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--World's
Best Kept Secret: Elvis live at Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe
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The
book :
What you see is what you
get: |
World's
Best Kept Secret:
Elvis live at Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe
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With this book, the fans will get what they
have been waiting for - a definitive book
about the engagements of Elvis Presley at
Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe from 1971 through
1976. Author Sue McCasland recounts her experiences
of the magic of the Elvis Presley show and
shares her photographs for the first time
with Elvis fans world wide. Memorabilia expert
Joseph A. Krein opens his huge collection
and explains the unique and rare items.
Countless interviews and conversations, with
additional Elvis fans who were also there,
when Elvis played live in Tahoe plus comprehensive
research preceded the work before the project
was started. The end result was very important
to the team to have an exciting, fact based,
but also a very vivid book about this never
before documented time frame of Elvis' life
and career.
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The
content :
Sue
McCasland and Joseph A. Krein allow you get
an insight into the mysterious, unexplored
and fascinating area of the "World's
Best Kept Secret".
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The
book "Elvis live at Del Webb's Sahara Tahoe"
offers many memories and impressions of the
70s about Lake Tahoe. From the history of
the Lake itself, to the owner of the hotel
Del E. Webb, from the architect Martin Stern,
Jr. to the opening ceremony of the Sahara
Tahoe.
The chronological way of telling the story
about all these events and the retrospection
to 'what it was like' is not only an eye catcher,
but will fascinate the reader. Former employees
tell their stories about the fans and Elvis
with corresponding pictures to create a complete
image of the gambling paradise with Elvis'
performances in the mind's eye.
Ed Bonja, Elvis' official tour photographer
recounts his memories of the entourage crew
accompanied by original Sahara Tahoe memorabilia
and personal items (letters, checks, bills,
etc.).
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In 1976 ELVIS is announced with large letters.
Thanks to the fans, the smaller, black letters
were always the same: ALL CONCERTS SOLD OUT!
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The
book explains the change of the Sahara Tahoe
Hotel (when Elvis played there) to today's
version called the "Horizon". There's
a spotlight on the connection to the "Barton
Memorial Hospital Auxiliary" and how
Elvis supported the hospital with his performances.
Dick Grob (member of the Memphis Mafia and
bodyguard) also with Sonny West (Elvis' friend
and bodyguard) enrich the book with great
stories about the things that happened while
being with Elvis in Lake Tahoe.
Sue McCasland was among the very few fans
who were able to take pictures. You have to
know that you were allowed to take pictures
during concerts when Elvis was on tour, but
during the engagements at Las Vegas and Lake
Tahoe it was prohibited. There was a much
more intimate atmosphere in Tahoe, because
of a smaller showroom, so the risk was higher
to get caught while sneaking cameras into
the showroom and taking pictures during the
concert. With that knowledge, one can appreciate
the value of Sue's photos - a real treasure,
so to say. And thank God, Sue has decided
to share her personal treasure with the world.
Almost every existing photo of Elvis' performances
in Tahoe from 1971-1976 has been tracked down
and restored for the use in combination with
historical information in this visual experience.
You will see Elvis in a great mood, smiling,
entertaining the audience and enjoying the
moments where there is interaction with the
audience. See him wearing a gorilla mask,
see him having fun with Mickey Mouse ears,
see him kissing his female fans, singing spontaneously
rare versions of "Young and Beautiful",
"Return To Sender" or an exclusive
rendition of "Happy Birthday" and
witness the moment where Elvis gets caught
in a water pistol fight. It's amazing!
Different perspectives, different angles and
a vast collection of different stage outfits
portray Elvis on stage. Complementary items
like tickets, newspaper articles, reviews,
advertisements, banners, posters, menus, napkins,
ashtrays, dice, casino memorabilia, postcards
and a lot more. This book will definitely
provide you information and shots you have
never seen before. The Praytome Publishing
team is proud to present you the most comprehensive
photo collection of Elvis' performances in
Lake Tahoe and are very happy Sue McCasland
decided to share her personal collection of
memories and unpublished photos.
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The
complete story about Tahoe. Complete? Absolutely!
The book explains not only the origin of the
name "Lake Tahoe", but gives a lot
more information about the area. There are
details about the resort area, the idea of
creating a hotel nearby with the opening ceremony
of the hotel plus the plans and architectural
designs by Martin Stern, Jr. - which, of course,
contain the structure of the showroom and,
of course, ELVIS!
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The
photos are real gems, not only because they
have never been published, but the May '74
engagement is illustrated for the very first
time.
See Elvis wearing the Peacock suit (photo
on the right side). One of the biggest surprises
is the collection of more than two dozen shots
from October 1974 showing Elvis in the Sundial
suit. The myth that this suit was only worn
in 1977 comes now to an end, definitely. That's
one of the reasons why this book is call a
"definitive book".
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May
25, 1974 M.S. - © Sue McCasland
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The
realization :
In which category can this book be best placed? The
question is easily asked, but the answer is really
difficult to answer. It's a definitive book - category:
comprehensive and many-sided.
Lake
Tahoe - a wonderful resort area for people
who love to ski and enjoy the beauty of nature
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Many-sided
because the appeal of the content reaches
a very diversified target audience.
Among the fans, there are some who enjoy the
nice pictorials where Elvis smiles impishly
in the camera and really looks marvelous.
There are fans who are interested in the pictures,
because they want to study the famous suits.
There are fans who want the pictures in order
to archive concretely dated photos according
to the concerts. There are those who are interested
in the listing of the recordings of the engagements.Other
fans will read with enthusiasm the impressions
of the concerts from first hand witnesses
in order to image themselves there.
Furthermore, people want to read stories and
reports of Elvis backstage to know about the
meeting of Elvis and Clint Eastwood ("Dirty
Harry").
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Then
there are fans who are more interested in
why some shows had been canceled and about
the "Mother's Day Shows", and how
the hotel, the showroom and Elvis' suite looked
like. And then you have the memorabilia collectors,
who have been dependent on other experts to
help them understand the Tahoe memorabilia.
And in the end, there are fans who are interested
in everything.
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August
1, 1971 - © Judy Cherry
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In opposition to the former "Live"
pictorial books of Praytome Publishing, this
is a "Definitive Book" which deals
intensively with a specific topic and doesn't
put the focus on a special concert as in "Born
To Rock".
The content intensively matters about Elvis'
complete engagements in the years 1971-76.
Furthermore, for the better understanding
for the reader as the city itself and the
entire surrounding area is explained.
The style had to be adapted to the different
requirements as it deals intensively with
the topic as you would never had thought it
could be possible. When the announcement came
out, the Elvis World agreed that it's not
possible at all to write a book about Tahoe!
The final product shows about 470 photos and
memorabilia with extensive explanations. A
picture of
Elvis in Lake Tahoe, you never knew before.
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As
a matter of course, the same paper we used for
"Born To Rock" is applied. It has
a special varnish which protects the book from
the reader's fingerprints.
Because of the positive response from the fans
concerning the improved quality of paper and
also the printing, we decided to use the same
material to reach another excellent result.
The producers together with the authors Sue
McCasland and Joseph A. Krein made the dream
come true to publish a book about Elvis' engagements
in Lake Tahoe, which is not to put the other
Praytome Publishing projects in the background.
While keeping the thought in mind "Evolution
instead of Revolution" and with the help
of many fans, insistent research, countless
hours of working and unique teamwork, this dream
is a reality and after more than three decades,
the best kept secret is revealed.
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October
11, 1974 M.S. - © Sue McCasland
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Mother's
Day Show - 03:00 A.M.
May 9, 1976 - Elvis wearing the Mickey Mouse
Ears - © Sue McCasland
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The
producer team aimed high and produced the qualitatively
best product for the lowest price. For this
reason we can offer our hardcover book noticeably
cheaper than comparable products of the same
value which are sold for $50-$70.
Our end consumer price: 39 Euros plus individual
accumulating postal rates and packing costs
(according to your location). Please use our
website for your order. |
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Content
World's Best Kept Secret: Elvis live at Del Webb's Sahara
Tahoe
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