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CNN Live Today

Rain Fails to Dampen Elvis Vigil

Aired August 16, 2002 - 13:14   ET

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

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, Elvis fans are still going bananas, and they have traveled from all around the world to Memphis, Tennessee. They are paying homage to the king on the 25th anniversary of his death.
Our Gary Tuchman joins us live from outside Elvis' Graceland mansion in Memphis.

And the crowds are still there in full force, Gary, and you among them.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Fredricka, it has been a very busy week. But today is an especially busy day, because today is the exact 25-year anniversary of Elvis Presley's death.

And you don't have to be to a huge Elvis Presley fan to appreciate the significance of what happened here last night and early this morning. In pouring rain, an estimated 30,000 Presley fans stood in the middle of U.S. Route 51, which was closed to traffic, also known now as Elvis Presley Boulevard, waiting for a chance to participate in a candlelight vigil. They do it every year on the eve of the anniversary of his death, but this was the biggest one yet.

They waited until about 10:15 Central Time, when they were allowed to proceed in with their candles to walk through the grounds of the estate, 13 acres, and walk back to the grave site, where Elvis' body rests; also, the bodies of his parents and his grandmother.

It was very celebratory at times, because Elvis music played the whole time, but it was also very sad and very emotional for many of the people, as they went to the grave sites. It's almost as if for some people, Elvis just passed away. That was some of the grief we saw, people just crying as they approached the grave site with their candles, and oftentimes leaving stuffed animals and flowers as they walked by.

Thirty thousand people here last night, the most people who have been at Graceland since the night Elvis Presley died 25 years ago, when an estimated 100,000 mourners came here to where Elvis lived from 1957 until 1977.

The Presley family still owns Graceland. Lisa Marie Presley is the sole owner right now. She actually was here last night also with the 30,000 mourners, along with her newlywed husband, Nicolas Cage. They spent some time in the residence.

She actually, when she comes to Memphis, she uses the house. We are told she doesn't sleep here, but she spends some time here to relax and to kick back. That's what she did last night.

Tonight here in Memphis, we will see Lisa Marie, her husband, and Lisa Marie's mother, Elvis' ex-wife, Priscilla. They are all participating in a concert that's being held here in Memphis in honor of Elvis Presley. His band mates, his former band mates will actually be performing live.

And Elvis himself will be participating, not because he is alive or anything like that, but because he will be put on a video screen, kind of a virtual reality kind of thing, interactive, where Elvis will sing along with his band mates on the stage for thousands of people, paying up to $75 per ticket for this event on the 25th anniversary of the king of rock 'n' roll's death.

Fredricka -- back to you.

WHITFIELD: All right, Gary Tuchman. So the crowds are going to be there a bit longer. Nobody wants to miss that show.

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