This Friday marks the 47th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death at age 42, which means that it is Elvis Week, a weeklong celebration of the late King of Rock and Roll at his Graceland estate in Memphis, Tenn.
Presley may have left Earth decades ago, but he’s still a household name and an enduring American icon. More than that, Audacy reported earlier this year that fans are still paying big money for Elvis memorabilia – $150,000 for a pair of his blue suede shoes.
Why has our love for Elvis stood the test of time? We reached out to Sally Hoedel, author of “Destined to Die Young” and other books about the King to find out.
“It’s an endless conversation. You know, it’s something that you can analyze forever because it really is fascinating the impact – the cultural impact of Elvis Presley,” she said. “And that’s why I always say, you know, my goal is that he is viewed as a historical figure because he had as big of an impact as a Henry Ford or Thomas Edison... just in a cultural way, because he is still so known for that shift in sound and culture and music.”
Listen to her talk with host Mike Rogers here.
Each week, “Something Offbeat” takes a deeper look at an unusual headline. If you have suggestions for stories the podcast should cover, send them to us at somethingoffbeat@audacy.com.