[GuitarMan66]

In this section you can post your'e opinion of what was Elvis' finest hour(s).It might be a movie a TV special a year in his life or a concert the choice is your's.

[GuitarMan66]

August 1970
What a time for Elvis.Just a few years previous it seemed it could all be over for him,his records struggled to the charts and his films sank at the box office.But with a power even greater than his own original emergence,Elvis had stormed back to the top.
And so in 1970,Elvis was in a greater position than ever before.Consider what lay before him as he was filmingTTWII.He was recording hit after hit and his concert performances were as close to perfection as they would ever be.His health was great,his marriage was still intact and he doted on his 2 year old daughter Lisa Marie.
The king it seemed had done the impossible,he had managed a complete new change of style and image without destroying the alliegance of his older fans.There was no question of trading on his old reputation,this was a new man,singing new songs,in a new style.
In TTWII Elvis is simply fantastic,his old songs are sung with great power and verve.His new songs are classy and fresh.And the whole overall performances are dynamic.The mixture is perfect.Probably TOO good.As even Elvis could not maintain that level of performance forever.As in a couple of years the old songs would become "throw aways" and his personal life would dissolve into divorce.
However the next time you watch TTWII sit back and enjoy a time in Elvis' life which would see him becoming the greatest superstar you will ever see,leaving behind him the tag of King of Rock and Roll and assuming a new one.That of simply THE KING.

[Guest_The Batman_*]

1977 I know mine is a wide range and a lot of people will dissagree with me but my favourite time is 1977, for the last few months that Elvis perfromed to me where fantastic, Elvis was over weight, tired and nothing like his former self, yet he still managed to get up on the stage and perform with all the strength that he has always done, he performed his heart out, I feel with the songs he sang contained all his heart and feeling

[Steve]

1968..............

The Comback, after all the movie deals Elvis Comes Back to what he really Love's

Live Performing...., and lord what a TV special he did there!!!!
Elvis was looking good very very good.
He even had a Nice Brown Skin, and he dident liked the Sun very much...
Elvis did everthing to come back, in a way we never forget.
And He did!!!!!

Thanks to that Comback special we got Elvis On Stage from 1969 to 1977....

(IMG:http://elvis-tkc.com/forum2/style_emoticons/default/king.gif)

[hexia]

I'd have to say his first concert in 69. Performing in a place where he felt he had bombed out before, not knowing how he would be recieved. Thinking that maybe he was washed up and people didn't care. How scared he must have been.
But he went out there, carried it off and totally brought the house down. And then he was REALLY back.

[pacer1965]

1935.....

The year Elvis was born (IMG:http://elvis-tkc.com/forum2/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)



TCE
Lorraine

[GuitarMan66]

(IMG:http://elvis-tkc.com/forum2/style_emoticons/default/clap.gif) great stories,keep 'em comin' (IMG:http://elvis-tkc.com/forum2/style_emoticons/default/thumbup.gif)

[kissmequick]

1959-60
"Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" when I was learning to talk I was also learning to sing along with Elvis records. My Brother and Sister both had the 45's. So, I was introduced to Elvis' music very young.
Mom made me sing for Company when they came over....maybe that's why I'm such a "ham" .... [img]style_emoticons/default/LSHIC.gif[/img]

[GuitarMan66]

1959-60
"Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" when I was learning to talk I was also learning to sing along with Elvis records. My Brother and Sister both had the 45's. So, I was introduced to Elvis' music very young.
Mom made me sing for Company when they came over....maybe that's why I'm such a "ham" .... [img]style_emoticons/default/LSHIC.gif[/img]

[img]style_emoticons/default/LSHIC.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img] Nice story Donna, thanks for sharing it with us. [img]style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif[/img]

[Tigerman]

1969:

So much history went down this year. The fantastic studio work, a year when Elvis songs once again would be put in history. We got Suspicious minds,In the ghetto,Any day now etc. This has to be among Elvis best studio work in his career.

Not only did Elvis create some fantastic tracks, but he would also return fulltime to live performing. His return was set to Las Vegas, a city Elvis allready had faild in the 50's, due to the grown up audience.
Much must have been on Elvis mind heading into the last days of July '69. On july 31 it was on, the opening nigt. Once again he would conqure the world.

His voice was extremly good in 1969, he had the rawness from the 68 special, and he could sing ballads soft and how they should be. On stage he was wild, it's said he was wilder in 69 than in 1970. so i guess we an paint the picture.

[Bazza]

1961:

In 1961, Elvis had been out of the Army and back in the "limelight" for over a year and had the Triumph that was the "Elvis Is Back" Lp under his belt.

With his confidence fully restored, 1961 proved to be a GREAT year for Elvis. In March, he went to RCA's Studo B in Nashville to work on some new material with the famous "Nashville A Team" band, including Hank Garland on Guitar, Bob Moore on Base, Buddy Harmon on Drums, Floyd Cramer on Piano and Boots Randolph on Sax. Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontanna were on hand as well.

1961 finds Elvis in EXTREMELY good voice and, as previously mentioned, a band that just couldn't be beat, then or now. The songs making up the "Something For Everybody" and "Pot Luck" albums were all cut in '61 at Studo B. The songs Elvis chose were just as good as the vocalist and his band.....I'm Comin' Home, Gently, In Your Arms, Give Me The Right, There's Always Me, Put The Blame On Me, Night Rider.....The list goes on.

Additionally, 1961 saw Elvis work on the soundtrack for Blue Hawaii, again with the Nashville A Team Band. From these sessions comes an all-time Elvis classic and musical triumph on every level, Can't Help Falling In Love. The entire Blue Hawaii Soundtrack is something to recommend, however, as it has much more to offer than just the Brilliant Can't Help Falling In Love.

1961 also saw the last of Elvis' live shows until the 1968 Comeback. Elvis played benefit concerts in both Memphis and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. These shows also featured the legendary A Team Band and, thankfully one of them, the Pearl Harbor Show, was recorded. Although it is a primitive recording, it still manages to capture the Excitement and Electricity Elvis created in a Live setting. It's history's loss that he gave up live performances for 8 long years after this performance. If you haven't heard the Pear Harbor Concert, it comes highly recommended!!

I love Elvis from all era's, but I prefer Elvis in the 60's. Even then it's difficult for me to choose just one year......As mentioned 1960 was also a landmark year with Elvis returning home from the Army, cutting some CLASSIC tracks, releasing the Elvis Is Back LP, appearing on TV for the first time since his return from the Army and the last time until 1968 on the Frank Sinatra "Welcome Home Elvis" Special. 1968 is another year with outstanding achievements, as was 1969...... [img]style_emoticons/default/king.gif[/img]

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[GuitarMan66]

Great articles Einar and Barry thanks for posting your'e finest Elvis hour(s) [img]style_emoticons/default/cheers.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/default/king.gif[/img]

[Guest_Brad_*]

I think one of Elvis' finest hours was 1973 The Aloha Show.
Soon as Elvis hit the stage and went into the opening CC Rider until the end
of the Elvis was literally on top of the world.
[img]style_emoticons/default/king.gif[/img]

[Suspicious Minds]

I too thought Aloha From Hawaii was his finest hour. Although the United Kingdom did not see the first transmission of this show it was shown in more than 40 countries. It was said that 1 billion people saw this show. Another record.


[img]style_emoticons/default/00000407.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/default/king.gif[/img]

[Guest_Brad_*]

Another one that I think was Elvis' finest hours was when his first and only child Lisa-Marie was born...I think Elvis loved being a father and was very proud to be a daddy...i just thought of something that was a little more having to do with his personal life than just his career.

[NightRider]

One heck of a tough question. Finding his Finest Hour when he had so many highlights....and despite what some would claim, so few low points. We know that he himself was pretty low during the late 60's. But what a way to turn that around with the sublime 68 special, the unequalled recording sessions and the Live comeback of 1969.

Even though i do prefer 1970 as a live year, and the studio recordings that took place throughout 1970 were very close to those of the year before. 1969 remains a special year. The year that he really did Comeback. The 68 special paved the way ( and what a voice he had in '68....raw and full of electricity)...69 was the real deal. He was back where he belonged with, i think, the album of his career.

Many highlights still followed. Madison Square Garden ( oh how i would have loved to be there !!! ), Aloha From Hawaii, The homecoming in '74 ( simply stunning ), the summer 75 shows, the december 76 shows.....but for me...1969 pips them all...just [img]style_emoticons/default/bye1.gif[/img]

[Elvis_Priestly]

The finest hour for me has to be the hour that got me hooked and that I still watch umpteen times a year "Aloha from Hawaii". I know its been mentioned here before but I only just found this thread.
I think the whole of Elvis was like a unit at last working as one:
"Hair you gonna behave tonight?" - "Yessir!"
"Weight, you gonna be JUST right?" - "Yessir!"
Heck even his pores behaved that night and if he was gonna sweat the trickles were going to look like tears at just the right time and place.
If Elvis' life was a school day this was afternoon break, a rip roaring, laughter filled run around the playground before going back to class to wait for the final bell. And instead of crisp bags left blowing around the netball court there was a belt and a cape left to waft about on the hysterical breeze of adulation.
It makes me come over all poetical!

An American Trilogy: song, soul, person,
Love me his only command.
Oh see, see this rider twist the throttle,
Harrying suspicious minds off the road.
A blue suede shoe freed to tread my way.

Hunk of love or hound dog?
A lonesome cry tells us which -
What now my love? the world's fevered reply.
All too soon its over, a short welcome to my world
I'll remember you for this, for always,
I can't stop loving you.