Biography

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1970 - 1977

October 9, 1973
Elvis and Priscilla make a court appearance together and their divorce is granted. They will continue to be close friends. Though Elvis and Priscilla have joint custody of Lisa Marie, there will be no formal schedule of visitation for Elvis, and he and his daughter will spend time together regularly.

October 15 - November 1, 1973
Girlfriend Linda thompson is by Elvis' side while he is hospitalized in Memphis for recurring pneumonia and pleurisy, an enlarged colon, and hepatitis. Elvis has been battling health problems for some time, including an increasing dependency upon prescription drugs. It will get worse. He also battles his weight.

December 1973
Elvis returns to the Stax Recording Studio in Memphis for a week of sessions. He records the albums "Promised Land" and "Good Times".

January 26-February 9, 1974
Elvis plays the Vegas Hilton again.

March - July 1974
Elvis is on tour through much of March. In March he returns to the Houston Astrodome and sets a one-day attendance record with his two shows. Also in March he plays Memphis for the first time since 1961 and does four shows on March 16 & 17 to meet the demand for tickets. Another live album results from the excitement in Memphis, and on March 20, Elvis Recorded Live On Stage in Memphis, recorded at one of the shows. Included is a live performance of How Great Thou Art that will go on to win Elvis his third Grammy award. He resumes touring in May and plays the Sahara in Lake Tahoe May 16 -26. He’s back on tour in mid-June and takes a few weeks off, starting in early July.

Graceland’s den is being redecorated into its present Polynesian décor, and Elvis is working on the script to the movie “The New Gladiators.”

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Jailhouse Rock/Hound Dog

August 19 - September 2, 1974
Back to the Hilton in Vegas for an engagement. Elvis talks on stage about karate.

September 27 - October 14, 1974
Elvis is on tour again. Plays the Sahara-Tahoe October 11-14.

Record releases have continued through this period with varying degrees of success.

January 29 - February 14, 1975
Elvis is hospitalized with health and prescription problems again. Vernon has heart attack and father and son have adjoining rooms in the hospital.

March 1, 1975
Elvis’ live recording of "How Great Thou Art" from the album recorded at one of his Memphis concerts on March 20, 1974 wins the Grammy for Best Inspirational Performance. This is Elvis’ third and final Grammy win out of fourteen nominations (one nomination posthumously). All three Grammy wins have been for his gospel music.

March 10 - 12, 1975
Elvis records material for the “Today” album at RCA Sunset Blvd. Studio.

March 18 - April 1, 1975
Engagement at the Hilton. On March 28, 1975 Barbra Streisand talks to Elvis about “Star Is Born.” A formal offer will be made on April 4, 1975 and the Colonel responds with a counter offer for Elvis’s services on the 14th, which was subsequently rejected.

April 17, 1975
Elvis purchases a Convair 880 jet and renames it the “Lisa Marie.”

April - July, 1975
Elvis tours in concert.

August 18 - September 5, 1975
Elvis opens in Vegas but ends his engagement on the 20th and is hospitalized in Memphis until September 5.

November 11, 1975
The renovation of a Convair 880 jet Elvis bought earlier in the year is complete, and he takes his first flight on the Lisa Marie jet.

December 2-15, 1975
Elvis returns to the Hilton in Vegas to make up for the shows that were canceled during his previous engagement.

December 31, 1975
Elvis performs a special New Year’s Eve concert in Pontiac, Michigan and sets a single performance attendance record of 62,500.

February 1976
Elvis has a week of recording sessions in the den at Graceland, with RCA bringing in mobile recording equipment. Songs from this will comprise the forthcoming album From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (which will hit number one on the country album chart in May) and over half of the forthcoming Moody Blue album.

March 17-22, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

April 21-27, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

April 30 - May 9, 1976
An engagement at the Sahara Tahoe in Nevada.

May 27- June 6, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

June 25 - July 5, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

July 23 - August 5, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

August 27-September 8, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

October 14-27, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

October 29-30, 1976
Continuation of recording in the den at Graceland, and Elvis records his last single "Way down."

Early November, 1976
Elvis and Linda Thompson, his steady girlfriend since 1972, split up.

November 19, 1976
Elvis meets Ginger Alden who will be his steady girlfriend until his death.

November 24-30, 1976
Elvis tours in concert.

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