Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was born on January 8^th, 1935, in a shack in Tupelo, Mississippi. Though he was born a twin, his brother – who had been named Jess Garon – was tragically stillborn. Elvis died on August 16^th, 1977, at the age of just 42, in his Graceland mansion. His death marked something significant in the collective mind, like the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, or Martin Luther King.

Conspiracy theories took off about the circumstances surrounding his death: Was Elvis murdered by the mob? Was his death faked? Did Elvis commit suicide? Is he still alive? This book sheds new light on many of these questions, while also celebrating his music and legacy.

Elvis Presley played a central and vital role in the development of Rockabilly music, drawing as he did on a vast range of styles, from the Gospel music of his southern youth to the country music of the Midwest. This book is dedicated to Elvis: the artist, the human being, and The King.

Otto Fuchs was born on May 13^th 1978 in Mariazell, Styria/Austria. He discovered a deep passion for rock & roll while still in his early teens. At fourteen years old, he becomes the youngest writer for the German “Rock & Roll Music Magazine”. From 2000–2004 he hosted “The Rocket 88 Show” for KRKT 99.1 FM Rock It Radio, Ventura, California. Numerous interviews with 1950s Rock & Roll Legends such as Billy Lee Riley, Marvin Rainwater, Gene Vincent Blue Cap Drummer Dickie “Be Bop” Harrell, Bill Haley’s Comets members Marshall Lytle, Joey Welz and Bill Turner are led & recorded by Fuchs for this show. During that period he also places various articles in the German “Dynamite—The World Of Rock & Roll” magazine. In 2005, he began to contribute reviews and interviews for German jive, swing & rockabilly magazine “Slam Bam”. Bob Timmers of the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame recruited him as columnist for the Tennessee-based Rockabilly Hall Of Fame. While Otto Fuchs continued to write in German for the “Stompin’ News” magazine, the column for the Rockabilly Hall Of Fame was the first medium requiring him to write in his second language, English. During a trip to his former home, London (where he lived from 1997–1999), Otto Fuchs met John Howard. Soon the two men came to the agreement that “UK Rock” (whose editor John Howard was, at that time) will publish his work as well. Otto Fuchs currently hosts the Internet Radio Programme “Rockabilly Rules OK” on Rockabilly Radio (www.rockabillyradio.net). He also hosted the “Rockin’ The Juke Joint Show” from 2015 until 2020, the final year of KRKT 99.1FM Post Falls, Idaho, being active. Otto Fuchs also authored two books on Bill Haley, for Books On Demand: The Father of Rock & Roll, The Rise of Bill Haley and Rock & Roll and The Father Of Rock & Roll, The Rock & Roll Revival Years and Bill Haley’s Legacy. His third book is the one you are reading now—“Elvis Presley”.

Left to right: Otto Fuchs, Terry Blackwood and His Imperials Minoriten Cathedral in Vienna (2019). Thanks again for the invitation to the great singer, Dennis Jale, from Austria who is neither a soundalike nor an impersonator, but just a great performer who suits all the songs Elvis Presley was meant to sing! In closing the inspiration and decision to write on Elvis Presley after having authored a Bill Haley Biography is still rooted in the USA and my youth then. It is for many a dream to go to the US. Especially to those who love Rockabilly music.

Most of it comes from the south. Blueprint-givers Hank Williams and Hardrock Gunther from the South, Bill Haley from the north, but influenced by his Kentucky born mandolin playing father. Elvis Presley a Memphian. For a long time the southern flag, as music symbol and display of being rebellious with a Rebel flag, it is part of the Rockin’ scene for more than forty years.

My dad allowed me, I was 14 to choose all destinations of our 14 days trip. Not a long time, so I tried to squeeze in as much as I could. That meant seventeen airplane flights, two of these transatlantic. In 1993, we repeated it and were three weeks in the US, with a short breakaway to Mexico. I saw Detroit in Michigan, New York, Memphis in Tennessee, Tupelo in Mississippi, Lubbock and Harlingen in Texas, Lancaster, Philadelphia, Boothwyn and Chester in Pennsylvania, Los Angeles in California and the capital of Mexico: Mexico City. From all the places, I loved the ones in Dixie the most. Elvis’ Graceland was magnificent, I visited twice, many of the older fans approached me with “Oh, we have got a little Elvis here.”

I did not ever in my life like to be compared to or called Elvis. It changed over the years; now middle-aged, I am glad that there is still some Presleyesqueness around me. Tupelo, Elvis’ birthplace, was sweet. Lubbock, Buddy Holly’s hometown and burial site seemed very quiet. Buddy still remembered, with a statue, including a Walk of Fame for other Texan musicians. On the two occasions I have been there, the town had something about the day after, the music died. After the return in 1993, from the States I wrote a travel essay about it. This was published in a Rock and Roll dedicated music magazine, EST. Since 1977.