Those familiar with the times understand that Elvis busted down the doors for other rockers, black and white, to be able to be accepted and gain popularity. I understand if people don't like his music, or him, for whatever reason, but if anything Elvis is underrated in comparison to the cultural impact he had.
"Before Elvis, there was nothing." - John Lennon
"Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us." - Al Green
"Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is, or will ever be." - Chuck Berry
"Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business." - Isaac Hayes
"I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun Studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra's. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness." - B.B. King
"They didn't make a mistake when they called him King" - B.B. King
"None of us could have made it without Elvis." - Buddy Holly
"Elvis is the best ever, the most original. He started the ball rolling for us all. He deserves the recognition." - Jim Morrison
"You have no idea how great he is, really you don't. You have no comprehension - it's absolutely impossible. I can't tell you why he's so great, but he is. He's sensational." - Phil Spector
"Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution - the 60's comes from it." - Leonard Bernstein (in the 60's)
"There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king."- Bruce Springsteen
"When I first heard Elvis' voice, I just knew that I wasn't going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss...Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail."- Bob Dylan
"A lot has been written and said about why he was so great, but I think the best way to appreciate his greatness is just to go back and play some of the old records... Time has a way of being very unkind to old records, but Elvis' keep getting better and better." - Huey Lewis
"Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps." - Rod Stewart
"That's my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you'd see pictures all over of Elvis. He's just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it's because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis Presley was in the f***ing room. I don't give a f*** who was in the room with him, Bogart, Marilyn Monroe." - Eddie Murphy
"It's rare when an artist's talent can touch an entire generation of people. It's even rarer when that same influence affects several generations. Elvis made an imprint on the world of pop music unequaled by any other single performer." - **** Clark
"Ask anyone. If it hadn't been for Elvis, I don't know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me." - Elton John
"The first concert I attended was an Elvis concert when I was eleven. Even at that age he made me realize the tremendous effect a performer could have on an audience." - Cher
"I learned music listening to Elvis' records. His measurable effect on culture and music was even greater in England than in the States." - Mick Fleetwood
"That period was different. When Elvis was there (in Vegas), they were stopping everything. Elvis had the moment for real. While I'm here, it's not all about 50 Cent, but it was all about Elvis." - 50 Cent
"People don't realize what they had till it's gone. Like President Kennedy, there was no one like him, the Beatles, and my man Elvis Presley. I was the Elvis of boxing." - Muhammad Ali
"To me, John Lennon and Elvis Presley were punks, because they made music that evoked those emotions in people." - Joey Ramone
"Every performer who ever performed in rock and roll or even close to it is lying if they tell you that they weren't influenced in some way or another by Elvis Presley. He turned the world around." - Mac Davis
I was madly in love with Elvis Presley. Dad wasn't into it at all, at least not for himself as a performer. He used to say, 'Mr. Cole does not rock n' roll.' - Natalie Cole
Most singers have their idols. I remember Elvis Presley when I was a kid. When I was about sixteen, I always said I wanted to do 'Love Me Tender.' - Percy Sledge
"He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn't let black music through. He opened the door for black music." - Little Richard
"Elvis was a brilliant artist. As a musicologist - and I consider myself one - there was always a great deal of respect for Elvis, especially during his Sun sessions. As a black people, we all knew that. (In fact), Eminem is the new Elvis because, number one, he had the respect for black music that Elvis had". - Chuck D (2002)
(Bon Scott)
"Before Elvis, there was nothing." - John Lennon
"Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us." - Al Green
"Describe Elvis Presley? He was the greatest who ever was, is, or will ever be." - Chuck Berry
"Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business." - Isaac Hayes
"I remember Elvis as a young man hanging around the Sun Studios. Even then, I knew this kid had a tremendous talent. He was a dynamic young boy. His phraseology, his way of looking at a song, was as unique as Sinatra's. I was a tremendous fan, and had Elvis lived, there would have been no end to his inventiveness." - B.B. King
"They didn't make a mistake when they called him King" - B.B. King
"None of us could have made it without Elvis." - Buddy Holly
"Elvis is the best ever, the most original. He started the ball rolling for us all. He deserves the recognition." - Jim Morrison
"You have no idea how great he is, really you don't. You have no comprehension - it's absolutely impossible. I can't tell you why he's so great, but he is. He's sensational." - Phil Spector
"Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything, music, language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution - the 60's comes from it." - Leonard Bernstein (in the 60's)
"There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king."- Bruce Springsteen
"When I first heard Elvis' voice, I just knew that I wasn't going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss...Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail."- Bob Dylan
"A lot has been written and said about why he was so great, but I think the best way to appreciate his greatness is just to go back and play some of the old records... Time has a way of being very unkind to old records, but Elvis' keep getting better and better." - Huey Lewis
"Elvis was the king. No doubt about it. People like myself, Mick Jagger and all the others only followed in his footsteps." - Rod Stewart
"That's my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you'd see pictures all over of Elvis. He's just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it's because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis Presley was in the f***ing room. I don't give a f*** who was in the room with him, Bogart, Marilyn Monroe." - Eddie Murphy
"It's rare when an artist's talent can touch an entire generation of people. It's even rarer when that same influence affects several generations. Elvis made an imprint on the world of pop music unequaled by any other single performer." - **** Clark
"Ask anyone. If it hadn't been for Elvis, I don't know where popular music would be. He was the one that started it all off, and he was definitely the start of it for me." - Elton John
"The first concert I attended was an Elvis concert when I was eleven. Even at that age he made me realize the tremendous effect a performer could have on an audience." - Cher
"I learned music listening to Elvis' records. His measurable effect on culture and music was even greater in England than in the States." - Mick Fleetwood
"That period was different. When Elvis was there (in Vegas), they were stopping everything. Elvis had the moment for real. While I'm here, it's not all about 50 Cent, but it was all about Elvis." - 50 Cent
"People don't realize what they had till it's gone. Like President Kennedy, there was no one like him, the Beatles, and my man Elvis Presley. I was the Elvis of boxing." - Muhammad Ali
"To me, John Lennon and Elvis Presley were punks, because they made music that evoked those emotions in people." - Joey Ramone
"Every performer who ever performed in rock and roll or even close to it is lying if they tell you that they weren't influenced in some way or another by Elvis Presley. He turned the world around." - Mac Davis
I was madly in love with Elvis Presley. Dad wasn't into it at all, at least not for himself as a performer. He used to say, 'Mr. Cole does not rock n' roll.' - Natalie Cole
Most singers have their idols. I remember Elvis Presley when I was a kid. When I was about sixteen, I always said I wanted to do 'Love Me Tender.' - Percy Sledge
"He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn't let black music through. He opened the door for black music." - Little Richard
"Elvis was a brilliant artist. As a musicologist - and I consider myself one - there was always a great deal of respect for Elvis, especially during his Sun sessions. As a black people, we all knew that. (In fact), Eminem is the new Elvis because, number one, he had the respect for black music that Elvis had". - Chuck D (2002)
(Bon Scott)
