Tears for Elvis, but also suspicious minds, 40 years on

Elvis Presley’s death, 40 years ago today, was greeted with such disbelief that for years afterwards, rumours abounded that he had not gone, just vanished into hiding.

Alleged discrepancies in the death certificate and reports of a wax dummy in his coffin fuelled the suspicious minds of the conspiracy theorists. Some thought he had been inspired to fake his death by the character in the then-current TV series, The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin.

Even today, his widow, Priscilla, says she finds it hard to accept that he is not still alive.

“He still exists, he is still here,” she said in an interview this week, to mark the announcement that an exhibition celebrating his life would come to Britain in the autumn.

Ms Presley, whom the singer divorced in 1973 and who, at 72, is 10 years his junior, did not mean the comments to be taken literally.

“We try to make sure his DNA is there - it keeps him alive,” she said.

Presley died after suffering a heart attack in his Graceland mansion, in Memphis, Tennessee, after years of prescription drug abuse. His body lay in state there, and thousands of fans filed past.

He was only 42 but had been a recording artist since 18, when he walked into the offices of Sun Records in Memphis and cut a version of That’s When Your Heartaches Begin.

He had sold more than 300 million albums and made 33 films but it had been two decades since he had been at the forefront of popular culture, and his later appearances in Las Vegas were characterised by his expanding waistline and increasingly eccentric performances.

But his death prompted a new wave of interest, and his final single, Way Down, went straight to the top of the charts.

History may repeat itself this weekend, when his album, The 50 Greatest Hits is expected to eclipse those of his contemporary, the late Glen Campbell, and the current star, Ed Sheeran, in the race for the number one slot.

His widow, meanwhile, said she would never forget the events of August 16, 1977.

“You never get it out of your mind,” Ms Presley said. “His impact truly resonates.”

She added: “I really got the impact of a love and support that still stands for him. I was actually taken aback by the impact Elvis had. It was beyond anything I had ever imagined.”

She had been 14 when they met, while he was serving in the US army. He is said to been awkward and embarrassed in front of her, but she said: “I just remember the good times. I remember the fun we had, the sense of humour he had and his laugh, it was so contagious.”

In Memphis, fans are marking the anniversary of his death with a week of tribute events.