For those of us who respect the Presley family, 2008 was the most difficult year to date in terms of enduring a constant barrage of ugly smears and mean-spirited comments aimed at the physical appearance of not only Elvis during the final 24 months of his life, but people he dearly loved – Priscilla and Lisa. At no previous time have the Presleys as a family unit been under a more coordinated assault than they were last year. It’s only fitting that the same month LMFP strikes back at all of the ‘black little souls’ with a “Fuck You” in her four-page Marie Claire interview (“That’s All Right Mama” by Allison Glock), that her father be given a voice, too.
Smug, smart alecks in the entertainment and mainstream news media, halls of academia, the blogosphere, professional comedians, etc. cavalierly throw around disgusting nicknames like “Fat Elvis” and in a profound misunderstanding of history, portray him in 1976 and 1977 as a “bored, depressed drug addict spiraling toward a tragic demise.” It was a given that the subject of their contempt couldn’t fight back, so with impunity they sought to demean an honorable, upstanding human being. There is an old adage that goes, “a picture is worth a thousand words.”
Seeing Elvis on the back cover of the Patriot soft cover in ass kicking mode (flipping the bird at a heckler that called him "fat") while performing at the Summit transcends words. After years of research and multitudinous interviews, I uncovered what really happened in Houston on 28th August 1976. A lot of folks believe his performance was subpar due to pill abuse/addiction; well, they couldn’t be more misinformed! The approx. 80 minutes Elvis was on stage was a triumph of the human spirit.
The jig is up. “Elvis Presley – The Patriot: A Man’s Love Of God And Country. The Summit ‘76: A Triumph Of The Human Spirit” is an A5 format soft cover that features the stunning artwork of Night Rider Design’s Chris Middleton and black/white photographs from the collections of Bob Heis, George Hill (courtesy of Derek Phillips & “Images In Concert”), Elvis World’s Phil Gelor-mine and Keith Alverson. In addition, the project includes one of the most incredible on stage photographs of Elvis ever captured on film.
World class photographer Manuel M. Chavez was assigned by the Houston Post to shoot The Elvis Presley Show’s matinee gig in front of 17,500 strong at the Summit on 28th August 1976 and Lord have mercy did he evermore do his job! A lot of good people – including more than 14 eyewitnesses in attendance at the San Antonio and Houston shows, Kathy Westmoreland, Joseph Tunzi, Rosemary Alden and Sandi Miller – have all made invaluable contributions.
Regarding the allegations that Elvis Aaron Presley abused drugs and was an addict throughout the 1970’s, know this patriot is An Innocent Man. I didn’t say perfect. As Elvis so eloquently point-ed out, the only person who ever lived that was perfect was Jesus Christ. And he was crucified. Pay close attention. I said “innocent.” All of us have a right to our viewpoints and admittedly, most in the fandom find it incomprehensible that their hero wasn’t a pill head. Fair enough. But in this soft cover I have put forth a compelling case for EP’s innocence based on authorial in-depth analysis, reliable eyewitness accounts, interviews with his trusted friends and good old-fashioned common sense.
Rejuvinated, happy and bit by the love bug, Elvis looked damned good on stage in Birmingham on 12/29/76 (left) and Atlanta on 12/30/76 (right).
