If Elvis had lived he would have turned 76 on January 8. I personally can’t imagine him at 76. He is locked in my memory as a young rocker who changed the music world forever. Because I had the special honor of meeting him in 1957 and  emceeing many Elvis Tribute Week shows in Memphis over the years, I find it incredible that the icon of my generation would be 76.

No single artist sold as many albums as Elvis (in excess of 1 billion). I doubt if we will ever see the likes of an Elvis again. The reason: we are no longer a homogenous society.  When Elvis appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show 80% of the U.S. and Canada saw him in one night.In the halcyon days of Top 40 radio you could hear Elvis singing Hound Dog followed by Frank Sinatra singing a ballad.

Since that time music has been pigeonholed into select radio formats. Today if you are an R&B singer you are almost always relegated to a format. With the advent of so many ways to connect with your music, you may never be exposed to something as radical as an early Elvis. Musical menus today are stuck in a format, but in my time music was a buffet where you got to taste everything. Thanks Elvis, for your great voice and for daring to be different.