Stephen Hawking... and Elvis

There must be something cosmic I could write about these two, but words fail me. It's the 75th birthday of Elvis. It's also the 68th birthday of cosmologist Stephen Hawking. And that's cosmologist, not cosmetologist. I realize scientists are not as famous as pop stars but Hawking comes as close as anyone to being both. Elvis appears nine times in A Book of Ages. Hawking appears twice, beginning with the entry from age 21. It was during his third year at Oxford that he began experiencing clumsiness in his limbs. The doctors were unsure what it was, but thought it would probably kill him within a few years. It did not. The doctors prescribed vitamins, and Hawking began listening to Wagner. (An entirely logical prescription.) He went on to change the way we perceive the universe, but has been has confined to a wheelchair for many years.

Elvis and the Beatles

On August 27, 1965 Elvis Presley received a visit from the Beatles at Graceland. Because he couldn’t tell them apart and didn’t know their names he addressed each of them individually as “Beatle.”

At age 30, Elvis was the elder statesman of Rock 'n' Roll, the King, the Pope, the Dalai Lama, the Maharishi of Pop. One pictures the youngsters kissing the hem of his garment and only half ironically. Elvis appears nine times in A Book of Ages, John and Paul several times each.

Graceland

On this day in 1977, Elvis Presley died on the floor of his bathroom. He was 42.

Elvis Presley and Colonel Tom Parker

On August 15, 1955, Elvis Presley signed a contract with Colonel Tom Parker. Elvis was 20 years-old. Later in the year, Sun Studios sold his contract to RCA. The first song Elvis recorded for RCA was Heartbreak Hotel, which stayed at number one for for eight weeks. Elvis appears nine times in A Book of Ages.

Elvis Presley

On July 5th, 1954, Elvis Presley made his first recording for Sun Records. On the one side an up-tempo version of That’s All Right; on the reverse, Blue Moon of Kentucky. He was 19. On October 2nd, he made his first and only appearance at The Grand Ole Opry. One of the Opry’s people recommended that Elvis go back to driving a truck. Elvis appears nine times in A Book of Ages.