Elvis Meets Jeannie C. Riley Again --> Vegas 1969 !

[drjohncarpenter]

Thanks to Simon1 for the inspiration.

How many stars visited with Elvis in Las Vegas in 1969? A ton, evidently.




With Jeannie C. Riley, Las Vegas, NV - (possibly) October 30, 1969





Jeannie C. Riley - circa 1969



Riley became a huge star because of this stunning 1968 single:

Jeannie C. Riley "Harper Valley P.T.A."

..


This song was a gigantic hit for Riley, going to number one on both the Billboard Pop and Country charts in Sep-Oct 1968, a feat not repeated until 1981 when Dolly Parton released "9 to 5". It earned her the Grammy for "Best Female Country Vocal Performance" and the Country Music Association's Single of the Year. Riley also became one of the very few country artists ever Grammy-nominated in major pop categories of "Best New Artist" and "Record of the Year."



Here's another from the same backstage visit, with dancer Shirley Allen:




With Shirley Allen, Las Vegas, NV - (possibly) October 30, 1969



Riley also made country music history in 1969 as the first female vocalist to have her own major network variety special, "Harper Valley U.S.A." In 1978 there was a "Harper Valley PTA" film, and later a "Harper Valley PTA" TV show in 1981.

Not bad for one Tom T. Hall song. She was pretty cute, too!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeannie_C._Riley
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harper_Valley_PTA

Enjoy!

[Tom in North Carolina]

Man, those eyes are SMOKING!

[Frankie Teardrop]

Absolutely killer. Love Jeannie C!! Didn't know she met E. Thanks so much, Doc.
Ever catch the Nashville Sound documentary, Doc? I love when JCR sings on the lawn in that, with ol' Shelby Singleton looking on.

[midnightx]

Was Redd Foxx at the '69 engagement?

[brian]

I saw Jeannie C. Riley on t.v. a few years ago claiming that Elvis was still alive and that she talked to him regularly.

[drjohncarpenter]

UPDATE !

Elvis had seen the lovely Jeannie at her Las Vegas debut just six months earlier.
So, come August, Riley was simply returning the favor. How sweet!

690206_w Riley Flamingo 03.JPG

Elvis, Jeannie C. Riley and her band
[Possibly] Thursday, February 6 1969 - Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Los Angeles Times - Friday, Feb 1, 1969
Jeannie C Riley the girl who made Harper Valley Junior High famous in the scathing "Harper Valley PTA" makes her featured Las Vegas debut next Thursday ...

690206_w Riley Flamingo 02.JPG

Elvis, Jeannie C. Riley
[Possibly] Thursday, February 6 1969 - Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Los Angeles Times - Sunday, Feb 9, 1969
LAS VEGAS - Minsky Revue, Johnny Bachemin at Aladdin, "Mame" at Caesars Palace, "Many Happy Returns" at Desert Inn, "Casino de Paris" at Dunes, Jeannie C. Riley, Dick Shawn ...

690206_w Riley Flamingo 01.JPG

Elvis, Jeannie C. Riley
[Possibly] Thursday, February 6 1969 - Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, NV

Chicago Tribune - Thursday, Feb 20, 1969
ALL SHOOK UP - Jeannie C. Riley, that country-western doll ("Harper Valley PTA") back in town after her smash nightclub debut in Las Vegas, reports the only thing that really shook her up: Elvis Presley Swivel hips caught her Flamingo show then swiveled backstage and spent an hour with her in her dressing room.

In 1969-70, Jeannie C. Riley was hot on the country charts, and recording for Shelby Singleton's new label, Plantation:




Billboard - Aug 22, 1970

[Frankie Teardrop]

LOVE IT!

[RKSNASHVILLE]

Hey gang,

I don't think that first picture that Doc posted is from 1969. Elvis' hair looks much longer than it did in 1969 and Jeannie looks a little heavier (in the face) than in the latter picture posted which definately IS from '69.

If I we're to guess, I'd say the first picture is from 1971.


Thoughts?


RKS

[hollandgroupc2008]

The first images are certainly from the second half of 1969

[londonflash]

She was a cutie!

[scottngeorgia]

I bet He Jeanied C'ED her Riley donchoo?
SNG

[Joe Car]

I bet He Jeanied C'ED her Riley donchoo?
SNG

Stop it Scott, Elvis was a newly married man for God sakes!

[scottngeorgia]

Rules of being Married didn't apply to him, so it seems? lol Ask the Blonde headed Chick in the comeback special!
SNG

[Joe Car]

Rules of being Married didn't apply to him, so it seems? lol Ask the Blonde headed Chick in the comeback special!
SNG

It shouldn't have applied to him, he was afterall, the King of Rock & Roll!

[drjohncarpenter]

LOVE IT!

Thanks.

Jeannie was a cool-lookin', tough-talkin' artist.

NOTE
One added image, and another upgraded, above.

Kudos to David.

[davide]

Chicago Tribune - Jan 28, 1969 JEANNIE C RILEY the countrywestern Cinderella girl - She makes her nightclub debut in Las Vegas Feb 6 at the Flamingo.


The Location can now be put down as - 'Flamingo Hotel', and the date would be Thursday February 6th 1969?

Los Angeles Times - Feb 6, 1969 "Jeannie's night club debut at Las Vegas Flamingo Hotel "

Chicago Tribune - Feb 20, 1969 -ALL SHOOK UP: Jeannie C. Riley, that country-western doll ["Harper Valley PTA"] back in town after her smash night club debut in Las Vegas, reports the only thing that really shook her up - Elvis Presley Swivel hips caught her Flamingo show then swiveled backstage and spent an hour with her in her dressing room.

Elvis also went to see Dick Sawn at the Flamingo at this time.

Playing in Vegas (pop culture) week February 8 1969

Minsky Revue - Aladdin
Mame - Caesars Palace
Many Happy Returns - Desert Inn
Casino de Paris - Dunes
Jeannie C. Riley, Dick Shawn - Flamingo
Kathryn Grayson, Howard Keel - Fremont
Diana Ross and the Supremes - Frontier
Phyllis Diller - Riviera
Nancy Wilson - Sands
Don Rickles - Sahara
Lido de Paris - Stardust
Folies Bergere - Tropicana

Davide

[drjohncarpenter]

Thanks, David -- I'll update my post.

[drjohncarpenter]

The third photo down sure looks alot like Lulu.

Interestingly, only today did I uncover the identity of the blonde woman with Elvis in my original post:

Las Vegas dancer and model Shirley Allen.

















Now, given this, it is now possible that Elvis is not with Jeannie C. Riley in the first photo, but another Vegas dancer who just happens to look very, very much like the famous singer.

Whatever happened to Shirley Allen? Does anyone know?

If you can add more to this, please chime in!

[a mess of polk salad]

The third photo down sure looks alot like Lulu.

Interestingly, only today did I uncover the identity of the blonde woman with Elvis in my original post:

Las Vegas dancer and model Shirley Allen.

















Now, given this, it is now possible that Elvis is not with Jeannie C. Riley in the first photo, but another Vegas dancer who just happens to look very, very much like the famous singer.

Whatever happened to Shirley Allen? Does anyone know?

If you can add more to this, please chime in!

More on Shirley Allen -->

SHIRLEY ALLEN
1964-1965 "Rangerettes," Riviera
1965-1966 Copa Girl, Sands
1966-1968 "Rome Swings," Caesars Palace
1968-1971 "Pzazz," Desert Inn
1971-1988 various "Lido" shows at Stardust

During her 24-year run, Allen commanded attention.
"When she came on stage in a line of seven other ladies, she had a way of looking at the audience that almost said, ‘My name is Shirley Allen,’ " Pratt remembers. Allen commanded the attention of one particularly well-known performer in 1970.
"I dated Elvis," Allen admits. "He would call, and I’d get my girlfriends and we would just party and have good times and order food to his suite."
Allen says she’s sure the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll had "hundreds" of other playthings, "but that was the highlight of my life."
At age 65, Allen now manages a Las Vegas real estate office.
"It was quite a different life from now," she says.

Here's to Shirley - 1969 Las Vegas - what an era!

[bluejays3577]

[If_I_Can_Dream]

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