i THINK (and i am almost ALWAYS correct!)
that EC, still and will ALWAYS, remain a great LIVE singer. WHY? because before a problem arises, he KNOWS it is on the horizon and does ALL he can to adapt accordingly just WHERE he is going to arrive with his vocal delivery of the song. (never looking UP at a note, always looking DOWN at it, as his father taught him!
) YES, age HAS taken a toll and some songs are a reach for him now, especially in a most delicate SOLO acoustic setting. i too found a few songs, like ALMOST BLUE, to be his farthest stretches. subsequently, it was the FIRST time i ever saw that song performed in LESS than three minutes! was it horrible? NOOOO! was it the EC that can do it all??? NO!!! is that Elvis gone forever? NOOOO! will he ever have a fantastic night SOLO again? YESSSSSS!!!! we have gotten spoiled by having one of the best singers EVER that can interpret nearly ANY song in ANY genre. believe me, with the full rock n roll assault of the imposters behind him, Monday night would have been NO PROBLEM whatsoever. yet, we must come to expect these minor shortcomings in a solo acoustic setting periodically. would you rather have the same "SAFE" twenty four songs performed nightly OR the VAST opening of his songbook to hear nearly ANYTHING he has ever recorded or HEARD in his life??? please, again, remember, the song is NEVER ruined as he accommodates the situation as needed ALWAYS! JUST ENJOY!!!
