February 1961 Charity Shows -> Mysterious!

Here's a nice shot of Elvis at the luncheon, prior to the first show:

610225_w Mayor Henry Loeb.JPG

With Memphis Mayor Henry Loeb III, Hotel Claridge luncheon - Saturday, February 25, 1961

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Wow!thanks for all these informations and pics from Memphis 61!
Too bad we don't have nothing (Audio or video) about this two concerts!

UPDATE

I added a FANTASTIC live shot from the afternoon gig to the original post, and below are a few more.

They were taken by the late Jim Reid of the Memphis Press-Scimitar. Enjoy!

610225_AS_w DJ Fontana_Memphis.jpg

610225_AS_w Ron Capone_Memphis.jpg

610225_AS_w Ron Capone_Brad Suggs_Bob Alexius_Memphis.jpg

610225_AS_crowd leaving Ellis_Memphis.jpg

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Jim Reid took some great photos that day...and all through Elvis' life in Memphis - thanks Doc

Jim Reid took some great photos that day...and all through Elvis' life in Memphis - thanks Doc

Why the owners of the Memphis Press-Scimitar archives do not put together a high quality book of the photos and the stories, as they appeared between 1954 and 1977 is a mystery. Done well, it would be an ESSENTIAL work.

Bill Burk put out 2 several years ago - Jim Reid's Elvis photobooks were "Fond Memories of Elvis" and "Fond Memories of Elvis Vol. II Twenty-Three Years of Photos"

Bill Burk put out 2 several years ago - Jim Reid's Elvis photobooks were "Fond Memories of Elvis" and "Fond Memories of Elvis Vol. II Twenty-Three Years of Photos"

IIRC, you are referring to paper-bound, magazine-size photo books. Not at all worthy of what that archive holds, or could offer.

I would love to have every article Robert Johnson or James Kingsley wrote on Elvis, carefully scanned from the original paper. And every great photo by Bob Williams, Jim Reid, Tom Barber, Fred Payne, Barney Sellers and others, carefully printed from the original, uncropped negative. I would pay a LOT of money for such a work. It would be invaluable to any Elvis Presley or 20th century pop culture scholar.

Bill Burk put out 2 several years ago - Jim Reid's Elvis photobooks were "Fond Memories of Elvis" and "Fond Memories of Elvis Vol. II Twenty-Three Years of Photos"

IIRC, you are referring to paper-bound, magazine-size photo books. Not at all worthy of what that archive holds, or could offer.

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. As well, the Elvis Files Vol. 4 has about a dozen pages on Feb. 25, 1961...we'll have to make due until something else comes along.

Bill Burk put out 2 several years ago - Jim Reid's Elvis photobooks were "Fond Memories of Elvis" and "Fond Memories of Elvis Vol. II Twenty-Three Years of Photos"

IIRC, you are referring to paper-bound, magazine-size photo books. Not at all worthy of what that archive holds, or could offer.

Yes, that's what I'm referring to. As well, the Elvis Files Vol. 4 has about a dozen pages on Feb. 25, 1961...we'll have to make due until something else comes along.

Time is passing, we can't wait another century ...

This two-page RCA trade ad for the newest Presley disc mentions Elvis' successful charity shows.

Billboard Apr 10 1961 p36-37.JPG

Billboard - April 10, 1961


Note that the ad mentions "both 100% Benefit Shows," which may be when the media began to forget that Elvis actually did THREE benefit gigs, two in Memphis, one in Honolulu.

Billboard Apr 10 1961 p36-37_DETAIL.JPG

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Just a guess but the sign says, "hotel claridge welcomes Elvis Presley".

Is it possible that one of those guys is the manager or owner of the very hotel that is welcoming him?

more from Memphis 1961

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Memphis1961_2.JPG

Memphis1961_3.jpg

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Memphis1961.jpg

Memphis1961_4.JPG

Memphis1961_5.JPG

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HAWEF, thank you for the additional photos! Do you have a tape of either show?

Jim Reid took some great photos that day...and all through Elvis' life in Memphis - thanks Doc

Why the owners of the Memphis Press-Scimitar archives do not put together a high quality book of the photos and the stories, as they appeared between 1954 and 1977 is a mystery. Done well, it would be an ESSENTIAL work.

Now that would be something special.

Great thread and photos BTW.

norrie

2/25/61

610225ES_entering stage.JPG

2/25/61

Neat-o. That's a much larger version of the shot from the evening set which I placed in the original post.

You can clearly see he's looking in the direction of MC George Jessel and smiling.

Thanks, Juan Luis!

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610225ES_entering stage.JPG

2/25/61

Neat-o. That's a much larger version of the shot from the evening set which I placed in the original post.

You can clearly see he's looking in the direction of MC George Jessel and smiling.

Thanks, Juan Luis!

Your welcome!

I have an original ticket to the Memphis show and here is my original poster and ticket to the Hawaii show exactly one monh later.

Neat. Do you have a shot of your Memphis '61 ticket? And which show, the afternoon or evening?

Here is a picture of my Memphis ticket. I also have the Memphis newspaper from the next day telling about the concert.

ELVISMEMPHISSHOW1961_zpsbeba8c77.jpg

Very cool! It's a ticket to the afternoon performance. Thanks for sharing it with us.

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A nice COLOR shot from the evening show:

610225ES_Memphis.JPG

Thanks to bluejeans1944 for finding it.

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In this photo you can see:





Scotty Moore (guitar), Bob Alexius (acoustic bass), Elvis, D.J. Fontana (drums), Brad Suggs (guitar) and Ron Capone (drums)

Boy, I would love to hear what they sounded like that evening. But we'll probably never know.


Thanks to ed40 for finding it.

Excellent topic about an interesting subject. These are shows that HAVE to surface one day, be it through audio or film.

Here are two cool snaps from the evening show - an "upgrade" for one of your opening post shots and an 'alternate' for it from the same camera.
In anycase, hope you enjoy.

Thank you! I must admit, after 50+ years, it seems less and less likely an audio of film will ever surface from these performances.

That said, these photos, from the Gary Pepper archive I assume, are marvelous, and I will add them to the first page of the topic.

Thank you muchly, onelove.

Awesome thread Dr!

Awesome thread Dr!

Thank you!