Mark James, Writer of "Suspicious Minds", Dies At 83

Mark James, who penned "Suspicious Minds" that Elvis Presley made into his last number one hit, has died. He was 83.

Best Classic Bands reported:

Mark James, who wrote such memorable songs as “Suspicious Minds,” a #1 single for Elvis Presley in 1969 and “Hooked on a Feeling,” a top 5 single for B.J. Thomas that same year—and later a #1 smash for the Swedish rock group, Blue Swede—died June 8, 2024, at age 83. His death, in Nashville, was reported by the Houston Chronicle [story is behind a paywall] today (June 11). James also co-wrote with two others “Always on My Mind,” which was first recorded in 1972 by Brenda Lee. A decade later, the song was recorded by Willie Nelson and became a #1 country hit. Its popularity was so significant that it earned its writers the Grammy Award for Song of the Year.  

To read more, go here.

Elvis Presley and the Ala Wai Heliport

A little rock 'n roll history trivia for you since this year marks 50 years since the Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii broadcast.

In January 1973, Elvis Presley was in Hawaii for his Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii satellite concert broadcast that was seen by over one billion people worldwide. 

A part of that broadcast was footage of his arrival at Waikiki by helicopter at the Ala Wai Heliport. The Ala Wai Heliport is no longer there.

From Hawaii.gov:

The Ala Wai Heliport was a State-operated heliport facility located makai [out to the ocean or seaward] of the Hilton Hawaiian Village Lagoon and adjacent to the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor.  The heliport consisted of a parking pad, a take off and landing pad, and perimeter fencing.  No overnight parking was permitted; transient parking was limited to 15 minutes for loading and unloading of passengers. No fuel facilities or fueling was permitted at the heliport.

Above, the heliport was located behind the trees.

During our 2016 trip to Hawaii, we were at the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. As we sat on the beach at the lagoon, behind us were trees and on the other side of them was where the Ala Wai Heliport used to be. It was closed on May 24, 1990. 

Above the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Duke
Kahanamoku Lagoon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Prior to our trip, I wondered where the heliport was located. With a little sleuthing, I found out where it was once located. I took a walk there, but there were no traces of the former heliport. It is now just a big parking lot.

50th Anniversary Edition of Elvis Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite

The actual 50th anniversary of Elvis Presley's "Aloha From Hawaii" concert was last January.

But the occasion is to be commemorated by a 50th edition of the record album and CD version. It is a pre-order item and will be available around August 11.

From Graceland.com:

RCA Records and Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, will release the definitive 50th anniversary edition of Elvis Presley's monumental Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite record-setting global concert telecast/double live album on Friday, August 11.

The 50th anniversary edition of Elvis Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite -- newly remixed and remastered for the occasion -- will be available in a 3CD + Blu-ray combined package as well as in 2LP and digital configurations and may be pre-ordered HERE. 

For more information, including ordering, go here.

The following isn't part of the package, thought I'd post it here:

In Search Of Elvis’s Hawaii

Above, Elvis Presley often stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village hotel at Waikiki. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since today is Elvis Presley's 88th birthday, the following is appropriate to mark the occasion.

TravelAwaits has posted an article on sites in Hawaii associated with the King of Rock 'n Roll.

They begin it with:

Elvis Presley was born in Mississippi and lived in Tennessee, but for many fans, this musical legend is known as “the last Hawaiian king.” 

As Jerry Hopkins, author of Elvis In Hawai’i, states: “Elvis Presley, son of a sharecropper from Mississippi, whose Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, is the second-most visited home in the United States (behind the White House), may be the single personality most closely identified with Hawaii, excepting those who were born and raised here.”

Presley visited several times for personal vacations, but he’s best remembered for his professional appearances. He filmed three movies in Hawaii: Blue Hawaii (1961), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), and Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966). He also made history with several concerts. They included a benefit for the USS Arizona memorial at Pearl Harbor and the 1973 Aloha From Hawaii show, the first concert by a solo artist broadcast around the world.

Elvis’s legacy and spirit are alive and well on the island of Oahu, and music lovers can easily put together their own Elvis-themed tour. I experienced it for myself this Christmas when my husband and I put together an Elvis-focused trip for my mother, a huge Elvis fan. Based on our experiences, here’s what you shouldn’t miss.

Speaking of the Aloha From Hawaii concert, this month marks 50 years since the concert took place.

To read more, go here.

Classic Rock Music Monday

The stuff that now passes as "music", particularly rock 'n roll, leaves me cold. So, to start off the week, here's a video of a classic rock artist.

To start off the week is a rarity. 

Back in January 1973, Elvis Presley made television history by being the first (and only) performer to have a worldwide satellite broadcast of a concert from Honolulu, Hawaii. It is known as "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii". It is estimated that 1.5 billion people tuned in and saw the concert.

The concert was later broadcast in the U.S. and in some other nations after the initial live broadcast. To fill the time slots, Presley taped some insert songs on January 14, 1973. 

The video below has all takes from the session; the songs included:

Elvis Presley- Aloha From Hawaii Insert Songs-All Takes-January 14th 1973

Blue Hawaii

Ku-U-I-Po- Take 1

Ku-U-I-Po - Take 2

Ku-U-I-Po- Take 3

No More - Attempted Take

No More - Take 1

No More - Take 2

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 1

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 2

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 3

Hawaiian Wedding Song - Take 4

Early Morning Rain

"Aloha From Hawaii" 45th Anniversary

Tomorrow marks the 45th anniversary of the historic Aloha From Hawaii concert by Elvis Presley that was broadcast live via satellite to over 40 countries.

According to Wikipedia:

Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite is a concert that was headlined by Elvis Presley, and was broadcast live via satellite on January 14, 1973. The concert took place at the Honolulu International Center (HIC) in Honolulu (now known as the Neal S. Blaisdell Center) and aired in over 40 countries across Asia and Europe (who received the telecast the next day, also in primetime). Despite the satellite innovation, the United States did not air the concert until April 4, 1973 (because the concert took place the same day as Super Bowl VII). Viewing figures have been estimated to be between 1 and 1.5 billion viewers worldwide. The show was the most expensive entertainment special at the time, costing $2.5 million.

The following month, a two-disc record album of the concert was released.

From Wikipedia:

Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite is a live concert album by American singer and musician Elvis Presley, released by RCA Records in February 1973 and peaked at #1 on the Billboard chart in the spring of the same year. Despite the satellite innovation, the US did not air the concert until April 4. Aloha from Hawaii (which was a worldwide ratings smash) went to #1 on the Billboard album chart. The album dominated the charts, reaching #1 in both the pop and country charts in the US. 

Aloha from Hawaii was a two-disc set—only the second such release of Presley's career (the first being 1969's double set From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis, which contained one album each of studio and concert recordings). It was initially released only in quadraphonic sound, becoming the first album in the format to top the Billboard album chart.

The best DVD version of the Aloha From Hawaii concert is the special edition that was made for the 40th anniversary celebration. It contains numerous camera angles and special features.

Elvis and The Hilton Hawaiian Village

Above, the Hilton Hawaiian Village with its "Rainbow Tower" in the
 background from the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

On our first full day in Honolulu, Hawaii last May, our party spent part of the time at the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon, which is right next to the famous Hilton Hawaiian Village.

We spent an hour or so at the lagoon before two of our party went parasailing. While they went parasailing, the young son of one of them and I wandered over to the Hilton Hawaiian Village. It is a beautiful facility with rocks all around the pools. We stopped at the Hilton's ice cream shop and treated ourselves to some ice cream.

Above, the Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon in the background
(at left), a large crowd waits for Elvis Presley's helicopter to arrive in January 1973. 

I was watching the 40th Anniversary Edition DVD of Elvis Presley's 1973 Aloha From Hawaii concert special. (That concert was seen via satellite live and later on tape-delayed broadcast by people around the world. It is estimated that 1.5 billion people watched that concert in total.) The Hilton Hawaiian Village and the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon can be seen in the background during his arrival by helicopter. The hotel and lagoon looked pretty much the same as they did in 1973 when we visited there last May. According to one of the extras in the DVD, Elvis Presley stayed at the Hilton Hawaiian Village several times.

Above, the Hilton Hawaiian Village Rainbow Tower and the Duke Kahanamoku Lagoon.

According to Elvisinfonet.com:

First stop was the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Elvis stayed here on many occasions, the first being in 1957 when he was in Oahu to perform two concerts at the Honolulu Stadium. 

Back then the Hilton was the tallest building in Waikiki and Elvis and his entourage hired out the entire top floor. The "Rainbow Tower" where Elvis stayed in the late 60’s/early 70’s, can be seen in the helicopter arrival footage (video below) from Aloha from Hawaii.

Elvis also stayed at the Hilton while filming Blue Hawaii in 1961.

On November 20, 1972, Elvis held the second of two press conferences at the Hilton Hawaii Village on his upcoming January 14, 1973 Aloha From Hawaii concert.

Suggested reading: Aloha Elvis by Jerry Hopkins, Bess Press, 2007. The book details Elvis Presley's Hawaii visits from the 1950s to 1970s.