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Morning News

Elvis in Graceland: Remembering the King

Aired August 16, 2000 - 11:49 a.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Last night, 6,000 people stopped by Elvis Presley's home, the former home, there at Graceland. A candlelight vigil was held for the king of Rock 'n' Roll. You may remember, Elvis moved to Memphis in 1948. Millions still go there for memories of the King.

And guess who grew up near Graceland? Cue the camera.

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ta da!

HEMMER: You betcha. Natalie Allen with us today to recall memories of the King.

How far were you from him?

ALLEN: A couple miles, give or take.

HEMMER: Yes, about two miles?

ALLEN: Hop, skip and jump, as we would say.

HEMMER: Now, when you were growing up -- I think this is taking you back to, what, seventh grade?

ALLEN: I was a sophomore when he passed away.

HEMMER: Oh, is that right? OK.

ALLEN: But, yes, in junior high he was really hot and I was into David Cassidy at the time. So Elvis had let himself go, had that sideburn thing and what have you.

HEMMER: Let's talk on a serious note. Did you ever see Elvis when you were growing up?

ALLEN: We did.

HEMMER: Elvis sightings, officially, then.

ALLEN: You know, Graceland, isn't tucked away in some exclusive area. It's right there on a highway. You've got a Ponchos Taco, a car dealership, Graceland, then the mall. So you would drive by there a lot and, the gates are open, the gates are open, try to see a car. Once we saw him. I saw him riding his horse on the front lawn. He had horses and you could see him.

HEMMER: Yes. What do you remember from the day he passed away, this day 23 years ago?

ALLEN: The thing about living there and always growing up near Elvis Presley, you didn't realize what an international phenomenon he was. And I was a tenth grader, but you knew he was famous, but all of a sudden you couldn't go anywhere in the neighborhood.

HEMMER: Really?

ALLEN: There were cars there. You couldn't get down to the Big Star. Cars were everywhere. People came from all over the world. And that's when we were really blown away at how unbelievably famous this person was.

HEMMER: And you got to get down to the Big Star, got to make time for that.

Later in your life, though, you worked in Memphis as a news reporter, and every year the vigil came up and you were out there.

ALLEN: Right.

HEMMER: Tell me about the fans who gathered or came there to pay homage to Elvis.

ALLEN: You know, his popularity is so widespread, it was people from around the world that came to Graceland. They saved all year, like they're still doing, to come to Graceland. I remember covering the vigil one night and it was pouring down rain, people were standing out there with their little candles just waiting for their moment. And it's a very solemn event. People were quiet, you talked in hushed tones, and this is really important to them. These are the die-hard Elvis fans who -- they've got to make this pilgrimage at some point in the their lives.

HEMMER: And 23 years later, Elvis Presley has an Internet site where you can actually watch the vigil live.

Before we go, what's it like inside Graceland?

ALLEN: It's not as great.

HEMMER: All the curtains?

ALLEN: Yes, you know, I don't know if it's what you would want in your house today.

HEMMER: I tell you, the reason I ask that, I have always wanted to go and I never have. And I will at some point, but for folks...

ALLEN: You've got to see the monkey room, you've got to see the 500 gold karat or what have you -- oh, this room here, the TV room, is amazing. Lots of vinyl. Of course this was preserved from the '60s, '70s, so it's decorations of that era. But it's out there, it's way out there. It's a sight to be seen.

HEMMER: Good deal. Well, we'll watch that throughout the week. Thanks for stopping by.

ALLEN: Just call me your Elvis expert, OK?

HEMMER: That's what you'll be, our Elvis correspondent. So we have all the big news in this block here. Thanks, Natalie. See you in about an hour...

ALLEN: OK.

HEMMER: ... on "CNN TODAY" later today. Thanks, Nat.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com

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