PICTURES FROM 1970

 

Outside RCA Hollywood during rehearsals on January 15, 1970 for his second Las Vegas season which was to run from January 26th to February 23rd

With fans in Las Vegas on August 26, 1970
 


Getting his Honarary Police Badge in Denver Colorado on November 17, 1970 before his concert at the Coliseum
Top colour photo from George in Denver
The caption below the colour photo on George's blog reads, "Dad with Elvis, circa '69 or '70. Elvis holds the Honorary Lieutenants badge my father presented to him".
For your information: Elvis Presley was fascinated with cops and the trappings of cops. While my father may have given him an honorary Lieutenants badge in probably '69 or '70, after my father retired, Elvis returned to Denver and the cops fawned all over the King - resulting in Elvis giving select officers brand new Cadillacs and Lincolns. Elvis was very generous. One short anecdote. The day Elvis met with my father, my father came home and, laughing like hell, related that Elvis spent the day kissing one woman after another -- mostly police department clerks and secretarys -- right on the lips. I suspect there are some pretty old ladies out there who still talk about the day they kissed the King.

On a commercial flight from Memphis to Denver in November (after the 17th) or December 1970
The photos come from the following web page - Little Rock Ski Club
In one of their newsletters there is mention of Elvis:
"Perhaps the most exciting early trip was to Vail in 1969 or 70. We flew on a direct Braniff flight from Little Rock to Denver. The flight originated in Memphis and on board waiting for us was none other than the King himself – Elvis! The first thing he did was to get on the intercom and sing "Love Me Tender" to the passengers. Then he made a trip through the cabin making a brief stop, talking to everyone, most of whom were ski club members. It was truly memorable and I have always admired him for his down to earth way of treating us on that day." Getting a hug at LAPD headquarters on December 3, 1970 - Elvis was there to get a gold commissioner's badge from Chief Ed Davis 
Presley visited the offices of Los Angeles police chief Edward Davis. Stressing the importance of keeping this visit confidential, Elvis presented Davis's department with a check for $7,000 and gave Davis a Colt .45. The money provided toys for needy children in the community, and equipment for department needs. In the photo he may be hugging one of Davis' assistants

Cool purple shades at TJ's nightclub in Memphis to celebrate New Year's Eve on December 31, 1970

Once Upon A Time: Elvis And Anita

 

'Once Upon A Time: Elvis And Anita' by Jonnita Brewer Barrett, Anita's daughter :

 

The year was 1957. Elvis Presley was on top of the world. Just twenty-two at the time, he was not just the King of Rock 'n' Roll but a handsome prince who had his choice of all the fair maidens in the land, and yet, like a true fairy tale, he fell in love with Anita Wood, a rising musical talent with the looks of a beauty queen. Anita put her own career aside to be with Elvis, her first love and his steady girlfriend for the next five years.

'Once Upon A Time: Elvis And Anita' is a heartfelt memoir of Anita's life with Elvis from 1957 through 1962. Written by Jonnita Brewer Barrett, Anita's daughter, the book takes readers back to a magical time that many believe was among the best years of Elvis' life: His career was taking off, he had just purchased Graceland (where Anita lived with Elvis for most of their time together), and life seemed incredibly good.

Through her daughter, Anita recaptures the joy and excitement of two young people in love. She shares many key moments that bonded her with Elvis' family, including the shocking news that he had been drafted by the Army in 1958, and the devastation he felt later that year by the sudden death of his beloved mother, Gladys.

ONCE UPON A TIME traces Anita's own journey in show business which included appearances with such entertainment legends as Jack Paar, Buddy Hackett, Andy Williams and Dick Van Dyke. But it also revisits some of the most painful memories of Anita's life, from the lengths that Elvis' manager took to shield their relationship from the public, to the heartache and betrayal that made her realize that the fairy tale had to end.

 

Hardcover: 248 pages
Published: (28 July 2012)
Language: English
Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.8 cm
Weight: 5 Pounds

 

Source: Elvis Australia

Stay Away Joe

 

Stay Away Joe

Words & Music: Ben Weisman/ Sid Wayne

Ho jump down, spin around, let's have a party
Look who's back, Stay Away Joe
Chock taw, chick a Shaw, gonna drink me hearty
Welcome back, Stay Away Joe

Stay Away Joe they call me
Stay Away Joe oh yeah!
But if you need me call me
Hoop and a holler and I'll be there
Ho!

Who keeps turnin' up like a bad penny
Take one guess, Stay Away Joe
Always findin' trouble a-plenty
Oh my yes, I reckon you know

Stay Away Joe they call me
Stay Away Joe oh yeah!
But if you need me call me
Hoop and a holler and I'll be there
Ho!
Ho!

When two lips are right for the pickin'
Who crops up
I love them and leave them screamin' 'n kickin'
Giddy up look at him look at him go

Stay Away Joe they call me
Stay Away Joe oh yeah!
But if you need me call me
Hoop and a holler and I'll be there
Ho!
Hey!

Recorded: 1967/10/01, first released on Let's Be Friends

Elvis performed on the Potomac River

 

ROCK AROUND THE DOCK

 

Phil Arnold

 

In the early years of his career, Elvis performed in all sorts of venues: high school gymnasiums, amusement parks, VFW Halls, county fairs, honkytonks, you name it.  But did you know he even gave one performance on a riverboat – one that the police declared was unsafe to sail?  It happened on March 23, 1956 on the Potomac River in Washington, DC.

 

 

Steamboat excursions on the Potomac River became very popular social events after WW II.  One of the prominent ships was the Wilson Line's SS Mount Vernon.  Each morning and afternoon, it carried primarily families to George Washington's mansion and to the Marshall Hall Amusement Park.

 

But, it was in the evening that the SS Mount Vernon made its big impact.   Each night, starting at 8:30, hundreds of Washington DC's young lovers danced on the ships moonlit decks as the lights of the Potomac shore glided by.  The SS Mount Vernon had its own house band and often put on floorshows and contests.  Although there was a glass-enclosed cabin for use during inclement weather, most of the young couples preferred to dance on the open upper decks, with the breeze off the river cooling them in these pre-air-conditioned times.

SS Mount Vernon

The SS Mount Vernon itself contributed to this romantic setting.  It had an art deco design, layer-cake color scheme, and gleaming chrome rails.  However, it wasn't always like that.  The ship was originally built in 1916 as the City of Camden, and it sailed in the Delaware Bay.  In 1939, the Wilson Line had it rebuilt from the hull up, a glamorous makeover to "the Potomac's first steamliner."  Advertisements proclaimed that she could carry "1000 dancing couples on moonlight cruises."
 
During the early 50s, a DJ and promoter originally from Lizard Lick, NC (no joke) named Connie B. Gay (also no joke) regularly booked Saturday afternoon country and western shows at Washington DC's Constitution Hall.  In March 1956, she learned about a young performer who had caused a stir with his first five appearances on the Dorsey Brothers' TV program, Stage Show.  He would be passing through Washington while traveling from New York to Richmond for a concert appearance at the Mosque Theater.  She booked him for a Saturday night appearance on the SS Mount Vernon.
 
Ms. Gay made the right call.  Elvis Presley was the new young talent, and he had created a buzz among teenagers that would explode just a few months later.  His first national hit "Heartbreak Hotel" was ripping up the charts, and the teens of the DC area descended on the SS Mount Vernon in record numbers.  When Elvis arrived at Pier 4, he found the riverboat overflowing with young people.
 
However, neither Elvis nor the fans had any idea that the riverboat had blown a steam pressure valve the previous afternoon and had to be towed back to the pier.  Although pipe fitters worked steadily to restore engine power, repairs were incomplete as the mob of teenagers boarded the boat.  For safety reasons, the police refused to let the overloaded and partially disabled riverboat sail, but they would allow the concert to proceed on the docked ship.  I guess they figured everyone could get off the SS Mount Vernon if it started to sink at the dock, but they feared a disaster should it happen in the middle of the river downstream.
 
Connie B. Gay announced to the crowd that the show would go on.  The riverboat would not cruise down the river, but they would get a special double-length concert.  Elvis came through and performed for almost three hours.  We can only image what Col. Parker extorted from Ms. Gay for that.
 
Apparently, some of the couples in attendance were there for the river excursion and didn't care who was performing.  Before the concert began, about one hundred chose to take their $4 refund and left the riverboat.  I wonder how often those folks have regretted that stupid move.
 
Because the evening was cold and blustery, the remaining couples abandoned the decks for the glass-enclosed cabin.  It was so crowded that they could not dance.  So, they missed out on the ship's two main attractions – cruising down the river and dancing – but they got to see Elvis perform for three hours.
 
Pretty good trade-off, if you ask me.

How “The Mystery of the Broken Elvis Records” was solved in 1957

How "The Mystery of the Broken Elvis Records" was solved in 1957

On January 5, 1957, Billboard magazine reported on a mysterious case of damaged Elvis records. Larry Kanaga, then vice-president and general manager of RCA's Record Division, heard the true story at a convention of record distributors in Indianapolis.

It seems that a supermarket manager called up the local RCA record jobber and complained that all the Elvis Presley 78's he had on display were broken. The jobber couldn't understand it, but he replaced the broken records in the supermarket. Several days later, however, the manager called back again with the same complaint. All the replacement records were broken.

The jobber replaced the Presley records again, but this time he made the delivery himself, inspecting each disk as it put it on the supermarket rack. Then, positioning himself in a spot where he could observe the rack unnoticed, the RCA rep sat down and waited.

He didn't have to wait long. Soon he spotted a little old lady with a cane walking down an aisle toward the record rack. She walked up to the Presley display, and, after taking a look around, raised her cane and gave the records a couple of whacks.

The mystery was solved, but Billboard made no mention of what, if any, action was taken against the old lady for her act of vandalism. Perhaps an appropriate punishment in this case would have been being forced to sit and listen to Elvis's records for several hours.

August Birthdays of People in Elvis’s World

 

August Birthdays of People in Elvis's World

 

August 3 — Gordon Stoker of the Jordanaires was born in 1924.

August 7 — Marlyn Mason, Elvis's co-star in The Trouble With Girls, was born in 1940.

August 8 — Larry Geller, Elvis's friend and spiritual adviser, was born in 1940.

August 10 — Kathy Westmoreland, background singer for Elvis during the concert years of the 1970s, was born in 1945.

August 11 — Laurel Goodwin, Elvis's co-star in Girls! Girls! Girls!, was born in 1942.

Tepper and Bennett

August 12 — Roy Bennett, co-writer of 43 Elvis tunes, including "G.I. Blues" and "Puppet on a String," was born in 1918.

August 12 — Deborah Walley, Elvis's co-star in Spinout, was born in 1943. She died in 2001.

August 19 — Debra Paget, Elvis's co-star in Love Me Tender, was born in 1933.

August 21 — James Burton, Elvis's guitar player, was born in 1939.

August 23 — Barbara Eden, Elvis's co-star in Flaming Star, was born in 1934.

August 24 — Arthur ("Big Boy") Crudup, writer of Elvis's first recording, "That's All Right, Mama," was born in 1905. He died in 1974.

August 27 — Tuesday Weld, Elvis's costar in Wild in the Country, was born in 1943.

"Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii"

 

 Produced at a budget of about $2.5 million, "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii" was a benefit concert for the Kuiokalani Lee Cancer Fund.

 The ninety minute special which was sponsered by Chicken of the Sea, was the top rated show of the week, getting a 33.8 rating and a 51 share.

On January 14, 1973, "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii " was beamed by the Intelsat IV communications satellite at 12:30 A.M. (Honolulu time) to Australia, Japan, South Korea,New Zealand, South Vietnam, Thailand, the Phillipines, and other countries in the Far East. Even a few thousand viewers in Communist China saw the broadcast. In the Phillipinjes, 92 percent of all those watching television watched, "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii." The next day, the special was rebroadcast  to twenty eight nations in Europe.