January/February 1972 “Elvis Presley Show” Tour Related Schedule, Documents and Correspondence from Elvis Presley’s Concert Sound Engineer Bill Porter (7 Pieces)

Please Note: All Elvis Presley signatures on the included documents are secretarial.

Offered are a group of seven documents from the personal collection of Elvis Presley's Sound Engineer Bill Porter that relate to the series of concerts in Las Vegas during January/February 1972. In January 1972, once again Elvis takes the stage in Las Vegas, this time wearing a cape that becomes a staple of his costume during this engagement. He appears slimmer if not more subdued and perhaps in a reflection of his personal life, Elvis adds the ballads about lost loves, “You Gave Me a Mountain,” “It’s Over,” and “It’s Impossible” and sings them with the heartfelt emotions of someone experiencing them firsthand. Priscilla is at the opening dinner show on January 26, 1972 and by the end of this engagement on February 23rd, Priscilla breaks the news that she is seeing karate champion Mike Stone. That's one story, and the offered group of correspondence and other documents tells the tale of Sound Engineer Bill Porter hitching on to The Elvis Presley Show to begin 1972. The group includes:

• December 16, 1971 Letter to Bill Porter from Tom Diskin with a secretarial Elvis Presley signature that states, “This is to confirm our agreement that you will render your services as sound engineer for the Elvis Presley Show at the International Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada for the period of starting Tuesday, Jan. 25, 1972 through and including Wednesday, Feb. 23, 1972 for the agreed compensation of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per week. You further affirm that you are a member in good standing of the union organization covering this activity and authorized to work in this capacity. Your signature below is your acknowledgment and agreement of the terms set forth in this letter.” The agreement has been signed in black ink by “Bill Porter”;
• January 7, 1972 letter to Bill Porter from Tom Diskin on MGM letterhead enclosing the signed copy of the contract covering Bill’s services for the Elvis Presley Show at the Las Vegas Hilton, January 25th through February 23rd;
• December 10, 1971 letter to Bill Porter from Tom Diskin on MGM letterhead inquiring as to his availability for Elvis’ January engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton. The letter also contains a handwritten notation, “OK I told him verbally 12-15-71”;
• December 16, 1971 letter to Bill Porter from Tom Diskin on MGM letterhead enclosing the agreement pertaining to the Elvis Presley Show engagement at the Las Vegas Hilton, January 26th through February 23rd, 1972 requesting all copies be signed and returned for completing signatures. The letter also contains a handwritten notation, “12/17/71 Returned all copies, signed”;
• January 6, 1972 cover letter to Bill Porter from Tom Diskin on MGM letterhead enclosing the schedule of rehearsals and requesting that Tom be contacted in room 447;
• Typed Rehearsal Schedule chart with dates, locations, participants and start times. A further note along the bottom indicates that rehearsals are closed to all visitors, no exceptions please;
• and Handwritten note in red ink, dated 1-26-71 that reads, “Tom Diskin is in Room 447 @ Int’l Hotel.”

These important documents, perfectly paint a timeline of events leading to the employ of Bill Porter for the 1972 engagement. All documents measure 11 by 8 1/2 inches (27.94 x 21.59 cm) with one smaller notecard measuring 6 by 4 inches (15.24 x 10.16 cm) and the collection of seven (7) documents is accompanied by a copy of the letter of authenticity from Graceland Authenticated that was issued when these documents were sold as part of a larger archive. The documents present with few, if any, significant defects and have been meticulously well-preserved. Only original mailing folds and the occasional wrinkle belie their age. Near Mint condition overall, with some lesser.