Elvis still remembered on his birthday years after his death

LAURINBURG — Elvis Presley would’ve been 87 years old on Saturday.

The “King of Rock and Roll” remains one of the most significant American cultural icons. At the height of his popularity, Presley changed the music world. He holds the record for the most records sold by a solo artist with 500 million, according to Guinness World Records.

At WLNC, the local oldies station, requests for Presley’s music come in all the time, Gary Gallman said. Scotland County’s favorite Presley song is Little Sister.

Terry Gallman said on days like today, they have “heavy Elvis days.”

“We play [a lot] of Elvis on his birthday and the anniversary of his death,” she said.

Presley died in August 1977. Before his death, Presley was scheduled to perform in Asheville at the Civic Center, according to the WNC Magazine, the show had sold out, but died ten days before the performance.

Presley, like the founders of Scotland County, could trace his roots back to Scotland. 61 years ago, Presley visited Prestwick in Scotland, according to a report in the Daily Record.

“It’s since been revealed that the Pressleys (sic) of Lonmay near Fraserburgh were linked to the Presleys of Tupelo, Mississippi, where Elvis was born. Andrew Presley, a blacksmith, from Lonmay, near Buchan, Aberdeenshire, had a son also called Andrew and emigrated to New Bern, North Carolina at the time of the Jacobite rebellion (1745/46) where he worked as a blacksmith, ” according to the paper.

Cheris Hodges can be reached at chodges@laiurinburgexchange.com.