Next week is ”Elvis Week” in Memphis, Tennessee. Starting Tuesday, thousands of fans will make the pilgrimage to Graceland and pay homage to the original rock n’ roll idol, the undisputed King Of Rock N’ Roll.
First wave Boomers can remember the mid-50s. Elvis’s arrival changed more than just the music we listened to, he also influenced fashion, and ignited emotions, from the teen girls who swooned over him, to ultra conservative preachers who burned all the Top 40 records they could gather.
He was only 42-years old when he died–39 years ago–August 16, 1977.
Elvis is still popular, not only with us Boomers, but with new generations of fans, too — joined by their parents and grandparents in celebrating and appreciating not only his music and his one of kind talent as a performer but also his humanity and desire to bring people of all backgrounds together.