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ELVIS PRESLEY 1977 Pt.1 – Failed recording session and non-stop tours. The next installment of my potted history of the life and career of Elvis Presley. Where possible I’ve included video I’ve taken in and around Memphis relating to the period, taken during our 2017 and 2019 trips. As everyone knows, Elvis Presley died on 16th August 1977, but what was he up to leading up to August? At the beginning of the year he flew new girlfriend Ginger Alden’s family to Arkansas for her grandfather’s funeral before heading for Palm Springs. Later that month, Elvis producer Felton Jarvis booked a recording session in Nashville, but rather than Studio B he went for the new and innovative studio called Creative Workshop in the Berry Hill district. Elvis flew up to Nashville but didn’t leave his hotel before flying home with no songs recorded. In March, Elvis flew 30 of his family and friends to Hawaii for a holiday – but it was cut short when Elvis got sand in his eye and his doctor, George Nichopoulous (Dr.Nick) advised him to return home to rest before the next tour. From that point on it seemed a never-ending cycle of tours with spells of relative isolation at home in Graceland. His tour of mid-June would see a CBS TV special recording at 2 of his shows, the first show on the 19th was poor and most of the material is pulled from the 2nd recorded show on the 21st. Things looked brighter on 31st July when Lisa Marie arrived at Graceland for a 2 week break with her father, before Elvis was due to once more hit the road on 17th August in Portland, Maine……
Sources of information have been gathered since I was 12 years old!! Some (but not all) sources include books by Peter Guralnick, Ernst Jorgensen, Pal Granlund, David English, Erik Lorentzen, Alan Hanson, Paul Richardson and Keith Flynn. Websites include elvisinfonet.com, elvis.com/au, historic-memphis.com, elvisconcerts.com and the fascinating stories and information contributed by so many to the sites, and magazines ‘Elvis The Man and His Music’ and ‘Essential Elvis’. Also the Memphis locations books ‘Elvis – Memphis Style’ by Mike Freeman and ‘Follow Me To Memphis’ by Andrew Hearn.
So many more over the years on TV documentaries (although many need better researchers), and VHS (!!), and DVD releases.
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