happy birthday, Elvis . . .

elvis is 75. it is being celebrated around the world. even so many years after his death, he is still in the hearts of so many.

Elvis was the first concert i ever went to (how many people can honestly say that?)  - i was 14 and it was June 1, 1976 and it was the thrill of a lifetime.  To be honest, i wasnt that thrilled that i was going, maybe it was because i was going with my mom and not a bunch of girlfriends (my dad had to cancel out at the last minute so i was a ‘fill in’).  I sat in my seat at the Tucson Community Center, waiting for the show to begin, not really expecting to get too overly excited, i mean, after all, i had never been to a show of this caliber, heck, at 14, i hadnt really been to any type of show at all! I still remember the feeling i had in my stomach when Elvis took stage. it was tremendous, it was warm, it was overwhelming. It was one of the best moments, ever.  The heart and soul he put into his shows was overwhelming and felt by all who attended – i dare think that anyone left there not feeling totally spent by the show – because it wasnt just a concert, it was a performance.  I think i walked around in a daze for about a week afterwards. I couldnt wait till my mom went to the store next – i tagged along and brought all my money and bought my first Elvis LP – i wish i could remember which one it was, but i do remember it had ‘burnin’ love’ on it. i played that record a lot – memorized the words of all the songs and kept a look out in the t.v. guide for any of those crazy Elvis movies as well. I was infatuated, i had a crush, i was totally in love with him. He was mesmerizing.

Years later, when touring Graceland (1987) it just seemed so surreal to be walking around the same house that he had once lived in. Looking at his personal belongings, supposedly still left the way he had left them, trying to imagine him there, sitting on that beautiful long white couch, playing pool downstairs or sorting through his record collection. It was a beautiful home that had once been filled with hundreds of friends and family, celebrating christmas, birthdays and every other holiday imaginable – now it stood there, frozen in time with a corporation as its owner.

Happy Birthday, Elvis.