Elvis Presley - Rapid City June 21, 1977

HIGH QUALITY. Elvis in Concert. Rapid City - CBS Special tape. The June 1977 tour would become known as Elvis' Final Farewell to his beloved fans as it would be the last tour he would ever perform.
The 9 day tour started on 17th June in Springfield with Elvis wearing the usual Mexican Sundial jumpsuit for the show and looked very overweight but smiling. The next stop was in Kansas City's Kemper Arena wearing the Ace of Spades suit for the final time and again looking very puffy and he sounded very out of breath for most of the show and also mentioned that he had trouble getting into the suit. He did perform an unusual final version of Blue Christmas and Big Boss Man had its final performance at this show.
The next show was in Omaha in front of the CBS cameras who were recording for the up-coming CBS TV special: Elvis in Concert. Elvis again wore the Mexican Sundial suit and this was the worst show of the whole tour as Elvis sounded very drowsy and couldn't speak well but performed a fantastic final version of the gospel song How Great Thou Art and a fun Fairytale and lovely version of And I love You So.
On the 20th Elvis was in Lincoln's Pershing Municipal Auditorium in front of a small 7,500 crowd but the show was the best so far of this tour and Elvis again wore the Sundial suit and performed a powerful Help Me.
Elvis was in front of the CBS cameras again on the 21st June in Rapid City with him opening the arena and was much more awake at this show and it was possibly the 2nd best show of the tour performing in the now usual Sundial suit and singing his first hit That's All Right and the infamous version of Are You Lonesome Tonight?. The 2 highlights of the whole show were a fantastic moving Unchained Melody and My Way.
On the 22nd Elvis was in Sioux Falls in the Mexican Sundial Suit which he would wear at every concert for the remainder of this tour. On the 23rd Elvis gave a very good performance in Des Moines' Memorial Auditorium and performed good versions of Little Sister and gave a final performance of the hits Blue Suede Shoes and Help Me. It was also the last time Ronnie Tutt would perform with Elvis.
Elvis was in Madison on the 24th performing in front of a 10,000 sell out crowd with the drummer for The Sweet Inspiration's drummer Jerome Stump Monroe filling in for Ronnie Tutt who was taken ill. This was the third and final time he would play drums for Elvis. Elvis gave good final versions of the classics One Night and Love Me Tender but he complained of stomach pain during this show and it is reported that he nearly passes out after the show.
Elvis gave his penultimate performance in Cincinnati on 25th June and it was a very good show for the period performing final versions of If You Love Me, And I Love You So, and My Way & Unchained Melody. He also introduced many people before finishing the show including his father, Vernon, Girlfriend, Ginger and the British Fan Club Members who went over to see the final two shows of that tour.
The 26th June 1977 was the last time Elvis would walk on stage and perform in front of his fans and this show is possibly the best of the whole year as he sung rare songs such as Release Me, I Cant Stop Lovin' You & Bridge over Troubled Water. He was in high spirits for the show and like the night before he introduced his father who he was glad was able to be on tour with him after being ill. After the show many of the band members became ill and were hospitalised overnight.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Elvis Presley
• Rapid City
• June 21
• 1977
• cbs special
• elvis in concert
• tape
• footage

[SonoVox100]

wonder what was being blurred out at the bottom of the screen?

[avro1001]

If it wasn't for Elvis there wouldn't have been any BEATLES

[avro1001]

This Is the King of Rock and Roll and music as John Lennon said that before Elvis there was nothing

[vartto]

Täysi Kuningas, means King. I prefer more bands like Stones and Who but Elvis is just absolutely too much he´s just......the singer that never ........youknow ..idolscontest´s are worthless!!!

[cards1985]

No lip syncing here!

[fishfacebabe]

Even at this stage in his life he still had a good voice and icredible stage presence, Elvis will be heard many many years from now.

[jamnout71]

its amazing how bad he looked in the end but his voice was still there.

[adrianore63]

unicona maschile imenso grande

[krsfromprp]

He is messed up!

[JCsGirl0676]

That little girl has to be the luckiest little girl to have met Elvis. :D She probably remembers it today too. She's lucky to have met him.