Thirty years ago today.....

[hollies65]

I was driving a Uncle Ozzie ice cream truck in Madison Ohio when word came over the radio that Elvis Presley had died. I turned the truck back to Painesville and took the rest of the day off heading to the Shamrock Inn in Mentor. As I walked in Elvis was blasting out of the Jukebox [As I knew it would be...plenty of the Kings songs on there...JT and Paul were big fans] and I ordered up a round for my pals that were already there [As I knew they would be].Nothing it seems brings people together like great music and we spent the rest of the day and evening singing 'His Latest Flame','Little Sister' and other killer tunes in his honor. There may not be many Presley fans here [Have not seen this mentioned today] But I say ...LONG LIVE THE KING!

[Lee Marshall]

I was working at CFRW in Winnipeg. We had like a 12 hour Elvis special...pre-produced. Ken Porteous and I quickly began work on writing and producing a final chapter. I wrote and voiced it and Kenny put it all together so it would sound slick and professional. We ran that...twice over the next 26 hours.

I liked Little Sister and Jailhouse Rock. That was about it. Never really 'got' Presley. Thought he was WAY over-hyped. But I appreciated that others LOVED him.

Give me Fats Domino or Dion anytime. [And a host of others who were rockin' before Elvis ever walked into Sun records to lay down a single track for his Mom.]

The guy made 46 million bucks last year. What I think pales compared to the reality.

[hollies65]

Great Elvis songs....

'Mystery Train'

'I Don't Care'[You're So Square]

'Anyway You Want Me'

'Tryin To Get To You'

'Mess Of Blues'

'Wear My Ring Around Your Neck'

'Mess Of Blues'

'Kentucky Rain'

'Don't'

'Love Me'

'Return To Sender'

'King Creol'

Really could list every side he cut for Sun...I know there are plenty of non fans...I like Fats and Dion...but not as much as Presley.

[Lee Marshall]

Ya...there were some nifty tunes from the early SUN days that I DO like as well as the two RCA numbers I mentioned.

Don't wanna diss him in this thread...so I'll stay away.

[sllvnbil]

My mother and I was driving to an old rock club called the 'Corral" in Olmstead Falls, Ohio. They had a teen night there on Tuesday nights. We heard it on the radio.

[julesberry]

I Elvis.

[raspberrywine]

Its actually a very sad story. The guy needed some real friends and all he had was users, sycophants, and all his personal demons and abuses to keep him company. He was a staggering talent and that talent was twisted and diminished by those, like Colonel Parker, that saw him as their own personal gravy train. Even his own father. If Elvis hadnt had that Golden Era in 68-69 to re-establish his abilities (Suspicious Minds, In the Ghetto, Kentucky Rain...) he might have become a complete and utter joke. He almost did anyway circa 1976 and 1977 before his sad demise. When you see films of him at his finest,(Aloha From Haiwaii) its hard to believe how quickly he went down hill. The human heart can only take so many bacon-banana sandwhiches and narcotics over a short period of time. I believe Elvis was doomed from the moment his mother died prematurely. We are left with tremendous music, the incredible rock n roll but also a large body of incredible schlock. I sometimes wonder did Elvis know the difference? Did he see his own contradictions as he laid there struggling face down in that bathroom on a hot August night 30 years ago? What is certain is no where but America could have produced an Elvis Presley.

[Early Wynn]

Never much cared for Elvis. I always thought Chuck Berry was "the king."

[hollies65]

Well everybody has their favorites...no doubt Berry was one of the biggest catalyst for rock and roll...I mean we can do a roll call...

Ike Turner

Chuck Berry

Little Richard

Buddy Holly

Fats Domino

Everly Bros

We could list dozens...all worthy. As a figure head...Elvis is King.

[Poor4Life]

Sadly, I wasn't into Elvis when he died. I was 18 and the only album I had was a gold vinyl collection that was being sold on TV at the time. My wife is a huge Elvis fan, and she grew up on his music. When I started dating her she introduced me to alot of his music I had never heard. I grew to appreiciate him more as time went on, and bought many of his CD's and bought most of the boxsets.

Jeff

[danmichel]

I had been on a family vacation in Florida...On the way down and back home i would occasionally hear Elvis then current single "Way Down" on the radio...Back then i was amazed that a man of 42 (which at 17 i thought was an extremely old age) was still on the pop charts...We had just gotten home and I turned on the TV...and there it was...The announcement of the death of Elvis Presley...As a teenage country DJ i had grown to appreciate him alot...and i was saddened by his death...He was a larger than life performer...and in death...He became an even bigger star...No matter how much dirt is dished about him...it doesn't seem to matter...Elvis is still Elvis...

[AnniekNY]

Pete is an Elvis fan. I used to like his movies.

Our wedding song is "Can't help falling in love with you" - no matter where we are in a room, if we hear that song, we instantly find each other, our eyes and hearts lock, and we come to each other to dance.