Thousands honour ‘king’

Press, 17 August 1983, Page 6

Thousands honour ‘king’

NZPA Memphis Elvis Presley fans jammed Memphis on the eve of the sixth anniversary of the death of the “king.” Fred Dijs, one of the faithful, paid ?USI2OO to travel from the Netherlands to be one of the thousands of fans converging on the city this week to plant flowers on Presley’s grave at Gracelands mansion or attend the various annual events. “Memphis is always on my mind,” Mr Dijs said during his third trip to the city. Presley died on August 16, 1977, of heart disease. This year four days of activities we>e planned, including a footrace and a candlelight march. The “king’s” custom-built home, Graceland, was taken over by professional managers last year and was opened to public tours for the first time. In previous

years, fans could enter the mansion grounds and walk beside Presley’s grave, but they could not visit the house itself. Bill Brixey, manager of Graceland, said that he expected 3500 people to tour the house each day this week. In all, the various events were expected to attract more than 25,000 people. Ben Weisman, a composer who wrote 57 songs for Presley films, staged an “Elvis Concerto” at the Mud Island amusement park at the week-end with the Memphis Symphony Orchestra performing several of the singer’s tunes. The Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island is featuring a Presley exhibition and Libertyland, a local amusement park, is staging a musical show featuring a Presley impersonator. The show is called “Love me Tender, an Elvis Memory.”