"I was born in 77' the year that Elvis died,
I picked up a guitar while everybody cried,
and started singing "Love Me Tender", "It's Now or Never",
and "Always On My Mind",
the spirit of the king, just sort of leapt right into mine." -"The Man In Blue". -by Me. (From the"Country Rockin' Rebels" album)
Growing up in Minnesota I was spoon fed a steady diet of 60's and 70's rock by two young parents. Springsteen, Zep, Doors, Who, Floyd, etc.. Jimi Hendrix is in my opinion the greatest musician to walk the planet, although i'm pretty sure he was an alien. The Doors are my favorite band, and if you wanted to tell me that Chuck Berry is the king of rock'n'roll, I wouldn't argue with you.
But when I think of the first time the hair stood up on my neck and arms, and I knew I wanted to be like 'that guy', it was the first time I saw Elvis singing "Hound Dog" on the Ed Sullivan Show, thirty years after he did it. The raw energy, attitude, confidence, moves, looks, and above all things...that voice!
With all due respect Sinatra, Michael Jackson, James Brown, Madonna, Whitney and the rest are in the same mountain range as Elvis, but he is the insurmountable Everest of all things music. There will never be another. In an age where youtube and American Idol can produce stars like an assembly line the magnitude of Elvis' presence only grows. The internet era puts us one yahoo search away from famous footage of the King, to tons of rare performances that put the greatest song and dance man on display to see for ourselves. All three of my sons have become Elvis addicts, even over Bruno Mars and Barney. If you happen to see my band playing around San Diego, you are guaranteed at least one Elvis tune, should you shout a request for the King. He made it look, sound, and feel natural because for him...It was. Happy 80th birthday Elvis, long live the King!
I'm not gonna lie. My hand gets tired. My mind gets tired. It gets a bit out of control. Once it catches his eye it's game over. Evan has taken a temporary departure from Led Zeppelin(it can always only be temporary with Zep, you always go back). Now it's on to Guns and Roses. In one day he will produce thirty different drawings of Axl, Slash, Duff, Izzy, and who's the other guy? I don't know either and that's what I keep telling him, but he must know. His mother and I have to separate him from a crayon and piece of paper, kicking and screaming, at bedtime. Whoa oh oh Sweet child o mine...but where do we go now?
