30 years after his death, Elvis Presley is still king

By Nada Weigelt Aug 16, 2007, 6:38 GMT

Tour guide Eldorado Del Rey describes life in Sun Studio, Memphis Tennessee, USA, 15 August 2007, where in the 1950s Elvis Presley cut his first record . Elvis died 30 years ago on 16 August 1977. Elvis fans from around the world have made the pilgrimage to Memphis to honour their idol. EPA/TANNEN MAURY

Memphis, Tennessee - The king is dead, long live the king! Even 30 years after the death of Elvis Presley, the idolization of the King of Rock 'n' Roll shows no signs of slowing down.

Fan clubs around the world were set to meet Thursday to mark the anniversary of his death. In his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, 50,000 guests were expected for 30 events during the so-called Elvis Week.

The music industry is feeding the fervour with new releases of his films and records.

Other music pioneers have said Elvis was the most influential musician in pop history. Buddy Holly and John Lennon have both said they could never have made it without his first paving the way.

What made Elvis so special in the 1950s was his mix of white country music and black rhythm and blues backed by the hammer of a bass. The once shy mamma's boy could also wriggle across the stage with an energy that sent teenage fans swooning.

In the conservative United States, his moves were at first shocking. One television programme only showed the singer from the waist up to avoid broadcasting the famed swing of his hips. But despite initial squeamishness, he became an idol for an entire generation: a rebel, who broke the barriers of upbringing, skin colour and convention.

But he is not just a music legend, he is also seen as a mystery, especially in his controversial death. On August 16, 1977, he was found dead in the bathroom of his Graceland mansion in Memphis. He was just 42 years old.

The doctors said his death was caused by heart failure, likely brought on by obesity and years of abusing medications. Biographer Alanna Nash characterized his dependency as an inability to accept what had become of himself, leading him to attempt to kill the pain.

The son of a labourer and a seamstress born in Tupelo, Mississippi, he rose from the poorest of circumstances to become a rock legend.

For his 10th birthday, instead of the bicycle he had hoped for, Elvis received a 7.90-dollar guitar and taught himself how to play.

In 1954, with That's All Right, Elvis had his first radio hit, and on the first night of its broadcast, the disc jockey had to play the song 15 times because of the high demand. The single then received 6,000 advanced orders. Elvis' career would only rise from there.

Since 1954, more than 1 billion Elvis records have been sold, a feat no other artist has accomplished. He won three Grammys and was honoured with induction into three different music halls of fame. He also stared in 30 films, usually in the role of a heartbreaker.

Privately, however, his life would only become harder. During his military service in Germany from 1958 to 1960, he met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, the daughter of a US Air Force officer. In 1967, the two married, and nine months later, daughter Lisa Marie was born.

But Priscilla complained of a destructive cycle of sleeping pills, stimulants and sedatives. She also alleged Elvis had little time for his family. The couple were divorced in 1973.

The king could still count on commercial success. His television show, Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii, the first concert to be broadcast live via satellite, attracted viewers around the world, but he was less and less him self.

He suffered as hit bands like the Beatles and the Rolling Stones drew more attention. In the end, he could barely bring himself to swing his hips on stage.

His last song, Way Down, was recorded in his home in August 1977, and days later, he was dead.

His death sent sales of his records into the stratosphere. For decades, Elvis led Forbes magazine's list of the biggest earning deceased celebrities. In 2006, his estate brought in 42 million dollars.