(Jawbone)

www.jawbonepress.com

BY LEE ZIMMERMAN

Suffice it say that there have been countless volumes written about Elvis Presley, enough to make him arguably the most documented music performer of all time, the Beatles being possibly the only exception. Consequently, a skeptical observer might have good reason to question the need for yet another tome... and at 270 pages, a rather lengthy one at that. Yet despite the vast number of entries already occupying literary shelves, Return of the King: Elvis Presley's Great Comeback (Jawbone Press), Gillian G. Gaar's spellbinding examination on the King's unexpected renewal via his triumphant 1968 NBC television special, stands out from the pack, not only due to its specific focus, but also owing to the fact that Gaar's detailed narrative uncovers insights that the usual array of fawning bios often breeze over. 

Gaar begins with the back-story about how the King fell from grace, swept up in the steady tide of mediocre movies and marginal material that diminished his output with the start of the ‘60s. Usurped by the bands at the helm of the British invasion, Dylan and other up-and-comers who showed their grit and grasp of Rock's new era, Elvis had been reduced to little more than an also-ran by that summer of '68. In succumbing to the manipulation of his mentor, Colonel Tom Parker, he had become a mere shadow of the charismatic rebel who little more than a decade before forever changed the course of popular music and seduced an entire generation in the process. Sadly, Elvis appeared all too willing to relinquish his place in pop's pantheon, seemingly resigned to the notion that he had little choice other to accept the goods he was given. Even the prospect of a television special offered little reason to believe it would have any effect on his fortunes

"The special didn't begin with the thought that it would play a major role in resurrecting Elvis' career," Gaar notes early on. "Instead it had its genesis when Colonel Parker ran into an unexpected roadblock in securing his standard $1,000,000 fee for an Elvis movie; no one was interested in meeting his price."  According to the author, the alternative idea of offering his client to NBC was merely a fallback tact, just another way to keep the cash coming.

However, as the creative process got underway, Elvis took interest and his enthusiasm was unexpectedly spiked. To their credit, the show's writers and producers had the wherewithal to turn it into a command performance, one that would effectively reflect the Presley legacy, while also showing that the potential for further glories could still be tapped. The instigation for the show's format appropriately originated with Elvis himself, although the inspiration was likely unintended. Sitting in a room with the program's writers on the evening of June 6, 1968, he and the others watched in disbelief as news reports followed Robert Kennedy's assassination after his win in the California presidential primary. Elvis sought refuge from the tragedy by sharing personal reflections on his career and his role as an American icon, making his points by strumming songs throughout the night on an acoustic guitar. It immediately became clear that the special now had its theme, one that would resonate with the public and reinstate Elvis' relevance.

Gaar describes the events that set the stage for the show, providing specific descriptions about its development, and concluding with Elvis' subsequent downhill spiral -- what she calls "a gradual slide into what some would see as ignominious caricature." She also includes numerous quotes from those closest to the King -- his henchman, fellow musicians and those involved in the creation of the program itself. And while the book basks in stunning detail, its most intriguing entries are those that provide insights into Elvis' personality. The performer Gaar describes here isn't the arrogant maniac who shot up TV screens and dispatched his entourage to do his bidding, but rather a savvy, self-deprecating and thoughtful individual who cared about his career even while mired in frustration.

"I found Elvis to be a very sweet person," an insider is quoted as saying. That's a surprising adjective for a man who's often described as brooding and aloof. Yet, it's a telling image, one that pops up repeatedly and helps to redefine Elvis in a way that's rarely been done before.

Then again, Gaar is well qualified to pen this treatise. A respected writer and critic for such notable journals as Mojo, Rolling Stone, Goldmine (which carried her column "All Things Elvis") and BLURT, she's authored books about Nirvana, Green Day and a history of women in Rock. "Return of the King" is clearly her most ambitious effort to date -- not to mention her most compelling - a book that should appeal both to diehard devotees as well as the casually curious.