Elvis Presley's Death

Elvis

Elvis was and is one of the most popular artists of the past 100 years. With the movie Elvis, we are vividly reminded. But I didn't listen to his music until a couple of years ago. What I found slapped me in the face.

Becoming a fan of Elvis

Listening to early songs

I told a friend, who is a big Elvis fan, that I never listened to much of Elvis. After a slightly heated argument, I was encouraged to check out some music.

We started with Baby, Let's Play House and Trying to Get to You. What I love about the early songs is how raw it is. The core of the songs shine, without a lot of extra fluff. (The same reason why I prefer season 1 of Stranger Things) versus any other season.

Learning about his history

Elvis grew up performing in a mostly black church. He was surrounded by seasoned and skilled musicians. If you listen to his singing and watch his dance moves closely, it is easy to notice the strong influence of jazz, gospel, and rhythm and blues.

Hearing about his upbringing reminded me of what a black friend of mine told me a couple years ago. Elvis was a black man.

Spending time at Graceland

While traveling to New York city, I was passing through Memphis and decided to explore Graceland; the former home of Elvis.

We always focus on an artist's death

With a quick google search of Elvis, the top suggestion is How did Elvis die?. Not The first song from Elvis. Not Best Elvis songs. But How did Elvis die?.

All of us seem to have strong anxiety about death. Our deaths, the death of loved ones, the death of artists we follow. This tendency of ours has always fascinated me. More writing about this coming soon.

Elvis lived an artist's life. Full of energy to express, love to embody, and stories to tell. With so much to give, artists often struggle to remain balanced in daily life.

The costs for being an artist can be high but the rewards are great; especially for the fans.

- AJ