Elvis 30th
My DNA has not been infused with Elvis’, but I was once offered a strand of Elvis hair and the opportunity to bring in a DNA expert to test a sweat stain in an Elvis jumpsuit. It was part of a story on the chances of cloning Elvis.
I have helped cover Elvis for The Commercial Appeal since his death in 1977, and, along with fellow blogger Christopher Blank, am now helping take the King to a blogosphere that would be almost as foreign to Elvis as cloning.
By the way, it turns out we could actually clone Elvis. But, since there were no cryogenically preserved living tissue samples, it would have to be done through DNA sequencing. That means mapping the DNA from a dead tissue sample (like hair), then trying to grow a new Elvis indirectly. We could get a guy who looked similar to Elvis, but whose ambition was to deliver the mail. Instead of playing guitar, he might be into the bassoon.
That leaves us pretty much with the memory of the real Elvis and stories about fans forever finding new ways to pay tribute to him. Like Louise Cowitz, 63, who lives just outside Toronto. She’s been coming to Memphis for the last 10 years. She loved her visits so much she wanted to share. This year, she’s bringing a three-bus caravan with 145 people and a 12-day itinerary that includes everything from barbecued ribs at The Rendezvous to shopping at Wolfchase Galleria.
Cowitz has booked the tour at the Holiday Inn Select on Democrat Road to be close to the annual Images of the King contest, but the group also plans to take in this year’s first Graceland-sponsored Elvis Tribute Artist contest. She’ll be pulling for Jay Zanier of Guelph, Ontario, who won the Collingwood, Ontario, Elvis Tribute Artist contest last weekend.
Cowitz says Memphis and Elvis anniversaries turned into her annual vacations because of the “camaraderie of all the people. It’s like a family reunion every year. We’re all there for the same reason. It’s good clean fun. It’s safe.”
Tell us about your own 30th anniversary tribute to Elvis.
And, ponder this. As part of this 30th anniversary tribute, we’ve been wondering if fans think there could be another Elvis. That is, could any entertainer rival the enduring fame of Elvis? Who would you consider in the same league so far?
Ik vindt Elvis Presley heel mooi kan zingen op de CD en DVD ik vindt ook wel leuk ik hebben Elvis Presley ik was net 18 jaar oud geworden en ton was Elvis Presley 42 jaar oud overleed in Memphis Graceland was op 16 augustus 1977 ik vindt heel jammer dat gebuurd is ik vindt muziek van Elvis Presley heel mooi was ik hebben 19 CD’s van Elvis Presley dat vindt ik heel leuk dat is Elvis mij Mailadres Dummy81@hetnet.nl gaat over Elvis Presley ik heel leuk zal vinden Elvis Presley is 30 jaar geleden op 16 augustus 1977 overleed op 42 jaar in Memphis Graceland Elvis Presley Bezoekers aantal is op 42500 Elvis vend clup Groeten van Geert
I learned about music from Elvis. In 1956, I was 9 years old, and my mother was a huge Elvis fan. We had all his 45s, and she took my sister and me (and the teen-aged girls in the neighborhood) to the concert he did after he signed with RCA. She bought me the first Elvis jewelry, which I am wearing today at work in Washington, DC — a place that just doesn’t ‘get it’ when it comes to Elvis.
I have 2 Elvis necklaces, the charm bracelet with his little photo, and the Elvis scarf. All bought at Katz Drug Store by my mother who understood pre-teen crushes on musicians all too well.
Elvis IS my childhood. He pulled up beside our Ford on Kimball Avenue in his pink Caddy. Mother nearly killed us accelerating, but never caught him. I peeked at him through a hole in the fence at Graceland, and Vernon came out to yell at us for writing on the fence. I LOVE ELVIS. How could that be wrong?
Elvis. You couldn’t grow up in Memphis without being affected by him.
Rock on.
Our 2007 tour from Ontario had a great time, we will be back again August 2008 for Elvis week.