A Salute To Elvis
Fans commemoratated Elvis Presley the soldier as they got together at Graceland on Tuesday to celebrate his birthday.
The rock legend was born on Jan. 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, and fans started gathering in Memphis beginning on Saturday for four days of events to mark the big day.
The singer who left a lasting imprint on American music and pop culture died at age 42 in 1977 of an apparent overdose of prescription drugs.
Following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a focus on Presley's military service seemed appropriate, said Todd Morgan, a spokesman for Graceland, the singer's Memphis residence.
"Elvis was a patriot," Morgan said.
The fans, and the managers of Presley's multimillion-dollar estate, like to remember that the King of Rock 'n' Roll served a two-year Army hitch, discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1960.
A birthday dance marking the 67th anniversary of Presley's birth Tuesday had the theme: "GI Red, White and Blues."
During the dance, Presley's film "GI Blues" played on a big screen in a hotel ballroom decorated with a "patriotic red, white and blue theme that reflects Elvis' dedication to his country," a flier for the event said.
Fans also took time to assemble on Graceland's front lawn to sing "Happy Birthday" and cut a cake.
Graceland draws some 700,000 visitors a year.
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