“A
live concert to me is exciting because of all the electricity that is generated
in the crowd and on stage..”
“..It’s my favorite part of the business..live
concerts”. (Elvis Presley)
“Few things glorify a great talent more than
surrounding it with other great talents. Elvis Presley worked with some of the
music industry’s finest singers
and instrumentalists, the same people who are now reunited for Elvis, The
Concert.”
The
astounding production
that reunites former Elvis bandmates live on stage with a state of the
art video-projected Elvis, continues its historic, and critically acclaimed
world tour, which began in America in 1998.
In
his lifetime Elvis’ only concerts were five shows in three Canadian cities in
1957. A world tour was an unrequited dream for Elvis and for his international
fans. More than twenty years after Elvis’s death, the dream has come true.
The
show’s concept is to present an authentic as possible Elvis Presley concert.
On stage a 16 piece orchestra and a group of original bandmates from the concert
era of his career perform live with the Elvis video. All music heard in
the concert production is performed live exept for Elvis’ voice. On either
side of the Elvis performance screen are screens that carry live action from
this stage. From the first song it’s magic. You’re at a real Elvis concert.
The footage is chosen from
Elvis’ finest concert performances that exist on film or videotape. The other
criterion is that
The
Cast
James
Burton, lead guitar
James
Burton began his career at age 14, playing guitar in the house band for
Shreveport’s famed Louisiana Hayride. While playing in Dale Hawkin’s band in 1955, he wrote the music for the hit song Susie-Q and
recorded it with Hawkins. In 1957, he began
a nineyear run as guitarist for Ricky Nelson and weekly appearances on the
Nelson family’s classic television show “The Adventures Of Ozzie and Harriet”.
Among the many artists he has recorded with over the years are; Elvis Presley,
Ricky Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison, Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and many
others. Elvis himself called James Burton and asked him to help put together a
band for his 1969 engagement in Las Vegas. Burton was Elvis’ lead guitarist in
concerts for Vegas and national tours, and on many recordings, from 1969 until
Elvis’ death in 1977.
Glen D. Hardin grew up in Texas and
made his firts way to Los Angeles in the fall of 1961 after leaving the U.S.
Navy. By early 1962 he was playing piano at the Palomino Club and soon started
touring with the Crickets. Over the years he has worked as an arranger and
recording session pianist with artists such as Elvis Presley, Emmylou Harris,
John Denver, Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, Sammy Davis, Sonny & Cher, Roy
Orbison and so on. He worked with Elvis from 1970 to 1976, playing live concerts
with Elvis, creating some of his arrangements and being a part of numerous Elvis
recordings.
Ronnie Tutt is originally from Dallas,
Texas. He studied music at the University of North Texas, played gigs in the
Dallas/Fort Worth area, and held staff positions (drums and vocals) at two
“Jingle” studios. In 1963 he moved to Memphis and played with some of that
city’s great rhythm sections during an exciting time in Memphis music history.
In 1969 he auditioned for Elvis, who
was putting together a band for his Las Vegas engagement. He got the job. Beyond
talent as a drummer, what seemed to put him above the competition was his way of
connecting with Elvis..watching him, making eye contact, anticipating
where Elvis was going with a song. From 1969 to 1977 he was Elvis’
drummer on stage and on a number of recordings. For a long time Ronnie Tutt was
a studio musician in Los Angeles, later relocating to Nashville.The
Sweet Inspirations, vocals Estelle Brown, Portia Griffin, Sylvia Shemwell, Myrna
Smith
The Soulful harmonies of the Sweet
Inspirations have enriched recordings by Aretha Franklin, Wilson Pickett and
other legends. They have collaborated with writers and producers such as Carole
King, Burt Bacharach and Hal David. They’ve had success with R&B, gospel
and pop recordings of their own, most notably their first hit single Sweet
Inspiration, which gave the group their name in the late sixties and earned them
a Grammy Nomination. It was that song that caught the attention of Elvis Presley,
who signed them to provide backing vocals and be an opening act for his
record-breaking Las Vegas engagement, his official
return to the live concert stage after his triumphant ’68 special and
the end of his Hollywood movie contract obligations. No audition was required.
The Sweet Inspirations met him when they arrived for the first rehearsals for
the ’69 engagement. The
“Sweets” worked with Elvis in Las Vegas, on his national concert tours and
on recordings from 1969 to 1977.
Sherman Andreus, Terry
Blackwood, Jim Murray
(Me and the Imperials, October 20, 2002)
The Imperial Quartet was one of several vocal groups that, beginning in 1969, backed Elvis in concert. In 1969 the Imperial Quartet consisted of Jake Hess, Jim Murray, Gary McSpadden, and Armand Morales. The group later consisted of Terry Blackwood, Joe Moscheo, Armond Morales, and Jim Murray. Other members included Roger Wiles and Greg Gordon. The group won a number of Grammy Awards for their gospel music: "No Shortage" (1975), "Sail On" (1977), and "Heed The Call" (1979). In August 1971 the Imperials left Elvis to perform with singer Jimmy Dean. The members of the group were unhappy with the salary that Colonel Tom Parker was paying them. They were replaced by J.D. Sumner and the Stamps.
Elvis loved gospel music, particularly
male gospel harmony, which was not only a major part of his gospel recordings,
but also an element in the sound of much of his pop, rock and country work. The
imperials first worked with Elvis doing some of the backing vocals in the 1966
sessions for his “How Great Thou art” album, whick won Elvis his first
Grammy award, Best Sacred Performance for 1967. The Imperials first worked on a
regular basis with Elvis on stage
and in the recording studio from 1969 until the latter half of 1971, beginning
with his triumphant 1969 Las Vegas engagement.
A major highlight of their
collaboration with him was the 1971 recording of He Touched Me (released in
1972) an album that earned Elvis
his second Grammy Award, Best Inspirational Performance for 1972.
