Elvis Presley, An Inspiration

Today is January 8, 2010 and Elvis Presley would have been 75 years of age today and I'd like to say a few things about this man that has influenced me tremendously over my life. Ever since I was a little kid I was raised with Elvis. Elvis' music just had a simple way of relating to every aspect of my life. His songs are sang with such feeling and emotion that they were apart of every high and low moment of my life. My father is the one who raised me on Elvis and now that he's been gone almost 10 years I feel as if listening to Elvis connects me to him on some sort of a spiritual level and he's probably looking down on me saying, "That's my boy Mikey!"

Being that today is Elvis' 75th birthday there are celebrations being held all over the world and everyone seems to be writing an article about the King. So, here's a good little article I read today by Mburnside on Rant and Rave:




Elvis Presley’s body may not still walk this earth, but his presence is still felt around the world, as we celebrate his 75th birthday today. Graceland in Memphis still draws over 600, 000 people every year. Almost half of those visitors are under the age of 35. Few images scream American. The American flag, apple pie, and Elvis seem to be at the top of everyone’s list. We all remember his swiveling hips that got him in trouble on “The Ed Sullivan Show” and his hokey movies, many without much plot other than to showcase his singing. Yet, years after his death, the Elvis phenomenon continues strong. Is Elvis still “The King” after all these years of not recording? Let me ask, do you know when any of the Beatles where born? Other than John Lennon, do many of us remember where we were when we heard Elvis died? Oh course we do. He had that kind of impact on our lives. Considering that Elvis had 114 top 40 hits and 18 of them went to number 1, is it any wonder that you can’t go anywhere in the world without hearing his voice. His music transcended generations and his influences of song and dance are still felt today. He has a Twitter account, there is a radio station that plays “All Elvis, All the Time”, and he has 420,000 fans on his Facebook page. There is even an iPhone app called “Elvis Mobile.” Elvis passed away on August 16, 1977. Many of us will remember that day. I was a teenager on vacation with my parents when we heard the news on the radio. My father, a big fan of Elvis, pulled the car over to the side of the road to listen to the radio reports. I imagined he had the same shocked reaction that many had when JFK had been shot in Dallas years ago.

Many of us can relate to Elvis, someone who came from poverty and rose up. He showed that one could achieve fame and fortune. He had all the traits of what makes our country great, he was brash, optimistic, and daring.
So in tribute to the King: I hope everyone take the time to get all shook up with his music! Here's a video:



What else is there to say but goodnight and goodnight to you Mrs. Amore, where ever you are.