The incredible story behind the night The King drove 250 miles just to see Sir Tom perform at Las Vegas. It was only the second time they had met and it changed his life and career forever. That night, "Elvis lead a standing ovation and told Tom 'You're the greatest, you lit a fire under me!'" It was the start of a remarkable friendship.
The photograph was taken on April 6, 1968, and shows Sir Tom with Elvis and his wife Priscilla, backstage in Las Vegas. The King had driven all the way from Los Angeles, against the wishes of his manager Colonel Parker. Afterward, they retired to Tom's intimate dressing room where Priscilla and Tom's wife Linda exchanged pictures of their babies Lisa Marie and Mark. Tom, himself, notoriously disliked the photographs because it looks like he has a double chin, although that night he complimented Elvis on losing weight, to which the King replied, "Too right, I have! I put it on across the cheeks." Tom also confessed his worry that It's Not Unusual wouldn't be a US hit but The King promised him, "It's a great record, It will be a smash here." Superstar banter aside, however, Elvis was there on serious business.
The two stars had met briefly in 1965 when Tom was touring the Hollywood studio lot at Paramount. Elvis had kept an eye on the Welsh star's career and saw how successful he had been performing in Las Vegas.
Colonel Parker was still keeping Elvis making ever-less-successful films and his recording carer had stalled. So he decided to take matters into his own hands and told his road manager Joe Esposito to set up a meeting in Vegas.
Esposito told Hutchins they were defying Parker, who didn't like 'his boy' doing anything that would give coverage to another artist, "but Elvis wants to see Tom perform so we’re coming anyway."
Hutchins said: "At fifteen minutes to midnight Elvis, his wife Priscilla and eight of their friends walked through the Casino of the Flamingo Hotel and took their ringside seats..." |
