35 years after his death Elvis Presley’s legacy is still felt around the world

On 16 August 1977, ‘The King Of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ Elvis Presley finally left the building. 35 years later people still flock to his home at Graceland.

The annual Elvis week runs every year on the week of the King’s death. Up to 70,000 people are in Memphis this week to remember the man, his music, his films and the huge impact he had on the culture of the United States and the world. On the evening 15 August a candlelight vigil is held at the gates of Graceland.

So why do people still love Elvis so much? It’s difficult to put a finger on exactly why it was that he became such a huge figure in American culture. In many ways he was the first person to make rock music a mainstream commodity. Until Elvis broke through, the rhythm and blues music that Elvis played was not a mainstream art form and was only really played by African-American musicians.

He was responsible for establishing rock music as a dominant force in the youth culture. Elvis played the music of black America and adapted it for a white teenage audience. Thus making him one of the first teen idol pop stars.

Elvis brought together the gospel music of his childhood with southern country music plus the swinging blues he heard from black musicians, and made it his own. He brought together American music from both sides of the colour line and added hip swivelling moves and good looks to make him an icon to young Americans.