"I wasn't just a fan, I was his brother. [...] There'll never be another like that soul brother."
—James Brown
"There have been a lot of tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king." —Bruce Springsteen
"If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been The Beatles." —John Lennon
He was the first megastar in the music industry. He is the highest-selling solo artist in history. From the time his first single "That's All Right" hit the airways in 1954, to his most "recent" album, "If I Can Dream," Elvis Presley's legacy has lived on through millions and millions of fans around the world, nearly four decades after The King's death in 1977.
When someone asks, "What is the first thing that pops into your mind when I mention Elvis Presley?" there is quite a variety of different responses. "Drugs." "Graceland." "The King." "Fat." "The greatest of all time." These are all the various answers to the question, and they all represent the highs and lows of Presley's career. When he was shaking his hips in front of sold-out crowds, no one could touch his charisma and showmanship. However, as his last years went on while he abused his prescribed medicine and dealt with marital problems, Elvis became an outcast. His tumble from the top has been well documented. Yet even though Presley's final days were horrendous, his love for music never left him. As his body was shutting down, he still went out, traveling from one city to the next, performing to all those that still loved him.
In 1968, after his famous Comeback Special, Elvis proclaimed, "I will never sing a song I don't believe in." His undying passion to live and breathe music is what is admired by his fans and by all the biggest musical acts that came after him. His influence has reached far beyond the United States. He owns the record for the most number one hits in the United Kingdom with 21, as well as topping the charts multiple times in Australia, Sweden, and Norway. It was a dream for Presley to tour outside the United States. Unfortunately, he didn't get to live long enough to make that dream come true, but he'd be happy to know just how far his music has traveled and how many people that have been touched by his voice and the emotion that emanates from it.
As the years pass on, newer legions of Elvis fans emerge from each generation. Graceland is visited by over a half million people a year, making it the second most visited house in the world, behind The White House. Updated versions of his songs are made and released with his original voice recordings, and, of course, the thousands of Elvis Tribute Artists around the world continue to celebrate the life of The King. In a sense, Elvis is looked up to as a godlike figure, and his worshipers are more than happy to continue to pass on his influence for many years to come.
