Elvis has Left the Building

I was delivering flowers in a hot van in Knoxville, Tennessee when I heard the news: Elvis had died!

I was so saddened I thought. "Who cares?"

I admit it. To me, Elvis had died much earlier... his music was then more Las Vegas than rock. His weight was more Southern Baptist than Southern Rock.

About 6 months later, I visited a lady on church visitation. She said, "I must show you this." I was thinking that she would show me a family Bible. But there in the corner of the family room was her shrine. A shrine not to Jesus but to less than saintly Elvis. Tears coursed down her cheeks as she spoke of making the trek to Graceland after he died. How that she thought about suicide when she heard the details of the King dying on the "throne".

It was all I could do to keep from laughing. I am sorry. I know it wasn't very pastoral of me. But I was herniating myself holding it back. She never knew it. She was still so caught up in her grief over his death to notice anyone else's reaction.

My laughter still echoes today. 30 years after his death, radio stations are "All Elvis, All Day Long". I imagine that this woman is leaning on her walker, looking longingly through the gates of Graceland.

Few people have held the sway over people. Sinatra had it in the 40's and 50's. I can remember the reaction to the death of John Lennon. Even though she had no discernible talent, the death of Diana provoked the same kind of response.

But I never got it. Elvis was a singer. Obviously, his music popularized rock music as both a genre and a rebellion.

But as I drove in this morning some dj was talking about Elvis and playing "Are You Lonely Tonight"... I changed the station.