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American Morning

Thousands Attend Candlelight Vigil at Graceland

Aired August 16, 2002 - 09:55   ET

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

JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: Elvis is still dead. Tens of thousands of Elvis Presley fans expected to visit his grave in Graceland today on the 25th anniversary of his death back in 1977. It is a procession that began last night in a pouring rain.
CNN's Gary Tuchman is live at Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee where even torrential rains have not dampened the enthusiasm of Elvis's legion of fans -- good morning, Gary. Raining there it sounds like again this morning.

GARY TUCHMAN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Jack, it has been terrible weather for the last few days. Nevertheless, tens of thousands of people have turned out here. It was exactly a quarter century ago that Elvis Presley was found dead inside his Graceland mansion. That night, more than 100,000 people came out to mourn. Last night, the largest number of people came here since then.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN (voice-over): They started lining up more than 24 hours before the candlelight vigil was scheduled to start. And Bill Rowe (ph), an Elvis Presley fan from Dayton, Ohio, was first in line.

(on camera): Are you tired?

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tired, yes, but delightfully so, because this is, as they say, a labor of love on our part.

TUCHMAN (voice-over): Night fell, and monsoon-like rain started falling, but the crowd built up, people waiting to pay homage to the king of rock'n'roll on the 25th anniversary of his death.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're looking for Elvis fans. Have we come to the right place?

TUCHMAN: They played Elvis songs over the loudspeaker, and then the fans were allowed in in a single file. They came with their families, in their wheelchairs, with their oxygen tanks, for the solemn procession to Elvis' grave site behind Graceland. Bill Rowe (ph) led the way, and he was ultimately followed by tens of thousands of others.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It made me feel a part of a big, entire group of people who love one person, and that's very moving.

TUCHMAN: The king's music played continuously as his fans walked past the grave sites of Elvis, his parents, and his grandmother. It was emotionally difficult for many, even for those who have no memories of Elvis when he was alive.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It just doesn't seem like it's been 25 years.

TUCHMAN: That was a common sentiment. Just where have all the years gone?

(on camera): As the hours went by, the rains started getting heavier, but the crowds continued to stream in. More evidence that while the King is gone, his fans' passion is not.

(voice-over): The first man in line, Bill Rowe (ph), paid homage to his hero by putting flowers on the grave site, but the experience overwhelmed him.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's gone. He's not coming back. It's not that fair. Somebody who gives everybody so much, has to go so young. It's just not fair.

TUCHMAN: Elvis Presley would have been 67 years old.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TUCHMAN: Despite the heavy rains, the vigil lasted for 11 hours. People were streaming in that long. It just ended about 60 minutes ago. Jack, back to you.

CAFFERTY: Incredible. Thanks, Gary, very much. Gary Tuchman live outside Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee.

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