Posted on 08/16/2011 6:47:07 AM PDT by US Navy Vet
Remembering the 'King,' 34 Years Later : Elvis Presley (1935 - 1967)
On Aug. 16, 1977 the music world was shocked when the King of Rock 'n Roll died at the young age of 42.
It was a moment that brought the entertainment world to a standstill, when the actor, musician and singer died at his Graceland mansion. By then, Elvis had appeared in 33 films, won a Grammy Lifetime Achievment Award (at just 36 years old!) and had served his country in the U.S. Army.
34 years later after his sudden death, fans are still flocking to his Graceland mansion to remember the legendary entertainer.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
A life cut too short, sad.
Wow. 34 years? Seems like just yesterday the news was breaking on my radio. Time flies.
It was a life cut too short due to excesses on the part of this so-called king.
If you can’t say SOMETHING nice then, STFU!
You had to be alive during those years to “get” why Elvis was so popular. And that’s coming from someone who wasn’t there. As a guitarist, I know that a whole generation of rock players were in love with Scotty Moore. And I get that Elvis was on the crest of the wave bringing rock and roll to the world. Even so, I’ve never really understood his massive appeal. He sings as bad as Cher.
Seeing anniversaries like that, remembering Elvis after 34 years, makes me feel older.
Elvis had nice hair.
On Aug. 16, 1977 the music world was shocked when the King of Rock 'n Roll died at the young age of 42.
Someone needs to correct their dates... or the math.
Elvis answered his country’s call for duty, unlike alot of his generation.
AP fat fingered it.
You just had to be there, he was the best.
So did Jeffrey Dahmer.
Elvis himself said that he wasn’t The King; only Jesus Christ is The King. Elvis, at his core, was a shy, humble and kindhearted man. Yes, he overindulged and he ruined his body, but he LOVED his fans and wanted to be there for him.
Here are some quotes to remember his legacy:
“When I first heard Elvis’ voice I just knew that I wasn’t going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss...Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail.”
—Bob Dylan
“...it was like he came along and whispered some dream in everybody’s ear, and somehow we all dreamed it.”
—Bruce Springsteen
“Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps.”
—Rod Stewart
“Ask anyone. If it hadn’t been for Elvis, I don’t know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me.”
—Elton John
“Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it’s a whole new social revolution - the 60’s comes from it.”
—Leonard Bernstein, 1960s.
“That’s my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you’d see pictures all over of Elvis. He’s just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it’s because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis Presley was in the f-—ing room. I don’t give a f-— who was in the room with him, Bogart, Marilyn Monroe”.
—Eddie Murphy
“Before Elvis, there was nothing.”
—John Lennon
I’ve only read one book about Elvis.
It’s “Last Train To Memphis: The Rise Of Elvis Presley” by Peter Guralnik. It’s Volume I of a two volume set.
Absolutely fantastic. The book starts out with his birth in Tupelo and ends when he’s inducted into the Army. It’s fascinating reading. As you read the book, you’ll see that he really came out of nowhere. He was a likable enough guy in his youth but no one ever saw the star power in him.
And “Jeffrey Dahmer’ got what was coming to him, didn’t he?
I really believe that’s true. You had to be there. My father-in-law is still an Elvis fanatic after all these years. As for 50s rock and roll, I’ve always been a Chuck Berry guy.
Yes. And may we all truly get what we have coming to us.
Oh, and another thing—Elvis absolutely refused to let the media and leftists drag him into the anti-Vietnam War debacle. He said that he was an entertainer and that no one wanted to hear the opinion of an entertainer. Too bad more Hollywood types don’t get that memo.
Some believe that Elvis personified the self-destructive rock star phenom. He wasn’t the first. A whole bevy of jazz singers preceded him. But he managed to make 42 into 62, amazing for a man who had the women screaming in the aisles until his death.
Elvis wasn’t just a singer. He was the first Elvis.
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