Quotes from the stars, what they said about Elvis Presley
"Before Elvis there was nothing. Nothing really affected me until I heard Elvis. If there hadn't been an Elvis, there wouldn't have been the Beatles." John Lennon
I doubt very much if The Beatles would have happened if it was not for Elvis."
Paul McCartney
He was the greatest who ever was, is or ever will be." Chuck Berry
"Without Elvis you're nothing." Madonna
"Elvis Presley was the sweetest, most humble and nicest man you'd want to know."
Muhammad Ali
"Elvis Presley is like the 'Big Bang' of Rock 'n' Roll. It all came from there."
Bono (From U2)
"Elvis was a major hero of mine. I was probably stupid enough to believe that having the same birthday as him actually meant something."
David Bowie
"No one will ever touch Elvis" Garth Brooks
“I wasn’t just a fan, I was his brother. He said I was good and I said he was good; we never argued about that. Last time I saw him was at Graceland. We sang Old Blind Barnabus together, a gospel song. I love him. There’ll never be another like that soul brother.
James Brown
"Elvis had an influence on everybody with his musical approach. He broke the ice for all of us."
Al Green
"Elvis was a giant and influenced everyone in the business." Isaac Hayes
"None of us could have made it without Elvis" Buddy Holly
"No-one, but no-one, is his equal, or ever will be. He was, and is supreme."
Mick Jagger
"He was fantastic... When he danced, the people danced, the girls would actually faint because of what he was doing. The people didn't care if he was white or black, he was a good artist and they felt his music."
Lavern Baker
"Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century. He introduced the beat to everything and he changed everything - music,language, clothes, it's a whole new social revolution - the 60's comes from it. Because of him a man like me barely knows his musical grammar anymore."
Leonard Bernstein
"Elvis was the only man from Northeast Mississippi who could shake his hips and still be loved by rednecks, cops, and hippies"
Jimmy Buffett
If life was fair, Elvis would be alive and all the impersonators would be dead.
Johnny Carson
"The first concert I attended was an Elvis concert. He made me realize the tremendous effect a performer could have on an audience." Cher
“It’s rare when an artist’s talent can touch an entire generation of people. It’s even rarer when that same influence affects several generations. Elvis made an imprint on the world of pop music unequaled by any other single performer.”
Dick Clark
"Elvis Presley was the first and the best. He is my favorite of all time." Bill Clinton
"When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew that I wasn't going to work for anybody; and nobody was going to be my boss...Hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail. The highlight of my career? That's easy, Elvis recording one of my songs."
Bob Dylan
"A truly good man who never forgot his friends or his fans." Liberace
"He was an instinctive actor...He was quite bright...he was very intelligent...He was not a punk. He was very elegant, sedate, and refined, and sophisticated."
Walter Matthau
"Elvis is the best ever, the most original. He started the ball rolling for us all. He deserves the recognition."
Jim Morrison
“That’s my idol, Elvis Presley. If you went to my house, you’d see pictures all over of Elvis. He’s just the greatest entertainer that ever lived. And I think it’s because he had such presence. When Elvis walked into a room, Elvis Presley was in the f---ing room. I don’t give a f--- who was in the room with him, Bogart, Marilyn Monroe.”
Eddie Murphy
"He epitomized America, and for that we shall be eternally grateful. There will never be anyone else like him. Let's all rejoice in his music." Ronald Reagan
"A Messiah comes around every few thousand years, and Elvis was it this time."
Little Richard
"Before Elvis, everything was in black and white. Then came Elvis. Zoom, glorious Technicolor."
Keith Richards
Paul Simon
"I think Elvis is the sexiest man to ever walk the earth, I love him." Britney Spears
"That Elvis, man, he is all there is. There ain't no more. Everything starts and ends with him. He wrote the book. But for him, I'd be selling encyclopedias right now. There have been a lotta tough guys. There have been pretenders. And there have been contenders. But there is only one king." "
Bruce Springsteen
"A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man’s music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis."
Jackie Wilson