Las Vegas Weekly

January 8, 2010 · 8:50 AM

Today marks what would have been Elvis’ 75th birthday

By Robin Leach

Cirque du Soleil gives a sneak preview of Viva Elvis at CityCenter's Aria Resort & Casino on Dec. 15, 2009.

Photo: Brian Jones/Las Vegas News Bureau

It’s the all shook up weekend, when we remember the King of Rock and Roll’s birthday. Elvis Aaron Presley would have been 75 today. He’s still remembered worldwide for his incredible influence on the music industry, and never more so in this city that became his second home.

Elvis died on Aug. 16, 1977, and he will never be forgotten. Now that Cirque du Soleil producers are about to premiere their Viva Elvis at CityCenter, Elvis’ legacy will not only live on, but it also will enjoy a renaissance.

I’ll attend tonight’s preview show of Viva Elvis on what would have been the premiere night for the spectacular. Construction delays at the theater pushed back the rehearsal and fixation timeline, so the premiere is now set for Feb. 19. I will report live in real-time tonight on Twitter as to how the show and its cast mark Elvis’ birthday.

Last month, we posted a four-part Viva Elvis series featuring interviews with Priscilla Presley, Cirque officials and Robert F.X. Sillerman, who owns Elvis Presley Enterprises. He also plans to continue expanding projects and movies for The Elvis Estate here in Las Vegas. For a video tour of Elvis’ famous home Graceland, go to Elvis.com/Graceland/.

Meantime, Imperial Palace and Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall & Saloon welcome Elvis fans to celebrate the anniversary of the King’s 75th birthday with two attractions that will leave guests feeing closer to the King than ever before. The Imperial Palace is home to The King’s Ransom Museum, a one-of-a-kind, multimillion-dollar exhibit of Elvis artifacts and priceless personal treasures. Items include Elvis’ 1977 Lincoln Continental, clothing, jewelry, guns, artifacts from Graceland including the Bible that was on his nightstand when he passed away, and many more. Making special appearances from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today and tomorrow at The King’s Ransom Museum will be Cynthia Pepper, Elvis’ co-star in Kissin’ Cousins, and Darlene Tompkins, who was featured in the classic Blue Hawaii. Guests will receive a free collectable souvenir while supplies last with their paid admission.

A celebration of the King wouldn’t be complete without a visit to the award-winning Big Elvis Show. A fixture at Bill’s Gamblin’ Hall for the past eight years, Pete “Big Elvis” Vallee performs all the hits of the King of Rock and Roll, spanning a vast catalog of rock, country, gospel, R&B and pop. Pete joins featured singer Chuck Rawlings, as they also pay tribute to other musical icons including Conway Twitty, Roy Orbison, Jay & The Americans, Louis Armstrong and more.

Today, Elvis fans can celebrate the special day along with Las Vegas Elvis Fan Club members, former Elvis bodyguard Sonny West and other celebrity guests. There will be contest giveaways and a special birthday tribute to the King.

We’ll leave you with a YouTube video I think shows Elvis at his best: “Jailhouse Rock” from 1957:

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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