“The Lord can give, and the Lord can take away. I might be herding sheep next year”

– Elvis Presley

1960 was a whirlwind for Elvis. because he was on a constant publicity tour, there was little time for recording sessions, and making movies. The Colonel found the time. The need for continuing his career did not slow down once 1961 hit. His Hand In Mine hit the charts and remained there for a few weeks. Elvis signed a five-year contract with Hal B. Wallis and Paramount Pictures. The contracts, that were sign January 18^th, were for Elvis to do a movie a year. The success of Elvis continues to grow which made the state of Tennessee and Governor Buford Ellington declared February 25^th as “Elvis Presley Day”.

Elvis Interview February 25th, 1961

March 8^th, Elvis travels to Nashville and the Tennessee Volunteers make him an honorary Colonel. After multiple recording sessions, Elvis travels to L.A. to start recording songs for Blue Hawaii. After they finish the recording sessions, Elvis and his gang traveled to Honolulu and heads to Block Arena to perform a benefit concert in order to help build a memorial to the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. The performance was held on March 25^th and he began filming Blue Hawaii on March 27^th. The filming was completed on location April 17^th and they finish the interior filming in Hollywood. The film is completed May 1^st and stays in California for a month before returning to Memphis.

Blue Hawaii

Wild In The Country opened June 25^th and does not have the best reviews. The rest of the month and most of July, Elvis could be found in the studio recording for his next film and album. Though on July 1st, he had to take a break in order to attend one of his best friend’s, Red West, wedding to Elvis’s very own secretary. On July 13^th, Elvis begins filming for Follow That Dream. Filming lasts through the end of August where they go on location to Florida. Little Sister and His Latest Flame hit the charts in August. Blue Hawaii, the song, enters the charts October 23^rd, hit number 1, and remained there for 79 weeks.

Little Sister

Never slowing down, Elvis begins filming for Kid Galahad October 26^th. They begin filming on location in California November 6^th and will have intense weather through the end of the month forcing filming to halt November 26^th. During this time, Blue Hawaii is released November 29^th. The film does extremely well, leaving critics and fans happy. Because of the weather, Elvis returns to L.A. to reshoot parts of Kid Galahad which will conclude in January.

The next few years will look similar to 1961. The Colonel keeps Elvis busy by keeping him in the recording studio and filming movies. It was important to The Colonel to create films fast and quick to keep the fans happy. Elvis is fine with the constant filming currently, but he will become distraught and the King will return.

TCB,

Little Sister