January-February of 1970 finds Elvis back at the International Hotel where he breaks his own attendance records. This achievement during Las Vegas' slow season!
February 27-March 1. Elvis gives six performances at the Houston Astrodome. Although plagued by acoustic problems, the shows are wildly popular, drawing 207,494 people.
July-September. Back to Las Vegas for a month long engagement at The International. During this time, a documentary Elvis - That's The Way It Is is filmed by veteran Denis Sanders. With footage of the shows, rehearsals and many candid moments, the documentary provides realistic access to Elvis, the man.
September 9-14. Elvis is on tour for the fist time since 1957. The Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix stop of the nine city tour is included in Elvis - That's The Way It Is.
November 1970. More touring. Eight cities this time.
December of 1970. In one of the oddest pairings ever - Elvis meets Richard Nixon at the White House.
January 16, 1971.Elvis accepts accept the honor of being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce (The Jaycees). He is very proud of this - and rightly so.
Elvis spends late January and early February in Las Vegas at another month-long engagement at the International Hotel.
May 1971 finds Elvis recording in Nashville, working on the album Elvis Sings the Wonderful World of Christmas.
In June of 1971 Elvis' two room birthplace in Tupelo is opened to the public. A stretch of Highway 51 South, which runs past Graceland, is renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. (The new street signs won't appear until January of '72)
June 1971. More recording in Nashville, mostly for the gospel album He Touched Me, which will win Elvis his second Grammy Award.
July-August. A change of venue this time for a two-week engagement at the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada.
August 9 - September 6, 1971. Back to Las Vegas at the International Hotel, which has been renamed the Las Vegas Hilton International Hotel. Again, he breaks all his own attendance records. Elvis now has a 5 year contract with the Hilton to appear twice a year.
November 5-16, 1971. Elvis goes on a 12-city concert tour.
Late 1971. Priscilla moves out, taking Lisa Marie with her.
January 26 - February 23, 1972. Back to the Hilton in Vegas.
During March and April of 1972, Elvis films on and off stage during his 15-city concert tour. This tour started in Buffalo NY and ended in Albuquerque NM. The footage is part of the documentary Elvis on Tour, which recoups it's production costs after only three days in theatres and grabs a Golden Globe Award for Best Documentary. Buy VHS
June 9-11, 1972. Entertainment history is made as Elvis, in advance, sells out all four engagements at Madison Square Garden. Among the 80,000 attendees were John Lennon, George Harrison, David Bowie, Bob Dylan and Art Gurfunkel. His stirring rendition of "An American Trilogy" was a highlight. Surprisingly, this was Elvis' first live concert in New York City.
Priscilla files for divorce in July 1972. Elvis has begun seeing Linda Thompson, a relationship that will last until late 1976.
August 4-September 4. Back at the Hilton.
November 1972. Elvis ends a seven city tour in Honolulu, Hawaii.
January 14, 1973. Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii is taped at Honolulu International Center Arena. It will be seen by nearly 1.5 billion people. The album from shoot to #1, Elvis' last album to do so.
January 26 - February 23, 1973. Back in Las Vegas at the Hilton.
March 1973. Colonel Parker sells RCA the singer’s royalty rights on Elvis’ entire recording catalog up to that point. 700 songs for five million dollars. A good deal for the Colonel, but bad for Elvis and his heirs who could have enjoyed a lifetime income off those songs.
Late April. Another eight city tour.
May 4-16 Elvis appears at the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. From June 20 - July 3, 1973 - More touring. Then August 6 - September 3, 1973 he's back at the Hilton.
October 9, 1973. Elvis and Priscilla appear in court and their divorce is granted. Although she has custody of Lisa Marie, Elvis will remain close to both mother and daughter.
Immediately after the divorce and for two weeks in late October Elvis will be hospitalized in Memphis. He will be treated for medical problems either stemming from or exacerbated by his heavy drug use.
January 26-February 9, 1974. Elvis is back at the Hilton.
Elvis tours for most of March including an attendance breaking repeat performance at the Houston Astrodome. He'll appear in Memphis for the first time since 1961. Another live album is produced, Elvis Recorded Live On Stage in Memphis from the two day, four show engagement. Included is a live performance of How Great Thou Art that will go on to win Elvis his third Grammy award. Surprisingly, all of Elvis' Grammy's are for gospel songs.
From May 16-26, he's at Sahara in Lake Tahoe
August 19 - September 2, 1974. While back at the Hilton he receives an offer which could have been a pivotal moment. Barbra Streisand and her hairdresser/boyfriend/producer Jon Peters offer Elvis the lead role in her remake of A Star is Born. This would have given Elvis his long awaited chance at serious acting. He is bored on the road and needs a new challenge. Regrettably, this never comes to fruition.
Elvis appears at the Sahara-Tahoe October 11-14.
January 29 - February 14, 1975. Sadly, Elvis must be hospitalized again for drug related medical problems. His health has begun to decline.
From March 18 - April 1, 1975, he is again at the Hilton and then tours thru till the end of July.
August 18 he begins an engagement at the Hilton which is cut short on the 20th as Elvis returns to a hospital in Memphis until September 5.
A bright spot! The renovation of a Convair 880 jet is completed and Elvis can take his first flight on the shiny Lisa Marie!
December 2-15, 1975. Elvis must return to the Hilton to make up for the cancelled performances.
December 25, 1975. Elvis performs a special New Year’s Eve concert in Pontiac, Michigan and sets a single performance attendance record of 62,500.
In February of 1976 RCA will haul all manner of mobile recording equipment to Graceland. The week of recording in the den will produce an album From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee A wonderful boost, this album will go to #1 on country charts.
From March until October, on and off, Elvis will be touring.
Early in November 1976 Elvis and Linda Thompson, his girlfriend since 1972 will split. By the end of the month Elvis is with Ginger Alden, who will be with him until his death.
December 2-12, 1976. Elvis will make his last appearance at the Hilton.
December 31, 1976. A special New Year's Eve performance in Pittsburgh PA.
Elvis tours in the early part of 1977 but from April 1-5, he is again hospitalized and some shows have to be cancelled.
June 19, 20, 21. Concerts are recorded by RCA and videotaped by CBS for the upcoming special Elvis in Concert. The footage shows quite clearly Elvis' deteriorating condition. The special will not be shown until after his death on October 3.
June 26. The concert at Indianapolis, Indiana’s Market Square Arena will be Elvis' last.
July 1977. Three former bodyguards publish Elvis: What Happened? which details Elvis' drug use for the first time in public.
August 16, 1977. Elvis Presley died at home at Graceland. While it is true that there were drugs in his system, it wasn't an overdose. His heart failed him.
August 18, 1977. Elvis is buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis.
October 1977. The bodies of Elvis and his mother are moved to Graceland.
June 26, 1979. Vernon Presley joined his son and wife in death.
 
 

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