Elvis '57: The Final Fifties Tours [Paperback]

Alan Hanson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 26, 2007

In 1957, Elvis Aron Presley was still a one man phenomenon with six titles on the charts, one movie to his credit, and two movies soon to follow. But while he pursued his dream of becoming a Hollywood actor, the military draft threatened to shatter it along with his wildly successful rock ’n’ roll career. Elvis couldn’t resist the excitement he found performing on stage before swarms of shrieking teenage girls, and in that final year before he entered the U.S. Army, he went back on the road for three short tours.

Elvis ’57 recalls that magical year when the King played to audiences a quarter of a million people strong, and controversy and pandemonium accompanied him wherever he went. Alan Hanson takes us for a rollicking ride through eighteen major cities in the United States and Canada as he chronicles the most exciting tours of Elvis’s career. In Chicago, Elvis wore his famed gold lame suit and thirteen girls fainted in an effort to reach him. In Vancouver, British Columbia, thousands left their seats and rushed the stage, forcing him to abruptly end the show.

Drawing on first-hand accounts from the disc jockeys on the front lines of Elvis’s exploding career and fans who attended the ’57 concerts, Hanson sweeps you back to the year that forever changed the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Alan Hanson turned to writing after thirty years as a public high school history teacher. He and his wife, Christine, have two college-age daughters, Katie and Beth, and live in Spokane, Washington. Elvis ’57: The Final Fifties Tours is Hanson’s first book.

Product Details

• Paperback: 329 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (June 26, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595431224
• ISBN-13: 978-0595431229
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,212,054 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A+, January 24, 2008

By 

H. Rose "EPfan" (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Elvis '57: The Final Fifties Tours (Paperback)

I loved this book. And with 95% of it being from newspaper reports before, during and after the concerts it doesn't rely on memories, instead on what people said right then. Not for those who want to know who Elvis's girlfriend was at the time but a book for those who want to know the effect of Elvis in 1957 on people and popular culture. Fascinating stuff.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Something different - alot of new info.!, January 6, 2008

By 

Phil S. (USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Elvis '57: The Final Fifties Tours (Paperback)

It seems that as Elvis Presley progressed musically, in the studio and on stage, the live decibel level was so cataclyzmic that it almost didn't matter: the hysteria only increased, and now there were movies to bolster memories of many television appearances.
Just like alot of Presley projects, this book is "fun" and serious at the same time. In a sense, these '57 shows were really farewell shows - yes, "Hollywood" was calling, and the rockin' rebel would be considerably contained creatively - but the insightful fan and historian would recognize that he would have an impact on "the Hollywood musical", albeit small compared to what he had transformed in the recording studios.
It is poignant that it has to be believed that the average concert attendee had no idea that this entertainment phenomenon was headed for more restful, peaceful clims - among the show biz exponents he originally enraged.
Some touching slice o' life stories are included.
There are several photographs new to this fan of 43 years or so. One is from a late '57 show, described as his last of the decade. I clearly recall seeing a photo published many years ago of a farewell show in Memphis...in *1958*!
Do any of these '50s shows exist on tape or acetate? It seems that by mid-1957, Elvis' organization knew better than to allow any "outside" recording of their product. Some earlier shows sound pretty cool. Then again, by the time "Jailhouse Rock" was in the works, the concerts were truly *visual* events.
[To wit, a youtube film apparently taken from the back of an auditorium, with Elvis and group 99% inaudible].