"Elvis Aloha From Hawaii"
Elvis made television and entertainment history with his "Elvis, Aloha From Hawaii" concert television special. This performance took place at the Honolulu International Center Arena in Honolulu, Hawaii on January 14th, 1973. At 12:30 a.m. Hawaiian time, the concert was beamed live via Globecam Satellite to Australia, South Korea, Japan, Thailand, The Philippines, Hong Kong. It was seen on delayed basis in approximately thirty European countries shortly after. It did not air in America until April 4th, when an edited version of the concert, expanded with songs videotaped just after the live concert, was presented on NBC. The broadcast attracted 51% of the television viewing audiences. In all it was seen by 15 billion people. Entertainment events presented live via satellite are common today, but in 1973, this was the first time. Elvis, Aloha From Hawaii presents Elvis at the pinnacle of his superstardom, given one of the most outstanding concert performances of his career
September 5, 1972 a press conference was held at the Las Vegas Hilton for announcing the "Aloha From Hawaii Special." Below you can read a part of Elvis' words.
"Thank you sir, thank you. I'd just like to say before anything else that it's a great privilege to do this satellite program, and I'm going to do my best. And all the people who work with me to do a good show which is pure entertainment, no messages and no this and that..just try to make people happy for that one hour that it comes accross. If we do that, then I think I've done a job."
“Right
after New Year’s we were sitting in the den when the Colonel called,” remembered
Elvis’ aide, Marty Lacker. “Elvis took the call in private. When he came back
in, he had this big smile on his face. He said, “The Colonel’s made the final
arrangements for the satellite TV special in Hawaii.” An Hawaiian benefit
concert had been planned several months earlier. On November 20, 1972, Elvis had
given a press conference at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel after three shows
at the Honolulu International Center Arena. He said he wanted to do a benefit
for one of Hawaii’s best known songwriters, Kuiokalaani Lee. Earlier, the
Colonel had received a letter from Honolulu Advertiser columnist Eddie Sherman
soliciting support for Lee’s cancer fund, and Elvis, who had been featuring
Lee’s hit “I’ll Remember You” in his shows, readily agreed to a benefit concert.
It soon become clear that this was to be no ordinary benefit, though.
“When Elvis did the
Aloha From Hawaii show he was more nervous than we had seen…really getting up
for the occasion”- Glen D.Hardin, Pianist
The
show came at a turning point in Elvis’ life. He and priscilla had already
separated and the divorce was pending. Health problems dogged him, and the
intial excitement of being back before live audiences was starting to wane. In a
surprisingly short time, though, Elvis managed to whip himself back into shape.
He arrived in Honolulu on January 9, and he began rehearsals the next day. RCA
had already made plans to fly tapes to all the major markets and to release the
album almost immediately. Jackets were pre-printed (to which stickers with the
song titles would later be added). The set would be released as a stereo
compatible Quadraphonic double LP
By the day of the show, RCA had accumulated advance orders for more than one million records. Elvis knew he couldn’t duplicate the show he had given in New York six months earlier because it had already been released and was also a top-selling live album.
The special provides a good example of his stage show from the 1970s, a period
in which he embodied the term “Superstar.” His band and orchestra began the
performance with the opening strains from the theme “2001 A Space Odyssey.” The
sonorous sound of the kettle drum solo, which signaled the conclusion of that
segment of “Zarathustra,” segued into the driving rhythms of “See See Rider,”
Elvis’ opening number. At that point, Elvis bounded on stage , strutting back
and forth in front of the audience and showing off his costume, complete with
cape. Grabbing a guitar, which he rarely played but used as a prop, Elvis began
singing the chorus to “See See Rider.”
Elvis sang a variety of songs throughout the concert special, including his
current hit, “Burning Love”, as well as the past hits “Hound Dog,” “Love Me,”
and “Fever.”
Without much time to
prepare new songs, he settled upon standards like “I Can’t Stop Loving You,”
“Welcome To My World,” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry.” He also decided to
reprise several songs he had introduced during his Vegas stint in August 1972,
among them James Taylor’s “Steamroller Blues.”
During the course of the evening, he removed his cape, and while singing “An
American Trilogy,” he tossed his studded belt into the audience. For the finale,
Elvis sang his standard closing number, “Can’t Help Falling In Love,” which
built up to the large-scale sound typical of his style of that era. By the time
this number had begun, Elvis had resumed wearing his cape, which typically
signaled the end of the show for his band and the audience. Usually, he
concluded the number by dropping to one of his knee in the spotlight, grabbing
the ends of his cape in his hands, and spreading the garment out behind him, a
grandiose gesture befitting the World’s Greatest Entertainer. On this night, he
added an extra touch by throwing the cape into the crowd, where it was caught by
a lucky fan. As the orchestra reprised “See See Rider,” Elvis left the stage. As
usual, he did not return for an encore.
The night after the show Elvis found that he wanted to thank “The Memphis Mafia”
for having been part of making the show a success. Elvis, Joe Esposito and Marty
Lacker visited the hotel’s jewellry shop and bought emerald and diamond rings
for the group’s wives. During the ladies joy at having been given costly
jewellery in addition to the Hawaii trip, Elvis started handing out envelopes to
“The Mafia”. Each was found to contain a cheque for $1,000.
Elvis:
“Thank you for having helped me make this special time a great time for me.”
That
Summer he had scored a No.2 hit with “Burning Love,” so the audience would
expect to hear it. Another recent addition to the set list, Marty Robbins “You
Gave Me A Mountain,” seemed to take on an even greater significance in light if
the daunting prospect of performing live to billions of people. The billions of
people who made up Elvis’ global audience witnessed a flawless performance.
Elvis was focused and desperately intent on rising to the occasion. There were
no monologs – just the barest of introductions. Elvis wanted nothing to detract
from the music. Nor did the scale of the event seem to daunt him.
The April showing in
America attracted 51% of the television viewing audience, and was seen in more
American households than man’s first walk on the moon. In all, it was seen in
about 40 countries by one billion to 1.5 billion people. Never had one performer
held the world’s attention in such a way. There was a live audience in the arena
for the rehearsal show , also called “The Alternate Aloha”, as well as the
actual special. There was no set ticket price for either performance. Audience
members were asked to pay what they could afford. With nothing held for
expenses, all ticket sales benefited the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii. Elvis
even paid to get in himself, as did the Colonel. All proceeds from merchandise
sales were also donated. It was projected that the shows would raise $25,000 for
the fund, but Elvis proudly announced during the satellite broadcast that
$75,000 had been raised. Elvis was in top form physically and vocally. This was
probably the pinnacle of his superstardom. In fact, that night, he redefined the
term superstar. For Colonel Parker, it clearly stands as one of his all-time
biggest deals and greatest promotions.
There
was no set ticket price for either performance. Audience members were asked to
pay what they could afford. With nothing held for expenses, all ticket sales
benefited the Kui Lee Cancer Fund in Hawaii. Elvis even paid to get in himself,
as did the Colonel. All proceeds from merchandise sales were also donated. It
was projected that the shows would raise $25,000 for the fund, but Elvis proudly
announced during the satellite broadcast that $75,000 had been raised. Elvis
was in top form physically and vocally. This was probably the pinnacle of his
superstardom. In fact, that night, he redefined the term superstar. For Colonel
Parker, it clearly stands as one of his all-time biggest deals and greatest
promotions.
Elvis, looking great, gave a perfect show. In my opinion, Elvis did a great job with "An American Trilogy," "What Now My Love," and "My Way."
Elvis Rehearsal Concert, January 12, 1973; Also Sprach Zarathustra / See See Rider / Burning Love / Something / You Gave Me A Mountain / Steamroller Blues / My Way / Love Me / It's Over / Blue Suede Shoes / I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry / Hound Dog / What Now My Love / Fever / Welcome To My World / Suspicious Minds / Introductions By Elvis / I'll Remember You / An American Trilogy / A Big Hunk O'Love / Can't Help Falling In Love With You
Elvis Aloha From Hawaii Concert January 14, 1973; Also Sprach Zarathustra / See See Rider / Burning Love / Something / You Gave Me A Mountain / Steamroller Blues / My Way / Love Me / Johnny B.Goode / It's Over / Blue Suede Shoes / I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry / Hound Dog / What Now My Love / Fever / Welcome To My World / Suspicious Minds / Introductions By Elvis / I'll Remember You / Medley: Long Tall Sally/Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On / An American Trilogy / A Big Hunk O'Love / Can't Help Falling In Love With You
Post-Concert "Insert" Songs Session, January 14, 1973, This after-concert session was shot with two cameras; Blue Hawaii / Ku-U-I-Po Take 1,2,3 / No More attempted take plus take 1,2 / Hawaiian Wedding Song take 1,2,3,4 / Early Morning Rain
Principle Cast; J.D Sumner & The Stamps Quartet (Bill Baize, Ed Enoch, Donnie Sumner, Ed Wideman and J.D Sumner), The Sweet Inspirations (Estelle Brown, Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna Smith), Soprano Vocals Kathy Westmoreland, Lead Guitar James Burton, Rhythm Guitar John Wilkinson, Drums Ronnie Tutt, Bass Guitar Jerry Scheff, Piano Glenn D.Hardin, Guitar and Vocals Charlie Hodge, Musical Director & Conductor Joe Guercio
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