Introduction:
Elvis Presley – The CBS Collection 1977: The Final Curtain of the King
By the summer of 1977, Elvis Presley was no longer merely a performer—he was a living institution, a figure who had shaped the sound, style, and spirit of twentieth-century America. Yet that same summer would also mark the final chapter of his extraordinary life. The CBS television recordings from June 1977—later known as Elvis in Concert or The CBS Collection 1977—captured the last public performances of the King of Rock and Roll. What was intended as a triumphant television special ultimately became something far more poignant: a haunting farewell from one of the greatest entertainers the world has ever known.
The Final Tour
In June 1977, Elvis set out on what would unknowingly become his final concert tour. A CBS television crew, led by producer Bob Finkel, joined him in Omaha, Nebraska (June 19), and Rapid City, South Dakota (June 21), to film two live performances for a national broadcast scheduled later that year. The concept was straightforward—to present Elvis back on stage, giving audiences across America one more chance to see him perform live.
What CBS captured, however, was far more complex. At 42, Elvis was battling serious health issues, chronic exhaustion, and the immense weight of decades spent under relentless public scrutiny. The once sleek rock-and-roll icon appeared physically frail, yet beneath the visible decline remained the unmistakable presence of an artist whose life was inseparable from music. His charisma endured, and when he sang, the emotional force of his voice remained undeniable.
Omaha and Rapid City: The Final Performances
Filming began at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Elvis walked onto the stage to thunderous applause, dressed in his white “Mexican Sundial” jumpsuit—the same costume he would wear for his final concert weeks later. His movements were slower, his energy diminished, yet as he opened with “See See Rider,” the power of his voice commanded the room. For a moment, time seemed to suspend itself.
Two nights later in Rapid City, Elvis delivered what many now regard as his final truly great performance. Before singing “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” he paused to speak directly to the audience, saying quietly, “This is my favorite part of the show. I like to just stand here and talk to you for a minute.” The crowd erupted, as if trying to hold him in that moment just a little longer.
Then came “Unchained Melody.” Seated at the piano, visibly exhausted and drenched in sweat, Elvis poured everything he had into the song. Despite the physical strain, his voice soared—rich, powerful, and charged with an almost spiritual intensity. It has since become one of the most emotional performances of his entire career, widely viewed as a moment of pure vulnerability and artistic truth. Listening now, it feels as though Elvis sensed, on some level, that this was his final message to the world.
Elvis in Concert: The CBS Broadcast
Following the tour, CBS edited the footage into the television special Elvis in Concert, which aired on October 3, 1977—just eight weeks after Elvis’s death on August 16. The timing was surreal. What had been planned as a celebration of his return to television became a posthumous farewell viewed by millions still grieving the loss of the King.
The special interwove live performances with backstage interviews, including rare footage of Elvis’s father, Vernon Presley, who appeared deeply broken as he spoke quietly about his son. For many viewers, the broadcast was devastating—Elvis appeared fragile, yet profoundly sincere, still giving everything he had to his audience.
Critical reaction at the time was divided. Some felt the program was too raw, too painful to watch. In retrospect, however, it stands as an invaluable historical document. It presents Elvis not as an untouchable icon, but as a human being—tired, vulnerable, and unwavering in his commitment to his music.
Controversy and Legacy
In the years that followed, the Elvis Presley Estate requested that CBS refrain from rebroadcasting the special, concerned that it might overshadow the image of a youthful, vibrant Elvis. For decades, the recordings remained largely unavailable, circulating only through bootlegs and private collections. Yet fans continued to seek them out—not out of morbid curiosity, but out of a desire to understand the full truth of Elvis’s final chapter.
The CBS recordings reveal something no mythology can conceal: Elvis Presley was an artist to his last breath. His voice—deep, resonant, steeped in gospel and soul—continued to command attention even as his body faltered.
Songs such as “My Way,” “Hurt,” “How Great Thou Art,” and “Unchained Melody” took on new meaning, sounding less like performances and more like personal reckonings. Lines such as “And now, the end is near…” resonate with an almost prophetic weight, as though Elvis were already saying goodbye.
The Final Image
The closing moments of Elvis in Concert linger on a simple image: Elvis walking offstage, turning to wave gently at the crowd as the lights fade. The announcer delivers a familiar line—“Elvis has left the building.” Fans had heard it countless times before. This time, however, it carried a permanent finality.
Today, The CBS Collection 1977 stands not as a spectacle of decline, but as a testament to courage and devotion. It captures the final chapter of a man who gave everything he had to his music, right until the end.
In his last performances, Elvis Presley did more than sing. He revealed himself. And in that honesty, he reminded the world why he was—and will always remain—the King.