Elvis : The Last Tour The last photos and Why the King NEVER performed outside the US.
The king is not looking too well here. A group of never published photographs found in Michigan. Indeed Elvis played Michigan several times during his end times. Having been pushed to the limit by fame and his crooked, greedy manager Col. Tom Parker. He was near collapse. Sure enough, he dropped. Elvis spent a week in the hospital from April 1 to April 6, 1977, but a few weeks later there he was again. A night in Detroit. A night in Ann Arbor. One in Saginaw. A show in the hockey rink in Kalamazoo. BACK to Saginaw a week later for another gig.
Colonel Tom Parker took 50%.
You know the protocol. There were a few shows cancelled due to "intestinal flu" or "toothache" but he rolled on. He died several months later.
He was performing well enough, some say. Live gigs on the 1977 tour were captured for a concert film and albums. When Dr. Nick had him jacked-up with as many drugs as Elvis took, he could get through a show. The concert film was canned, as it showed a man clearly on the brink, but greed caused it to be released not long after his death. Greed.
Why did Elvis NEVER PLAY OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES? Other than three or so gigs in Canada (back when a passport was not required to cross the border) Parker never once put the King on display unless he was on American soil. At least one offer of a million dollars in Australia was turned down. Can you imagine if he had played Japan? 20 sold out shows in a row in any Japanese venue. Europe?
Colonel Tom Parker was an illegal Immigrant who feared he would not be able to return to the US if he left. That was the reason. Some even speculate he was "on the run" from a murder he committed in Europe as a young man. He was Dutch born. He made it to the US and claimed he was born in West Virginia. He never had a passport. A manager on the lam.
Original Unpublished Photographs of Elvis 1977 Anonymous. Collection Jim Linderman Each signed on the reverse "E C"
Large Antique Church Revival Banner Folk Art Teaching Tool 125 x 53. Yes, that is a doorknob lower left. Circa 1925, Midwest. I will research a bit and post on the sister blog old time religion with detail photos.
Books on Folk Art by the author available for purchase or preview HERE
Prophecies of Daniel and revelation compared: Being an outline of chart lectures given by Frederick W. Childe 1927. Chart Insert Collection Jim Linderman
Navajo rug seller shows his wares to what I can only suspect is a tenderfoot. I have written the story of the "Drugstore Cowboy" before on his blog...I am going to guess Jasper here traveled from out east to see the desert, and I am going to also guess his feet hurt from his stiff new boots. His crisp new Stetson makes the mountain look small. I don't blame him, it's still a wonderful and magical trip. A few nights in Santa Fe and environs will change your life.
Do those chaps even fit in the touring car? "Put the front seat down, dear...my chaps won't bend at the knee" Jasper seems to be interested in pawn jewelry too.
Navajo rugs are among the most beautiful objects of art ever produced. While they may have taken a woman months to make, the return was small. Still, it provided a meager living.
Original snapshot (detail) circa 1930s Collection Jim Linderman
Thanks to Curley's Antiques
Asa "Ace" Moore African-American outsider artist who created erotic and sexual works in ink and pencil during the 1930s. Certainly in private. Personal visions of his own, and produced during a time when even African-American's questioned their own beauty. As such, these are likely among the earliest depictions of sexuality and eroticism by a Black artist in the United States. It took as long as 1974 for Vogue Magazine to put an African-American model on their cover, and even Hefner resisted until 1971. Racism was so extreme and brutal in the 1930s, images of Black sexuality were virtually unknown. In 1968, when James Brown sang "Say it Loud, I'm Black and Proud" he was literally convincing his own race of their worth...and that was 30 years after these drawings were created. Some are far too risque to allow here...but Mr. Moore created at least 38 works. Some appear on the Museum of Uncut Funk site HERE
Drawings by Asa "Ace" Moore circa 1935 Collection Jim Linderman
Mosho Knows....Strange portrait of a boy 1955
FLASH GORDON GROWS A BEARD and Drawing Outside the Line. Original period crayon embellishment to Flash Gordon coloring book 1968 Collection Jim Linderman
A Miniature Clay Hat Celebrating the William McKinley Presidential inauguration in 1897. Stamped around is the inscription, appropriately, "Mckinley's Hat" and with the remnants of a red ribbon. Guess what! Amazingly, there is a FILM of Mckinley's parade! Hmm...looks pretty crowded there Trump. Maybe the attendees were secretly paid by George Soros!
McKinley was not allowed to serve his full term due to an assassination. In fact, maybe the clay hat was produced then, to mourn the loss?
As with all presidential terms, McKinley's run as President had ups and downs...but at least the wasn't Donald Trump. Furthermore, his Vice President was the remarkable Theodore Roosevelt, who was twice the man of Mike Pence AND one with the insight to favor the environment for future generations.
William McKinley souvenir Miniature Clay Hat Celebrating William McKinley inauguration (or passing?) 1897 - 1901. Collection Jim Linderman
Maybe the Indianapolis, Indiana Photography Studio "National Studio" doesn't seem to appear on the "We Do History" website of the Indiana Historical Society because the photographer was inept? FOCUS! A circa 1935 photo stamped on the reverse "National Studio, Indianapolis, Indiana, Illinois Building" but I can find no other documentation. Still, this 8 x 10 original glossy would indicate the photographer was functioning enough to get photo gigs.
Sheesh. A whole stage of dicey and politically questionable folks! Minstrels, Cross-Dressers, rural Fiddlers and a group of somewhat flamboyant male dancers in mini-skirts. What the hell is going ON here?
Whatever this is, I reckon Indiana owns it. We can blame one of the participants for moving his head (one of the "end" performers, where they usually stood in minstrel photos) but still one would think a professional photographer would take time to focus. Would you pay for a school portrait of your kid with this quality?
Now, as for the content? What can I say? In this case, pictures don't lie and they don't sugarcoat the past. Whatever wing ding this was, at the least we can suspect the state of our new vice president was a happening place back then. WTF? Did they all DANCE after the photo was taken?
Now a good portion of the country had minstrel shows, but there does seem to be an inordinate amount of minstrel activity in Indiana. In fact, the very same Indiana Historical Society which hasn't yet documented the National Studio has a nice spread for the sheet music "Down at the Old Minstrel Show" which was published in Indiana. Ahh, yes. I do love to hear them play the songs of yesterday.
Now, as for all the apparent happy cross-dressers here? I dunno. There were lots of men who made a living performing as women in minstrel shows. HERE are a dozen of them! One of them is described as the "best genteel wench that ever trod the boards" and his passing with late-stage syphilis is noted! But these fellows are probably just local yokels having a bizarre laugh. The ones in pixie costumes on the right? I just don't know. Either they are professionals, or they got there very early for make-up.
Seriously, I cannot claim Indiana was more racist (or more dressed in drag) than any other state when it comes to entertainment.
Original photograph circa 1935? Stamped on reverse "National Studio, Indianapolis, Indiana" Collection Jim Linderman
Hypergraphia is a disorder in which a compulsive need to write text takes over a person. It appears this fellow has filled a cart with his writings, and is on his way to deliver them to Rome.
Collection Jim Linderman
Large Group of 19th Century Folk Art Drawings discovered underneath clippings in a scrapbook (!) Each original is 11" x 13" collection Jim Linderman
See ALSO the book Eccentric Folk Art Drawings of the 19th and 20th Centuries available for preview and ordering HERE
Folk Art Nude Woman of Clay (or putty or chewing gum!) sealed with gold paint. Unfired and built on a wooden base by M. Ghertz. Circa 1940?
Collection Jim Linderman
B E RIDDICK Bizarre African-American Outsider Art of the 1970s.
Marker on Flattened Shopping Bags. Virginia.
