A new exhibition focussing on Elvis Presley’s later, touring years will display more than 40 of the late singer’s iconic jumpsuits. Elvis On Tour opens at the O2 Arena in London on November 3 and will tell the story of Elvis between 1969 and his death on August 16, 1977, when he toured the US almost non-stop.
This is also the period of time when Presley battled with depression, obesity and an addiction to prescription drugs.
Speaking to the Guardian, his ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, said that those years where particularly hard on the couple. The separated in 1972 and divorced the following year.
She said: “We all have demons. The press likes to just focus on things like that but we all have our demons, we all have our ups and downs and unfortunately for the people who are in the limelight, it is magnified so many times more.”
Presley performed more than 1,100 in those later and Priscilla acknowledges that his work schedule put a strain on the couple’s relationship.
She said: “Touring is not easy for any couple. We were there for each other, we cared for each other, we remained close, close friends. Elvis would talk to me about things which were going on his life.”
Some of the jump suits exhibited will be shown for the very first time. Also on display will be the dry cleaning and repair bills for the legendary outfits, as well as guitars, microphones, posters, tour trunks and examples of the silk scarves that he used to throw out to eager members of his audience.
Another feature of the exhibit will include a recreation of the interior of his tour plane.
Graceland’s director of archives, Angie Marchese, said of the Elvis On Tour exhibition: “The UK loves Elvis and we know it. Elvis was never able to tour the UK so to bring this story to the UK and make it feel like Elvis is there, performing … that’s the excitement of it all.”
