Posted on: Friday, August 16, 2002

Elvis may have left the building, but legacy hasn't

By Jim Patterson
Associated Press

Twenty-five years after his death, Elvis Presley continues to be an enormous pop-culture presence — both as a beloved musician and an easy laugh.

White jumpsuits, big ol' sideburns and "Thankyouverymuch" make easy marks. Presley, once the symbol of beautiful, rebellious youth, didn't help himself much near the end. There's the specter of the pill-popping superstar crooning "My Way," or falling off the toilet and dying at 42.

But Presley's role in ushering in a cultural revolution also reverberates. His worldwide album sales are estimated to top 1 billion, and his music is reaching new generations.

As for the old fans, tens of thousands are expected to file into Graceland, Presley's home-turned-tourist-attraction in Memphis, to mark the 25th anniversary of his death today. For them, he's no joke.

"Why are media people surprised every time they see this?" says Dave Marsh, a music critic and Presley biographer. "Forty-seven years after 'Heartbreak Hotel,' and they still don't get it, or still think it's going to go away."

In some ways, not much has changed since the 1950s, when Elvis — the first white artist to successfully take the style and sound of black rhythm and blues to the mainstream — had to fight for respect from critics who derided him as a white-trash aberration.

In the broader culture, references to Presley are everywhere.

Rapper Eminem, in his new song "Without Me," says his fans are embarrassed that their parents like Presley. Then he gives Presley some backhanded respect with this comparison: "Though I'm not the first king of controversy/I am the worst thing since Elvis Presley/To do Black Music so selfishly/And to use it to get myself wealthy."

Elvis impersonators appear in Hollywood movies from "Honeymoon in Vegas" to "3000 Miles to Graceland."

The Presley estate — run by Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley — is trying to protect and promote his legacy by focusing on the music.

In the past few months, the estate has tried to reach new listeners with repackaged Presley music, and RCA will release a hits package this fall modeled on last year's successful "The Beatles 1" compilation.

The Disney movie "Lilo & Stitch" features Elvis music. And a remix of Presley's "A Little Less Conversation" is on the American singles charts.