From the press-release:
Elvis - Kentucky Rain: This year, the “Straight Arrow” label team promises to focus especially on the concert years 1969-1972. After the great success of our 1969 release, titled "Elvis - Strike Like Lightning!", we're back again – this time with two great releases from 1970! The first CD is titled "Kentucky Rain". The February 22nd, 1970 midnight show is a previously unreleased concert, taken directly from an original audience recorded master tape. This concert was never available in good sound quality thus far (note: in 2007, the "SR" label released a so-called February 22nd, 1970 midnight show on the “Rock In Black" double cd, but this show was wrongly dated and in fact it was the February 23rd, 1970 dinner show!)
The February 22nd, 1970 midnight show recording is slightly incomplete, missing the last song "can't help falling in love", so we have included this song in the same good sound, as taken from the February 20th, 1970 dinner show, to make the concert "complete" for listeners' comfort.
As usual, this release is presented in a de-luxe 6-panel digipack, with a collection of photos taken in Las Vegas, NV, February 1970 and a press review.
Tracks: 01. Opening Vamp - 02. All Shook Up - 03. I Got A Woman - 04. Long Tall Sally - 05. Don't Cry Daddy - 06. Hound Dog - 07. Monologue - 08. Love Me Tender (With False Start) - 09. Kentucky Rain - 10. Let It Be Me - 11. I Can't Stop Loving You - 12. Walk A Mile In My Shoes (False Start Only) - 13. C. C. Rider - 14. Sweet Caroline - 15. Polk Salad Annie - 16. Introductions Of Singers, Musicians, Orchestra - 17. Suspicious Minds - 18. Introduction Of Roy Orbison - 19. Can't Help Falling In Love.
Track 19 Taken From February 20th, 1970 Dinner Show.
The September 7th, 1970 closing night was released by the "SR" label in 2008 in very poor, muffled sound, taken from a degraded x-generation copy (the "September Nights" CD). Once again we have used an original master tape and restored it to crisp, clear perfection. Elvis' crazy closing night performance never sounded better - until now!
Both concerts presented on this release were recorded by same person. This release is presented in a de-luxe 8-panel digipak, with a collection of photos taken in Las Vegas, NV, August 1970 and a press review.
Tracks CD 1 (04.09.1970 M/S): 01. Orchestra Intro (Ending Only) / Opening Vamp - 02. That's All Right - 03. I Got A Woman / Amen - 04. Monologue / La Bamba (One Line) / I Walk The Line (One Line) - 05. Love Me Tender (With False Start) - 06. I've Lost You - 07. I Just Can't Help Believin' - 08. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - 09. Polk Salad Annie - 10. Crying Time (One Verse) - 11. Introductions Of Singers, Musicians, Orchestra - 12. Johnny B. Goode - 13. Introductions Cont'd / Playing With Laughing Box - 14. Introduction Of Trini Lopez, Paul Anka / My Way (One Line) - 15. The Wonder Of You - 16. Heartbreak Hotel (False Starts Only) - 17. One Night (With False Start) - 18. Blue Suede Shoes - 19. Hound Dog - 20. Bridge Over Troubled Water - 21. Can't Help Falling In Love - 22. Closing Vamp.
Track 18 spliced with 05.09.1970 Midnight Show.
Tracks 19-22 taken from 05.09.1970 Midnight Show.
Tracks CD 2 (07.09.1970 C/S): 01. Orchestra Intro - 02. Opening Vamp - 03. That's All Right - 04. I Got A Woman / Amen - 05. Monologue / I Walk The Line (One Line) - 06. Love Me Tender (False Start Only) - 07. I've Lost You - 08. I Just Can't Help Believin' - 09. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - 10. Polk Salad Annie - 11. Introductions Of Singers, Musicians, Orchestra / Bob Dylan Impersonations - 12. Introduction Of Shirley Bassey, Actor James Shigeta ("Paradise Hawaiian Style") - 13. Introduction Of Colonel Tom Parker, Vernon Presley, Priscilla Presley - 14. Heartbreak Hotel (Only 4 Funny False Starts) - 15. Blue Suede Shoes / Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On / Blue Suede Shoes - 16. Introduction Of Sound Engineer Bill Porter, Felton Jarvis, Light Man - 17. All Shook Up (With False Start) - 18. Hound Dog (With 2 False Starts) - 19. Bridge Over Troubled Water - 20. Can't Help Falling In Love (With 2 False Starts) - 21. Closing Vamp.
Every second of these concerts was digitally restored, every click or disturbing clap in quiet songs manually removed, every drop-out or damaged place fixed to achieve optimal listening pleasure. What we plan to release the next time? Perhaps some unreleased concerts from 1971-1972, definitely not from 1976-1977 :-). Stay tuned!
In regard to the "cover-art". On the FECC forum the previous designer Night Rider posted: "Like all design work done for customers... many do turn out the way you would like them to be... but some end up being more what the customer wants than you'd want yourself... on occasions I would be disappointed with the final outcome... but was happy with 90% of what I did for the label.
As for the new designs... totally agree that they suck... but as I haven't been paid for the last work I did for him... 8 months ago... with no reason or even contact of any sort... I won't be doing anymore for Straight Arrow. Sad to say that there are some real dicks about... and the guy who releases these falls very much into that category".
Preview Elvis Now In Person 1969 Hardcover Book
Here is a preview of the upcoming hardcover book “Elvis Now In Person 1969” by Erik Lorentzen. This Deluxe Hardcover Book contains 400-pages packed with rare and unseen shots taken during the period of July 31 and August 28, 1969. It includes photographs from the construction of the International Hotel, the famous press conference and the shows themselves. (Source: Various)
