This morning we visited Graceland, once home to Elvis Presley and now a Mecca for his fans, who flock in their hundreds of thousands each year to visit the relatively modest (by rock standards) mansion. The guide who introduced us to the tour scoffed at reports that San Simeon, William Randolph Hearst’s castle in Calfornia, has more visitors. “Not so,” he said “Graceland is the most visited house in America.”
Of course, Elvis has not lived here for almost thirty years so it was somewhat of a shock – and a wonderful one at that – to see him on one of his rare visits to his former domicile. He now lives with Priscilla out of town on a 100-acre spread nearer to Tupelo, Mississippi, his birthplace.
Always known for his sense of humour, Elvis – or Mr Presley, as we called him – rocked up on a pink ride-on mower with a couple of his ageing buddies. “Just here to check on how everything is going,” he said as he parked the vehicle and gingerly alighted. At 73, he is not quite as spriteley as he once was but he still looks in terrific shape the three years since his final live show and eight years since his farewell world tour (which made him the highest grossing live act in history). The years have treated him well.
You can imagine the frenzy that was created amongst the group of tourists lucky enough to see him but he signed autographs, answered questions and even had his picture taken with our tour group. (Unfortunately, mine did not come out). It was an incredible and unexpected bonus. I have to say that I was completely dumbstruck in the presence of the man they call The King. But given his last three decades they should surely call him The Emperor or The God!
It is amazing to think that just over thirty years ago, on August 16, 1977, Colonel Tom Parker was killed in a tragic shooting accident at Graceland’s shooting range while Elvis and his friends looked on in horror. They were so shocked that it took them more than half an hour to call paramedics by which stage the Colonel was a whiter shade of pale. A local doctor quickly issued a death certificate, the police said there were ‘absolutely no suspicious circumstances’ and said they would arrest anyone who claimed otherwise and the local mayor, said, ‘Oh well, these things happen.’ Parker was buried next to the stables the following morning, a small plain brick marking his grave. “The Colonel would have wanted it that way,” said Elvis, who unfortunately could not make the funeral service, which was attended by some colourful Italian identities with whom the Colonel would often play cards. It is reported that they each received a small brown envelope and were never seen in Memphis again.
That single, horrible tragedy was to be the turning point of Elvis Presley’s career. Blown out to 330lbs, depressed about his career and the breakdown of his marriage, Elvis was said to have been in the toilet when the gun went off and a stray bullet hit ricocheted off a wall and hit Parker right between the eyes. On receiving the news, Elvis immediately had a road to Damascus revelation.
A few months later, a trim, happy Elvis Presley was reunited with Priscilla, moved to his new ranch in Mississippi and re-ignited a recording and touring career that had been on the verge of collapse.
In 1978, the Elvis Gidday From Australia special beamed from the Sydney Opera House into over a billion homes around the world. It was to be the first date on a remarkable comeback tour that enabled him to perform in countries outside America for the first time. The 100-date five-continent tour set a new benchmark in box office receipts. The resultant double-live album stayed at Number 1 on the charts for a massive twenty-three weeks.
Now under the management of Jon Landau, who was also in charge of Bruce Springsteen’s career, Elvis somehow managed to ride out the punk revolution completely unscathed, having both The Sex Pistols and The Clash open arena shows for him on his 1980 US tour.
During the ’80s Elvis recorded a series of acclaimed studio albums that re-established his reputation as one of the world’s greatest singers. Elvis Meets Aretha, featuring duets by both legends, topped the charts for four months and went on to sell 10 million copies. His 1985 album, Elvis At 50 (produced by Don Was), sold over 5 million units.
While Elvis had won only three Grammys up until 1977 – all for gospel albums – his legend grew over the next 30 years, picking up another 36 awards for rock, country (contemporary and traditional), gospel, blues and spoken word albums, overtaking George Solti as history’s greatest Grammy winner. Only polka player Jimmy Sturr was to approach this number n the modern era. It was to become his most productive period ever.
Presley also successfully went back to acting in movies and finally won that elusive Oscar in 1984 for his role in Tender Mercies (just pipping Robert Duvall, who was in the same film). He won again in 1987 for Wall Street (as an unscrupulous share trader) and his third Oscar came in 2004, playing the grandfather in Mystic River.
By 1990, Elvis was ready to change direction and enlisted the help of Daniel Lanois to record the landmark album Elvis In New Orleans. The album featured his usual crew of musicians, including James Burton and Jerry Scheff, but added the Meters and an array of New Orleans legends such as Dr John and Allen Toussaint. It was not to be Presley’s highest selling album (netting only 3 million sales) but it was to be his most highly-praised album since the late 60s. Rolling Stone called it ‘the greatest masterpiece of the past 20 years.’
In 1995, Elvis released the follow-up album Elvis In New Orleans II, featuring guest CC Adcock who Elvis saw as his protege. He set off on a world tour to celebrate his 60th birthday. (Coincidentally, Elvis Costello released Elvis In New Orleans Too a year later). This was to outgross his previous tour by almost 25% but at the end Elvis announced that he would do one more tour when he was 65 and then retire permanently from touring. “I feel like there are plenty of young fellas and gals out there who can take my place,” he said, in announcing his decision.
In 1999 Elvis worked with T Bone Burnett on the soundtrack of O Brother! Where Art Thou (which won him a Grammy) and made a cameo appearance int he film. He liked Burnett so much that he then recorded another studio album with Burnett, who teamed Elvis with Alison Krauss for the brilliant and award-winning Raising Dust.
Elvis Farewell, his final tour in 2000, was a blockbuster to beat all comers. The year long journey was to make him the single biggest grossing concert act in history. It was so popular that acts such as The Rolling Stones, U2 and Bruce Spsingsteen decided to take a year off so as not to compete. Always genereous, however, Elvis enlisted them to play various supports during the tour. The double album, film and DVD were also to set records.
In 2001, keeping his promise, Elvis retired to Mississippi with Priscilla. Lisa Marie married CC Adcock soon afterwards in a simple ceremony.
Elvis then recorded two fabulous albums with Joe Henry, who encouraged some of rock’s great writers, including Dan Penn and Tom Waits, to pen a batch of new songs for The King.
Elvis has made only three concert appearances since 2000. He headlined the Hurricane Katrina Benefit in late 2005 at Madison Square Gardens in New York. The Elvis Presley Foundation has since raised over $200 milion dollars to help New Orleans residents. In 2007 he sang with Willie Nelson in front of a million people at an anti-Iraq war protest in Washington DC. It is said that Elvis’s influence was what led to the impeachment and subsequent imprisonment of George W Bush for ‘war crimes’ later that year.
In 2008 Elvis sang at a Barack Obama benefit concert and helped raise enough money to get Obama into the White House. Everyone recalls where they were when Obama made his famous ‘I have been to Graceand’ speech.
President Obama invited Elvis to sing at his inauguration in January 2009 and Elvis can be seen on the dais near the Obama family at the swearing in. Elvis has rejected reports that he was asked by Obama to run as Vice President, saying ‘I’m just a truck driver from Tupelo, Mississippi.’
It gladdened all of our hearts today seeing Elvis – the icon, the legend, the national treasure – living so happily in his 70s. Long live The King!
