Elvis Presley

Reader: Elvis will always be remembered as the greatest singer/entertainer ever

Colorado saw a lot of Elvis in the '70s, when his exploits became the stuff of legend. But decades before, he started making an undeniable impact on American music -- and those accomplishments should not be overshadowed, says singer/fiddler Katie Glassman, who was in town for a tribute show dedicate ... More >>

Katie Glassman on Elvis Presley and his influence on American music

Ironically enough, singer and fiddler Katie Glassman was living overseas when she heard the early recordings of one of America's most famous singers in history for the first time. Although Elvis Presley is mostly remembered for the controversy surrounding the last years of his life, he is an importa ... More >>

Elvis Presley would have been 78 today. Here are six of the best Colorado stories involving The King

Last fall on the 35th anniversary of his death, we rounded up all of the best local Elvis Presley stories we could find. We spoke with Nick Andurlakis of Nick's Cafe, and he told us all about how Fool's Gold Loaf, Elvis's favorite sandwich, was concieved, and he regaled us with a first hand account ... More >>

Bob Pietrafeso on Elvis's last Denver concert in April 1976 and how The King was all nervous

Thursday, August 16th marked the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The iconic singer spent a great deal of time in the Centennial State and had many adventures. In honor of the King, Backbeat is sharing some of these stories. See also: - Nick Andurlakis on Elvis's beloved Fool's Gold Loa ... More >>

Jonny Barber to record Elvis's ten original Sun Records singles tonight at Memphis' Sun Studio

See also: - Jonny Barber brings Elvis back to life in honor of Elvis week - Velvet Elvis's Top 10 favorite Elvis songs in honor of the King's passing - Jonny Barber putting Velvet Elvis to rest with one last gig Jonny Barber knows what it's like to walk in Elvis's footsteps. Literally. The former V ... More >>

Retired Denver Police Captain Jerry Kennedy on the time Elvis bought him a Lincoln Mark IV

Today marks the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The iconic singer spent a great deal of time in the Centennial State and had many adventures. In honor of the King, Backbeat is sharing some of these stories. See also: - John Bucci on being the proud owner of the church pew Elvis once sa ... More >>

Nick Andurlakis on Elvis's beloved Fool's Gold Loaf sandwich and how it was conceived

Today marks the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The iconic singer spent a great deal of time in the Centennial State and had many adventures. In honor of the King, Backbeat is sharing some of these stories. See also: - Retired Denver Police Captain Jerry Kennedy on the time Elvis bough ... More >>

Elvis's beloved Fool's Gold Loaf sandwich was born in Denver

Did you know that Elvis, who left the building for good 35 years ago today, once flew all the way to Denver in the middle of the night just for a sandwich? Well, he did -- true story. But this was no ordinary sandwich. This was the Fool's Gold Loaf, a ginormous, artery-hardening contraption conceive ... More >>

John Bucchi on being the proud owner of the church pew Elvis once sat in at Holy Family

This Thursday, August 16 marks the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The iconic singer spent a great deal of time in the Centennial State and had many adventures. In honor of The King, Backbeat is sharing some of these stories all week. See also: - Retired Denver police officer Bob Cantw ... More >>

Retired Denver police officer Bob Cantwell on the time the King's "nurse" made a house call

This Thursday, August 16, marks the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The iconic singer spent a great deal of time in the Centennial State and had many adventures. In honor of the King, Backbeat is sharing some of these stories all week. See also: - Bob Kortz on tracking down a black dia ... More >>

Elvis Week: Bob Kortz on tracking down a black diamond for The King in the middle of the night

This Thursday, August 16 marks the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death. The iconic singer spent a great deal of time in the Centennial State and had many adventures. In honor of The King, Backbeat is sharing some of these stories all week. See Also: - Jonny Barber brings Elvis back to life ... More >>

Wild Eggs celebrates one year in Denver with a bow to the King, revamped menu

Elvis Presley Week begins today and runs through Saturday, August 18. And Wild Eggs -- the Kentucky-based breakfast and lunch chain that expanded into Denver last August, putting a store at 300 East Alameda Avenue -- is honoring his memory and its birthday with a week-long special on "The King Woul ... More >>

Jonny Barber brings Velvet Elvis back to life this Thursday at Nick's Cafe in honor of Elvis week

See Also: - Velvet Elvis's Top 10 favorite Elvis songs in honor of the King's passing - Jonny Barber putting Velvet Elvis to rest with one last gig - Elvis Presley once flew to Denver in pursuit of Fool's Gold - Gym Elvis helped Denver Police Department build to be torn down Next Thursday will mar ... More >>

Guess where I'm drinking coffee with a classic 45 rpm vinyl coaster?

When you order breakfast or lunch at this cafe straight out of the Elvis era, your waitress will likely answer your request with "Okey-dokey, artichokey." And when ask for a cup of coffee, it'll arrive fresh and hot alongside a 45 rpm vinyl coaster. Can you guess where I'm drinking? Special bonus ... More >>

Walgreens claims another Denver landmark: Gym built by Elvis for DPD to be torn down

Update 3/30/12: Photo of Nading-Presley Memorial Gym plaque added. Jonny Barber is troubled. Last week, the former Velvet Elvis, the Mile High City's expert Elvis channeler and resident Elvistorian received news that the building that used to house the Nading-Presley Memorial Gym, which The King ... More >>

On Aspen Mountain, visiting memorial shrines is a tradition

Ten ways to enjoy newly decadent peanut butter

​There's terrible news on the peanut beat this week: "Peanut butter prices skyrocketing," screams the headline across the peanut butter world. And with the Fool's Gold Loaf now just a memory of the long-closed Colorado Mine Company restaurant, there's no single way to enjoy peanut butter that ... More >>

Velvet Elvis's Top 10 favorite Elvis songs in honor of The King's passing 34 years ago today

​Today's a historic day, in case you were wondering. Not only is it the 34th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, but today will mark the day that the Velvet Elvis, one of the country's top Elvis "emulators," comes to rest as well. In honor of the occasion, we asked the Velvet Elvis himself, ... More >>

Jonny Barber putting Velvet Elvis to rest with one last gig and a candlelight vigil next week

​Since birthing Velvet Elvis on Elvis Presley's birthday in 2004, Jonny Barber has gone on to sing at both Graceland and Sun Studios, he's met members of The King's band, as well as Larry Geller, Elvis's hair stylist and spiritual adviser, and he's had the pleasure of hearing first hand storie ... More >>

Did you know Elvis Presley once flew all the way to Denver in pursuit of Fool's Gold?

Surely you've heard the expression: "That's a heart attack waiting to happen"? While we're not inquiring enough to Google its origin, from the sounds of it, that phrase could very well have been coined to describe the Fool's Gold Loaf from the Colorado Mine Company that Elvis once flew to all the wa ... More >>

Wanda Jackson on working with Jack White and what she learned from Elvis

​Although she started out as a country singer, it didn't take Wanda Jackson long to learn the ways of rock and roll though some encouragement of a young Elvis Presley. Just out of high school, Jackson toured with Elvis during the mid '50s and soon became the first lady of rock and roll and roc ... More >>

Glee surpasses Elvis on the Hot 100, signaling the death of originality

Hey, Backbeat is asleep for the holiday, here's a song about it

Play 'em off, Elvis.​There will be a few posts between now and next week, but we'll officially see you back here on Monday, December 27. To play you out, here are two versions of "Blue Christmas," as requested by Westword food critic Laura Shunk.

Glee has more chart hits than anyone besides Elvis - and even the King better watch his back

The King?​Buried in blurbs about this week's chart, Billboard.biz had this somewhat alarming stat: The cast of Glee debuted three new songs in the Hot 100 this week, bringing the total number of songs they've had on the chart to 93. To put this figure in perspective, that's two more than Jam ... More >>

The Complete Elvis Presley Masters offers truth in advertising -- and then some

​ Alright, now this is a frightening proposition, just utterly frightening -- and mind you, this is coming from a guy who files taxes each year with somebody who actually has Elvis's visage tattooed on her person. I, perhaps more than most people, have a firm grasp on maniacal, inexplicable f ... More >>

The Flaming Lips giving Dark Side of the Moon another go at Bonnaroo

Speaking of festivals: Road trip, anybody? Who's up for making the trek out to Bonnaroo this summer? We've always wanted to go but the date always conflicted with the Westword Music Showcase and even if it didn't, there just didn't seem to be a compelling enough reason to jump in the hoopty and head ... More >>

Denver Blogs: Could the Broncos lose Elvis Dumervil, Tony Scheffler, Peyton Hillis, Chris Kuper and Brandon Marshall?

Elvis, don't leave the building!​It's the first Denver Blogs roundup of the week! In a mock-draft post, Mile High Report's Sayre Bedinger says it's not beyond the realm of possibility that Tony Scheffler, Peyton Hillis, Chris Kuper and Elvis Dumervil could join Brandon Marshall on the train o ... More >>

Elvis may be everywhere, but tonight he's at the Oriental.

Elvis is 75 today. Er, he would be, rather, if he wasn't, like, you know, dead and stuff. Things like this tend not to escape your attention, especially when you live with an Elvis fanatic (having Elvis's image permanently etched on your flesh does qualify you as a fanatic, right?) who circles the d ... More >>

The Rocket Room is an oasis of cool in Colorado Springs

The Rocket Room is an oasis of cool in Colorado Springs

Today's Featured Event: Escape to summertime indoors with the Velvet Elvis

Velvet Elvis shakes his pelvis at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret.​At one point in his life, Elvis Presley wanted nothing more than to be taken seriously as an actor. And although that never happened for the King, he did create his own genre of film -- although the genre died when he did; you can' ... More >>

Casino trots out Fakes Elvises to promote new gambling laws

No, you weren't seeing things. The Ghost of Fat Elvis, sadly, was not out shopping for new Nikes on the 16th Street Mall on Friday. That was "Gotta Get this Gig" fair, hosted by Fortune Valley Hotel and Casino in Central City. Replete with a free craps tutorials and Elvis impersonators, the even ... More >>

Today's Night & Day featured event: Newsflash -- Elvis is alive and kickin' at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret

Okay, it's not the actual born-in-1935, died-in-1977 king-of-rock-and-roll Elvis Presley. Instead, it's the next best thing: Velvet Elvis, aka Chris Barber. And at 8 p.m. every Wednesday night in February, he's lived at Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret, 1601 Arapahoe Street, where he shakes his pelvis ... More >>

Burnin' Love

Newsflash: Elvis is alive and kickin'!

The Berkshire is going bananas over Elvis

Elvis may have left the building, but his appetite lives on at the Berkshire. In honor of what would have been the King's 74th birthday tomorrow, the pork-pushing restaurant at 7352 East 29th Avenue is running a special Elvis promotion. From January 8-11, the Berkshire's "The King" sandwich -- ... More >>

I'll Have a Blue Christmas

A Hunka-Hunka Burnin' Love

Why Mexicans worship the King.

Hail to the King

Elvis's Vroom Service

Elvis Is Everywhere

The Lost Charlie Louvin Interview

Sonic Stew

Mighty 18 Wheeler

The Hornet

It's Now or Never

Lisa Marie Presley's belated rock-and-roll career couldn't have come at a better time.

Critic's Choice

El Vez

The Lost King

Seeking memories and meaning, Elvis fans flock to Memphis.

Off Limits

Riding with the King

The Paper Chase

Elvis is dead -- but Columbine lives on.

Best Place to Find Stocking Stuffers Year-Round

H. R. Meininger

Best Place to Score With a Sixty-Something Who Loves the King as Much as You Do

Lookin' Good Lounge & Restaurant