Elvis Presley Fans?

He was a very fine singer with a wonderful voice and a good entertainer right up until the end (I saw one his last shows and, though he was in no condition to swivel his hips, the show was very good. People like to pile on, but his period of virtual self parody was actually pretty brief.) He also had the courage to champion race music and I'm sure that wasn't always a picnic. OTOH, my visit to Graceland was educational. It's so over the top that it's funny. The extreme indulgence I saw there leads me to believe that he was basically an unsophisticated kid who fell into a ton of money and eventually got overwhelmed.

Marty

Elvis was better than a fair singer. However, Bill's point is taken. The ongoing fascination with Elvis is almost certainly due more to his cultural impact than any musical factor. Deservedly or not, to the masses at that time, he was THE white face of black music. That is an impression that will last.

Marty