed "My Way" although he has to use a lyric sheet on this occasion (despite having played the song several years through the 1970s); this performance is notable for the song's prophetic lyric, "And now the end is near and so I face the final curtain."
According to Roy Carr and Mick Farren in Elvis: The Illustrated Record, CBS officials considered postponing broadcast of the special in hopes of obtaining better performance footage of Presley, but his death in August 1977 rendered this moot. Its broadcast received mixed reaction; Carr and Farren condemned it as a "travesty", adding, "Had it been shown during his lifetime, it would have caused more irrevocable damage to what was left of his career than almost a decade of starring in third-rate movies."
A misconception regarding Elvis in Concert stems from a statement broadcast by Presley's father, Vernon Presley at the program's conclusion (and also included on the soundtrack album) in which he said viewers had just witnessed Elvis' final performance. In fact, Presley made five more concert appearances before giving what would be his final show in Indianapolis, Indiana
, on June 26. However the CBS special was Elvis' last professionally recorded concert. The special actually contains two messages by Elvis' father. One taped in a hotel room during the tour in June when Elvis was still alive, and the other taped in the back office of Graceland shortly after Elvis death where he thanks the many who sent letters and cards after Elvis' death.
", a documentary
about Presley released in 1970.
or DVD
, and Presley's estate has issued a statement saying that they have "no plans" to release the special, due to the fact that Elvis was visibly "far from his best in the way he looked and the way he performed."
Footage from this special has appeared in the home video market: "Are You Lonesome Tonight", "Love Me" and "My Way" were used in 1981's "This Is Elvis", and "Unchained Melody appeared in the 1990 home video release, "The Great Performances, Volume One: Center Stage".
released a soundtrack album in conjunction with the television special's broadcast. The album augments the televised performances with a second album of additional recordings made during the Omaha and Rapid City concerts. The concert soundtrack album was released in October 1977 and peaked on the chart in November 1977.
The album reached #5 on the Billboard album charts.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
. It was Elvis' third and final TV special, following Elvis (aka The '68 Comeback Special) and Aloha From Hawaii
Aloha from Hawaii
Aloha from Hawaii is a music concert that was headlined by Elvis Presley, and was broadcast live via satellite on January 14, 1973. It is the most watched broadcast by an individual entertainer in television history, viewed by an estimated 1.5 billion people worldwide. The concert took place at the...
. It was filmed during Presley's final tour in the cities of Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha, Nebraska
Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
, on June 19, 1977, and Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City, South Dakota
Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...
, on June 21, 1977. It was shown on CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
on October 3, 1977, two months after Presley died. It is one of the few videos of Elvis which remain unlikely to ever be released for home viewing and is only available in bootleg form
Bootleg recording
A bootleg recording is an audio or video recording of a performance that was not officially released by the artist or under other legal authority. The process of making and distributing such recordings is known as bootlegging...
.
On June 1, 1977, it was announced that Elvis Presley had signed a deal with CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
for a new television special. It was agreed that CBS would videotape concerts during the summer of 1977. The final special was culled from footage from two performances on June 19, 1977, in Omaha, and June 21, 1977, in Rapid City, although much of the footage from Omaha was considered unusable due to sound and performance problems. This concert has been heavily edited and bootlegs (possible stolen tapes) have appeared on auction web sites over the years. The show was shot on NTSC videotape although many film conversions have appeared over the years. The crew also filmed footage of Elvis at the airport in Indianapolis, receiving a golden record by RCA, on June 26. This is the last known footage of Elvis ever filmed, and he can be seen wearing his favourite DEA jacket.
During the special, Presley performs a number of songs spanning his career. A notable moment is his performance of "Are You Lonesome Tonight" in which he appears to forget the words during the song's long monologue portion, improvising mumbled jokes instead; this footage was included in the later documentary This is Elvis
This Is Elvis
This Is Elvis is a 1981 documentary film directed by Andrew Solt and Malcolm Leo, based on the life of Elvis Presley. It combined archival footage with reenactments, and narration by pop singer Ral Donner. It was screened out of competition at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival...
to illustrate his poor condition at the time. (Darrin Memmer's book "Elvis Presley - The 1977 CBS Television Special", published in 2001 by Morris Publishing, makes a strong case that Elvis regularly played around with the words during the spoken portion of the song on stage, rather than it being a case of poor memory; indeed, a 1969 performance of Elvis breaking into laughter during the same section of the song has been widely released.) Presley also sings his much-performed "My Way" although he has to use a lyric sheet on this occasion (despite having played the song several years through the 1970s); this performance is notable for the song's prophetic lyric, "And now the end is near and so I face the final curtain."
According to Roy Carr and Mick Farren in Elvis: The Illustrated Record, CBS officials considered postponing broadcast of the special in hopes of obtaining better performance footage of Presley, but his death in August 1977 rendered this moot. Its broadcast received mixed reaction; Carr and Farren condemned it as a "travesty", adding, "Had it been shown during his lifetime, it would have caused more irrevocable damage to what was left of his career than almost a decade of starring in third-rate movies."
A misconception regarding Elvis in Concert stems from a statement broadcast by Presley's father, Vernon Presley at the program's conclusion (and also included on the soundtrack album) in which he said viewers had just witnessed Elvis' final performance. In fact, Presley made five more concert appearances before giving what would be his final show in Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, on June 26. However the CBS special was Elvis' last professionally recorded concert. The special actually contains two messages by Elvis' father. One taped in a hotel room during the tour in June when Elvis was still alive, and the other taped in the back office of Graceland shortly after Elvis death where he thanks the many who sent letters and cards after Elvis' death.
Reviews
Blogcritics Magazine has called Elvis in Concert "both terrible and embarrassing." The fan-site Elvis Information Network deemed the program "a challenging special to watch... The pudginess of his face and his substantial girth is a long way from the panther like sleekness exhibited in Elvis: That's the Way It IsElvis: That's the Way it Is
Elvis: That's the Way It Is is a documentary movie directed by Denis Sanders about Elvis Presley that was released on November 11, 1970. The film documents Elvis' Summer Festival in Las Vegas during August 1970...
", a documentary
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
about Presley released in 1970.
Official release
This special has never been released on VHSVHS
The Video Home System is a consumer-level analog recording videocassette standard developed by Victor Company of Japan ....
or DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
, and Presley's estate has issued a statement saying that they have "no plans" to release the special, due to the fact that Elvis was visibly "far from his best in the way he looked and the way he performed."
Footage from this special has appeared in the home video market: "Are You Lonesome Tonight", "Love Me" and "My Way" were used in 1981's "This Is Elvis", and "Unchained Melody appeared in the 1990 home video release, "The Great Performances, Volume One: Center Stage".
List of songs / scenes
- Elvis Fans' Comments/Opening Riff
- Introduction/Also Sprach Zarathustra
- "See See RiderSee See RiderThe song is generally regarded as being traditional in origin. Ma Rainey's version became popular during 1925, as "See See Rider Blues." It became one of the most famous of all blues songs, with well over 100 versions. It was recorded by Big Bill Broonzy, Mississippi John Hurt, Lead Belly,...
" - "That's All Right"
- "Are You Lonesome Tonight?Are You Lonesome Tonight? (song)"Are You Lonesome Tonight?" is a popular song with music by Lou Handman and lyrics by Roy Turk. It was written in 1926, first published in 1927 and most notably revived by Elvis Presley in 1960 ....
" - "Teddy BearTeddy Bear (song)" Teddy Bear" is a popular song recorded by Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music. It was written by Kal Mann and Bernie Lowe and published in 1957 by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company...
/Don't Be CruelDon't Be Cruel-Legacy:"Don't Be Cruel" went on to become Presley's biggest selling single recorded in 1956, with sales over six million by 1961. It became a regular feature of his live sets until his death in 1977, and was often coupled with "Jailhouse Rock" or "Teddy Bear" during performances from 1969.Many...
" - Elvis Fans' Comments
- "You Gave Me a MountainYou Gave Me a Mountain"You Gave Me a Mountain" is a song written by country singer-songwriter Marty Robbins during the 1960s. It has been recorded by many artists, including Robbins himself, but the highest-charting version of the song was by Frankie Laine in 1969...
" - "Jailhouse RockJailhouse Rock (song)"Jailhouse Rock" is a song written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller that first became a hit for Elvis Presley. The song was released as a 45rpm single on September 24, 1957, to coincide with the release of Presley's motion picture, Jailhouse Rock...
" - Elvis Fans' Comments
- "How Great Thou ArtHow Great Thou Art (hymn)"How Great Thou Art" is a Christian hymn based on a Swedish poem written by Carl Gustav Boberg in Sweden in 1885. The melody is a Swedish folk song. It was translated into English by British missionary Stuart K. Hine, who also added two original verses of his own composition. It was popularized by...
" - Elvis Fans' Comments
- "I Really Don't Want To KnowI Really Don't Want to Know"I Really Don't Want to Know" is a popular song with music was written by Don Robertson and lyrics by Howard Barnes. The song was published in 1953....
" - Elvis Introduces His Father
- "Hurt"
- "Hound DogHound Dog (song)"Hound Dog" is a twelve-bar blues written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and originally recorded by Willie Mae "Big Mama" Thornton in 1952. Other early versions illustrate the differences among blues, country, and rock and roll in the mid-1950s. The 1956 remake by Elvis Presley is the best-known...
" - "My WayMy Way (song)"My Way" is a song popularized by Frank Sinatra. Its lyrics were written by Paul Anka and set to music based on the French song "Comme d'habitude" composed in 1967 by Claude François and Jacques Revaux, with lyrics by Claude François and Gilles Thibault. Anka's English lyrics are unrelated to the...
" - "Can't Help Falling in LoveCan't Help Falling in Love"Can't Help Falling in Love" is a pop song originally recorded by American singer Elvis Presley and published by Gladys Music, Elvis Presley's publishing company. It was written by Hugo Peretti, Luigi Creatore, and George David Weiss. The melody was based on "Plaisir d'Amour" but with a different...
" - Closing Riff
- Message From Vernon Presley
Personnel
- Elvis Presley – vocals, acoustic guitar, piano
- James BurtonJames BurtonJames Burton is an American guitarist. A member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2001 , Burton has also been recognized by the Rockabilly Hall of Fame...
– lead guitar - John Wilkinson – rhythm guitar
- Charlie HodgeCharlie Hodge (guitarist)Charles Franklin Hodge , better known as Charlie Hodge, was an American singer, vocal coach and musician who was a confidant and associate of Elvis Presley.- Early music career :...
– acoustic guitar, vocals - Jerry ScheffJerry ScheffJerry Obern Scheff is an American bassist, perhaps best known for his work with Elvis Presley in the early 1970s as a member of his TCB Band and his work on The Doors' final recordings....
– bass - Ronnie Tutt – drums
- Tony BrownTony Brown (record producer)Tony Brown is an American country music record producer.He was born in Greensboro, North Carolina.Brown played piano for Elvis Presley. He toured with the TCB Band for much of Presley's final two years and was a part of the 1976 "Jungle Room" recording sessions at Graceland...
– piano - The Sweet Inspirations, The Stamps Quartet, Kathy WestmorelandKathy WestmorelandKathy Westmoreland is an American singer.After growing up in Abilene, Texas, the daughter of a professional singer and a professional dancer , she moved to California in 1962 with her sisters and brother Brent...
– vocals - Joe Guercio – orchestra
- Bobby Ogdin - electric piano and keyboard, clavinet
Soundtrack
RCARCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
released a soundtrack album in conjunction with the television special's broadcast. The album augments the televised performances with a second album of additional recordings made during the Omaha and Rapid City concerts. The concert soundtrack album was released in October 1977 and peaked on the chart in November 1977.
The album reached #5 on the Billboard album charts.