Elvis Presley would have turned ninety this Wednesday, January 8, 2025, if he had not died on August 16, 1977 at the age of forty-three. 75.000 fans from all over the world flock to the Graceland estate in Memphis where he died every year. This time there will be more of them.
Namely, the organizer of the anniversary celebration promises that between January 8 and 10, an "unforgettable celebration" will be organized with concerts, discussions, special programs... Among the special guests are rare living contemporaries of Elvis, such as Richard Sterben, who was the backing vocalist on Elvis' performances. And the whole event will be available online.
Graceland stays in the family
The Memphis estate is, after the White House, the most visited historic building in the United States. Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley died on January 21, 2023. She managed her father's legacy during her lifetime, until 2005 when she sold a large part to an American company. But she kept the Graceland mansion, as well as her father's personal effects. She, as well as her father Elvis or her son Benjamin, were buried at Graceland.
In June 2022, the movie "Elvis" arrived in cinemas. The main role was taken by Austin Butler. The film is about the complicated relationship between Elvis Presley and his manager Colonel Tom Parker, played by Tom Hanks. Director Baz Luhrmann created the music that drives the fantastic scenes, and Butler was showered with praise for his acting.
From a provincial to a planetary star
Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in the small town of Tupelo in Mississippi. When he was 13 years old, the family moved to Memphis, in the neighboring American state of Tennessee. There, in 1954, he recorded his first songs in the studio of the legendary music company "San rekords". Two years later, Elvis released his first big hit "Heartbreak Hotel".
From 1958 to 1960, he served his military service at the American base in Fridberg, Germany. Since he was already a star, he had certain privileges, and famous personalities from Germany sought his company. He did not live with other soldiers in barracks, but in a hotel in nearby Bad Neuheim, with his grandmother, father and two bodyguards. Today, guests can spend the night in "Elvis's room" in that hotel.
Hits from Germany
Although he was forbidden to perform during his military service, Elvis found a way to pursue his basic passion - music. On his guitar, which he brought to Germany, he played hits such as "One Night" and "Fool Such as I" for the first time. In addition, he made the Swabian folk song "Pa moram sada popolje u varoš" (Muss i denn zum Städtele hinaus) world famous in his interpretation and with the English title "Wooden Heart".
Elvis did not spend his time in Germany only on fast cars and rock and roll. There he also met his future wife, Prisila. The American officer's daughter was 14 years old when they met. They married in 1967 in Las Vegas and divorced in 1973.
"elvis is alive"
After completing his military service in America, he acted in a series of films. He had less and less the image of a young rebel, and more and more became a movie handsome man who seduces women with his song.
He stopped his film career and returned to the music stage in 1969. From that summer, until August 1977, he gave 1.100 concert performances. And all the time his health problems were getting worse. He gained weight, became addicted to drugs and pills. He gave his last concert in June 1977 - two months before his death.
His musical legacy lives on around the world. The "European Elvis Festival" is held in Bad Neuheim, Germany, which constantly attracts numerous lookalikes of the late music star. In addition, there are official Elvis fan clubs in 38 countries. The Spanish city of Granada printed a postage stamp with his image in 1978, the Federal Republic of Germany did so in 1988.
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