Elvis ALIVE in 1977

Whenever the year 1977 comes up in the Elvis world, it's often followed by an "I wish," or a "I just can't talk about it." It's understandable; the world lost a great talent that year and many a friend. In fact, until recently, the musical year of 1977 has virtually been erased from Elvis Presley's Estate and the Sony/RCA agenda. And what about the 1977 CBS Special? Well, Priscilla herself has vowed to never let it see the light of day.

A year with such tragedy is hard to recover from-- if EVER--especially for his family. With that said, it's easy to see how a year like 1977, musically, can be so easily over shadowed, by health issues, drama inside the Memphis Mafia, rumors of drugs, and ultimately Elvis' last days.

However! Despite the struggles, there were positives happening in Elvis' life; he was finding his way back!

"Elvis was planning on taking a year off," long time friend, Larry Geller says. "He wanted to relax on the beaches of Hawaii, and get his health back."

The plan for a much needed break was in the works; right after the Summer Tour--the tour that never was--due to kick off Aug, 17th, 1977 in Portland, Maine. Elvis knew he needed to make changes, clean up his health and his life. It's been rumored that one of those changes was even going to reach as far as Colonel Parker, his long time manager. Elvis wanted a fresh musical start. He wanted to explorer his full potential. And we've only to look at the Spring Tour of 1977 to see that the changes were already beginning to take place!

 Elvis' song list began to change, as he reached back to where it had all started, sharing songs from the stage he hadn't done in years, if ever!  Songs like "Return to Sender," "Fever," "One Night," "Reconsider Baby," where back! They were mixed with newer hits like "Moody Blue," "And I love you so!" He was making it new and exciting.

Yes, the media still hounded him; his weight, his age, his health, they just couldn't let it go. But he was having a great time!

"I want to do, "Where No One Stands Alone," he said one night from the stage, "I'm gonna sit at the piano because I'm the only one who knows it." He tells the crowd that he's never done this song from the stage before but he wishes to share it with them tonight.











Elvis at the piano, what a treat! Friends, this spring tour, had him reconnecting and gearing up for what would have been--what he wanted--a fresh start. It was not meant to be his last.

Sure, his heath was a constant problem, often visible to the crowd; acute glaucoma and a lazy colon, all rending Elvis dependant on pain medications. He knew he looked a mess. But he was ready to fix it.

Musically, Elvis was NOT washed up. On the contrary, he was ready for the next great Come Back of his life! He was gearing up and planning to take over the world, yet again!

And though it's understandable that many Elvis fans, and Elvis' estate alike, tend to feel sadness during this time of his work, some avoiding it all together. We urge our listeners to listen with your heart and not your mind. Don't dwell on what happened that fateful year, celebrate his dreams with him, what he wanted, and what we all know, he could have had!

This Sunday, June 24th, we here at Blue Suede Connection will be spinning a jam packed two hours of tunes from Elvis' Spring Tour 1977! Hear amazing finds, including the sit down piano version of "Where No One Stands Alone." Come celebrate Elvis' vision with us!
 (WRGG 93.7, listen here, 2p-4p, eastern)

It doesn't have to end on Aug, 16th, 1977. His dream. His music. It will last forever!      

Patricia Garber