music

E

lvis Presley’s Graceland was

always on my bucket list, and I was

privileged to visit the place when

friends, Renuka Rose and Marc

Taube, invited me for a holiday to their

home in Cleveland. I jumped at the

offer, especially when they said we

could visit Graceland.

Well-stocked for the jaunt in a four-

wheel drive Toyota SUV, we headed

on to Tupelo, the birthplace of Elvis. It

was here that Elvis Aaron Presley was

born on 8 January 1935. Presley was

supposed to be a twin, but his brother,

Jesse was stillborn. Elvis was raised

by parents Gladys and Vernon

Presley who took up

small jobs to keep

the home fires

burning. Elvis

was deeply

devoted to

his parents,

especially his

mother, and

was raised

to have

a strong

faith

in God.

Presley

attended the

Assembly

of God

Church with

his parents,

where gospel

music became

an important

The Unforgettable

King of Rock n Roll

There are very few people who can be

recognized globally by their first name. Elvis

was one of them. Elvis had a presence. You

felt him even when you couldn’t see him,

and on his 42nd death anniversary that

falls on August 16, VERUS FERREIRA,

our music correspondent, visits

Graceland to pay him a fitting tribute.

influence for him. Noticing his

love for music, Elvis received

his first guitar as a gift from

his mother on his eleventh

birthday. It’s hard to

believe how humble

Elvis really was and how

great a star he went on to

become.

The home where Elvis

grew up has a shack that

has an outhouse; one

full room for the family

to sleep that has Elvis’

bed and a small kitchen.

The lady in the house

answered questions

about how Elvis’ father

bought the house. It

is a really peaceful,

contemplative place

to be. It is far more

appropriate and prettier

than Graceland, for those

who want to remember

Elvis quietly.

In 1948, the family moved

to Memphis and it was here

that Elvis had his first taste of

musical success when he won a

talent show at Humes High School

in Memphis. After graduating in 1953,

he began working as a truck driver