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    We got the Beat

    Elvis 75: Long live the King!

    Rick Sawyer
    Jan 8, 2010 | 8:12 am
    • The 1957 publicity poster for "Jailhouse Rock"
    • Portrait of The King
      Photo courtesy of Elvis Presley Estate
    • Donning a Western look
    • The famous "Comeback Special" performance in 1968
    • Elvis in "Aloha From Hawaii," broadcast live via satellite on Jan. 14, 1973
    • "Elvis 75"

    Elvis Presley, who would have turned 75 today, has maintained his singular place in popular culture primarily because of his uncanny versatility. Start with the voice. Though a natural tenor, Elvis could rock a convincing baritone; his range was that sprawling. He could sound by turns raunchy or sweet, often within the same phrase, and his timbre is so distinctive that a well-versed two-year-old can pick out his voice unprompted.

    Then there's his musical output. Few performers of Elvis's stature have recorded such a broad array of music. Though the Tupelo, Mississippi native never abandoned the country blues, he issued forays into country, R&B, gospel music, ballads, and, later, lounge music. Though he can take little credit for inventing the sound - Carl Perkins had already fused the blues and country music, Ray Charles had already made gospel into R&B, and Fats Domino, Little Richard and Chuck Berry had already made the blues rock before Elvis cut his first single - Elvis was the "King of Rock and Roll" because the music would never have taken the wide ranging form that it eventually would without his meandering influence.

    Elvis's vocal and musical versatility led to a thematic richness that would characterize popular music in the second half of the 20th century. It's hardly a feat to establish a cult of the young in the modern world, but Elvis elevated the brute fact of teenage horniness to a movement that would reverberate throughout the pop firmament during the '50s and '60s until merged with other, more potent strands of culture to become the youth rebellion movement that had such a noisy year in 1968.

    But unlike many of his contemporaries, Elvis wasn't thematically limited to his own libido. He played dis songs ("Hound Dog"), spirituals ("How Great Thou Art"), torch songs ("I Need Somebody to Lean On"), and depraved fusions of the spiritual and the sinful. (Those who are shocked by the way gospel music infiltrates "Viva Las Vegas" - "Bright light city gonna set my soul on fire" - should recall that black preachers had hardly cornered the market on such metaphors. Think of Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis's colleague on Sun Records. Like Jerry Lee, Elvis conceals an ambiguity in his religious language: When your soul is on fire, it's usually because you're in Hell.) Later, Elvis would churn out ballads ("Suspicious Minds," possibly his finest moment), stabs at political relevance ("In the Ghetto"), and stabs at political irrelevance (Jerry Reed's ineffable "U.S. Male").

    To be sure, Elvis never wrote his own material, but his voice and his persona provided a site for this smattering of themes to cohere. He became the contextual backdrop to the elaborations that popular artists would contribute to these themes for the rest of the century.

    Of course, Elvis's versatility was not limited to his artistic endeavors. He also provided a template for the great American celebrity scandal. His early career met with protests from southern bigots who despised his frank sexuality - the famous admonition that Elvis should only be filmed from waist up - and harbored related anxieties about black music and miscegenation.

    Ironically, several decades later, the spiritual descendants of these bigots would seize upon Elvis as one of their great cultural symbols and black radicals would denounce Elvis's fusion of black and white music. Chuck D's allegations notwithstanding, there is little in the historical record to suggest that Elvis was actually a racist, but these sorts of myths, misunderstandings, and reversals are also part of the American celebrity experience.

    And scandal would follow Elvis into his later years. His career fell into the hands of the enigmatic Dutchman Colonel Tom Parker (né Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk), who would become America's most notorious Svengali. The Memphis Mafia, Elvis's infamous retinue of bodyguards, was one of the first entourages. Then there were the years of reclusion - like J.D. Salinger or Michael Jackson - when Elvis shunned the press. Graceland itself was pretty weird, a twisted reflection of genteel Southern fussiness, shone through the prism of poverty.

    The seventies brought drug-induced comas and a staggering shadow of Elvis's past persona. A bloated Britney Spears mumbling her lyrics live on MTV has nothing on fat Elvis in a sequined jump-suit stumbling around a Las Vegas stage. Ultimately, Elvis fell prey to the most tragic celebrity scandal of all: the drug-overdose death. Pills, in his case as in that of Michael Jackson.

    His versatility aside, what's strikes you when you listen to "Elvis 75: Good Rockin' Tonight," the essential four-disc box set commemorating his 75th anniversary, is Elvis's stunning consistency.

    Those given to a certain purism, this writer included, have long praised Elvis's "Sun Sessions," those early recordings that were the bedrock of his career and of the rockabilly genre. We have tended to dismiss the Elvis that returned from the Korean War to slick superstardom as the sort of crass culture machine garbage that punk rock was supposed to smash.

    Call it a longing for authenticity, or whatever you want, but we were wrong. Even the schmaltzy Vegas period at the end of his life has its virtues. If such a music has its merits, and this writer thinks that it might, then you can rank Elvis as a minor light: better than Wayne Newton, not quite as good as Neil Diamond. Though his musical language might have changed throughout his career, Elvis continued to kick ass.

    A great strength of "Elvis 75" is its chronological arrangement. Listen to the set in order, and you can hear Elvis evolve across the decades. And the tracks don't bog down; the song selection was made judiciously but with enough room for nonessential surprises. The first disc, for example, has tunes as well known as "That's All Right," "Good Rockin' Tonight," and "Mystery Train," but also Elvis's cover of "I Got a Woman," Ray Charles's breakout soul number that provided the raw material for Kanye West's "Gold Digger." Most listeners know "King Creole," but how many have overlooked "Bossa Nova Baby"?

    "Elvis 75" offers little for the Elvis completist, but it helps the rest of us understand why such a person might exist. At the very least, it's a fitting way to celebrate the King's birthday with the rest of the world.

    SAMPLE THE KING:

    Adobe Flash Required for flash player."In the Ghetto"

    Adobe Flash Required for flash player."I Got a Woman"

    Adobe Flash Required for flash player."Bossa Nova Baby"

    Rick Sawyer is a refugee from Houston who lives and writes in Boston, Mass. A former KTRU music director and disc jockey, he still writes "Texan" on his tax forms.

    unspecified
    news/entertainment

    independence day fun

    Where to celebrate the 4th of July throughout the Houston area in 2025

    Holly Beretto
    Jun 18, 2025 | 11:30 am
    Shell Freedom Over Texas
    Courtesy of Shell Freedom Over Texas
    The city has revealed the performers for its July 4 celebration.

    A country only turns 249 once. To celebrate Independence Day, cities around the Houston region have a host of entertainment options for all ages — including, of course, fireworks to light up the night sky. Happy 4th of July!

    Thursday, July 3
    Houston Symphony: Star-Spangled Salute
    This annual concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion is free for everyone, and offers a selection of patriotic songs to celebrate the holiday. 8pm.

    Friday, July 4
    Freedom Over Texas
    Houston’s annual July 4th bash returns to Eleanor Tinsley Park along Allen Parkway with local, regional, and national entertainment, headlined by Ashley McBryde and Lee Brice. Attendees also have access to a beer garden; a sponsored area with representatives from local sports teams; the "Red, White & Play Kids Zone" with games, face painting, and entertainment; and "Liberty Park," which salutes the military and includes pictures with military assets. The grand finale of the celebration is a “Texas-sized” fireworks display. This year’s event will donate a portion of the entrance fee to the Houston Food Bank. Gates open at 4 pm. The cost is $10.

    Bubbles and Fireworks
    Buffalo Bayou Partnership hosts this event, which sets sail from Allen’s Landing at 8 pm. Hop on a boat and head into the bayou for a sensational view of fireworks over downtown, complete with bubbly, wine, beer, and light bites. The cost is $150 per person. Space is limited and this event is for ages 13 and older. Reserve online.

    City of Baytown 4th of July Celebration
    Beginning at 4 pm, the event includes live performances from groups like the Spazmatics and The Zydeco Outlaws, among others, food and craft vendors, and children’s activities. The evening is capped off with fireworks. The event is free to attend.

    City of Bellaire Celebration of Independence Parade & Festival
    This free event at Loftin Park kicks off with a parade at 9 am. A festival, held from 9:30 am-12 pm, includes music, food, and other family fun.

    City of Friendswood July 4th Celebration
    The day begins at 10 am, with a parade on Friendswood Drive, followed by a festival in Stevenson Park with rides, games, music, and entertainment. At 7 pm, a celebration will be held in Centennial Park, with live music and other entertainment, capped by a fireworks show around 9:10 pm.

    City of La Porte 4th of July in Five Points
    After a parade down Broadway, there’s a party at Five Points Plaza, featuring free hot dogs while they last, live music, and a fire truck that will spray water in the street. All festivities are free. The fun starts at 10:30 am.

    City of Pasadena 4th Fest
    Pasadena's party features a live DJ, Pasadena Idol performers, and a host of other activities celebrating the nation’s birthday at the Pasadena Fairgrounds. The festival starts at 4 pm, with a fireworks display at 9:15 pm. The event is free to attend.

    City of Pearland Celebration of Freedom
    Live music, kids activities, strolling entertainment, giveaways, and a photo booth top the list of fun on the 4th in Independence Park, beginning at 6 pm. The evening finishes with an 18-minute fireworks display. It’s free to attend.

    City of Seabrook Fourth of July Parade
    The parade begins at the Miramar Shopping Center and ends at Rex L. Meador Park. Kids are encouraged to decorate bikes, scooters, wagons and other non-motorized vehicles for a special children’s parade. Look for a bounce house, hayrides, hotdogs and other Fourth of July-themed fun. Festivities begin at 9:30 am.

    City of Sugar Land Red, White, and Boom
    Gather at Constellation Field for this epic celebration with music, food, vendors, and a grand fireworks finale. Admission is free. The event kicks off at 5 pm.

    Dueling Pianos and Fireworks
    Katy’s Home Run Dugout hosts this bash, headlined by dueling piano duo Joilux. Guests can request their fave tunes, and enjoy a killer fireworks show. The event is free, and those attending can order bites and drinks off the gathering spot’s regular menu. Celebrations kick off at 8 pm.

    Einstein’s Fireworks Cruise on Lake Conroe
    Depart from Einstein’s Surf & Boat Shop at the Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe for this three-hour cruise, which includes music, snacks, and a great vantage point for seeing the fireworks on Lake Conroe. BYOB. The cost is $75.

    Fourth of July in The Woodlands
    An array of activities are happening all day long, beginning at 8 am with festivities that precede the 49th Annual South County 4th of July Parade, which winds through The Woodlands Town Center and Market Street, featuring fire engines, military units, and marching bands.

    From 10 am to 6 pm, Woodlands townships have a host of Red, White, and Pool activities in their pools (fees vary). Finally, the Red, Hot & Blue Festival and Fireworks Extravaganza kicks off at 6 pm with food, live entertainment, and family fun at multiple locations throughout The Woodlands.

    Houston Symphony: Star-Spangled Salute
    The Symphony’s free July 4 concert at Miller Outdoor Theatre in Hermann Park is a Houston tradition. Expect songs like “The Stars and Stripes Forever” and “America the Beautiful,” followed by a grand finale fireworks display. The concert begins at 8:30 pm.

    Kemah Boardwalk July 4th Celebration
    The popular entertainment zone has live music beginning at 2 pm, with multiple bands taking the stage. A fireworks show starts at 9:30 pm. The fireworks show is free. Those wishing to hop on a boat and catch the show from the water need to pay $40. Boarding begins at 9 pm.

    Missouri City Fourth Fest
    Taking place on the Houston Community College - Southwest College campus, this free party includes carnival games, live performances, food from local vendors, and a fireworks display. Festivities begin at 5 pm.

    Valley Ranch 4th Fest
    Cover band Dunn & Brooks and ZZ Tex highlight this day-long celebration, which also features yard games, a kids’ zone, train rides, a shopping boutique, July 4th swag, food trucks, and a Red, White, and Brews cash bar. It’s all capped off with Montgomery County’s largest fireworks display. The fun starts at 5 pm and admission is free.

    Saturday, July 5
    Stars, Stripes, and Swing
    The Jazz Connection Orchestra performs at Margaritaville Lake Resort Lake Conroe’s Del Lago Ballroom. There’s a cash bar with offerings such as tacos, hot dogs, and other snacks. Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance. The concert is at 7:30 pm, with a fireworks show immediately following at 9:20 pm.

    Freedom Over Texas
      
    Courtesy of Freedom Over Texas
    The Freedom Over Texas celebration takes place on the Fourth of July.
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