Traveling the Rock Road

I imagine every ardent fan of Elvis Presley can tell you where they were on August 16, 1977, the day he passed away. I was a part-time music instructor back then and it was one of my students who broke the news to me. Shock, sadness, disbelief all flooded my mind. I had grown up listening to the music of Elvis and seeing all his movies; he was the biggest star in the world at the onset of rock and roll. Scores of famous musicians that followed in his footstep all tell of how he influenced their careers. You couldn’t go to a corner of the world without meeting people what knew and followed Elvis. And now, at the age of 42, he was gone. Driving home after work I turned on the radio and nearly every station was playing Elvis songs, as a tribute to the king. When I turned on the TV later, all the news channels were carrying the story of his death with most doing a recap of his life and rise to fame. Several stations were also rerunning old Elvis movies. A strange feeling came over me as I listened and watched all the mania unfolding before me, something I had never felt before. That night, after my Lady went to bed, I got out my Elvis LP collection, chose my favorite one and listened intently to every song on both sides. When the record finished I did something I’m sure few if any Elvis fans would had done. I packed up all the records, and never listened to them again. So, did I suddenly become anti-Elvis at that moment? Certainly not, I guess I’m as big a fan now as I was back in the early days, but I had a feeling of what was coming. Those feelings proved to be correct. Before the death of the king of rock and roll his record sales were immense, but after August 16, 1977 Elvis records, posters, movies and paraphilia soared to new heights. One source reports that records sales have now reached the one billion mark. With all the press releases on this sad moment in time, people were scrambling to find and buy anything related to the man, and the people who controlled the rights were more than happy to supply everything that could make a buck off the name of Elvis.

Now I do not look down on anyone who bought Elvis material; if you still play his records, awesome! But, for “ME” I could not get swept away in the obsession and a desire to keep his memory alive in me forever, as if it was sacred. I will always be a fan of his looks, sound and contribution to music. But still, he was just a man. So where did I develop this way of thinking? Well, believe it or not, from Elvis.

He appeared in concert in South Bend, Indiana back in 1974 and when one of his fans called out to him as king He responded, “Thank you but I can’t get caught in this kingship thing, to me there is only one, and that is Christ”

Revelation 19:16 “And on His robe and on His thigh, He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

Elvis knew who was King, who deserved praise honor and glory; Christ the Lord.

So then, the best way for me, and for you also, to keep the memory of this “Traveler of the Rock Road” is follow his lead and give honor and glory to the True King. Amen?!!

Thanks for reading my story. And just let you know, if I’m riding in the car, listening to an oldies station and an Elvis song comes on I can still sing every word right along with him; still do a pretty mean impersonation too!

“Thank ya, Thank ya very much!!!”

See ya next time.