Please see the following post over at the Elvis Today blog: Benefit Concert For Myrna Smith At Elvis Week. Thanks to Thomas for letting us know about this event.
The official Elvis On Tour video outtake releases
Elvis On Tour Countdown: 2 weeks to theater event, 19 days to Blu
The Graceland/Elvis Presley Enterprises communications department must have loved me back in the early 1990s. I was 15 or 16 years old and somehow got into the habit of sending them letters through the mail with questions about Elvis.
As I started to build my Elvis music collection, I also began reading whatever material I could get my hands on about him. Among these were tribute magazines collected by my brother celebrating Elvis’ 50th birthday in 1985 and commemorating the tenth anniversary of his death in 1987.
In one of those magazines, I read an article titled something like “The Elvis Movies: Have We Really Seen Them All?” It mentioned Bill Randle’s infamous Pied Piper of Cleveland short film (1955), but it also focused on potential outtakes from the documentaries That’s The Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972).
As a huge fan of both of the documentaries, I had to know if there was more footage in the vaults. So, I did what any self-respecting Elvis fan would do – I fired off a letter to Graceland and asked them about it. I had been to Graceland, and I was pretty sure that if anyone would know, it would be the people who worked there.
To his or her credit, and my surprise, someone there actually took the time to write me back. (I was unable to dig up the letter in time for this entry, but I know I still have it somewhere in my archives.) Receiving a letter from Graceland was quite the thrill.
Even more thrilling, though, was their answer. Not only did such footage exist, but Turner Entertainment had even compiled it together for video release. Unfortunately, the release was on hold as to not conflict with the 1990 Elvis: The Great Performances videos.
Not understanding the marketing and contractual issues behind the delay, I quickly resented The Great Performances for holding up the outtake footage. Though it contained two or three newly released numbers, most of The Great Performances was just a slightly modernized re-hash of 1981’s This Is Elvis.
Promotional flyer for Elvis: The Lost Performances (1992)
It seemed like decades later to me, but 1992 arrived, and there were two big Elvis releases that year – which marked the 15th anniversary of his death. One was ELVIS: The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Complete 50s Masters, the now legendary 5-CD boxed set that chronicled his studio recordings from that era. Until I had a little help the following year, that one was temporarily out of my financial reach.
It did not matter one bit to me, though, for it was the other big release of 1992 about which I was most excited. Released the same day as the CD set, Elvis: The Lost Performances was a one-hour VHS videotape that finally delivered those promised outtakes from That’s The Way It Is and Elvis On Tour.
Watching Elvis: The Lost Performances for the first time was, perhaps, the best hour of my entire Elvis fan experience – including all the way up until the present day. I remember coming to the end of the tape, rewinding it impatiently, and immediately starting it over again. I must have watched it at least three times that first day, maybe even four.
The majority of the video focused on incredible material filmed for That’s The Way It Is, but it also included a few songs filmed for Elvis On Tour:
- All Shook Up
- Teddy Bear/Don’t Be Cruel
- Are You Lonesome Tonight
- I Can’t Stop Loving You
- How Great Thou Art
- Release Me
The Lost Performances was actually not the first time that Elvis On Tour outtakes became available to Elvis fans, though. Back in 1981, a couple of songs were prominently featured in the movie This Is Elvis:
- Always On My Mind (rehearsal)
- An American Trilogy
That movie also included some miscellaneous outtake footage, such as the recently separated Elvis boisterously indulging in guy talk with his entourage.
Thursday, July 29, will offer fans another chance to see Elvis outtakes, as previously unreleased footage will be shown as part of a special screening event in US theaters. Elvis On Tour: 75th Anniversary Celebration will also feature the newly restored Elvis On Tour.
Go to Fathom Events to find out if a theater is showing the event near your area. On August 3, Elvis On Tour will make its DVD and Blu-ray debuts. All of us who can need to be there in both cases to support Elvis and encourage future releases of additional Elvis On Tour and That’s The Way It Is footage.
Elvis: The Lost Performances never made it to DVD, so let’s make sure that these and dozens of other hours of Elvis footage from the two films are not lost forever.
Elvis On Tour Countdown
- 14 days until Elvis On Tour 75th Anniversary Celebration theater event
- 19 days until Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD releases
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For more information (official sites):
- Fathom Events – Elvis On Tour 75th Anniversary Celebration
- Warner Home Video – Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD releases
Selected posts about Elvis On Tour from The Mystery Train:
Defending FTD’s Release Strategy
As a fan of Elvis Presley and various other pop culture touchstones, one of the things I’ve noticed over the years that ties all of them together is that their various fandoms are never quite satisfied.
Take the recent announcement of upcoming Follow That Dream Records releases, consisting of a half dozen interesting – even exciting – CD and vinyl releases on the horizon for the rest of this year, thirty-three years after Elvis’ death. Among them are a 1971 soundboard recording of a concert at Boston Garden and a Classic Album re-issue of a 1973 album and associated alternates.
Predictably, the reaction on various Elvis message boards and forums across the web is lukewarm at best. FTD’s decision to release the Boston Garden show gets criticized because some fans have already bought that one on bootleg once or twice.
Hey, if you bought bootlegs, that’s your problem!
I don’t want FTD to take bootlegs into account when deciding their releases. I fully support their decision to officially release the Boston Garden show. If FTD has access to great Elvis material that has already hit the bootleg market, then bring it on.
If you have bought the bootleg release and now have to either re-buy it or decide not to buy it when it comes out on FTD, then, again, I say that is your problem.
As for 1973’s Elvis (“Fool”) album, there is the typical whining that this album was not a worthy follow-up to his Aloha From Hawaii success and, thus, is undeserving of the Classic Album treatment. Sometimes, I’m not sure to which Elvis Presley these people are listening. Elvis is a great album, with several performances that are not to be missed – including Elvis at the piano on “It’s Still Here.”
Another argument goes that while Elvis may indeed be worthy of an FTD, there are other albums of higher priority that should have come first – Promised Land, Jailhouse Rock: Volume 2, and Ernst Jorgensen’s mysterious Sun project being the oft-cited examples.
This makes no sense to me. FTD is supposed to structure its releases in order of priority? That would mean that they would front-load all of the best releases. Eventually, you would hit a point where all that was left was stuff like Double Trouble and Roustabout. All the good stuff would be gone, and we’d have nothing left to be excited about.
Instead, they have to vary things up. All-in-all, I think FTD does a fantastic job of that – particularly in the last two or three years.
There are also complaints that a tie-in to this year’s Elvis On Tour Blu-ray/DVD/theatrical event was not announced. FTD is the collectors label. Whether it comes this year or next, any corresponding audio releases for Elvis On Tour will likely debut on the main Sony label, with a related FTD release at some point after that.
So, stop all the whining, will you? You’re starting to sound like a bunch of Trekkies.
1971 Boston Concert among Upcoming FTD Releases
Elvis performed exactly one time in Boston, on November 10, 1971. “By the time he finished you knew that underneath the control and the lightness of most of the evening’s music there stood a man with more natural ability, talent, and soul than I expect to see on the stage at any rock concert,” said Jon Landau in Rolling Stone of the show.
According to Elvis Matters, Sony’s Follow That Dream Records, a collectors label for Elvis fans, will release a soundboard recording of the Boston show on CD September 14. This one has apparently appeared in bootleg format before, but as someone who sticks to official releases, I can’t wait to hear this concert.
Also set for release in September is the Classic Album version of 1973’s Elvis (“Fool”), a two-CD set that will contain the original album and alternate takes.
Here is the tentative FTD schedule for the rest of the year. Note that the US releases of these albums tend to be a few weeks behind. Italicized descriptions are quoted from Elvis Matters.
August 8, 2010
King Creole: The Music (book & CD)
KING CREOLE-THE MUSIC is a 200-page book with images exclusively designed to complement the music from the film. It consists of two main sections; the recording sessions on January 16, 1958 and song scenes from the filming of the movie (including behind-the scenes shots). The images are classic and well-known shots with the majority being previous unpublished and taken by the original still photographers on the set (no freeze-frames).
The accompanying CD consists of the masters and the well-known alternative masters (no unreleased session reels have been found). As always, the music has been re-mastered.
Good Times: The Outtakes (2 vinyl LPs)
Following on from the previous strictly Limited Edition series, FTD is pleased to announce the release of a special 2-disc 180-gram vinyl set of GOOD TIMES – THE OUTTAKES. Supplied in a deluxe gatefold sleeve, it features the superb original draft artwork design that was superseded prior to release. UNIQUE!
September 14, 2010
Boston Garden (CD, no official title yet)
FTD will release the soundboard of the November 10, 1971, BOSTON GARDEN Show (previously released on bootleg) as this is the only available show from the early tours of the seventies. We believe that this is of such historical importance, that it should be available to everyone. This will be a 5” digipack with a photo booklet.
Elvis (“Fool”) (2 CDs)
On the same date, a 2-CD set of ELVIS (FOOL) in the CLASSIC ALBUM series. This will feature a 7” digi-pack with an 8-page booklet.
September 2010
- Soundboard CD – Concert not yet announced
November 2010
- Classic Album 2-CD – Content not yet announced
- Vinyl 2-LP – Content not yet announced
FTD releases are available from ShopElvis.com and other online Elvis retailers.
[7/11/2010 Update: ElvisNews.com has a posted a longer version of the comments from the FTD team:
Recently, we’ve had several frustrated e-mails from some customers about information getting out about our releases, prior to circulation of the official FTD announcement. Ideally, it shouldn’t be like that, but at the same time with so many people helping us in advance with our product origination, there is a good chance that word will spread before exact release plans can be chosen due to manufacturing and distribution issues. The nature of being involved in the ‘Elvis‘ industry dictates that the sharing of new information is a thrill to most people, so leaks will occur.
In an effort to improve the situation, we will try to announce our schedule further up front. The downside to this is that there will be times when unforeseen production problems cause releases to slip”
I think this is a huge step in the right direction for FTD. Maybe it’s time for them to finally get a small but informative website up and running?]
Other links
Elvis On Tour, VHS Style
Elvis On Tour Countdown: 20 days to theater event, 25 days to Blu
You may find this hard to believe, but I often associate Elvis On Tour with Christmas. That’s because the first time I ever saw the movie was on Christmas Day 1989. I was 14-years-old, and Elvis On Tour on VHS tape was one of the gifts my Mom gave me that day.
Elvis On Tour VHS box, 1988
While waiting for my family to finish unwrapping their presents, I studied the box art. I noticed that the box featured images from That’s The Way It Is. As soon as all the presents were done, I placed the VHS tape in the VCR and fired it up.
Elvis On Tour was the first Elvis video I ever owned. The ’68 Comeback Special, One Night With You, That’s The Way It Is, and Aloha From Hawaii videos that I had already so often watched actually belonged to my brother.
Elvis On Tour was different from the others, though. It featured Elvis on the road across the country, performing in sold-out coliseums. While the crowds in the other videos were often reserved, these fans treated Elvis to thunderous applause and cheers. During a montage sequence, we were all shocked to see images of our hometown.
Seeing Elvis On Tour for the first time was special to me. Now that it is going to show in US theaters as well as be released for the first time on Blu-ray and DVD, there are other Elvis fans out there who have never seen it before who will finally get the chance. Christmas or otherwise, they will be in for a real treat.
Elvis On Tour Countdown
- 20 days until Elvis On Tour 75th Anniversary Celebration theater event
- 25 days until Elvis On Tour Blu-ray and DVD releases
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For more information:
“Anyone could lose his heart like me”
Don’t you love when an Elvis song that you previously paid little attention to comes out and smacks you across the forehead? You suddenly realize that it’s a great song. That’s what happened to me just now with 1963’s “Anyone” from the Kissin’ Cousins soundtrack.
I had iTunes on shuffle, using a smart playlist. It was “There Goes My Baby” by the Drifters, then “I Just Call You Mine” by Martina McBride, “Irreplaceable” by Beyoncé, Elvis foolin’ around on “The Cattle Call,” and then, BOOM, “Anyone.”
Why have I never noticed this beautiful song before? I had it rated as a measly two stars. I’ve bumped it up to four.
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My pal Thomas over at the Elvis Today blog seems a little down in his latest post about the forthcoming Follow That Dream Records releases. Up next will be a book and CD combo for 1958’s King Creole.
Unfortunately, the CD contains only previously released material, and misses being comprehensive by leaving out a couple tracks that were available on Hits Like Never Before. After that, there will be a vinyl release capturing highlights from the Classic Albums series version of Good Times.
Cheer up, Thomas. What’s the best thing about FTD? Variety. 1950s releases are few and far between on FTD, and perhaps the King Creole book (and potential sound upgrades) will be good enough to make this underdog a special release.
In the US, I have a slight advantage because I’ll be able to read some of the reviews from around the world before our pre-order period is over.
The other releases we’re waiting for, such as Promised Land, will come eventually. As you said, Elvis On Tour is on the way. We can’t have everything at once now, can we? We don’t want to be spoiled.
“I call it America, and I love it”
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any form of government becomes destructive to these ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness.” –From The Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson, July 4, 1776
Cover of America The Beautiful, 1977 single
Not long after Elvis Presley died, my family bought the 45 RPM record single “My Way”/”America The Beautiful.” Though I had listened to Elvis records before this one, this is the earliest one for which I can specifically remember the songs.
We played it over and over, and I always sang along. I was only two or three-years-old, so the lyrics to “My Way” were way over my vocabulary at the time. On that one, I made up sound-alike words on the ones I didn’t understand. “America The Beautiful” was a lot easier for me, and I can even remember visualizing parts of the song.
Oh beautiful,
For spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountains, majesty,
Above the fruited plains,
America, America,
God shed His grace on thee,
And He crowns thy good,
With brotherhood,
From sea to shining sea” –From “America The Beautiful,” Elvis Presley song, 1975 (written by Katharine Lee Bates & Samuel Ward)
I understood most of the words, but being that young, I didn’t really know their meanings in context. I thought all of that “majesty” and “crown thy good” stuff had something to do with Elvis being “the king.”
A few years later, my class was singing the song in elementary school. I was the first one to know all of the words, and I remember thinking it was cool we were singing an Elvis song! It took me a little while to figure out the whole thing.
America The Beautiful, history of Elvis Presley releases
- December 6, 1975, Live, Las Vegas, Midnight Show: Live In Las Vegas
- December 13, 1975, Live, Las Vegas, Dinner Show: Dinner At Eight
- December 13, 1975, Live, Las Vegas, Midnight Show: Single, b/w “My Way”
- February 8, 1976, Memphis: The Jungle Room Sessions (incomplete)
- April 22, 1976, Live, Omaha: America
- July 3, 1976, Live, Fort Worth: Rocking Across Texas
- July 30, 1976, Live, New Haven: New Haven 76
- October 18, 1976, Live, Sioux Falls: A Minnesota Moment (bonus song)
[Information source: Elvis In Norway Session Notes]
America The Beautiful, 1977 single
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Thanks to Steven over at the Discovering Elvis blog for the scanning tip.
The Mystery Train 