|
Priscilla, Lisa Marie show up for Elvis 'concert'
August 17, 1997
Web posted at: 7:22 p.m. EDT (2322 GMT)MEMPHIS, Tennessee (CNN) -- Elvis Presley's ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, and their daughter, Lisa Marie, were surprise guests at a concert Saturday that capped the 20th anniversary of the death of the king of rock 'n' roll.
The show offered a videotape of Elvis in concert, accompanied by Elvis' former backup singers and the Memphis Symphony Orchestra.
Earlier, more than 30,000 people flocked to Graceland for a candlelight vigil marking the 20th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, forming such long lines that officials at the mansion added two hours to the vigil to accommodate devotees still waiting to get in at dawn.
Police said 30,000 people were outside Graceland when the vigil began at dusk Friday, and many more arrived during the night. The vigil and a Saturday night concert were the last major events in a weeklong observance marking the two decades since Presley's death on August 16, 1977.
After a brief silent prayer, many in the crowd locked hands and swayed in unison as they sang "Can't Help Falling in Love." A sea of candles lit up the Memphis boulevard named after the singing legend. Elvis impersonators -- dressed in glittering jumpsuits with slick-backed hair -- wept, as did countless others.
At the end, Elvis' grave was covered four feet deep in roses, teddy bears, ceramic angels and other offerings.
Instant fan
Karen Glick came from Champaign, Illinois, to honor the singer. Glick, 51, was just a youngster when she saw Elvis Presley on television in 1956, lean and sharp, his leg shaking. She was an instant fan.
"Everybody went to school on Monday, and nobody could remember his name. But everybody could remember how he moved and jumped around, and we thought that was cool," she said.
Presley was 42 when he died at his Memphis mansion from what investigators later determined to be a drug-induced heart attack. His mother had been the same age when she died.
'He'll be in our memory until we die'
Fans began lining up hours before Friday night's procession. The vigil was the crowning event of a weeklong series of concerts, parties and memorials.
Silently they trooped past the gravesite leaving flowers, stuffed animals and other mementos -- some of them handmade. Helicopters whirred overhead.
Away from the gravesite the atmosphere was more celebratory. Fans jammed souvenir counters and took in dozens of daily concerts, shows by Elvis impersonators and even scholarly discussions about Presley's impact on American culture.
The Memphis Convention and Visitors Bureau estimates that the events surrounding the anniversary would pump $25 million into the local economy.
The mood seemed to reflect a statement made 20 years ago by then 22-year-old Phillip Foley of Memphis. Foley stood outside Graceland on the day of Elvis' death and told a television interviewer:
"Elvis stood good in America, something that has molded our lives. He'll be in our memory until we die. Whether you be black or white, redneck or freak, from Memphis or Moscow, Elvis remains the king. The vibes are too heavy -- he's still alive, somehow.
"People aren't here so they can say they were at Graceland the night Elvis died. They're here because it's the only way the common people can pay their respects. We all can't drive up there to the mansion in our limousines but -- but we can be here."
Presley's popularity still soars
In the years since his death, Elvis' popularity has skyrocketed, and Graceland has become a mecca for fans from around the world. More than 9 million people have visited the mansion, which is said to be the second most heavily visited home in the United States, after the White House.
Graceland was opened to tourists in 1982 and draws more than 700,000 visitors a year.
"We love him, and we're just coming to pay our respects at his grave, like you'd do for any friend or loved one," said Sandy Traylor of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, who waited most of the day Friday to get to the head of a long line to get inside the mansion.
Professional Presley impersonators and a number of Elvis look-alikes milled around in the crowd, posing for photographs.
David Jesse Moore, an impersonator from Oregon, sported a white jumpsuit decorated with feathers and beads -- a Native-American Elvis.
"I'm part Cherokee, like Elvis was," Moore explained.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Special section
Related stories:
- Elvis faithful make pilgrimage to Memphis - August 15, 1997
- Dedicated Elvis fan offers an alternative Graceland - August 11, 1997
- How and why Elvis has changed us all - August 10, 1997
Related sites:
Note: Pages will open in a new browser windowExternal sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.
|
Sound off on our message boards You said it... |
|
© 1997 Cable News Network, Inc.
All Rights Reserved.