What year did Elvis Presley die and how old was he?

Bob Mehr, Memphis Commercial Appeal
·1 min read

Elvis Presley died on Aug. 16, 1977. Born on Jan. 8, 1935, Presley was 42 years old at the time of his passing.

Elvis' death on Aug. 16 links him with same the death date as several other American cultural icons, including Mississippi Delta blues king Robert Johnson (1938), baseball’s Sultan of Swat, Babe Ruth (1948), and the Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, who was born in Memphis, and died on Aug. 16, 2018.

A year after Presley’s death, a small group of fans gathered at the gates of Graceland for the first Candlelight Vigil commemorating his life and passing. Since that first remembrance, Elvis acolytes have paid tribute to the King each of the last 46 years.

Elvis Presley performs what would be his last Memphis concert on July 5, 1976, before a crowd of 12,000 at Mid-South Coliseum. Exactly twenty-two years earlier (July 5, 1954), Elvis recorded "That's All Right" at Sam Phillips' little studio at 706 Union. Introducing the song, he said: "I've had some people say - well, you can't do that song anymore - well, you, by God, just watch me."

ELVIS AT OVERTON PARK: Inside the historic 1954 Memphis concert that launched the King's career

Over the years, Presley's August death anniversary has become a cultural event, now known as Elvis Week, which draws tens of thousands of fans to Graceland each year, some who make the pilgrimage annually.

Since Presley’s Graceland home was opened in 1982, more than 23 million people have visited in total.

This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: How old was Elvis Presley when he died and what year?

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