On June 26, 1977, Elvis Presley left the building one last time after performing what would be his final concert. Although we most often associate the latter years of Presley’s career with the glitzy desert metropolis of Las Vegas, his final show ended up being east of the Mississippi River in a flyover state.

The show came at the end of a two-year-long stretch of public appearances that seemed to do more harm than good to his musical legacy. In hindsight, some fans wondered if his fate would have been different had he given up the ghost.

Elvis Presley Performs Final Concert In Indianapolis

In the mid-1970s, Elvis Presley embarked on a rigorous touring schedule that would end up being more detrimental to the King of Rock and Roll’s musical legacy than he could have imagined. Presley was in the middle of an intense tug of war, professionally and physically speaking. On the one hand, his fans (and his record label) were eager for Presley to return to his former glory. But on the other hand, time had not been kind to Presley. He was deep in the throes of various health ailments, which he medicated and exacerbated with his pharmaceutical use.

From 1974 to 1976, Presley performed shows with varying degrees of success. Some attendees reported he was at his best. Others said it was the worst they had ever seen Presley. The years-long tour came to an end in Indianapolis, Indiana, on June 26, 1977. Elvis Presley performed his final concert at Market Square Arena in the Midwestern capital city. Nearly 18,000 people attended to see the King play a roughly 80-minute set that featured cuts like “Jailhouse Rock,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” “Hound Dog,” and “Little Sister,” among others.

As per tradition, Presley closed his show with his iconic ballad, “Can’t Help Falling in Love With You.” He gave his final address to the audience, saying, “We’ll meet you again. God bless. Adios,” before leaving the building for the final time. Presley would die just under two months later at his Memphis estate, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.

The Appearances Might Have Done More Harm Than Good

Try as he might, Elvis Presley was never able to recreate the same magic that skyrocketed him to fame in the late 1950s. The performances leading up to his final concert were inconsistent and, in the vast majority of cases, somewhat disappointing. Two days before his final on-stage appearance in Cincinnati, reporter Ken Williams wrote, “The King looked awful. Though loyal fans attending the concert with me insisted he has lost weight since last year’s concert, Elvis still has a paunch which could do a Santa Claus suit without needing padding.”

“Ghastly pale, eyelids nearly swollen shut, Elvis tried to exercise his booty as in the golden years,” Williams continued. “I’ve seen senior citizens with better acts. There was an emptiness at the end. Yes, there comes a time when a performer should step down, retire, or rest. Elvis, we love you, but please don’t do this to us. We prefer remembering you at your peak.”

After Presley’s death later that summer, some speculated that his attempt to revive his career with a rigorous touring schedule only expedited his fate. Perhaps if he had focused on getting his kingdom in order, he could have stayed on his throne a little while longer. Nevertheless, what’s done was done, and Presley’s cultural and musical influence is still an impressive one, even if he seemed to leave with a whimper instead of a bang.

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