Remembering Elvis Presley on 45th anniversary of his death

16 August 2022 marks 45 years since the music industry lost one of its most glittering icons - Elvis Presley.  Elvis was born on 8 January 1935. He died of heart failure on this day back in 1977 at the age of 42.

He is known as the ‘King of Rock and Roll’ and he won countless awards including three Grammys, four NMEs, and, in 2018, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Tributes: 

Elvis remains one of the most-loved artist to this day. Our fans shared one word that describes Elvis for them.

For East Coast Gold listener Vino Lutchmiah, the one word is "smile", for Hanne Vibeke Olsen the one word is the "oneandonly", while for listener Ruth Doyle Burkinshaw , the word is "Awesome".

East Coast Gold's Damon Beard summed Elvis in a word: "Legend!" while Guy McDonald's one-word-summation is "enigmatic".

ALSO READ: Fascinating facts about Elvis Presley

Jane Linley-Thomas' on Elvis:

"I still love Elvis! He was gorgeous, mesmerizing, rock and roll! He's The King after all, the King!"

Jill Stewart's memory of Elvis:

"My memory of Elvis Presley goes back to when I was a very young girl and he was coming on the scene as this Rock 'n Roll star. The first single I ever bought was "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" and ever since then I've regarded him as the King. I did then and I still do because the way that man changed - from not only being a Rock 'n Roll expert but to a balladeer with the most beautiful voice covering all genres of music. He was called The King, he is still called The King, he will always be The King - that's Elvis to me!"

Elvis Presley quotes: 

- "I ain't no saint, but I've tried never to do anything that would hurt my family or offend God...I figure all any kid needs is hope and the feeling he or she belongs. If I could do or say anything that would give some kid that feeling, I would believe I had contributed something to the world." 

- "Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away."

- “When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books and I was the hero of the comic book. I saw movies and I was the hero in the movie. So every dream I ever dreamed has come true a hundred times...I learned very early in life that: ‘Without a song, the day would never end; without a song, a man ain’t got a friend; without a song, the road would never bend - without a song.' So I keep singing a song. Goodnight. Thank you.”  -  From his acceptance speech for the 1970 'Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation Award'. Given at a ceremony on January 16, 1971.

- "A live concert to me is exciting because of all the electricity that is generated in the crowd and on stage. It’s my favorite part of the business - live concerts.” 

- "Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away." 

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