6th April 1968, Saturday

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Post Reply
Graeme
Site Admin
Posts: 9463
Joined: Wed Nov 18, 2015 12:34 pm
Been thanked: 57 times

6th April 1968, Saturday

Post by Graeme » Sun Jan 31, 2016 8:12 am

Day number 12143Site Date Map
Yesterday << 6th April 1968, Saturday >> Tomorrow
      
Elvis, Priscilla and Tom at the Flamingo, Las Vegas.
      
1968_apr_06_01.jpg
1968_apr_06_04.jpg
1968_apr_06_03.jpg
1968_apr_06_02.jpg

Alan
Site Admin
Posts: 1380
Joined: Wed Apr 05, 2017 2:30 pm
Has thanked: 1109 times
Been thanked: 596 times

Re: 6th April 1968, Saturday

Post by Alan » Fri Jun 10, 2022 10:37 am

ELVIS LED STANDING OVATION FOR TOM

A full and exciting account of the meeting of TOM JONES and ELVIS PRESLEY in Las Vegas recently by former NME News Editor and now publicist CHRIS HUTCHINS,
who also reported the Beatles - Elvis meeting for NME.
April 6, 1968
Flamingo Hotel, Las Vegas, Nv.

MR. AND MRS. ELVIS PRESLEY made the 800-mile journey from Los Angeles to Las Vegas last Saturday to catch TOM JONES´ cabaret act at the Flamingo. They arrived with a party of eight friends and, after Tom´s performance, Elvis led the audience in a standing ovation. After the show, the Presleys went backstage and chatted with the British star for an hour. It was their second meeting.

Then he went backstage to tell Jones: "Man, you are the GREATEST!" at the outset of an hour´s chat between the world´s two leading solo figures in pop.

I was there for the "New Musical Express" when the Beatles met Elvis nearly three years ago. But believe me that tense evening when the Liverpool four were guests at the American´s Bel Air home had NOTHING on this historic night when Presley joined the legion of U.S. stars who are flocking here to see the man all Britain should be proud of.

Tom Jones is the first British star Presley has been to see work and it was obvious from the conversation after-wards that the visit was no accident.

The first we knew of it was on the Saturday afternoon, when his right-hand man Joe Esposito telephoned me to ask if he could get a table for ten in Elvis´s name for the midnight show. It wasn´t easy - reservations for Jones´ show are like gold dust.

Extra tables and chairs were placed in the room to allow for the bulge.

At fifteen minutes to midnight Elvis, his wife Priscilla and eight of their friends walked through the Casino of the Flamingo hotel to the lounge and took their ringside seats.

I told Tom, who was still in his suite at the top of the building. "Great," he said almost casually, for nothing can excite or daunt him before a performance, "invite him round afterwards, I´d like to see him again."

The two had met fleetingly less than three years ago when Tom visited Presley on a Hollywood film set. Much different circumstances.

Meanwhile, back in the lounge, the air buzzed with excitement, Presley´s presence added to the anticipation of Jones´ performance made promise of an extra sensational night.

Tom stepped on to the stage to a tremendous reception and sang his opening numbers. From the "off" it was obvious that he was enjoying this show even more than most.

But it was in the first really up-tempo number "Don´t Fight It" that the action started and Jones the body slammed into action. I could see Presley slapping the table and waving his head in time with the strong beat. Several times during the song he turned to comment to Priscilla, a broad smile on his face.
Later in the act, Tom announced: "Ladies and gentlemen, we have in the audience tonight a man I have admired for many years, Mr. Elvis Presley."
The audience cheered and clapped as Elvis stood up to wave and take a bow. Then Tom said jokingly from the stage: "Okay, that´s enough - sit down," and everyone, including Elvis, laughed. Seconds later there was silence as Tom began the big ballad of his act "Danny Boy."
Everyone was cheering wildly as Tom sang his closing number "It´s Not Unusual" and he returned to the stage to encore with "Land Of A Thousand Dances," the wildest number he performs.
15562days.com - Build it and they will come...

Post Reply

Return to “April 1968”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest