for being on the road. In November 1971 Elvis set off on his sole tour of the year and it was extraordinary. Being on the road let Elvis see more of his hard core fans as well as bringing about a much-needed change of pace. The reinvigorated Presley played fourteen shows in twelve days crisscrossing from the east coast all the way down to Texas. With the exception of Houston his itinerary brought him to cities he hadn’t played for 15 years, if ever, exposing him to a whole new audience. Elvis’ outfits for this tour were far more ornate then the ones he wore previously. They were made of heavier material, had huge matching belts, and also came equipped with heavy corresponding capes that were worn on the less physical selections.
Elvis was a little heavier then he had been for the last four years, but was still in generally fine shape. Certainly his movements hadn’t been hampered, which is amazing considering how heavy his jumpsuits had become. In fact Elvis hadn’t been quite as physical since the previous year and with rare exception he never would be quite as limber again. By further incorporating his mastery of martial arts, Elvis’ uninhibited chorography had more power and drama then ever before.
Elvis used basically the same lineup he had been using over the last two years, the major exception being J.D. Sumner and The Stamps in place of The Imperials Quartet. After The Imperials left over a contract dispute, Elvis asked his old friend and hero J.D. if he had any groups in his stable that would fit the bill. Sumner offered up the services of a new gospel quartet he had formed called The Stamps, which Elvis agreed to use only on the condition that J.D. would appear with them. With the arrival of J.D. and The Stamps what many would deem as Elvis’ classic seventies lineup was in place. Elvis enjoyed teasing Sumner about his impossibly low voice, but was truly honored to be sharing the spotlight with him.
Elvis used basically the same lineup he had been using over the last two years, the major exception being J.D. Sumner and The Stamps in place of The Imperials Quartet. After The Imperials left over a contract dispute, Elvis asked his old friend and hero J.D. if he had any groups in his stable that would fit the bill. Sumner offered up the services of a new gospel quartet he had formed called The Stamps, which Elvis agreed to use only on the condition that J.D. would appear with them. With the arrival of J.D. and The Stamps what many would deem as Elvis’ classic seventies lineup was in place. Elvis enjoyed teasing Sumner about his impossibly low voice, but was truly honored to be sharing the spotlight with him.
condition that J.D. would appear with them. With the arrival of J.D. and The Stamps what many would deem as Elvis’ classic seventies lineup was in place. Elvis enjoyed teasing Sumner about his impossibly low voice, but was truly honored to be sharing the spotlight with him.
The shows averaged about an hour and were the longest he had ever done on tour to date. Elvis didn't have the raw power of 1969, or the pristine clarity of 1970, but his late 1971 vocals were among his best. His timbre was rich and supple and he often pushed his voice out in a way that was close to being operatic. Perhaps Elvis didn’t have the technique of a Caruso or a Pavarotti, but he certainly equaled them in passion and raw feel. By this point there were some who wished that Elvis was still the unpolished rocker of the fifties, but being purely a rock artist was not Elvis’ aim. Though he enjoyed the rock and roll and rhythm and blues of his contemporaries, Elvis’ passion for folk, gospel, and pop balladry never allowed him to limit his approach. As soon as Elvis felt he could handle these styles vocally, they became a big part of his repertoire. Some purists balked, not understanding that these genres were as big a part of Elvis Presley as anything else.
Poster courtesy of Joe Krein/www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=B3MRGVnRX6Y