Elvis in the Seventies by George Fairbrother

[elvis1970s]

Had history turned out differently, Elvis' work schedule was set to continue throughout the late summer and autumn of 1977. Reports suggest that Elvis was in good spirits in the weeks off following his June tour, and told his cousin, Billy Smith, that this next tour was going to be the best yet.

This is the itinerary for his August tour:

Aug 17 - Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine

Aug 18 - Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine

Aug 19 - Utica Memorial Auditorium, Utica, NY

Aug 20 - Onondaga County War Memorial, Syracuse, NY

Aug 21 - Civic Center, Hartford, Connecticut

Aug 22 - Nassau Veterans Coliseum, Uniondale, NY

Aug 23 - University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky

Aug 24 - Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, Virginia

Aug 25 - Cumberland County Arena, Fayetteville, NC

Aug 26 - Asheville Civic Center Arena, Asheville, NC

Aug 27 - Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee

Aug 28 - Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis, Tennessee

At the time of his passing, there were already some keenly anticipated dates confirmed for a tour in September.

Sep 21, 1977 - Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, West Virginia

Sep 22, 1977 - Huntington Civic Center, Huntington, West Virginia

Sep 26, 1977 - Indiana State University , Terre Haute, Indiana

Sep 28, 1977 - Savannah Civic Center, Savannah, Georgia

Special thanks to Francesc Lopez for providing information and press for the September tour.

In October, Elvis was due open the 5 000 seat Las Vegas Hilton Pavilion, a new showroom which was part of a major hotel redevelopment.

And then, in September 1978...

[yourwizardofaus]

And what would Elvis have looked like on the late August 1977 tour?   These photoshopped mock-ups depict him in the new powder blue jumpsuit he never lived to perform in.

[elvis1970s]

Huge thanks to @yourwizardofaus for this additional look at what might have been...

The images of the new jumpsuit below were originally reblogged here in June 2022, with credit and thanks to @presleyelvissksblog and also credited to Kathy Combess, with this additional explainer:

"...The jumpsuit was a pale blue and it was embroidered with hundreds of little mirrors to reflect the stage lights as Elvis moved..."

[elvis1970s]

Bob Heis (1942-2012) was a military veteran, Elvis fan club administrator and part-time professional photographer who captured many great closeups of Elvis on stage in the 1970s, from around 40 concerts, including Madison Square Garden (above), Pittsburgh PA (New Year 76-77), and Elvis' final show in Indianapolis.

Bob Heis and Charlie Hodge (Credited to the Heis family at dignitymemorial.com)

He is immortalised on the 1972 As Recorded at Madison Square Garden album. Having sent a note backstage requesting Polk Salad Annie (which was probably on the setlist anyway), Elvis acknowledges him, "Okay, Bob!" at the beginning of the song.

[elvis1970s]

The gentleman on the left of the image, Duke Bardwell (b. 1943), is an accomplished multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter who played bass in Elvis' touring band for 181 shows, including one live album, during 1974 and the early part of 1975. He was brought in to replace Emory Gordy, who in turn had replaced bass legend Jerry Scheff, who had departed the TCB Band following the Aloha From Hawaii broadcast in January 1973.

It wasn't always an easy fit. Elvis' temper was a little erratic during 1974, and Duke felt, probably with some justification, that he was sometimes singled out unfairly during some of the onstage banter and general fooling around, which seemed to be a little edgier and less good-natured than usual, and included the occasional water fight.

At one point, Elvis expressed interest in recording one of Duke's original songs, You and I, however this never eventuated owing to Colonel Parker's usual practice of trying to squeeze songwriters out of their rightful publishing percentages.

Duke played on the Elvis Recorded Live Onstage in Memphis album in 1974, and recalled that the band had no prior warning that they would be recording, and at the last moment were required to sign contract waivers excluding themselves from any album royalties.

He worked on the Today album sessions in early 1975, and in Las Vegas, but departed before the first road tour of that year in not entirely happy circumstances. By the time Today was released in May, Duke's bass work had been removed and remained only on the first single, T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Here's a great live version of Promised Land from Las Vegas in March, 1975, featuring Duke Bardwell on bass;

[elvis1970s]

Elvis played almost 100 shows at the Sahara, Lake Tahoe, over five engagements; in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1976. Not all would be memorable for the right reasons; some poor critical reviews, cancellations, and an unfortunate incident where members of the Memphis Mafia allegedly beat up a hotel guest trying to crash the Presley suite, apparently to impress his girlfriend, which led to one of an increasing number of legal problems that would haunt Elvis in his later years.

The usual showroom capacity was 1500, however as they did in Las Vegas, additional seating was added to many of the tables increasing the audience numbers by several hundred for each show. The high-altitude location didn’t make things easy for singers, tending to leave them out of breath and making the gruelling schedule even more physically exhausting. But on a positive note, Elvis and his supporting talent tended to relax a little more in the intimate setting and, apart from some coverage in the trade papers, out of the mainstream media glare of Las Vegas or on tour.

This bootleg audio recording is from May 1974, before things unravelled a little in Las Vegas in summer, and for the last road tour of the year that got off to a rocky start in late September. He would be back in Tahoe to round off the year's professional engagements in October for a brief run of 8 shows over 4 nights.

It's worth considering that this is a 3.00 am show on closing night on May 27th; Elvis had performed two other concerts within the last five hours: at 10.00 pm and midnight.

(Concert stats thanks to www.elvisconcerts.com.)

[elvis1970s]

In May 1975, Elvis performed a special concert in Jackson, Mississippi; a benefit for the victims of a tornado that had recently devastated McComb, a town around 80 miles south of the State Capital.

It was the initiative of Colonel Parker, and although the altruistic intent could not be denied, he had an ulterior motive, cleverly using the initiative of the tornado benefit concert to coax an otherwise reluctant Elvis back to work. Following late night discussions at Graceland involving Colonel Parker himself, RCA executive George Parkhill, and concert promoter Tom Hulett, direct contact was made with Mississippi Governor, Bill Waller, and plans for the show were set in motion.

This is how Tom Hulett remembered the meeting at Graceland, as related in Peter Guralnick’s definitive biography, Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (Little, Brown and Company, 1999);

“…I had never been this much on the inside before, and here I was all of a sudden part of a unit going to see Elvis about possibly going back to work. Elvis came downstairs in a robe looking very heavy, and we sat at the big table in the dining room in tall, high-backed chairs. There was some small talk, and then the Colonel said, ‘Elvis, you been reading about the problems down in McComb?’ And he said, ‘Yeah, it’s really terrible.’ The Colonel said, ‘You know, I think we should go down and do a benefit for those people. What do you think?’ And Elvis goes, ‘You know, I don’t know…’ Because there was this funny shit going on between them, like Elvis is saying, ‘I ain’t gonna work,’ and the Colonel is saying, ‘I ain’t gonna let you work’—and now the Colonel has finally found an outside vehicle to break the ice…Finally, Elvis said, ‘Well, I guess,’ and the Colonel said, ‘If we go down and do the benefit, we might as well add on a few dates.’ That’s when I got the connection. And Elvis goes, ‘Well, I guess so…”

The benefit concert was eventually held on May 5th 1975, towards the end of what had expanded into an 18 show southern tour, between April 24th and May 7th.

Elvis and Colonel Parker covered all their own costs, and everyone from onstage talent to road crew donated their time for the show. The State Fair Coliseum and staff were also provided at no cost. As a result of this cooperation at all levels, Elvis was able to hand a cheque for $108 860, from arena ticket sales alone, to the State Governor, prior to the show. The amount would go even higher from the sale of donated Elvis merchandise. The First Lady of Mississippi, Ava Waller, described Elvis' demeanour backstage as ‘very friendly’ and ‘surprisingly shy’.

The Delta Democrat Times wrote;

“…Elvis Presley returned to his native state for a benefit performance Monday night and received a thunderous reception from more than 10,000 fans who packed the Mississippi (State Fair) Coliseum. The 40 year old Tupelo native, a little heavier now but dazzling in a baby blue casual suit and dark blue shirt, strode onto the stage amid cheers and screams…”

A resolution of appreciation was passed in the Mississippi State Legislature, stating; “This compassionate gesture of concern is appreciated by all Mississippians”.

In order to secure the State Fair Coliseum at no cost, a deal was done that Elvis would return there for some paying dates. He performed three sold out shows over June 8th and 9th. There are apparently no surviving bootlegs of the benefit show, but the June 9th performance was recorded at the soundboard.

[elvis1970s]

Some slightly nerdy Elvis history...Aloha flute soloist Gabe Baltazar Jnr (1929-2022) credited in liner notes for a Stan Kenton Orchestra album.

According to his WBGO obituary:

"...Gabe Baltazar, a saxophonist, flutist and woodwind specialist who blazed a postwar trail for Asian-American musicians, enjoying a decades-long tenure as the most accomplished jazz artist from Hawaii..."

[elvis1970s]

In preparing the 1970 MGM documentary, Elvis That's The Way It Is, director Denis Sanders conducted numerous interviews with fans in Las Vegas for the Elvis International Hotel summer season. He also apparently filmed some encounters with the cast of Hair, although none of that material made it to the final edit.

We know that Colonel Parker was not entirely happy with the inclusion of the fan interviews, and wrote to the head of MGM, James Aubrey, expressing concern that the interviews tended to take away from the excitement of the performance footage. Apparently the unused sequence from the Hair cast included some improvised acting workshops representing some aspects of Elvis' life to date. (Not all that easy to imagine)

(Image is of the Broadway cast, CBS News)

Interesting also to compare with the people Denis Sanders ultimately chose to represent aspects of Elvis' fan base.

[elvis1970s]

An interesting footnote in Elvis history; 21 year old Bob Lanning was brought in to play drums for the first Vegas engagement of 1970, and he also played the six Houston Rodeo shows in March, making a total of 63 shows. This was owing to a scheduling conflict for Ronnie Tutt.

Unlike later relief drummer, Larrie Londin (1976 and 77), Bob Lanning's work is featured on an official release; the live album recorded during the Las Vegas engagement, On Stage, and as a result, on the definitive The Wonder of You released as a single which went top 10 (US) and Number One (UK).

On the official Bob Lanning webpage (now archived), he says;

"...I last saw him at the Hilton in ’72. He was downstairs at the casino playing craps. He was so kind and gracious to me. He told me again how much he enjoyed the ‘On Stage’ album. It almost sounded like he felt bad, he said, “I want you to know that you did a good job for me”. Those were his exact words. And “I’ll be calling you, Bobby”… He said that a couple of times. He mentioned different things that I’d played on, how the rhythm section felt… He would mention specific songs. Elvis always called me Bobby. I was amazed that he took the time to talk to me. He didn’t have to, but that’s the way he was..."

[elvis1970s]

On April 4th, 1973, US audiences got to see, for the first time, Elvis' Aloha From Hawaii concert that had been broadcast live, (almost) globally, in January. The programme had been expanded to include some Hawaiian scenery footage behind the insert tracks that had been recorded directly after the original show.

The programme rated through the roof (33.8 Nielsen rating with a 57% audience share, NBC’s most watched programme of the year) and was generally well received critically, although perhaps with not quite the same enthusiasm as the satellite broadcast. Principal reservations seemed to be that the time between the original broadcast and the US showing had diminished the impact, and that the inserts were an unwelcome intrusion into the performance.

The live performance aspect remains a stunning piece of television even half a century on, not only due to Elvis’ undoubted talents but to the ability of producer and director Marty Pasetta to showcase a star, on screen, in the most favourable and polished way imaginable. As the concert footage has been reedited from scratch for DVD releases, the US version is the only way we can see Marty Pasetta’s pure vision intact.

Following the satellite broadcast in January, even Colonel Parker had been caught up in the sense of euphoria as the initial viewing figures began to come in, and they realised what they had achieved. He wrote Elvis a heartfelt letter of apprecation, it might have been one of the last moments of genuine connection between them;

 'You above all make it all work by being the leader and the talent. Without your dedication to your following, it couldn’t have been done’.

[elvis1970s]

At the Houston Rodeo, March 1974, the unusually extended exit from a performance by Elvis, by means of a lap of honour around the Astrodome, allowed James Burton and the band to show off a little...

[elvis1970s]

There were a total of five Memphis shows during Elvis' March tour of 1974, at the 12 000 seat Mid-South Coliseum, one of which was non-consecutive and added to the end of the tour due to demand. These were Elvis' first hometown performances since 1961.

The final show, on March 20th, was also a recording session for a live album. Although it had been rumoured that a live album was going to be recorded in Memphis, the band had no prior warning. According to bass player, Duke Bardwell, just before going on stage, they were required to hastily sign contract waivers excluding them from any record royalties.

It was the third live album in as many years, and although the least commercially successful, it produced a Grammy winning performance, How Great Thou Art. It also showcased Elvis in a much less inhibited mood, very comfortable with a hometown audience for the fifth time, and free of the pressures of Madison Square Garden, New York, and a global audience for Aloha From Hawaii.

Elvis played just two more hometown shows, one in 1975 and then again in 1976, but was scheduled for two nights at the Mid-South Coliseum, August 27th and 28th, 1977.

[elvis1970s]

In March 1976, for the year's first tour, there were a couple of new faces in the TCB Band - Nashville session legends Shane Keister on piano, and Larrie Londin on drums...

Larrie Londin recalled that they all assembled at Graceland prior to the tour for band rehearsals - Elvis dropped in to say hello and then left. Larrie thought he had gone off to get a soft drink, but it soon became apparent that Elvis wasn't coming back. All their gear was then packed up and shipped to the first venue, and he and Shane Keister had to make it up as best they could on stage.

Larrie Londin said this of Elvis' special rapport with his drummers;

"…Elvis hated drum risers. He wanted the drums on the floor right next to him, as close as possible. He wanted to feel the bass drum kicking him in the ass. He roamed around the stage, but at critical moments in the show - tempo changes and endings - he was always right there close - so that I could see him give signals…"

[elvis1970s]

A story from the front page of the Houston Chronicle, Monday March 4th, 1974.

[elvisvideos]

🎶Love Me Tender🎶

[elvis1970s]

A rare look at one of the early 1975 'two-piece suits' in motion...thanks @elvisvideos.

The change in style was conceived to try and distract from some weight Elvis had gained during a lengthy layoff over late 1974 and early 75.

According to the jumpsuit index at Francesc Lopez's elvisconcerts.com;

"...One of the several similar 'two-piece' suits Elvis wore during March - May 1975. Although these 1975 (dark blue/white) suits are often referred as two-piece suits (pants & jacket), they're not exactly that. They're more like jumpsuits without sleeves, and a jacket..."

[elvis1970s]

Elvis played the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1970 and 1974.

There were a number of challenges - the small stage was in the centre of the Houston Astrodome floor with the audience a long way away. In early 1970 Elvis had no touring operation as such, his crew therefore had no concept of stadium sound. (They would later use pioneering arena sound designers Clair Brothers).

The first show of six in 1970, a matinee, was attended by a sparse 16 700 people, 4 000 of which were children with disabilities who had been given complimentary tickets as guests of Elvis and Colonel Parker. The audiences for this engagement grew to a peak of 43 614, a world record for an indoor rodeo event.

The small stage, which was towed into the arena like a trailer, meant was no room for the orchestra or even a pared back horn section so, by 1974, the show had an unusually raw rock and roll sound in the context of the time.

In 1974, Elvis broke his own record at the rodeo, with an audience of over 44 000 for the second of two performances.

[elvis1970s]

One of the fascinating parts of the 1970 performances, is the technical side - or lack of.

This is how Tom Hulett (Concerts West) later described Elvis' rig at that time;

"...I never will forget, just these two (speakers) no bigger than the size of my couches if they were laid down. That was it, that was Elvis’ entire monitor system, and the house system was the house system, whatever was in the facility..."

Despite technical shortcomings, the shows were a smash; Elvis was described as 'back, better than ever', and any reservations seemed to be more about the distance Elvis was from the audience than any sound shortcomings. 'Take the binoculars if you really want to be sure that's our boy out there,' warned the Houston Chronicle.

The Houston Post:

"...Elvis Presley brought down the house, and all the attendance records of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo came tumbling down on the shoulders of his white shirt Saturday night at the Astrodome...Presley, the entertainment sensation of 15 years ago, is making his first public appearance in 10 years and he proved his audience appeal still exists...The largest crowd ever to attend a rodeo performance in Houston - 43,614 screaming fans - were present Saturday night for the rodeo and Elvis' fourth of six performances. He had drawn the largest matinee crowd - 34,443 Saturday and his two performance total exceeded by 3079 the two-performance total attracted by Roy Rogers and Dale Evans here two years ago..."

The Port Arthur News noted;

"...Although Presley appeared at only six of the 15 performances of the rodeo in the Astrodome he accounted for more than half of the total attendance, drawing 43,634 at one performance, a single program record..."

(concert reviews, stats and showbill thanks to www.elvisconcerts.com)

[elvis1970s]

Pioneering Elvis information website, elvisconcerts.com, celebrates an incredible 30 years online this year. Creator and webmaster Francesc Lopez has curated an unrivaled archive of rare facts, stats, and in-depth insights into Elvis’ life as a professional touring entertainer. There is also a comprehensive database with an easy search function so that you can explore an extensive library of information by multiple criteria.

Our written interview with Francesc has been updated for this 30th anniversary. We find out about the technical challenges he faced during the internet’s formative years, and explore in detail some of the features that make this site an essential, trusted source. We ask a couple of ‘fans’ questions as well, and expand on some of Francesc’s thoughts and recommendations with additional context, background and links.

Huge thanks to Francesc for taking the time to answer our questions again, and for his tireless work in creating and maintaining one of the most informative, fact-based and accurate Elvis sites online.

On a personal level, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to Francesc as we've relied hugely on elvisconcerts.com for all the background information that accompanies our bootleg concert uploads, our Tumblr posts here, and the occasional podcast as well.

If you love a little nerdy Elvis history, elvisconcerts.com is an essential destination, and you'll never stop making new discoveries there.

Read our interview with Francesc here;

Francesc Lopez (Podcast Supplement): Founding Webmaster of Pioneering Elvis Website, elvisconcerts.com

Expanded and Updated January 2026; Celebrating 30 Years Online for elvisconcerts.com Francesc Lopez is the founder and webmaster of the pion

[elvis1970s]

Joan Deary was a pioneering female executive at RCA Records, in charge of A and R (Artist and Repertoire) administration.

She was also a producer, and helmed the live album aspect of Elvis' 1973 satellite concert, Aloha From Hawaii, from the recording desk at the arena to overseeing the quadraphonic mix in the studio. It would be Elvis' final number one album in his lifetime.

She was brought in at a time of contract renegotiations between RCA and Colonel Parker, at which time RCA was also trying to exert greater control over Elvis' back catalogue and future studio work. She was reportedly not overly impressed with the technical knowledge, or work ethic, of Elvis' usual studio crew, and unhappy that they were going to to use Stax Studios for upcoming sessions, rather than RCA's own more modern facilities.

Joan Deary went on to work as an archivist of Elvis' studio masters, handling very successful re-releases of classic material and pioneering the concept of the 'boxed-set' style, complete with studio notes, alternate takes and recording information.

She worked at RCA for 40 years, and passed away in 1999.