HERE at home, a group of avid fans make up an active fan club that organises activities in fond memory of their idol. Founded in 1967 by HT Long who has sung covers of Elvis' songs, the fan club still has about 300 members today.
HT Long had been an Elvis fan since 1960 when he was only nine years old after he first saw Elvis in the movie
GI Blues
"My mom bought me Elvis' records when I was younger. It cost her RM2.50 for a single and RM4 for an EP. When I was about 12 years old, I persuaded my mom to buy me a portable record player so I could bring it out every day."
"As youngsters then, we normally looked up to somebody. I used to try to look like Elvis. His hairstyle was known as the curry puff hairstyle then.
"I had long hair in school and was called up by the disciplinary master a few times. He would always pull my hair and sideburns. I was also known as the Klang High School Elvis Presley then."
"When Elvis died, I didn't eat for a week," Long recounted the moments when he received news of the death of his idol.
"I was 26 years old then. I did not believe it when they said he died until I read the news in the Malay Mail ."
After graduating from school, HT Long joined singing competitions and won many of them, including the title of "Malaysian Elvis Presley".
Over the years, he recorded many albums. Today he has a total of 12 "Elvis" albums. His albums have been getting rave reviews worldwide and reviewers even call him "the sound of Elvis".
"I did one show in Perth. I looked like a typical Chinese fellow on the posters and the Australians thought it was just another William Hung. When they heard me sing Love Me Tender, they were shocked. Some of the ladies even broke down and cried."
Such was the striking resemblance HT Long's voice bore with Elvis'.
Like many other fans, HT Long also admired Elvis for his love and devotion to his mother and acknowledged the great support that Elvis received from his mother.
It is said that the song
Love Me Tender
was specially dedicated from son to mother.
For true fans only
Today, R Rajadurai, who took over the leadership of the club from his predecessor in 1999, heads the fan club of about 300 genuine fans, who had to pass tests in order to join the fan club.
The fan club is registered with Graceland, which also gives recognition to Rajadurai. As president of the fan club, Rajadurai receives a Christmas CD from Graceland every year. Only 600 copies of the CD with greetings from Priscilla and Lisa-Marie are distributed to fan club presidents worldwide.
The fan club's main activities are its two conventions every year - one held on Elvis' birthday and the other one on Elvis' death anniversary. On these two days, fans usually gather at fans' houses or conference rooms. They were the largest congregation of Elvis' fans and impersonators who gather to sell, share, swap or showcase their Elvis memorabilia.
Besides being the president of the fan club, Rajadurai is also the editor of the newsletter that the fan club publishes twice a year. The newsletter gives updates of happenings in the Elvis world such as the new CDs being released or activities in Graceland.
Rajadurai also currently holds the Malaysian record for having the largest collection of Elvis merchandise.
"Even if an item is expensive, if I must have it, I will buy it," said Rajadurai of his expensive hobby.
To him, his prized possession is invaluable. When a Singaporean made an offer to him to buy his collection for a high price in 1999, he rejected the offer.
"I will never sell my collection. Not during my lifetime. Not even for RM1 million."
However, he is still not content with his collection.
"If possible, I want anything that belonged to Elvis, like a shirt," says Rajadurai.
Although having resiliently made his wishes known to Graceland, he has been turned down by Graceland several times because it needed Elvis' belongings to stay in Graceland.
When initially asked of his favourite Elvis song and movie, Rajadurai found it hard to name them but later replied Old Shook Up and Viva Las Vegas respectively. Besides admiring Elvis for his ability to sing and act, he also respected him for his kindness and charity.
"I also admire him for his achievements. He was a poor guy who made it big."
To take Malaysians down memory lane, the Elvis Fan Club of Malaysia issued the following in conjunction with the 30th anniversary of Elvis' passing.
Elvis Aaron Presley, in the humblest of circumstances, was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jesse Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.
Elvis' musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.
In 1954, he began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.
He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards for 150 different albums and singles, far more than any other artist. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.
His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Currently, there are over 625 active Elvis fan clubs worldwide. Elvis' popularity is at an all-time high, and his legacy continues to reach new audiences. Half of Graceland's visitorship is age 35 and under.
August 16, 1977:
Shortly after midnight Elvis returns to Graceland from a late-night visit to the dentist. Through the early morning of the 16th he takes care of last minute tour details and relaxes with family and staff. He is to fly to Portland, Maine that night and do a show there on the 17th, then continue the scheduled tour. He retires to his master suite at Graceland around 7:00 AM to rest for his evening flight. By late morning, Elvis Presley is dead of heart failure. It is announced by mid-afternoon. In a matter of hours the shock registers around the world.
Sunday, August 19, 2007: Elvis' fans will be organising a momentous event in honour of the King of Rock n Roll at The Funtheque, The Ship, Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. The event will commence at 1.00 pm. There will be a four-hour super Elvis event (1pm-5pm) with great performances by Malaysia's very own Elvis impersonators like Wilfred Vince of Sarawak, Paul Lee of Penang and HT Long. There will be special appearances by the Best Elvis of Thailand and the president of the Elvis Fan Club of Hong Kong Tommy Ooi
HT Long will pay tribute to Elvis "live" today (Aug 16) at 8.30 am on TV3's Malaysia Hari Ini program.
YESTERDAY: Elvis Presley lives on!
SU HUI HSING, a student of Smith College Massachusetts, completed her internship at Malaysiakini recently. Comments can reach Rentakini by emailing [email protected]