Linda Thompson, former girlfriend of Elvis Presley, has described the King of Rock's final concerts in 1977 as "horrifying to watch," revealing how his declining health affected his performances in the months before his death, News Minimalist reported.
Recalling the CBS special filmed weeks before Presley died on August 16, 1977, Thompson said, "I just remember standing and looking at the television set and thinking, 'Oh my god, this is not even the same man that I said goodbye to eight months ago. It was horrifying to me to watch.'"
She added, "But the power that he had on Unchained Melody that night was just gut-wrenching."
Presley, who was 42 when he died, had struggled with weight gain and a reliance on prescription drugs in the final years of his life. Thompson said the footage reflected a stark contrast to his earlier performances, noting his physical decline was apparent during the special, which included concerts in Nebraska and South Dakota filmed on June 19 and 21, 1977.
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Introduced in the 2017 documentary The King, pianist Tony Brown recalled Presley's extraordinary effort despite pain. He said, "That song brings him pain for some reason, I don't know why it does but, it was like the greatest performance he'd ever done," per Express.
Thompson's recollections echo those of Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, who said in the documentary Elvis: The Searcher, "Those last shows were not the most memorable as far as performance. Sometimes he didn't get through a song. I think the last year, he was pretty much over it. I don't even know why he went on stage. They're just hard to watch."
Rock and roll writer Nik Cohn also reflected on Presley's final performances, saying, "Night by night it became harder for him to carry on being Elvis. Drugs and self-destructiveness were all punishments." He added, "He was in great pain and yet he would give so much pleasure. He would go off stage and collapse and the audience would go out...joyous; spiritually blessed."
Even though he had health problems, Presley's voice stayed strong, and his performances left an imprint on fans, showing that his legendary career was built on his incredible talent.
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