Today is the 35th anniversary of the death of The King: Elvis Presley. You don’t get to be The King of Rock and Roll by accident. What a voice. From Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right” in 1954 to the 1976 “Jungle Room Sessions” recoded at Graceland, he was one of a kind. His catalog of recordings is simply astounding.
Elvis Returns to Tupelo, 1956
On a personal note, my father, like Elvis, is from Tupelo, MS and as a kid knew Elvis’ mother and her sister very well. My cousin Bobby and Elvis were great friends. My Dad has a photo of Bobby, Elvis, and their 4th grade class–maybe a dozen students total. Bobby and Elvis are sitting together in the front row, each with a facial expression that screams mischievousness.
RIP, Elvis.
The Crime Fiction Writer's Blog 
lemitchellrn
August 16, 2012 at 6:19 am
I was on bivouac with the United States Army (Basic Training) at Fort Jackson, South Carolina that day. We came back to garrison a day early.
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Marian Lanouette
August 16, 2012 at 6:22 am
I love his voice and music.
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Joey Francisco
August 16, 2012 at 8:42 am
What a small world! I’m originally from Memphis, and my mother recorded on same label as Elvis and was the opening act for Elvis, along with Bill Haley & the Comets.
My mom also had a large dance school and she taught Priscilla. They became good friends & I have a little bit of Americana/nostalgia to add, as when Kennedy was shot, my mom was actually enjoying lunch downtown in Memphis with Priscilla, and she and Elvis visited several times to my grandparent’s home.
They kept in touch for a long while, and when I was in college, due to our family’s association, I became a tour guide at Graceland for a summer, but of course could not give out any secrets. And I know plenty…
But forever live the King! The greatest rock and roll singer of all time. He was a kind and good man, generous to his friends, and sadly like other iconic pop figures, those in the end who were around him weren’t so kind, good, or generous and imho, are the reason he’s no longer with us.
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D.P. Lyle, MD
August 16, 2012 at 10:14 am
THat’s great and thanks for sharing. I’ve been to Graceland and it’s amazing. Once you see the walls lined with Gold and Platinum records you realize just what his body of work was.
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Patti Shinners
August 16, 2012 at 3:31 pm
I’d love to have seen that pix of your cousin and Elvis in 4th grade. I’ll bet it’s adorable.
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jodierennerediting
August 16, 2012 at 5:49 pm
Great post and story, Doug! And thanks Joey for sharing more tidbits of info! Interesting and definitely nostalgic! I grew up in Canada and we were just as touched by Elvis and his music and movies as Americans.When I was a kid, we watched the Ed Sullivan show where Elvis was only recorded from the waist up to hide his gyrating hips! And of course I swooned over Elvis along with all the other preteen and teenage girls!
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D.P. Lyle, MD
August 16, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Swooned? Sounds like my older sister. She loved Elvis.
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SIFS INDIA
August 27, 2012 at 3:07 am
THat’s great and thanks for sharing. I’ve been to Graceland and it’s amazing. Once you see the walls lined with Gold and Platinum records you realize just what his body of work was
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