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Here is a YouTube Video of Mario Lanza in 1954. I'm not sure how Elvis first knew about opera or this American tenor, but wouldn't be surprised it was on television. Elvis loved television and he watched it a lot (even watching several sets at a time in the 1970's). This is The Chrysler sponsored show "Shower of Stars," and possibly Elvis even saw this show which featured Mario.
Americans were (and are) so accustom to opera singers being European because it's often sung in Italian and so it's a surprise to hear Mario's American speaking voice and to hear him sing a song in English in operatic voice.
Marios on this blog because Elvis, "the Walking Encyclopedia of Music," told me that he had studied Lanza's vocal techniques, in order to hit the high notes of a song he is very famous for, "It's Now Or Never" and "Surrender."
My friend Elvis Presley was like a walking encyclopedia of music. He made it a point to know about everyone in the business. He studied some of his favorites, like the American tenor Mario Lanza, whose voice inspired him. He often told me about other singers' voices - what problems they had with meter, breathing, phrasing. Elvis thought his talent was a God-given gift and he was determined not to loose his voice through misuse.
His juke box at the house was frequently renewed with the latest Top 40 as well as some of his favorites all time hits. And at parties he invented dances to a variety of songs. When party guests saw him moving, those legs and arms going, the house went crazy.
Because Colonel Parker kept Elvis from talk shows and interviews, he honed a mystique about his star. But Elvis was also thought to be less intelligent than he was, even inarticulate. Part of the problem Elvis had was a problem I had too - the stereotype that Southerners just weren't as smart as Northerners. We were considered hillbillies- hicks; I once decked a song writer in the Brill building for calling me names.
Maybe Colonel Parker knew that too - the prejudice - and decided that on that basis not to expose Elvis to ridicule.
Would Elvis would put on a suit and become a crooner like Bobby Darin and Fabian, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra?
Well, the answer to that seemed to be yes - and no. The American public did get to see Elvis on TV suited up. Frank Sinatra had a television special that introduced this new mature Elvis, a man who, I knew, was continuing to exercise his voice and singing capabilities to sound like the American tenor Mario Lanza. (His inspiration for the way he sang on "It's Now or Never.") Elvis's facial expressions and restrained but ever-Elvis body language communicated that beneath that straight suit he was still nothin but a hound dog!
To be sure Colonel Parker had as many members of the Elvis Presley Fan Club in the audience as he could get, and they out did the applause Frank got too.
Interestingly, the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra's entourage) was there, all but for Dean Martin, the one Elvis liked the most.
Frank Sinatra's daughter Nancy, looking like a prom queen, not yet hip, and with her naturally not yet blonde blonde hair, made an appearance on the show, which had the highest ratings for the evening.
After being there for Elvis return to Memphis, I got back on the Buddy Knox tour, and was in New York City watching the show with a friend of mine, the country boy George Hamilton the IV. He was in our home state of North Carolina and we stayed on the telephone long distance with each other, comparing notes about Elvis' performance and the entire show. We agreed, Elvis sounded better than ever.
Here's a couple You Tube videos of Elvis on the "Frank Sinatra Special" which also got called the "Welcome Home Elvis" special which was broadcast live from Miami Beach, Florida, and sponsored by Timex, the watch company.
In this first You Tube video, Frank performs a tune - written for the show - about the army. This video includes Nancy Sinatra, Joey Bishop (he just died a day or so ago at 89!), and Sammy Davis Jr. Elvis walks onto the stage in his army uniform. This may just be the set up Colonel Parker needed to route Elvis Presley back to Las Vegas eventually but at this point Parker is going to use Elvis' military background to his advantage. And my friend Elvis was always a patriotic American, proud of his military service, and one for the veterans of this great country, so believe me, Elvis didn't mind one iota.
Elvis and Frank share songs but who are the girls screaming for? You can put Elvis is a suit but you can't take the Elvis out of him!
