Have you ever wondered what your favorite superstars do when they are alone? They probably listen to Elvis Presley!
Long ago, a handsome boy from Mississippi changed music forever. They called him “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.” But he did something even bigger than making hit records. He showed other people how to become legends. From boxing rings to giant stages, the world’s biggest stars all learned how to be cool from Elvis.
Take Muhammad Ali, the greatest boxer ever. He did not care about many famous people, but he loved Elvis. When Ali was a young boy, he listened to Elvis on the radio. He loved how Elvis made everyone smile. Ali decided right then that he wanted to be just as loud, just as fun, and just as loved. Elvis even gave Ali a beautiful boxing robe covered in shiny jewels. Ali wore it proudly because it came from his hero.
Muhammad Ali, On Camera, Talks About Elvis
Across the ocean in England, four boys were listening too. They became The Beatles! John Lennon once said that without Elvis, his band would not even exist. Elvis was their blueprint. He taught them how to stand on stage, how to dress, and how to make millions of fans scream. Years later, Paul McCartney even visited Elvis’s old house to leave a guitar pick on his grave as a sweet thank-you note.
Other singers used Elvis to create their own magic. Freddie Mercury, the wild singer of Queen, loved Elvis’s powerful voice. He even wrote a famous song called “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” just to sound like him!
Céline Dion & Elvis Presley – If I Can Dream (American Idol, 2007) HD
Then there is Celine Dion, who sings huge shows in Las Vegas. She says Elvis is the one who showed everyone how to make a Las Vegas show feel like a giant party.
Even country stars like Dolly Parton and Luke Bryan feel his magic. Elvis almost sang one of Dolly’s songs, and it made her cry with joy. Today, Luke Bryan still does Elvis impressions on stage because Elvis is the ultimate definition of “cool.”
Elvis Presley passed away a long time ago, but his music never died. He didn’t just sing songs. He gave other artists the courage to dream big. The next time you see a superstar dancing on television under bright lights, look closely. You just might see a little bit of The King smiling back at you.