It was also during this time that Elvis developed his infamous gut that nearly made him unrecognizable. His performances were so bad that many around him suggested he took a break. Guitarist John Wilkinson spoke about this period and said Elvis was in such bad shape he was hardly intelligible.
The King’s substance dependency eventually got so bad that he ended up firing anyone who commented on it. Unfortunately, this included his team of bodyguards and close friends. Elvis’ father handled much of the musician’s finances, and for this reason, he was the one to let them all go claiming they had to cut back on expenses.
Elvis’s Failing Health
Elvis’ health significantly deteriorated after separating from Priscilla. His substance abuse worsened and he suffered two ODs in 1973, the first which left him in a three-day coma. At the end of the same year, he was hospitalized for the same reason, remaining in a nearly vegetative state throughout his stay.
His tour schedule was hectic and he was busier than ever, which certainly didn’t help his condition. Rather than rest, however, in 1974 he agreed to go on another tour.
The Tour That Almost Didn’t Happen
Since Elvis was prescribed his meds from doctors, he denied having a problem. However, everyone else saw that he was struggling.
The King’s keyboardist, Tony Brown, recalled Elvis stumbling out of a limo when arriving at the University of Maryland for a concert. According to him, people jumped to help Elvis out, only to be pushed away by him. He also said that Elvis spent the first thirty minutes of the show holding on to the mic stand to not fall down. The entire tour was at risk.
The Final Proposal
In 1976, Elvis was dating model and actress Ginger Alden. He ultimately proposed, but friends of the singer claimed he wasn’t serious about getting married again after his recent divorce.
The quality of his performances declined even further. When he managed not to sleep through his shows, he would be slurring so badly that his words were inaudible. While he was able to lose some weight before his death, his health never recovered.
A Tell-All Book
To Elvis’ surprise, three of the bodyguards he fired chose to write a tell-all book — " Elvis: What Happened?" . While he tried to pay off the publishers to not release the book, it ultimately went public on August 1, 1977.
It not only detailed The King’s issues with substance abuse but his romantic and personal relationships as well. The musician was devastated, but his former employees claimed it wasn’t written as a way to bring light to his troubles and encourage him to get help. Unfortunately, he didn’t have the time to do so as he died just two weeks later.