There’s a Reason He Was The King of Rock ‘n Roll
It’s always been one, but it took some type of trigger point to bring it out from the inner soul to the surface.
I’m a closet Elvis Presley fan. That’s just the wonder of Elvis.
The moment of recognition came at no particular special moment. I was doing like I always do when watching TV, channel surfing, when I cane across an Elvis documentary on the History Channel.
Being originally from Tennessee, I put down the clicker. And promptly forgot about it. I was glued to the show. And, suddenly, hooked on Elvis.
“Man,” I recall saying. “That guy can SING!”
From that point forward, I started scanning YouTube to watch Elvis videos. For a while, I almost became obsessed, watching “Always On My Mind,” “Suspicious Minds,” “The Wonder of You,” “Are You Lonesome Tonight” and, in particular, his spectacular cover of Frank Sinatra’s “My Way” time and time again.
His deep baritone voice is compelling enough, but when he lets it loose as he does at the crescendo, it’s dynamic. I wish someone would have shaken him like a pepper shaker in his final years and strapped running shoes on him so he could have gotten back into shape and kept singing for years.
He died too young. But so did a lot of great musicians. Jimmy Hendrix and Buddy Holly just to name two.
This blog is being written while watching an outstanding PBS documentary on Elvis’ love songs called “Love Me Tender.”
I’ve been to Memphis and drove by Graceland but did not stop and visit (it was a business trip and I only had time for that quick diversion, though I did later see the ducks ride up the elevator at the Peabody Hotel).
I don’t own any Elvis memorabilia. I don’t spend time going to fan sites, listen to nothing but Elvis songs, talk about nothing but Elvis and cry on his birthday or put out candles on the anniversary of his death.
I just enjoy his music.
Today, I get my Elvis fix with Tribute bands. A good one is Graceband, which has a full horn section and backup singers. The band models its performances after the Elvis stage shows and it’s high energy and as about as good as myself – and others – can get to experiencing the real King.
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