2024-06-02

ELVIS PRESLEY - FROM ELVIS IN MEMPHIS @ 55

 

Released on June 2nd, 1969, Elvis Presley's 9th studio album, From Elvis In Memphis, turns 55 years old today. After spending the bulk of the decade shackled to an MGM film contract that prohibited him from performing live and only allowed the release of soundtrack collections, "The King" was finally unleashed to revive his soul and record the kind of music HE wanted to do.

After the massive success of his TV special and its accompanying soundtrack in 1968, Elvis was ready to do a proper studio album, something which he hadn't really been able to do since 1960's "Elvis Is Back" album, which was recorded shortly after his return from being drafted into military service. After spending most the '60s recording soundtrack songs for his films at RCA studios in Hollywood and Tennessee, his close associates encouraged him to set up in Memphis for his next album, taking advantage of the renowned group of studio musicians who called the city home and who were collectively known as the "Memphis Boys". The decision proved advantageous and allowed Elvis to lean into his more "country" style roots, albeit with a heavy dose of Southern soul.

The album was released to praise from both fans and critics, with many now considering it one of Elvis' most essential releases. With Presley no longer bound to Hollywood and making movies, the TV special and new album set the stage for a triumphant return to live performing, which included the conquering of Las Vegas, a city that had rejected him back in his 1950s heyday as too "raw and unrefined", but which embraced him a decade later as the town struggled to retain its relevance in the face of a youth culture that had no interest in its bright lights and games of chance. Elvis came in like a messiah, and setting up residence there would be the shot in the arm the town so desperately needed, making it a destination for fans eager to see a legendary performer at the peak of his powers.

No comments:

Post a Comment