the king has left the building
26 years ago, Elvis died.. Exactly one week after I was born. My mother was and still is a huge fan, and she always tells me that I was her sunshine during the shock of him dying. I personally always thought it was freaky.. having him kick off shortly after i was born.. anyhoos..from historychannel.com
Popular music icon Elvis Presley dies in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42. The death of the “King of Rock and Roll” brought legions of mourning fans to Graceland, his mansion in Memphis. Doctors said he died of a heart attack, largely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates, but some labeled it suicide.
Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. Elvis grew up dirt-poor in Tupelo and Memphis and found work as a truck driver after high school. When he was 19, he walked into a Memphis recording studio and paid $4 to record a few songs as a present to his mother. Sam Philips, the owner of the studio, was intrigued by the rough, soulful quality of his voice and invited Presley back to practice with some local musicians. After Philips heard Elvis sing the rhythm-and-blues song “That’s All Right,” which Presley imbued with an accessible country-and-western flavor, he agreed to release the rendition as a single on his Sun Records label. The recording went to the top of the local charts, and Presley’s career was launched.
By the mid 1970s, Elvis was in declining physical and mental health. He divorced his wife in 1973 and developed a dangerous dependence on prescription drugs. He was also addicted to junk food and gained considerable weight. In the last two years of his life, he made erratic stage appearances and lived nearly as a recluse. On the afternoon of August 16, 1977, he was found unconscious in his Graceland mansion and rushed to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. He was buried on the grounds of Graceland, which continues to attract fans and has been turned into a highly successful tourist attraction.
Other things that happened on August 16th…
•1812 Detroit surrenders without a fight: During the War of 1812, American General William Hull surrenders Fort Detroit and his army to the British without a fight.
•1948 Babe Ruth dies: On August 16, 1948, baseball legend George Herman “Babe” Ruth dies from cancer in New York City.
