Australia on Elvis Presley
← Back to Australia ProfileDiscovering two minor planets in quick succession, Australian astronomer John Broughton playfully named one "Planet Elvis" to complement his earlier "Rock and Roll" discovery.
“I named it Planet Elvis (17059) because I had discovered a similar one, just two days before and which I called Rock and Roll (17058). It just seemed befitting...”
“It's real gold, it cost $2500, some sort of impregnated unborn calf skin. It's very dramatic and almost unbelievable when you see an artist walk out on a stage and receive an ovation like the one we have witnessed tonight”
Rick Springfield recounts a 1972 encounter with Elvis Presley on a flight to Hawaii, noting Elvis's kindness and connection to Springfield's manager, Steve Binder.
“I'd seen Elvis seated on first class as I entered the plane, so when he came to the coach section before the plane landed and went up and down the aisle signing autographs to all of us there I said “Hey, would you sign this for my girlfriend Allison, you know, Steve Binder manages me,” and he said, “Yes, Yes, I love Steve, Steve’s great,” It didn't then mean much to me (1972), but it was all pretty cool and he was a very sweet guy. In fact, I wasn't a big Elvis fan at the time, but I am now.”
Jazz singer Mel McCaig overcame initial reservations about Elvis' music to create a solo show after discovering the depth and artistry within his songbook.
“As a jazz educated singer I had reservations about entering the Elvis world. There can be a lot of judgement about his music and the image that has been created of him over many years. But I found myself completely falling in love with his songs. Each night on stage I would discover another lyric, another chord change, another nuance that thrilled and moved me all at once. Studying the Elvis songbook, I found breathtaking recordings of the same songs by other artists. I was literally stopped in my tracks. These musical masterpieces were being revealed to me and I had Elvis to thank for it”