VIDEO: Tupelo Celebrates Elvis’ Birthday

TUPELO, Miss (WCBI News)- The King of Rock and Roll is another year older.

“He was one of a kind,” said Elvis Tours manager (UK) Carol Pugh.

As every year passes, his legacy grows on a world-wide scale, one that some Americans don’t know about, like Europe.

“There’s a huge fan base in the UK, because Elvis never toured the UK. So unlike our American colleagues and friends, we didn’t have the opportunity to see Elvis in the UK as you would in the U.S. Therefore, we had to bring the fans to the U.S. to see Elvis,” said Pugh.

While the museum and birthplace of Elvis tells the story of his life, accurately, the words and stories of a long-time friend carry more meaning about the Tupelo native and his rise to superstardom.

“We were just standing and talking, like we are now, and I said ‘Well, buddy, what you been doing?’ and he said ‘Well let me tell you, Guy.’ He said ‘I signed with Sun Records to see about making a record.’ and he said ‘maybe we’ll know something before long,'” said Guy Harris, a childhood friend of Presley’s.

While fame may cause some to forget where they come from, it never seemed to affect Presley.

“There wasn’t no change in Elvis towards us. People say ‘Well, you know you seemed like y’all were always happy.’ Well, you know why not be? That’s what life’s all about,” continued Harris.

That kind of personality along with a limitless supply of talent appealed to a vast fan base across The United States and the world.

“I became an Elvis fan, and friends of mine were like ‘No. It’s not cool. You should like U2 or bands like that, and Elvis is not cool.’ So I hid it a little bit, but when I grew older it was like OK. I don’t care what you think about it. I love Elvis . I love his music, and I’m proud of it,” said Gerjan Kelder, a fan from Holland.

With the expanding of the museum and more sites opening up to visitors, it doesn’t look like Presley will be losing fans anytime soon.

“To be able to actually introduce other fans to Elvis and talk about Elvis is something really exciting, because let’s be honest. There isn’t another star such as Elvis Presley,” said Pugh.

It’s statements like that from fans and workers that make the state of Mississippi proud to claim him as a native.