Elvis Presley’s Las Vegas Record Broken By This 1970s Music Icon
Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Elvis Presley reigned supreme as the king of the Las Vegas strip. However, his peak of over 600 live shows has been broken by a 1970s music icon, who paid tribute to the king of rock and roll at the record-breaking moment.
Which 1970s music icon broke Elvis Presley’s Las Vegas record?
Elvis Presley played 636 shows in Sin City from 1969 through 1976. He was a staple on the Las Vegas strip, with a residency at the International Hotel.
On Sept. 21, 2023, Barry Manilow took the stage to celebrate a record-setting 637 shows. His achievement was formally recognized during his concert as Manilow was presented with the key to the Las Vegas Strip by Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom.
Manilow performed a series of shows the weekend he broke Elvis’ record. They benefitted a number of charities, including the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center and Victoria’s Voice.
Manilow covered Elvis’ 1956 hit “Hound Dog” at the show. He donned a red jacket with Elvis’ iconic TCB lightning bolt logo stitched on the sleeve, reported NPR.
Did Elvis Presley and Barry Manilow ever meet?
Las Vegas Magazine reported that Barry Manilow never met Elvis Presley. However, Manilow did stay in the original Elvis Suite when the Westgate Las Vegas was The Hilton and, before that, The International Hotel.
“It was an older suite, but it was huge,” Manilow said. “It was the entire floor, the entire 30th floor, so I did get a sense of where he stayed when he was there.”
Manilow reportedly stays in the Elvis Suite for his residency at the Westgate. He performs shows from Thursday through Saturday for his Barry Manilow: The Hits Come Home shows.
The 1970s pop music stalwart also performs on the same stage as Elvis. His shows take place at the International Theater.
Why did Elvis Presley begin performing in Las Vegas?
Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas debut in 1956 at the New Frontier Hotel. This was an attempt by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, to give Elvis some industry credibility.
However, Elvis’ music and overall look were initially not well-received by the older patrons, who were used to acts such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy David Jr. Therefore, he didn’t return to Sin City until some 13 years later, on the heels of the Singer Special, otherwise known as the NBC comeback special.
One of Elvis’ close friends, Lamar Fike, told Nevada Magazine, “We had just finished the Singer special. And had flown into Vegas for a rest because we’d worked hard on that.”
He said that Parker knew there was renewed interest in Elvis and believed Las Vegas could be the place for the entertainer to continue to turn his career around. Fike recalls Parker saying, “You know, we can take that show you just did and put it in Vegas and make a lot of money.” This led Elvis to respond, “Sounds like we’re playing Vegas.”
Elvis kicked off a four-week engagement at the International Hotel on July 31, 1969. Parker and the International Hotel president negotiated a handshake deal written on a tablecloth to have Elvis return for twice-per-year engagements over the next five years.
Elvis’s final show in Vegas occurred on Dec. 12, 1976, capping off an 11-day, 15-show run. Manilow is performing a Sin City residency set to run through 2024.
