Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 1, 1992                   TAG: 9203030357
SECTION: HORIZON                    PAGE: E-5   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: CODY LOWE
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

HE WAS A LEGEND, EVEN IF I DIDN'T KNOW IT THEN

There he was, dressed in black leather. He was on a square stage in the center of a room full of quiet fans - people who were interested in hearing him, not screaming their adoration for him.

And I discovered that this star could really play.

The problem was, the year was 1977 and Elvis was dead. And, with Lewis Grizzard, I didn't feel too good myself - under the realization that I had missed my chance to hear the guy in person.

For a kid who came of age in the '60s, Elvis was already a has-been.

Oh, he was a legend and all that, and everybody knew the words to "Hound Dog," but Elvis was yesterday.

He made those awful movies and really his music was just a little too close to country to be cool.

And, for heaven's sake, he was almost as old as my parents.

It wasn't until after his death that I really made an effort to understand how much of an influence he was.

And what I found out was that this guy was good!

When he died 15 years ago, my music collection might have included two 45s of his. Today, you could find virtually all of his Top 40 hits there, most through a medium he never knew - compact disc.

I know now that what I thought was a pretty good collection of rock 'n' roll was woefully incomplete until Elvis took his place with the legends at the front of the line.