30 years after his death, Elvis Presley rocks on

For any Elvis Presley worshippers out there, a ‘religion’ is available.

By JAMES THOMAS

SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR

On the 30th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, I am amazed at people’s continuing interest in all things Elvis.

I think the enduring love for The King is due not only to his success as a singer, but also to his down-to-earth humanness.

My first real experience with this came when I won a special visit to Graceland, his home in Memphis. The trip included the opportunity to talk with people who were close to him.

Among them was Marian Cocke, Elvis’ private nurse the last few years of his life. Cocke, in her mid-70s, told several personal stories of Elvis’ unlimited generosity to friends, charities and people he came in contact with.

Stories of Elvis

One story involved a young black girl who left a Memphis car dealership crying because the dealers would not wait on her. She was looking for a used car to go to and from college, and hopefully a job to help pay for these expenses. Elvis hired her to answer his private telephone line. She was able to set her own hours and was responsible for answering a phone to which only a few people had the number. He gave her a car, paid her wages and also paid for her college.

Cocke told of sitting at Elvis’ bedside and watching a football game between the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cocke was a Cowboys fan and (condolences to Browns fans) Elvis loved the Steelers. At the end of a close game won by the Cowboys, Elvis said, “I love you Mrs. Cocke, but this is the last time you watch a game with me!”

Church of Elvis

And, for those whose love of Elvis is almost a religious experience, or who believe that he is not dead — or that he is coming back — there is a church for them: The First Presleyterian Church of Elvis the Divine.

It has online services every Sunday and one of its sermons is titled, “You are Nothing, If not a Hound Dog.” It has 31 commandments, which is actually a list of 31 foods and personal items that congregation members must keep in their homes in case Elvis should ever stop in. Presleyterians are also required to face Las Vegas daily and make a pilgrimage to Graceland at least once in their lives.

Interesting fact

As the curtain comes down on the 30th anniversary of his death, lest you doubt Elvis’ enduring popularity, I leave you all with this last “Hunka hunka burning” Elvis trivia.

At the time of Elvis’s death there were 170 Elvis impersonators. In 2003 the number had grown to more than 55,000 and now it is estimated that there are more than 85,000 impersonators.

According to The Naked Scientist magazine, at that rate one of every three people in the world will be an Elvis impersonator by the year 2019.

Elvis might have left the building, but he’s never left our thoughts.

XEditor’s note: Thomas is a stock broker and part-time Elvis impersonator living in Niles.