Elvis : Hot Love In A Long, Cold Winter : 2 CD Digipack from Strait Arrow

To be released shortly is a new double CD audience recording release from the Straight Arrow label titled, 'Hot Love In A Long, Cold Winter'. Presented in a digi-pack the set contains the St. Petersburg and Columbia 1977 concerts from newly obtained original audience recorded cassettes which both have surprisingly good sound.

The Elvis tour in February of that year was affected in various ways by the weather conditions, which sometimes resulted in delays at airports and illness among the musicians and crew members. Elvis himself was in less than stellar condition, and complained of a sore throat on some nights.

Elvis gained some weight since the last tour, and the manic feel of those final December nights was now gone, but from February 14, he was in good voice for all remaining shows of his tour, and he even included rarities like 'Release Me' and 'Blueberry Hill'. A large chunk of the February 14 show and 2 tracks from February 18 were released from a soundboard sources, but we feel that these audience recorded tapes makes for a more entertaining and exciting listening experience. Note: The February 18, 1977 show was released in 1992 ('Elvis Release Me In Concert') by the Peaf label, which was taken from an inferior source.

CD 1 / Monday, February 14, 1977, Bay Front Center, St. Petersburg

01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra, 02. C. C. Rider, 03. I Got A Woman / Amen, 04. Love Me, 05. If You Love Me (Let Me Know), 06. You Gave Me A Mountain, 07. O Sole Mio (Sherrill Nielsen) / It's Now Or Never, 08. Guadalajara (one liner) / All Shook Up, 09. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel, 10. And I Love You So, 11. Fever, 12. My Way, 13. Introduction of vocalists, musicians, 14. Early Mornin' Rain 15. What'd I Say, 16. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt), 17. Bass Solo (Blues, Jerry Scheff), 18. Piano Solo (Tony Brown), 19. Blueberry Hill (with 2 false starts), 20. Love Letters, 21. School Day, 22. Hurt, 23. Hound Dog, 24. Can't Help Falling In Love, 25. Closing Vamp / Announcements. Approx. running time: 66:41.

CD 2 / Friday, February 18, 1977, Carolina Coliseum, Columbia

01. Introduction: Also Sprach Zarathustra, 02. C. C. Rider, 03. I Got A Woman / Amen, 04. Love Me, 05. Fairytale, 06. You Gave Me A Mountain, 07. Jailhouse Rock, 08. O Sole Mio (Sherrill Nielsen) / It's Now Or Never, 09. Tryin' To Get To You, 10. Little Sister, 11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear / Don't Be Cruel, 12. Are You Lonesome Tonight, 13. That's All Right, Mama, 14. My Way (with break), 15. Release Me, 16. Introduction of vocalists, musicians, 17. Early Mornin' Rain, 18. What'd I Say, 19. Johnny B. Goode, 20. Drum Solo (Ronnie Tutt), 21. Bass Solo #1 (Blues, Jerry Scheff), 22. Bass Solo #2 (Battle Of New Orleans theme, Jerry Scheff), 23. Piano Solo (Tony Brown), 24. Love Letters, 25. School Day, 26. Hurt (with reprise), 27. Introduction of Billy Smith and Jo Smith, 28. Can't Help Falling In Love, 29. Closing Vamp / Announcements. Approx. running time: 74:57.