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January 26 – February 23, 1973. Back in Las Vegas at the Hilton. |
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March 1973. Colonel Parker sells RCA the singer’s royalty rights on Elvis’ entire recording catalog up to that point. 700 songs for five million dollars. A good deal for the Colonel, but bad for Elvis and his heirs who could have enjoyed a lifetime income off those songs. |
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Late April. Another eight city tour. |
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May 4-16 Elvis appears at the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. From June 20 – July 3, 1973 – More touring. Then August 6 – September 3, 1973 he’s back at the Hilton. |
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October 9, 1973. Elvis and Priscilla appear in court and their divorce is granted. Although she has custody of Lisa Marie, Elvis will remain close to both mother and daughter. |
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Immediately after the divorce and for two weeks in late October Elvis will be hospitalized in Memphis. He will be treated for medical problems either stemming from or exacerbated by his heavy drug use. |
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January 26-February 9, 1974. Elvis is back at the Hilton. |
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Elvis tours for most of March including an attendance breaking repeat performance at the Houston Astrodome. He’ll appear in Memphis for the first time since 1961. Another live album is produced, Elvis Recorded Live On Stage in Memphis from the two day, four show engagement. Included is a live performance of How Great Thou Art that will go on to win Elvis his third Grammy award. Suprisingly, all of Elvis’ Grammys are for gospel songs. Buy CD |
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From May 16-26, he’s at Sahara in Lake Tahoe |
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August 19 – September 2, 1974. While back at the Hilton he receives an offer which could have been a pivotal moment. Barbra Streisand and her hairdresser/boyfriend/producer Jon Peters offer Elvis the lead role in her remake of A Star is Born. This would have given Elvis his long awaited chance at serious acting. He is bored on the road and needs a new challenge. Regretably, this never comes to fruition. |
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Elvis appears at the Sahara-Tahoe October 11-14. |
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January 29 – February 14, 1975. Sadly, Elvis must be hospitalized again for drug related medical problems. His health has begun to decline. |
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From March 18 – April 1, 1975, he is again at the Hilton and then tours thru til the end of July. |
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August 18 he begins an engagement at the Hilton which is cut short on the 20th as Elvis returns to a hospital in Memphis until Spetember 5. |
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A bright spot! The renovation of a Convair 880 jet is completed and Elvis can take his first flight on the shiny Lisa Marie! |
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December 2-15, 1975. Elvis must return to the Hilton to make up for the cancelled performances. |
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December 25, 1975. Elvis performs a special New Year’s Eve concert in Pontiac, Michigan and sets a single performance attendance record of 62,500. |
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In February of 1976 RCA will haul all manner of mobile recording equipment to Graceland. The week of recording in the den will produce an album From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee A wonderful boost, this album will go to #1 on country charts. Buy CD |
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From March until October, on and off, Elvis will be touring. |
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Early in November 1976 Elvis and Linda Thompson, his girlfriend since 1972 will split. By the end of the month Elvis is with Ginger Alden, who will be with him until his death. |
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December 2-12, 1976. Elvis will make his last appearance at the Hilton. |
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December 31, 1976. A special New Year’s Eve performance in Pittsburgh PA. |
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Elvis tours in the early part of 1977 but from April 1-5, he is again hospitalized and some shows have to be cancelled. |
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June 19, 20, 21. Concerts are recorded by RCA and videotaped by CBS for the upcoming special Elvis in Concert. The footage shows quite clearly Elvis’ deteriorating condition. The special will not be shown until after his death on October 3. |
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June 26. The concert at Indianapolis, Indiana’s Market Square Arena will be Elvis’ last. |
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July 1977. Three former bodyguards publish Elvis:What Happened? which details Elvis’ drug use for the first time in public. |
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August 16, 1977. Elvis Presley died at home at Graceland. While it is true that there were drugs in his system, it wasn’t an overdose. His heart failed him. |
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August 18, 1977. Elvis is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis. |
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October 1977. The bodies of Elvis and his mother are moved to Graceland. |
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June 26, 1979. Vernon Presley joined his son and wife in death. |
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