Elvis Aaron Presley, in the humblest of circumstances, was born to
Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi
on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving
Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis,
Tennessee in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there
in 1953.
Elvis' musical influences were the pop and country music of the day,
the country gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel
sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic
Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. In 1954, he began his singing career
at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording
contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation.
With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences
and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time,
he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.
He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television
appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often
record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas.
Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than other artist.
His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum
awards for 111 different albums and singles, far more than any other
artist or group. Among his many awards and accolades were the Grammy
Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at age 36, from the National
Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and his being named One of the
Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States
Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status
might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S.
Army.
His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared
him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated
throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded
as one of the most important cultural figures of the twentieth century.
Elvis died at his beloved Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.
Following is a basic chronology of dates and events in Elvis' life
and career:
1912-1948 1949-1959 1960-1970
1971-1977
April 25, 1912
Gladys Love Smith is born.
April 10, 1916
Vernon Elvis Presley is born.
June, 1933
Gladys Smith and Vernon Presley are married.
January 8, 1935
In Tupelo, Mississippi, shortly before dawn, in a two-room house built
by her husband and her brother-in-law, Gladys Presley gives birth to
identical twin sons. The first, Jesse Garon, is born dead. The second,
Elvis Aaron, is born alive and healthy. Elvis would be their only child.
1935 - 1948
Elvis grows up within a close-knit, working class family, consisting
of his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, who all live
near each other in Tupelo. There is little money, but Vernon and Gladys
do their best to provide for their son, who is the center of their lives.
They move from one house to another in Tupelo, and even live in Biloxi,
Mississippi for a short while, returning to Tupelo. Elvis attends the
Assembly of God Church with his family, and the music and preaching
register deeply. Other influences are black bluesmen in the neighborhood
and country music radio programs enjoyed by his family.
1945
Ten-year-old Elvis stands on a chair at a microphone and sings "Old
Shep" in a youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and
Dairy Show, held in Tupelo. The talent show is broadcast over WELO Radio.
Second prize is $5.00 and free admission to all the rides at the fair.
1946
Elvis's parents cannot afford a bicycle that Elvis wants, so Gladys
talks him into accepting a guitar instead. Elvis's first guitar costs
$12.95 and is purchased at the Tupelo Hardware Company. The bicycle
would have to wait until Christmas of 1947.
Late 1948
Elvis plays his guitar and sings "Leaf on a Tree" for his Milam Junior
High class in Tupelo as a farewell. Elvis and his parents pack their
belongings in a trunk strapped to the roof of their 1939 Plymouth and
move to Memphis, Tennessee in search of a better life economically.
Other members of the Presley and Smith clan would follow.
1948-1953
Elvis and his parents live in public housing or low rent homes in the
poor neighborhoods of north Memphis. Life continues to be hard. Vernon
and Gladys go from job to job, and Elvis attends The Christine School,
then Humes High School. Elvis works at various jobs to help support
himself and his parents. The Presley-Smith clan remains close-knit,
and Elvis and his family attend the Assembly of God Church. The teenage
Elvis continues to be known for singing with his guitar. He buys his
clothes on Beale Street and he absorbs the black blues and gospel he
hears there. He's also a regular audience member at the all-night white,
and black, gospel sings that are held downtown. He wears his hair long
(compared to the day's standards) and slick, and lets his sideburns
grow. He's really different from the other kids, a good-natured misfit.
While at Humes High, Elvis nervously sings with his guitar at a student
talent show. Much to his own amazement, he gets more applause than anyone
else and wins, then performs an encore. The acceptance feels good.
June 3, 1953
Elvis graduates from Humes High School.
1953
Elvis works at Parker Machinists Shop right after graduation. That summer
he drops by The Memphis Recording Service, home of the Sun label and
makes a demo acetate of "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches
Begin" for a cost of about $4.00. (The studio came to be known as Sun
Studio though never officially named that until many years later. For
simplicity this text uses the name Sun Studio.) The studio owner isn't
in, so his assistant, Marion Keisker handles the session. Elvis wants
to see what his voice would sound like on a record and he has vague
aspirations to be a singer. He takes the acetate home, and reportedly
gives it to his mother as a much-belated extra birthday present. By
the fall, he is working at Precision Tool Company, and soon changes
jobs again, going to work for Crown Electric Company. At Crown, he does
various jobs, including driving a delivery truck. He also goes to night
school and studies to be an electrician.
January, 1954
Elvis makes another demo acetate at Sun. This time the songs are "Casual
Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand in Your Way". Sam Phillips, the owner,
is in this time and, like Marion Keisker, is intrigued by this unusual
looking and sounding young man. (There has recently been scholarly argument
about which songs were recorded this time around. The two songs listed
here are those most typically identified as the ones he recorded.)
Summer 1954
At Marion Keisker's suggestion, Sam Phillips calls Elvis into the studio
to try singing a song Sam hopes to put out on record. The song is "Without
You" and Elvis does not sing it to Sam's satisfaction. Sam asks Elvis
what he could sing, and Elvis runs through a number of popular tunes.
Sam is impressed enough to team Elvis up with local musicians Scotty
Moore (guitar) and Bill Black (bass) to see if they, together, could
come up with something worthwhile. Nothing really clicks until July
5, when after a tedious session, Elvis and the guys break into a sped-up
version of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That's All Right". This song,
backed with "Blue Moon of Kentucky" would be the first of five singles
Elvis would release on the Sun label. Elvis, Scotty, and Bill start
performing together, with Scotty acting as the group's manager. Elvis
continues to work at Crown Electric as the group starts to play small
clubs and other smalltime gigs locally and throughout the South, enjoying
moderate success with the records and personal appearances. Elvis's
one appearance on the Grand Ole Opry doesn't go over particularly well,
with one of the Opry officials suggesting that Elvis go back to driving
a truck. The Opry is very important at this time. This is a painful
disappointment in Elvis's early career.
Late 1954 - 1955
Elvis, Scotty, and Bill continue to record and to travel.
October 16, 1954
They appear for the first time on the "Louisiana Hayride", a live Saturday
night country music radio show originating in Shreveport, Louisiana,
broadcast over KWKH Radio. The show is the Grand Ole Opry's chief competitor,
carried by 190 stations in thirteen states. This leads to regular appearances
on the "Hayride" and, in November, Elvis signs a one-year contract for
fifty-two Saturday night appearances. This is a great break, but as
Elvis's popularity grows, his commitment to the "Hayride" prevents him
from traveling much outside the South to further his career on a larger
scale. During Elvis's association with the "Hayride" he meets "Colonel"
Tom Parker, a promoter and manager connected with various acts, and
connected with the "Louisiana Hayride". Parker is also the manager for
country star, Hank Snow. A previous client was country star Eddy Arnold.
January 1955
Elvis signs a contract with Bob Neal, who becomes his manager.
1955
Elvis, Scotty, and Bill continue touring on their own and in package
shows with various country stars, including package tours of artists
from the "Hayride". Colonel Parker is involved. This includes touring
with Hank Snow. The regular "Hayride" appearances continue. Drummer
D.J. Fontana joins Elvis's band. In the spring, Elvis fails to be accepted
on "Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts", a network television show. As always,
Elvis's live appearances have special appeal for the teenagers, especially
the females. Elvis's unusual style, sexy moves, and good looks start
to cause excitement wherever he plays. Sometimes the crowds break through
the barricades in near-riot behavior. Elvis gains more and more popularity
and begins to receive national attention. Colonel Parker becomes more
involved in Elvis's career.
August 15, 1955
Elvis signs a management contract with Hank Snow Attractions, which
is owned equally by Snow and Colonel Tom Parker. Bob Neal remains involved
as an advisor. Colonel Parker will be Elvis's manager from this time
on, and Snow is soon no longer connected to Elvis.
November 20, 1955
Elvis signs his first contract with RCA Records, which would be the
label he would record for from then on. Colonel Parker negotiates the
sale of Elvis's Sun contract to RCA, which includes Elvis's five Sun
singles and his unreleased Sun material. The price is an unprecedented
$40,000, with a $5,000 bonus for Elvis. RCA soon re-releases the five
Sun singles on the RCA label. At the same time Elvis signs a contract
with Hill and Range Publishing Company, which is to set up a separate
firm called Elvis Presley Music, Inc. Elvis would share with Hill and
Range the publishing ownership of, and share writers' royalties with
writers of, songs bought by Hill and Range for him to record. Elvis
is the hottest new star in the music business.
January 10, 1956
Two days after his twenty-first birthday, Elvis has his first recording
session for RCA, held at their studio in Nashville. Among the songs
laid to tape during this session is "Heartbreak Hotel".
The Jordanaires, a gospel quartet and popular country back-up group,
begin working with Elvis in the studio during the first few RCA sessions
and would soon begin touring with him. They would also appear with him
in several films. They would be his main back-up group until the late
sixties.
January 27, 1956
"Heartbreak Hotel" b/w "I Was the One" is released by RCA and sells
over 300,000 copies in its first three weeks on the market. It would
go to number one on Billboard's pop singles chart for eight weeks and
would also hit number one on the country chart and number five on the
R&B chart. It would become the first Elvis single to sell over one
million copies, thus becoming Elvis's very first gold record.
January 28, 1956
Elvis appears with Scotty, Bill, and D.J. on the Jackie Gleason-produced
"Stage Show", starring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey on CBS. This is Elvis's
first network television appearance. He appears on six weekly "Stage
Shows" in a row and makes minor waves nationally. The last of these
six "Stage Show" appearances is March 24. Traveling and personal appearances
continue during this time, including the "Louisiana Hayride" appearances
for which he is still under contract. Fame and "infamy" build.
February, 1956
As "Heartbreak Hotel" makes its climb up the charts, "Mystery Train"
b/w "I Forgot to Remember to Forget", Elvis's fifth and last single
to be released on the Sun label, hits number one on Billboard's national
country singles chart. His first number one hit on a national chart.
March 13, 1956
RCA releases "Elvis Presley", Elvis's first album. (He had not released
an album on Sun.) The album would go to number on on Billboard's pop
album chart for ten weeks. It would become the first Elvis album to
reach over $1 million in sales, thus becoming Elvis's first gold album.
April 1, 1956
Elvis has a screen test for Paramount Studios in Hollywood. He lip syncs
"Blue Suede Shoes" and he performs a scene from the as yet unmade film,
"The Rainmaker", a film he did not end up being in.
April 3, 1956
Elvis appears on "The Milton Berle Show" on ABC, which, for this particular
broadcast, originates from the deck of the aircraft carrier, the USS
Hancock.
April 6, 1956
Elvis signs a seven-year movie contract with Hal Wallis and Paramount
Pictures.
April 23 - May 9, 1956
Compared to the usual hysteria, Elvis has lukewarm acceptance for his
two-week engagement at the New Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. He is not
exactly what the adult audience of Vegas gamblers relates to very well.
During these two weeks, the single "Heartbreak Hotel" and the album
"Elvis Presley" both hit number one on the Billboard pop charts.
Through all of this, the travel and personal appearances around the
country and new record releases continue. The crowds get bigger and
bigger, wilder and wilder. Elvis's fame grows dramatically Some shows
have to end early due to fans' storming the stage. Elvis creates pandemonium
wherever he goes.
June 5, 1956
Elvis appears again on "The Milton Berle Show", this time in the studio
where the show usually originates, this time backed by the Jordanaires
in addition to Scotty, Bill and D.J. Among his selections is a playfully
sensuous, bump and grind performance of "Hound Dog" that drives the
kids in the audience wild, and, the next day, has the press and some
of the adult viewers appalled. It is one of his most controversial performances.
This merely serves to fuel his seemingly unstoppable popularity even
more.
Traveling and personal appearances and new record releases continue.
By this time Elvis, with his sexy moves and black-influenced sound,
is being condemned by certain factions of the " morally concerned" establishment
and the religious community. But, the kids love it.
July 1, 1956
Elvis appears on "The Steve Allen Show" on NBC. Among his performances
that night is a much toned down version of "Hound Dog". Allen has Elvis
dressed in white tie and black tux with tails and has him sing the song
to a live Basset hound, a tongue-in-cheek response to all controversy
created by the Berle appearance the month before. Elvis good-naturedly
goes along with it, but is not too happy about it.
Record releases, touring, and recording continue. The condemnation
and controversy continue along with the ever-growing popularity. Ed
Sullivan, who had said that he would never have the likes of Elvis Presley
on his show, changes his tune when he sees the big ratings that Elvis
attracts to the Berle and Allen shows. A three-appearance deal is worked
out for $50,000 and is the highest amount ever paid to a performer,
up to that time, for appearing on a variety show.
August 1956
Elvis begins shooting his first movie, "Love Me Tender" on loan-out
from Paramount to Twentieth Century Fox. It is originally titled "The
Reno Brothers", but is re-titled before its release to capitalize on
Elvis's sure-to-be-a-hit single from the soundtrack. September 9, 1956
Elvis makes the first of three appearances on Ed Sullivan's "Toast of
the Town Show", the top television program of the era. Elvis attracts
the highest ratings ever for any television variety show.
September 26, 1956
"Elvis Presley Day" is proclaimed in Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis's parents
join him as he returns to the town of his birth as a big star. He performs
two shows that day at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, the
same fair at which he had performed at age 10. This time there are a
hundred National Guardsmen surrounding the stage to control the crowds
of excited fans.
By this time, souvenir merchandising using Elvis's name, image, and
likeness has become a big part of the Elvis phenomenon. Licensees would
soon be producing as many as thirty different products including hats,
t-shirts, jeans, kerchiefs, sneakers, shirts, blouses, belts, purses,
billfolds, wallets, charm bracelets, necklaces, magazines, gloves, bookends,
a statue, lipstick, cologne, stuffed hound dogs, stationery, sweaters,
crockery, and more. Elvis and the Colonel blazed new trails in the area
of celebrity merchandising. This would forever be part of the marketing
of Elvis Presley, feeding a never-ending demand.
October 28, 1956
Elvis makes his second of three appearances on the Sullivan show.
November 16, 1956
Elvis's first movie, "Love Me Tender" premieres at the Paramount Theater
in New York City, opening nationwide in the days following. It becomes
a smash hit, and the critics' reviews aren't bad for his acting in this
melodrama, which is set in 1800's Civil War era southern America. The
film has Elvis performing several songs, of course.
December 31, 1956
The front page of the Wall Street Journal reports that in the past few
months Elvis merchandise has grossed $22 million in sales.
Elvis ends the pivotal year of his career, when regional popularity
gave way to unprecedented national and international fame. The year
of 1956 had seen the beginning of Elvis souvenir merchandising, the
beginning of a successful movie career, history-making record sales
(five number one singles on the pop chart, two number one albums on
the pop chart, and other hits), history-making television appearances,
record-breaking personal appearances and more.
Elvis had become the primary symbol of the new youth culture in America.
He had also become one of society's most controversial figures. His
unique blending of white country and gospel music, black R&B and
gospel music, white pop music, and his particular brand of charisma
and talent, and the resulting success and controversy, had him helping
greatly to begin, without premeditation, a cycle of change in music
and pop culture and the mores of American society. Nothing would ever
be the same for Elvis Presley or for the world.
January 6, 1957
Elvis makes his third and final appearance on Ed Sullivan's "Toast of
the Town Show". It was for this appearance that Elvis is seen only from
the waist up. It's funny that after all of his television appearances
the previous year, such censorship comes at this time. It is particularly
amusing that this guideline remains in place during Elvis's performance
of the gospel standard, "Peace in the Valley", one of five songs he
performs on this Sullivan appearance. Ed Sullivan himself helps diffuse
some of the controversy surrounding Elvis when he comes out on stage
to thank Elvis and tells the studio audience and millions of American
television viewers that "this is a decent, fine boy" and what a delight
he had been to work with when appearing on the show. Ed Sullivan is
the most influential person on television audiences and one of the most
powerful people in the television industry at the time.
Personal appearances, recording sessions, record releases, controversy,
and publicity continue.
January, 1957
Elvis begins production of his second movie, "Loving You".
February 3, 1957
The New York Times runs a story entitled "Presley Records a Craze in
Soviet Union". Elvis records are not legally available in the Soviet
Union. The article tells of bootleg recordings being cut on discarded
x-ray plates and being sold in Leningrad on the black market for fifty
roubles (about twelve and a half dollars) each, a lot of money back
then.
March 1957
Elvis buys Graceland Mansion for himself, his parents, and his paternal
grandmother to live in. It will be ready for them to move into in early
April.
April , 1957
While touring with his show, Elvis performs outside the United States
for the first time when he appears in Canada: two shows in Toronto on
April 2 and two shows in Ottawa on April 3.
May, 1957
Elvis begins work on his third motion picture, "Jailhouse Rock" for
MGM.
July 9, 1957
Elvis's second motion picture, "Loving You" premieres and quickly reaches
the top ten at the box office. Hit records include the title song and
the classic smash "Teddy Bear".
Traveling, touring, record releases, and personal appearances continue.
August 31, 1957
Elvis performs in Vancouver. This is the third Canadian city he has
performed in, and marks the last time he would perform in concert outside
the United States.
September 27, 1957
Elvis returns once more to the town of his birth to perform. This time
it is a benefit for the proposed Elvis Presley Youth Recreation Center
in Tupelo, Mississippi. The grounds include Elvis' birthplace home.
He would donate regularly to the center for the rest of his life. (The
center is still used by the general community today. The birthplace
home is open for tours, and there is a small museum and a memorial chapel.)
October 17, 1957
"Jailhouse Rock", Elvis's third motion picture premieres in Memphis,
opening nationally in November and quickly going to the top five at
the box office. The title song is a smash hit. This film would, years
later, be considered Elvis's best, rivaled only by "King Creole", which
followed in 1958. "Jailhouse Rock" would come to be considered the ultimate
classic of all "rock opera" movies, and the "Jailhouse Rock" production
number in the film would later be recognized as the grandfather of pop/rock
music videos, a music format that would become widely popular by the
1980's.
November 10, 11 1957
Elvis performs shows in Hawaii for the first time.
December, 1957
Elvis and family enjoy their first Christmas at Graceland and Elvis
officially receives his draft notice, a day he had known would be coming
soon.
Late January- Early March, 1958
Elvis films and records for his fourth motion picture, "King Creole".
March 15, 1958
Elvis performs two shows in Memphis. These will be his last stage performances
until after his army release in 1960.
March 24, 1958
Elvis Presley is inducted into the U.S. Army at the Memphis Draft Board
and is assigned serial number 53310761.
March 25, 1958
Elvis gets his famous G.I. haircut at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas.
March 29, 1958
Private Presley arrives at Fort Hood, Texas for basic training and is
stationed there for six months. His parents soon move to a temporary
home near the base.
June 10, 1958
After basic training, while on his first leave, Elvis has a recording
session, his last until 1960.
July, 1958
"King Creole", Elvis's fourth motion picture opens nationally and the
reviews are the best he would ever have for his acting. Its impressive
list of co-stars and supporting cast includes Carolyn Jones, Walter
Matthau, Dean Jagger and Vic Morrow. It becomes a top five film at the
box office. This Michael ("Casablanca") Curtiz-directed movie, set in
New Orleans and based upon the Harold Robbins novel, A Stone for Danny
Fisher, will come to be regarded as Elvis's finest film, his greatest
acting performance, and proof positive that he had the talent to have
developed as a respected serious actor, though the realization of this
desire would remain forever out of his grasp.
August, 1958
Gladys Presley becomes ill and returns to Memphis to be hospitalized
with acute hepatitis. Elvis is granted emergency leave and arrives in
Memphis on the afternoon of August 12th. He visits her that night, and
the next day and night. A few hours after Elvis goes home to Graceland
to rest, she dies in the early hours of August 14 at age 46. Her body
lies in state at Graceland that afternoon. Services are at the Memphis
Funeral Home on the 15th, with the Blackwood Brothers singing "Precious
Memories" and "Rock of Ages", two of Gladys Presley's favorite hymns.
She is laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery, a few miles down the road
from Graceland. Elvis suffers the most overwhelming grief and despair
of his life. He would never be the same after this.
August 25, 1958
Elvis reports back to Fort Hood.
September/October 1958
September 19, Elvis boards a troop train to New York, later boards the
USS Randall, sails to West Germany, arriving on October 1. He will be
stationed in Friedberg for 18 months, maintaining an off-base residence
in Bad Nauheim, shared with his father and grandmother, and some friends
from Memphis. He finds the fans in Europe to be as enthusiastic as those
in America.
January 8, 1959
Elvis is interviewed via transatlantic telephone by Dick Clark on his
"American Bandstand" show on ABC-TV. The show (which Elvis never appeared
on) commemorates the star's twenty-fourth birthday.
June, 1959
On a two-week leave, Elvis visits Munich, then goes clubbing in Paris,
which includes a visit to the Lido.
Colonel Parker has continued to keep Elvis's career alive with promotions
and hit record releases.
November 1959
Captain Joseph Beaulieu is transferred from Texas to Weisbaden Air Force
Base near Friedberg, accompanied by his wife and children, including
his fourteen-and-a-half- year-old stepdaughter, Priscilla Ann. (Priscilla
is the only child from Ann Beaulieu's marriage to her first husband,
James Wagner, a Navy pilot who was killed in a plane crash when Priscilla
was an infant.) Through a mutual friend, Priscilla is invited to a party
at Elvis's home soon after her arrival in West Germany. They meet, and
the rest is history.
January 20, 1960
Elvis is promoted to Sergeant.
March 1960
Elvis leaves West Germany on March 1, arriving in New Jersey the next
day for a press conference, and is officially discharged from active
duty on March 5, 1960. He boards a train for Memphis, arriving on March
7. Press and crowds of fans are everywhere for this historic series
of events. He holds a press conference at Graceland in his father's
office behind the mansion on March 8.
He had served his country just like any other GI, with no special privileges
his celebrity status might have afforded him. These two years away from
his career have been a time to mature. He has also worried constantly
that his lengthy absence might have damaged his career progress. He
needn't have worried. He has yet to see his greatest stardom.
Late March, 1960
Elvis has his first post-army recording session. On March 21 he receives
his first degree black belt in karate, an interest he developed while
in the army. On March 26 he tapes a special "Welcome Home, Elvis" version
of Frank Sinatra's ABC-TV variety show, for which he is paid a record
sum for a single variety show appearance.
Late April, 1960
Elvis begins filming and recording for his first post-army movie, his
fifth film, "GI Blues" for Paramount, the the first of nine to be produced
(not consecutively) by Hal Wallis. "GI Blues" co-stars dancer/actress
Juliet Prowse.
May 8, 1960
ABC airs Frank Sinatra's "Welcome Home, Elvis" edition of his variety
show, which attracts a 41.5% share of the national television audience.
Elvis is sets a new television record by being paid $125,000 for his
brief appearances in the show.
July 3, 1960
Vernon Presley marries divorcee and mother of three sons, Davada "Dee"
Stanley, an American whom he had met in West Germany, where she had
been stationed with her husband. They live at Graceland briefly, then
move to a home nearby.
August/September 1960
Elvis records and films for his sixth movie, "Flaming Star", a drama
with limited music. Elvis plays a half-breed Native American, caught
between two cultures. His positive portrayal of Native Americans earns
him special recognition. The film co-stars Barbara Eden.
October, 1960
The soundtrack album for "GI Blues" enters the Billboard album chart
and soon goes to number one. It remains number one for ten weeks and
stays on the chart for 111 weeks. It would be the most successful album
of Elvis's entire career on the Billboard charts. (In terms of total
record sales, we do not know which album was the most successful.)
Note: Elvis has three number one singles, one number two album, one
number one album, and other hits in 1960, his first year out of the
army.
November 1960
Elvis begins recording and filming for his seventh film, "Wild in the
Country", which will be completed in January. "GI Blues" opens nationally
to warm reviews and big box office sales and is among the fifteen top-grossing
films of the year. It is a light comedy melodrama with lots of singing
by Elvis, who seen in uniform for most of the movie.
Late December, 1960
"Flaming Star" opens nationally to warm reviews, but this dramatic film
with little singing does not set the box office on fire so much as "GI
Blues".
February 25, 1961
Elvis appears in Memphis at a luncheon in his honor, and numerous recent
awards Elvis has received are shown to those attending, including the
press. A press conference follows. Then there are afternoon and evening
shows at Ellis Auditorium to benefit around thirty-eight Memphis-area
charities. Other than the Sinatra television show, this is, so far,
Elvis's only live performance since his army discharge. "Elvis Presley
Day" is proclaimed by Tennessee Governor Buford Ellington.
Every year after this, Elvis donates money to a list of Memphis-area
charities, eventually reaching fifty or more, usually around Christmas
time.
March 25, 1961
Elvis arrives in Hawaii for a press conference, then an evening concert
at Bloch Arena at Pearl Harbor. He is there to perform a benefit to
help fund the building of the USS Arizona Memorial. Hundreds of fans
mob the airport as he arrives. His show raises around $65,000 for the
memorial and, beyond that, also helps bring publicity and public awareness
and support to the project. The fund-raising efforts, for the most part,
had been difficult up to that point. The rest of the needed funds are
soon raised, and the memorial is completed a year later. Elvis receives
numerous official honors in appreciation for this benefit. This turns
out to be Elvis's last live, non-movie performance until his 1968 television
special.
Late March/Mid- April, 1961
Elvis remains in Hawaii to do location filming for his eighth motion
picture, "Blue Hawaii". He has already done soundtrack recording. Later,
there is additional filming to be done back in Hollywood for this film.
From this time on, Elvis will have a great affection for Hawaii, its
culture and its people.
June, 1961
"Wild in the Country", co-starring Hope Lange, Millie Perkins and Tuesday
Weld, opens nationally to mixed reviews. Like "Flaming Star" it is a
melodrama with limited singing by Elvis. It, too, does not set the box
office on fire.
July, 1961
Elvis records and films for his ninth motion picture, "Follow That Dream".
Filming includes some location shooting Florida.
Non-movie-related hit records and recording session have continued
through this period.
October, 1961
The soundtrack album for "Blue Hawaii" enters the Billboard chart for
a year-and-a-half run, staying at number one for twenty weeks, second
only to "GI Blues" as the biggest album of Elvis's career on the Billboard
charts. It also yields a number two single destined to become an Elvis
classic, "Can't Help Falling in Love".
October/November, 1961
Elvis records and films for his tenth motion picture, "Kid Galahad",
completing it in January.
Late November 1961
"Blue Hawaii" opens nationally to warm reviews and gets to number two
on the box office charts. It becomes the top-grossing film of Elvis's
career thus far. Its characteristics of a non-cerebral plot, lavish
scenery, lots of songs by Elvis, and lots of pretty girls become the
basis for the "Presley formula" movies of the sixties, though most of
them will not be nearly so well done.
Non-movie-related recordings and hit records have continued through
this period, with "Good Luck Charm" hitting number one in 1962 (his
last number one pop hit until "Suspicious Minds" in 1969).
Late March/Late April, 1962
Elvis records and films in Hollywood, and does location filming in Hawaii
for his eleventh motion picture, "Girls! Girls! Girls!".
May/June 1962
"Follow That Dream" opens nationally and gets to number five on the
box office charts. It is warmly reviewed and does pretty well in sales.
Late August/September 1962
Elvis records and films for his twelfth motion picture, "It Happened
at the World's Fair". Shooting is both in Hollywood and on location
at the World's Fair in Seattle.
"Kid Galahad" opens nationally does relatively well with a brief stay
in the top ten on the box office chart.
October 1962
In Mexico, riot behavior in a theater showing "GI Blues" prompts the
Mexican government to ban Elvis movies. Torn seats, broken windows,
and other damage is reported.
November 1962
"Girls! Girls! Girls!" opens nationally and rivals "Blue Hawaii" in
box office success. This is the second film to use the "formula", and
it works. The soundtrack album goes top five and yields the hit single
"Return to Sender".
December 1962
Priscilla Beaulieu had flown from West Germany to visit Elvis in Los
Angeles in the summer for their first time to see each other after his
army discharge. In December her parents allow her to spend the Christmas
holidays with him at Graceland in Memphis. She returns to her family
briefly, then moves to Graceland in early 1963, finishing her senior
year of high school in Memphis. She turns 18 on May 24, 1963. It will
be nearly four years before she becomes Mrs. Elvis Presley.
Late January/February 1963
Elvis records and films for his thirteenth film (another "formula" movie),
"Fun in Acapulco".
April 1963
"It Happened at the World's Fair" opens nationally and does relatively
well at the box office, though its plot is the most frivolous of any
Elvis film so far. And the soundtrack album goes top five.
Non-movie recordings and hits continue through this period.
July 1963
Elvis records the music, then, on location in Las Vegas and in a Hollywood
studio, he films for his fourteenth motion picture, "Viva Las Vegas",
co-starring Ann-Margret. (It would be his fifteenth movie to be released
as "Kissin' Cousins", which he would shoot next, would actually be released
before "Viva Las Vegas".)
October 1963
Elvis records and shoots for his fifteenth motion picture, "Kissin'
Cousins".
Late November 1963
"Fun in Acapulco" opens nationally and quickly goes to number five at
the box office. The soundtrack goes to the top five on the pop chart.
January/February 1964
Elvis purchases the "Potomac", former presidential yacht of Franklin
Roosevelt, for $55,000. He intends to donate it to the March of Dimes
for use as a national shrine (FDR suffered from polio, the main disease
fought by the March of Dimes). Costs of maintaining the yacht would
be prohibitive, so the March of Dimes declines to accept the gift. Elvis
attempts to give it to the 7th Coast Guard District Auxilliary in Miami,
which also doesn't work out. Finally, on February 13 he presents the
yacht to Danny Thomas as a gift to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
in Memphis for them to use to raise funds as they see fit. The ceremony
takes place in Long Beach, California.
During this saga of trying to donate the yacht, the Beatles make their
first appearance on the "Ed Sullivan Show" and Sullivan reads on the
air a congratulatory telegram from Elvis and the Colonel. American music
and pop culture soon change dramatically with the "British invasion",
much as it had after Elvis hit it big in the fifties Elvis has become
bored and frustrated with his film and recording career. It will only
get worse.
March 1964
"Kissin' Cousins" opens nationally. One of the poorest quality films
of his career, it still quickly hits number eleven at the box office
(then quickly falls) and the album goes top ten.
Elvis begins filming for his sixteenth motion picture, "Roustabout",
co-starring Hollywood legend Barbara Stanwyck. He had recorded the music
during the previous month.
June 1964
Elvis records music for his next film, "Girl Happy".
"Viva Las Vegas" opens nationally and goes to number eight at the box
office. It's one of the better Elvis movies of this period, and the
songs are better as well.
July/August 1964
Elvis shoots his seventeenth motion picture, "Girl Happy", which co-stars
Shelley Fabares and former "Miss America", Mary Ann Mobley. This involves
some location shooting in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
October 1964
Elvis begins shooting eighteenth motion picture, "Tickle Me". The soundtrack
has no new recordings. Instead, previously released non-movie recordings
are used, apparently to keep production costs to a minimum.
November 1964
"Roustabout" opens nationally and hits number eight at the box office.
The soundtrack, which represents some of the best Elvis movie music
in a while, goes to number one on the Billboard pop album chart.
March/April 1965
Elvis records the soundtrack and does the filming for his nineteenth
motion picture, "Harum Scarum", which co-stars Mary Ann Mobley.
April 1965
"Girl Happy" opens nationally and does relatively good business. The
soundtrack album goes top ten.
Non-movie record releases have continued during this period. Some do
well.
May 1965
Elvis records music and does filming for his twentieth motion picture
(to be released out of chronology as his twenty-first), "Frankie and
Johnny", co-starring Donna Douglas.
July 1965
"Tickle Me" opens nationally.
Elvis donates $50,000 to the Motion Picture Relief Fund, reportedly
the largest single donation the organization had ever received. Accepting
for the organization are Barbara Stanwyck and Frank Sinatra.
August 1965
Elvis records soundtrack music for his twenty-first motion picture,
"Paradise, Hawaiian Style", (which will be released out of chronology
as his twentieth) then goes to Hawaii for location shooting. During
a break in filming, he visits the USS Arizona Memorial. The visit is
covered by the press and prompts Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye to have
the visit recognized in the Congressional Record. Elvis returns to Hollywood
for more shooting for the film.
August 27, 1965
The Beatles visit with Elvis for several hours at his home in California
and have an informal jam session.
November 24, 1965
"Harum Scarum" opens nationally and hits number eleven at the box office,
then falls, as has been the pattern for most of Elvis's movies during
the past few years. (Hit fast, burn out quickly, but make a sizable
profit and sell some records.) The soundtrack album goes to number eight.
February 1966
Elvis records the soundtrack music and shoots his twenty-second motion
picture, "Spinout", co-starring Shelley Fabares.
March 1966
"Frankie and Johnny" opens nationally and doesn't do particularly well.
The soundtrack album goes to number twenty.
June 1966
"Paradise, Hawaiian Style" is released and doesn't do well. The soundtrack
album peeks at number fifteen.
June-September 1966
Soundtrack recording and shooting for Elvis's twenty-third motion picture
(to be the twenty-fourth released), "Double Trouble".
September 1966
Soundtrack recording and filming for Elvis's twenty-fourth motion picture
(the twenty-third to released), "Easy Come, Easy Go".
November 1966
"Spinout" opens nationally and doesn't do well. The soundtrack album
goes to number 18.
December 1966
Elvis formally proposes marriage to Priscilla.
February 1967
Elvis buys a 163-acre ranch in Mississippi, minutes across the Tennessee
state line from Graceland. He and his entourage and their wives had
become interested in horseback riding after Elvis purchased a horse
for Priscilla as a gift. The hobby had outgrown the pasture at Graceland.
Over the months to come, Elvis and the gang would enjoy spending a lot
of time at the Circle G. It becomes a happy diversion for Elvis as his
frustration and unhappiness over the state of his career reaches its
height.
March 1967
"Easy Come, Easy Go" opens nationally and doesn't do well.
RCA releases Elvis's second gospel album, "How Great Thou Art", which
was recorded in mid-1966. It is gets very good reviews and goes on to
earn Elvis the Grammy Award for Best Sacred Performance, his first Grammy.
February-April, 1967
Soundtrack recording and filming for "Clambake", Elvis's twenty-fifth
movie. It is the third of three movies to co-star Shelley Fabares.
April 1967
"Double Trouble" opens nationally. Better than some of his recent screen
efforts, it doesn't do well at the box office.
May 1967
On May 1, Elvis and Priscilla are married in a private ceremony amongst
a small group of family and friends at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas,
just after 9:30 AM. A press conference and breakfast reception follow.
The couple honeymoon for a few days in Palm Springs. Elvis wraps up
some over-dubbing on "Clambake". Then they return to Memphis.
May 29, 1967
Elvis and Priscilla dress in their wedding clothes and have a second
wedding reception in the trophy room at Graceland to accommodate family
and friends who were not in Las Vegas for the wedding.
June-July 1967
Soundtrack recording and filming for Elvis's twenty-sixth movie, "Speedway",
co-starring Nancy Sinatra. During the production, news of Priscilla's
pregnancy is released.
September-November, 1967
Soundtrack recording and filming for Elvis's twenty-seventh movie, "Stay
Away, Joe". He plays a half-breed Native American in this western themed
comedy. It's a real departure from the virtually interchangeable plots
and characters in most of the films over the past several grueling years.
He has fun with this one.
December 1967
"Clambake" is released nationally and goes to number fifteen at the
box office. The soundtrack album goes to number 40.
February 1, 1968
Priscilla gives birth to Lisa Marie Presley nine months to the day after
her marriage to Elvis. It is a time of great happiness.
March 1968
"Stay Away, Joe" opens to mixed reviews and doesn't do well at the box
office, though like all of Elvis's films, it makes a profit.
Soundtrack recording and filming for Elvis's twenty-eighth movie, "Live
a Little, Love a Little". It is a sexy, more adult kind of comedy/melodrama.
It, like "Stay Away, Joe" is a real departure from the typical Presley
film. It is yet another breath of fresh air.
June 1968
"Speedway" is released nationally and doesn't do very well. The soundtrack
album goes only as far up the chart as number 82.
Mid-to-Late June, 1968
Elvis rehearses for the taping of his 1968 television special. A press
conference is held on June 25th. Videotaping is done June 27, 28, 29,
and 30. This is Elvis's first performance before a live audience since
the U.S.S. Arizona benefit in March 1961. The name of the show is "Elvis",
but it would come to be known as the "'68 Comeback Special".
In the '68 special, Elvis is reunited with two of his original fifties
band members, guitarist Scotty Moore and drummer D.J. Fontana (Bill
Black had died.). They sit together on stage in the round, along with
several other friends and associates of Elvis for an informal jam session.
Parts of this session are woven throughout the special. There are also
sequences of Elvis taking the stage alone and performing many of his
greatest hit rock and roll songs and ballads, such as "Hound Dog", "Don't
Be Cruel", "Jailhouse Rock", "All Shook Up", "Love Me Tender", and "Can't
Help Falling in Love" Along with singing the old hits, Elvis introduces
a new song that would become another classic, "Memories." One can speculate
that he poured years of frustration into the performance of these songs,
along with the nervous energy of appearing live for the first time in
so long. His natural talent, charisma, and sensuality had not been diminished
by Hollywood or by the passage of time. In fact, he looked, sounded,
moved, and grooved better than he ever had. At 33, he was better than
he had ever been. Better than anybody in the business. For most of the
show Elvis wears a two-piece black leather outfit specially designed
for the special, a look evocative of the era of James Dean, of Marlon
Brando type motorcycle films of the fifties, and of Elvis' early days,
the era when he had first been proclaimed the "king of rock and roll."
In the jam session segment, Elvis speaks of the gospel origins of rock
and roll. This segues into the gospel music portion of the show, which
has Elvis wearing a two-piece burgundy suit, singing "Where Could I
Go But to the Lord" , "Up Above My Head", and "I'm Saved", backed by
the black female group, The Blossoms, and accompanied by a troupe of
dancers - all of this for a rousing gospel production number.
Toward the end of the special Elvis appears in a lengthy production
number that, through song, dance, karate, and various situations, traces
a young man's journey from a struggling guitar player, through all the
challenges, dangers and compromises on the path to his dreams of success
and superstardom. Something is lost along the way. Once the dream is
achieved, the man realizes that he remains unfulfilled, that he has
abandoned his true self. He decides to return to his roots, where he
was happiest. The parallels to Elvis's own life are clear and deliberate,
and his doing the '68 special represents his own return to his true
self, to his roots.
At the end of the special, Elvis appears alone, wearing a simple white
two-piece suit, standing in front of the towering backdrop of red lights
that spell Elvis, and sings a brand new song, specially written for
the show, called "If I Can Dream". The writers had created the song
based on conversations with Elvis about his own thoughts about what
was happening in the turbulent sixties, his feelings about life, and
his hopes for mankind. It represents one of the few times Elvis would
sing a "message" song, and it stands as one of the most brilliant moments
of his singing career. It is yet another classic, and the lyrics are
as timely today as they were in 1968.
July/August, 1968
Elvis records the theme and does filming for his twenty-ninth movie,
"Charro!", a dramatic western, again a very different kind of role.
Elvis grows a beard for this. The theme song will be heard over the
opening credits, but there will be no other Elvis songs used. This will
be the first and only film in which Elvis does not sing on camera.
October-November 1968
Elvis records the soundtrack and does filming for his thirtieth movie,"The
Trouble with Girls". He sings in this one, but in very natural situations
for a change. It is quite a bit different from the typical Elvis films.
"Live a Little, Love a Little" opens in the U.S. in October and doesn't
do very well.
"If I Can Dream", from the soon-to-be aired '68 special hits number
12 on the pop singles chart in November, making it Elvis's biggest single
since 1965.
December 3, 1968
"Elvis", the 1968 television special first airs on NBC-TV on December
3, 1968 and is one of this biggest television hits of the year, receiving
rave reviews from the public and the critics alike. The soundtrack album
will go to number eight on the pop chart. Elvis' career is to take a
dramatic and exciting turn.
December 1968
Elvis wraps shooting on "The Trouble with Girls".
January/February 1969
Elvis records in Memphis for the first time since 1955. He has all-night
marathon sessions at American Sound Studio. His work here will become
regarded as some of the finest music of his career, his best work since
the innovative days at Sun and the exciting early days at RCA before
he went into the army. Elvis has excellent material to choose from and
pours his heart and soul into the sessions. He works with a lot of top-notch
Memphis musicians. The sound is fresh and gutsy. On every track one
can sense his creative excitement and energy. This is joyful work after
years of movie boredom. Two albums will result from these sessions.
The sessions will also yield four hit singles to be released over the
coming year: "In the Ghetto", "Suspicious Minds", "Don't Cry, Daddy"
and "Kentucky Rain". ("Suspicious Minds" becomes his first number one
single since "Good Luck Charm" in 1962, and will be his last number
one pop single, though he'll have many big hits.)
March/April 1969
Elvis returns to Hollywood to film and record the soundtrack music for
his thirty-first, and what will turn out to be his last, acting role
in a motion picture. It is "Change of Habit", co-starring Mary Tyler
Moore. Elvis plays a hip ghetto doctor in a Northern city, having come
from Tennessee. Mary Tyler Moore and two others play nuns who go "undercover"
into the ghetto to assist with health and societal troubles in the community.
The theme, though serious and timely, is not particularly well carried
out by the script in the opinion of many, and the title is frivolous.
But, Elvis looks magnificent, and gives a natural, easy, understated
performance that is a refreshing pleasure to see after the silliness
he endured in his films through most of the sixties. The few songs in
the movie are good and they're performed in natural, rather than the
usual badly contrived, situations.
March, 1969
"Charro!" opens in theaters and doesn't do much at the box office.
July 31 - August 28, 1969
Elvis is booked for a four-week, fifty-seven show engagement at the
International Hotel in Las Vegas, which has just been built and has
the largest showroom in the city. Elvis puts together top-notch rock
and roll musicians, an orchestra, a male gospel back-up group, and a
black female soul/ gospel back-up group for his show. They rehearse
for several weeks and open on July 31, 1969. (Barbra Streisand has just
closed her show the night before, having been the first headliner in
the new showroom.) The show is a delightful mix of fresh arrangements
of classic Elvis hits, exciting new material he has recorded, a few
covers of current and past hits of other artists, and charming on-stage
antics and sharing of personal recollections of his career. A press
conference follows the first of his two opening night shows.
This engagement breaks all existing Las Vegas attendance records and
attracts rave reviews from the public and the critics. It is a triumph.
Elvis's first live album is recorded during this engagement and is soon
released.
For the shows a lean Elvis in top physical form, wears simple, unique,
karate-inspired two-piece outfits in black or white. These are designed
by Bill Belew, who had done the wardrobe for the '68 special. These
are the predecessors to the famous one-piece jumpsuits which will be
simple at first, then become flashier and more elaborate over the years.
September 1969
"The Trouble with Girls", Elvis's thirtieth movie, opens in theaters
and doesn't do much at the box office.
November 1969
"Change of Habit" , Elvis's thirty-first movie, opens in theaters and
doesn't do much at the box office.
January/February 1970
Some say it was a mistake to go back to Vegas so soon, especially during
the slowest season for the city. Can he fill the seats? But, Elvis returns
to the International Hotel for another month-long engagement. This time
he breaks his own attendance records. Another live album is recorded.
February/March 1970
A press conference in Houston on the 27th. Elvis performs afternoon
and evening shows at the Houston Astrodome in connection with the Texas
Livestock Show. Two more shows follow on the 28th. Two more follow on
March 1. A closing press conference and banquet follow, and Elvis is
presented an armload of recent gold record awards. The six shows attract
207,494 people and set records. There is speculation among the press
and the public that Elvis might tour in concert for the first time since
the fifties.
June 1970
Elvis has recording sessions in Nashville.
July/September 1970
Back to Las Vegas for rehearsals for another month-long engagement at
the International. He opens on August 10 and closes on September 7.
MGM is on hand to film a documentary film called "Elvis -That's the
Way It Is" that will show Elvis off stage, in rehearsals, in the recording
studio, and on stage. RCA will also release an album with the same title.
September 1970
From the 9th through the 14th Elvis takes his show on a nine-city tour.
It is a smashing success, the first tour since 1957, only these days
the show is much more elaborate and requires a big crew. (MGM films
portions of the first show on this tour for use in "Elvis - That's the
Way It Is".)
Elvis has a recording session in Nashville.
November 1970
"That's the Way It Is" opens in theaters to good reviews and good box
office. Documentaries traditionally do not do well at the box office,
but this one makes a respectable showing. It, like other Elvis movies
will go on to have a life on television and home video in years to come.
Elvis does a successful eight-city concert tour.
December 1970
Elvis's famous visit with President Richard Nixon at the White House
occurs.
January 16, 1971
Elvis attends a day of functions culminating in an evening awards banquet.
He and nine others accept the honor of being named "One of the Ten Outstanding
Young Men of the Nation" by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce.
He is nervous about his acceptance speech. He is touched, excited and
deeply proud. This national honor has been given each year since the
late 1930's and recognizes young men who have made great achievements
in their field of endeavor, illustrating the opportunities available
in the free enterprise system. It also applauds humanitarianism and
community service. Scientists, inventors, performers, filmmakers, politicians
bound for the Presidency, and men of greatness in all fields, have been
selected for this award over the years. For Elvis, a man who had grown
up poor, and, in his early career had known the sting of ridicule from
the Establishment, who, through the years had known criticism of his
work, this is one of his proudest moments. It is a sign that he has
achieved acceptance, recognition, and respect for his work and for the
kind of person he is.
Late January/February 1971
Elvis plays another month-long engagement at the International Hotel
in Las Vegas.
March 1971
Elvis begins a recording session in Nashville, but cancels it due to
pain and inflammation in an eye. He is treated at a Nashville hospital
where he is diagnosed with secondary glaucoma. This eye condition will
plague him from time to time in varying degrees for the rest of his
life.
May 1971
Elvis is featured on the cover of Look Magazine, which carries an installment
of the forthcoming biography on Elvis by Jerry Hopkins. Many books and
articles have been written over the years, but this is the first in-depth,
serious biography. The book "Elvis : A Biography" will be released in
October.
Elvis has recording sessions in Nashville. Much of the work is for
his forthcoming album "Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas".
June 1971
The two-room house Elvis was born in opens to the public for tours,
having been restored by the East Heights Garden Club in Tupelo. Elvis
has more recording sessions in Nashville, this time mostly for an upcoming
gospel album, "He Touched Me".
A long stretch of Highway 51 South, part of which runs in front of
Graceland, is officially renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. The first
of the new street signs will go up in January of 1972.
Various albums and singles continue to be released to various degrees
of success during this period.
July/August 1971
Elvis plays a two-week engagement at the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe,
Nevada.
August 9 - September 6, 1971
Elvis plays an engagement in Las Vegas at the International Hotel, which
has been renamed the Las Vegas Hilton International Hotel. He breaks
another attendance record and tops himself once again.
During the engagement an award is presented to Elvis in his dressing
room. It is the Bing Crosby Award from the National Academy of Recording
Arts and Sciences (the Grammy Awards). The award is a special means
of recognition from NARAS and is named for its first recipient. The
award is not given every year as a rule. It will later be re-named the
Lifetime Achievement Award. Elvis is 36 years old.
November 5-16, 1971
Elvis goes on a 12-city concert tour.
Late 1971, Early 1972
Elvis and Priscilla separate. She moves out on her own with Lisa Marie.
January 26 - February 23, 1972
Elvis plays another successful engagement at the Hilton in Vegas.
March/April 1972
In April MGM films Elvis in a Hollywood recording studio, then films
on and off stage during his 15-city concert tour, which is a big success.
MGM will use the footage for another theatrically released documentary,
"Elvis on Tour".
In April the gospel album "He Touched Me" is released to good reviews.
The album will go on to win Elvis his second Grammy Award, this one
for the category of Best Inspirational Performance.
June 1972
Elvis continues touring in concert, beginning with a press conference
in New York on the 9th. (MGM is on hand to film the conference for use
in "Elvis on Tour".) Elvis makes entertainment history by performing
four sold-out shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. John Lennon,
George Harrison, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Art Garfunkel are among
the music stars spotted at the shows.
RCA rush-releases a live album from one of the Madison Square Garden
shows, nine days after it is recorded. Elvis tours to seven more cities.
Elvis's Vegas and concert tour career is hot, hot, hot during the early
to mid-seventies. He breaks attendance records in cities all over America.
Record releases also continue.
July 1972
Elvis and Priscilla's separation is formalized. A divorce is to come.
Elvis has begun seeing Linda Thompson, who will be his main female companion
until late 1976.
August 4 - September 4, 1972
Elvis plays a month-long engagement at the Hilton in Vegas.
September 5, 1972
Elvis participates in a press conference in Vegas announcing plans for
a television concert to be broadcast via satellite around the world
from Hawaii. It is predicted that the show will reach the largest audience
in television history and that the live album will be a big hit.
October 1972
Elvis has a number two pop hit with the single "Burning Love", one of
his biggest records in recent years.
November 1972
"Elvis on Tour" opens to good reviews and good box office performance
in theaters. Later, its producers will receive the Golden Globe Award
for Best Documentary of 1972. Like other Elvis films it will have a
life on television and on home video.
Elvis tours seven cities in concert. The last is Honolulu, Hawaii,
where he does three shows at the Honolulu International Center Arena,
the same venue that will host his satellite special in January.
Elvis appears at a press conference in Hawaii regarding his upcoming
satellite show. It is announced that it will be a benefit for the Kui
Lee Cancer Fund.
January 1973
Elvis makes television and entertainment history with his "Elvis: Aloha
from Hawaii - Via Satellite" special. Performed at the Honolulu International
Center Arena on January 14, 1973, broadcast live at 12:30 AM Hawaiian
time, beamed via Globecam Satellite to Australia, South Korea, Japan,
Thailand, the Phillipines, South Vietnam and other countries. It is
seen on a delayed basis in around 30 European countries. A tape of the
show will be seen in America on April 4th on NBC. The live broadcast
in January attracts 37.8% of the viewers in Japan, 91.8% in the Phillipines,
70% in Hong Kong, and 70-80% of the viewers in Korea. The April showing
in America attracts 51% of the television viewing audience, and is seen
in more American households than man's first walk on the moon. In all,
it will be seen in about 40 countries by one billion to 1.5 billion
people. Elvis commissions an American Eagle design for his jumpsuit
for this show, his patriotic message to his worldwide audience. Never
has one performer held the world's attention in such a way. This is
probably the pinnacle of his superstardom. It is one of the great moments
of his career.
The soundtrack album "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii - Via Satellite" is
soon released and goes to number one on the Billboard Pop Album Chart,
and stays on the chart at various positions for 52 weeks. The show will
later have continued life on television through the years and eventually
home video.
January 26-February 23, 1973
Elvis plays an engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton.
March 1973
Elvis and the Colonel sell RCA the singer's royalty rights on Elvis's
entire recording catalog up to that point.
April 4, 1973
The "Aloha" special is seen on American television for the first time.
Late April 1973
Elvis goes on an eight-city concert tour.
May 4-16, 1973
Elvis plays an engagement at the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
May 1973
The "Aloha from Hawaii" concert album hits number one on the Billboard
pop album chart. It is his first number one album since "Roustabout"
in 1965. It will also be his last number one album on the pop chart.
June 20 - July 3, 1973
Elvis goes out on concert tour.
July, 1973
Elvis records a few songs at the Stax Recording Studio in Memphis -
his first time to record in Memphis since 1969.
August 6 - September 3, 1973
Back to the Vegas Hilton for another engagement.
October 9, 1973
Elvis and Priscilla make a court appearance together and their divorce
is granted. They will continue to be close friends. Though Priscilla
has custody of Lisa Marie, there will be no formal schedule of visitation
for Elvis, and he and his daughter will spend time together regularly.
October 15 - November 1, 1973
Elvis is hospitalized in Memphis for recurring pneumonia and pleurisy,
an enlarged colon, and hepatitis. Elvis has been battling health problems
for some time, including an increasing dependency upon prescription
drugs. It will get worse. He also battles his weight.
December 1973
Elvis returns to the Stax Recording Studio in Memphis for a week of
sessions.
January 26-February 9, 1974
Elvis plays the Vegas Hilton again.
March - July 1974
Elvis is on tour through much of March. In March he plays the Houston
Astrodome and sets a one-day attendance record with his two shows. Also
in March he plays Memphis for the first time since 1961 and does four
shows in two days to meet the demand for tickets. Another live album
results from the excitement in Memphis, and it includes a performance
of "How Great Thou Art" that will win Elvis his third Grammy. He takes
a break in April. He resumes touring in May and plays the Sahara in
Lake Tahoe May 16 -26. He's back on tour in mid-June and takes a few
weeks off, starting in early July.
August 19-September 2, 1974
Back to the Hilton in Vegas for an engagement. During this engagement
Barbra Streisand and Elvis discuss his playing the male lead opposite
her in her remake of "A Star is Born". Elvis is excited by the prospect
of returning to the screen in a serious film. He still has aspirations
to become a serious actor. He is growing weary of the road, his health
is worsening, his performances are suffering, and he needs a new challenge.
Unfortunately, it doesn't work out for various reasons. After his death
some will speculate that this film role would have changed the course
of his career and his life had he done it.
September 27 - October 14, 1974
Elvis on tour again. Plays the Sahara-Tahoe October 11-14.
Record releases have continued through this period with varying degrees
of success.
January 29-February 14, 1975
Elvis is hospitalized with health and prescription problems again.
March 1975
Elvis's live recording of "How Great Thou Art" from the album recorded
at one of his Memphis concerts in 1974 wins the Grammy for Best Inspirational
Performance. This is Elvis's third and final Grammy win out of fourteen
nominations (one nomination posthumously). All three Grammy wins have
been for his gospel music rather than pop or rock.
March 18-April 1, 1975
Engagement at the Hilton.
April - July, 1975
Concert touring.
August 18 - September 5, 1975
Elvis opens in Vegas but ends his engagement on the 20th and is hospitalized
in Memphis until September 5.
November 1975
The renovation of a Convair 880 jet Elvis bought earlier in the year
is complete, and he takes his first flight on the "Lisa Marie" jet.
December 2-15, 1975
Elvis returns to the Hilton in Vegas to make up for the shows that were
canceled during his previous engagement.
December 31, 1975
Elvis performs a special New Year's Eve concert in Pontiac, Michigan
and sets a single performance attendance record of 62,500.
February 1976
Elvis has a week of recording sessions in the den at Graceland, with
RCA bringing in mobile recording equipment.
March 17-22, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
April 21-27, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
April 30 - May 9, 1976
An engagement at the Sahara Tahoe in Nevada.
May 27- June 6, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
June 25 - July 5, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
July 23 - August 5, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
August 27-September 8, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
October 14-27, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
October 29-30, 1976
Two more nights of recording in the den at Graceland.
Early November, 1976
Elvis and Linda Thompson, his steady girlfriend since 1972, split up.
Late November, 1976
Elvis meets Ginger Alden who will be his steady girlfriend until his
death.
November 24-30, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.
December 2-12, 1976
Elvis plays the Hilton in Vegas for what will turn out to be the last
time.
December 27-31, 1976
Elvis tours in concert, ending with a special New Year's Eve concert
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
February 12-21, 1977
Elvis tours in concert.
March 23-30, 1977
Elvis tours in concert.
April 1-5, 1977
Elvis is hospitalized in Memphis and tour shows scheduled for March
31-April 3 are canceled.
April 21- May 31, 1977
Elvis tours in concert.
June 1-2, 1977
More concert dates.
June 17-26, 1977
Elvis tours in concert. Shows on June 19, 20, and 21 are recorded by
RCA and videotaped by CBS-TV for an upcoming live album and television
special. Footage from the show on the 20th is not used in the show.
The special will be called "Elvis in Concert". It will air in early
October after Elvis's death in August. The camera gives a shocking picture
of Elvis's poor health in his final days. Still, some of the song performances
are great. He still had his voice.
June 26, 1977
A concert at Indianapolis, Indiana's Market Square Arena. This will
turn out to be his very last concert performance.
June 27- August 15, 1977
Elvis relaxes in Memphis and prepares for the next leg of touring for
1977.
August 16, 1977
Shortly after midnight Elvis returns to Graceland from a late-night
visit to the dentist. Through the early morning of the 16th he takes
care of last minute tour details and relaxes with family and staff.
He is to fly to Portland, Maine that night and do a show there on the
17th, then continue the scheduled tour. He retires to his master suite
at Graceland around 7:00 AM to rest for his evening flight. By late
morning, Elvis Presley is dead. It is announced by mid-afternoon. In
a matter of hours the shock registers around the world.
|