Elvis in Concert (CD - 1977)

Recorded in 1977. Includes liner notes by Patrick Snyder.

Digitally remastered by Dick Baxter (1992, BMG Recording Studios, New York, New York).

Astonishingly, given Elvis Presley's physical condition, he (or his management) agreed to film a TV special in June 1977 at two concerts held in Omaha and Rapid City, SD. There was no soundtrack album scheduled, and it's hard to believe that CBS-TV actually would have aired the show if Presley hadn't died two months later, making it his final recorded performance (and making his records big sellers again). CBS showed the one-hour special on October 3, 1977, and RCA released this double-LP set, Elvis in Concert, in which Presley walks through some of his best-known numbers. His fans can be heard praising him, and his father signs off mournfully (in the middle of the album). "My Way," released as a single, made the Top 40 and went gold; it and "Unchained Melody" made the Country Top Ten, while the album went platinum within two weeks. But it is Elvis Presley's least effort, as well as his last. ~ William Ruhlmann

Recorded just months before Presley's death, ELVIS IN CONCERT was released in conjunction with an hour-long Elvis concert special for CBS television. Neither saw the light of day before Presley's untimely demise, which immediately transformed both the special and album into memorials to the King. In that spirit, the album features numerous fan testimonials and a "special message" from Presley's father, Vernon, thanking fans for their condolence letters.

Presley's poor health is sadly evident on this album, as he becomes audibly winded several times and occasionally has difficulty holding pitch. There are moments on ELVIS IN CONCERT when Presley approaches the heights of his earlier years though, singing powerfully on "See See Rider" and "I Got a Woman," among others. ELVIS IN CONCERT graphically documents the tragic demise of the greatest pop star of his era. minimize