Forty-five years ago today, *From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee* was certified gold—just weeks after Elvis Presley’s untimely death at the age of 42. This poignant milestone not only marks a high point in Elvis’s posthumous recognition but also immortalizes one of the final chapters in the life of the King of Rock and Roll. Among the tracks on this 1976 album was one of the last two songs Elvis ever sang, in an intimate, impromptu performance just hours before his death.
Elvis’s final concert had taken place just weeks earlier, on June 26, 1977, at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana. In front of 18,000 adoring fans, he closed the show—and what would become his final public performance—with a heartfelt rendition of *Can’t Help Falling in Love.* But it was his final private moment with music, not a grand stage performance, that adds an emotional weight to the story of his last hours.
According to Billy Smith, Elvis’s cousin and a member of his inner circle known as the Memphis Mafia, the King called him around 3:30 a.m. on August 16, 1977. A night owl by nature, Elvis was wide awake and eager for company. He invited Billy and his wife Jo over to Graceland to join him and his girlfriend, Ginger Alden, for a game of racquetball. The group gathered at the racquetball court behind the mansion, where Elvis and Billy played a friendly match.
Afterward, the small group moved to the piano lounge connected to the court. There, Elvis sat down at the keys and sang two songs—one of which was *Unchained Melody,* a haunting ballad that had become a favorite in his final concerts. It was a stripped-down, soul-baring moment that revealed a man still deeply connected to his music.
Billy Smith later recalled that Elvis had been in good spirits that night and was even discussing “big things” he planned to do in the future. It’s a heartbreaking reflection, considering the tragic turn of events that followed just hours later. Elvis passed away later that day, on the afternoon of August 16, in the upstairs bathroom of Graceland.
*From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee* was recorded live at Graceland and reflects the raw emotion and depth of feeling that Elvis was channeling during that time in his life. Songs like *Hurt* and
As the gold certification of the album reminds us, even in his final year, Elvis Presley remained a musical force to be reckoned with. Today, fans continue to revisit that album not just for its songs, but for the glimpses it gives into the soul of the man behind the legend.
Elvis Presley’s voice may have been silenced in 1977, but his music—and the memories of his final, private performances—continue to echo across generations.
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