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A rare live recording of Elvis Presley's concert on December 2, 1976, the opening night of his final set of performances at the Las Vegas Hilton. This audio was recorded by Presley's manager Colonel Tom Parker on his Sony TC-270 tape recorder (also included in this lot). Parker sometimes recorded Presley's live performances for the pair to review later. He would sit stage right with celebrities and the owners and managers of the Las Vegas Hilton resort during Presley's headliner residency. Parker gave this recording to talent agent and manager Seymour Heller - best known for being the personal manager of famed pianist Liberace - when they were both in Liberace's dressing room at the Hilton a few years later. Parker and Heller often exchanged gifts from one another's entertainers and had been friends since the 1950s. It was obtained directly from Heller before his death in October 2001.
The recording includes the entire performance and lasts over an hour, including 19 songs, talking segments and interaction with the audience. Songs include "Teddy Bear", "All Shook Up", "Jailhouse Rock", "Don't Be Cruel", and more. The lot includes the original acetate Ampex 641 reel, two remastered CD versions of the recording, the Sony reel-to-reel 1/4" tape recorder it was initially captured on, and three Sony microphones used by Parker. The remastered CD, transferred from the reel-to-reel Ampex tape, was created by an oldies doo-wop radio station in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 2000.
The lot is accompanied by a signed letter of authenticity from Heller with his business card attached, a typed description of the recording's contents, including a list of the songs performed, and a handwritten letter of authenticity obtained from Phillip Mehaffey, head engineer and owner of Cyberteknics Creative Recording Studio in Dayton, Ohio dated "May 13, 2023, after he compared the music on the Ampex tape to the remastered CD and noted the age of the tape. The recorder exhibits minor scuffing from age, and the Ampex reel box exhibits wear and creasing. Dimensions (recorder): 26 cm x 52 cm x 40 cm (10.25" x 20.5" x 15.75")
Sold without copyright; see notice in the Buyer's Guide.
Contains electronics and mechanics; see notices in the Buyer's Guide.
Estimate: £4,000 - 8,000 Ω
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