Elvis Presley was not a part of my generation, but he was a part of my parents. When I first heard about Presley, I knew him as the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," the man that every girl dreamed of marrying. Presley was a man of moves and songs. He sang from the heart and danced with his hips. Most of us today are not familiar with Presley because it has been 39 years since the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll passed. But, why is he so important? Why is he remembered still after 39 years? What about him makes him different from the other musical icons that have left our world?

Elvis Presley was a handsome father, hero, and musician. Yes, there are a lot of other men just like him, but there are plenty of attributes that made him stand out. During the late 1950s, Presley was drafted into the Army leaving behind his family, his life. He gave things up for his family at times but kept pursuing his own talents. Presley was very skilled, he loved music and cherished playing the guitar. His voice was unbelievably almighty and mobile, making amazing performances every time. Presley was the “first white man to sing rhythm & blues.” Listening to his music made you want to get up and dance.

The motto I get from Presley is success and energy. Continue to dance and sing to make yourself happy. Life isn’t worth being depressed like Presley was at one point in his life. Everyone has a rough patch, but Presley wanted to turn that around through his music. He was magnificent in getting any crowd to dance. He mixed rockabilly with other genres making him top of multiple charts. Of course, he wasn’t just recognized for his music, he was known for his personal struggles. He dealt with an addiction to prescription drugs and a weight problem that resulted in hospitalization. Despite all his worries, he made music to help himself and others fight the same battle. He was rewarded for different musical genres; rock, country, and gospel. He was an enthusiastic and uplifting man.

If Presley was involved in the music industry today, the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll would still be moving those hips and making different crowds all over the world dance along. He is remembered by documentaries, his memorial, and his music. He lives on in many of our hearts. His music lives not only because we listen to it, but because we continue to talk about his crazy dance moves and lovely voice. Presley fought to be successful, he was not a person to give up. His music was different. Nobody will ever be able to make the music he did.

I will remember Presley as the man who made a difference in rock 'n' roll. The man who passed on care and support through his music. He may be gone, but even I will continue to pass on his music to the world.