I was introduced to Elvis when I was about 3 years old.  The girl across the street, Linda, was 3 years older than me, and my best friend.  She was the youngest of 6 kids, and her older sisters were die hard Elvis fans.  I thought boys except for Superman were yucky, and couldn't understand this Elvis thing.  Then, a few years later, she took me to my first Elvis movie.  Girls, Girls, Girls.  I changed my tune so fast, it would have made your head spin.  Here I was all of 7, playing Elvis records, on my Mickey Mouse record player.  I was consumed with Elvis.

Growing up in the abusive dysfunctional place I called 'home', Elvis offered me an escape.  I could turn up the music real loud, drown out the screaming, and fantasize that he was singing to me, about me, and for me.  He will always have a hold on me.

There was a program called million dollar movie, and it would show the same movie, 3 times a night, every night in the week.  Well, I saw Love Me Tender, Loving You, King Creole, Kid Galahad, and a few others that way, and it was heaven.  Just laying on the bare wood floor, inches away from the television was magic.  I knew every line, every nuance.   It was the same with his music.  I have to admit, I liked his older music better, but I did enjoy singing along with Fun in Acapulco, Follow that Dream, and Kissin Cousins.  Let's face it.  I loved Elvis. 

   When the Beatles hit the USA, my girlfriends at school all went crazy for John or Paul or George.  Except for Adele.  She had an older sister, and she loved Elvis too.  The two of us started a club or campaign to "Bring Back the King" and forget about the Beatles.  Yeah, well, we were young.  The campaign ended abruptly when Elvis went and got married.  I haven't seen Adele in years, but we never really got hooked on the Beatles.  (This WindChime was made by a good friend of mine Mirage, and adopted through a great Elvis group on the net.Go see her awesome site - Globetopia)

I I went through the usual teenage angst, but turn it up a few thousand notched because of the abuse at home, and Elvis wasn't recording any chartbusters for 13 year olds.  Elvis took back burner while the antiwar movement and Woodstock Nation was in the forefront.  But he was always on my mind.

When I heard the news that he had been found dead, I just couldn't believe it.  He was playing a concert not far from my house in a week.  He was so young.  How could Elvis be dead?'  The pictures I saw weren't the Elvis I remembered a few years back.  He was in great shape then, but a lot had changed while I wasn't watching.

I'll always think of Elvis as the young vibrant, full of life Elvis. Paying attention to him could block out the worst of arguments around the house.  I have all his masters on CD, and I played them for my son when he was a baby.  He knows, and reveres the King of Rock & Roll. 

I have a picture of him singing along to the '68 Comeback Special. Elvis transcends time.  I'll have to post it here.

  I've started an Elvis Album on the next page.

I adopted Elvis at Adopt a Celebrity