Rising to unprecedented fame in the 50s from humble roots, the legendary Elvis Presley excited his young audience, appalled most of their parents and inspired a generation of artists.
Today, his influence is still being felt. From Beyoncé to David Bowie, Elvis is still considered to be the most electrifying performer of the last century, collecting new admirers despite having been dead for almost forty years.
Were he still alive today, he’d be celebrating his 80th birthday. In tribute, here are some things ten of his rather famous fans have to say about Elvis…
Bruce Springsteen: ‘Elvis is my religion. But for him, I’d be selling encyclopaedias right now.’
David Bowie: ‘Elvis is a major hero of mine. I was probably stupid enough to believe that having the same birthday as him actually meant something.’
John Lennon: ‘Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn’t been an Elvis, there wouldn’t have been a Beatles.’
Bob Dylan: ‘The highlight of my career? That’s easy, Elvis recording one of my songs.’
Mick Jagger: ‘He was a unique artist – an original in an area of imitators.’
Beyonce: ‘Elvis is iconic; a lot of performers today look to that for inspiration.’
Elton John: ‘It was Elvis that got me interested in music. I’ve been an Elvis fan since I was a kid. Ask anyone. If it hadn’t been for Elvis, I don’t know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me.’
Britney Spears: ‘I think Elvis is the sexiest man to ever walk the earth. I love him.’
Robbie Williams: ‘Everyone likes at least one Elvis song… Me, I love them all. He was, is, and will remain, the ultimate rock star.’
Muhammad Ali: ‘Elvis was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you’d want to know.’
