BILL & SUE-ON HILLMAN: A 60-YEAR MUSICAL ODYSSEY
Hillman Book Project: ~ Roots Section and Gigs Section
Presents
THE KING IS DEAD
www.hillmanweb.com/elvis/AUGUST 16, 1977
AUGUST 16, 1977
From the Gig Notes Section of our Hillman Musical Odyssey book:
THE KING IS DEAD!
On the last night of our second performing tour in England (August 16, 1977) we returned to our B&B room just as a terrific storm hit which coincided at 10:30 with shocking news on the radio -- the death of Elvis Presley.A surreal evening: the hotel keeper and roomers were crying in grief, thunder and lightning crashed, the storm flooded the streets and even closed down much of the tube system. To add to the solemnity of the evening, BBC-TV reverently signed off with Elvis' "How Great Thou Art."
FLY AWAY
On the morning after the news of Elvis' death we hit the streets of London early. Every newspaper displayed, "King is Dead" headlines. We bought papers and all the English-pressed Elvis records I could find before we took a train to Gatwick Airport to fly home.
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DEATH
Elvis Presley's family decided to remain tight-lipped about the results of his autopsy for 50 years, triggering speculation. Here is what the doctor, who attended the autopsy, has said about the death.
When Elvis Presley died suddenly on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42, leaving hundreds of thousands of his fans heartbroken and family members devastated, many people were curious about his untimely demise. He was found lying face down on the bathroom floor of his Graceland home with his pajama bottoms around his ankles. Elvis's family kept mum on the cause of his death and they decided to remain tight-lipped about the results of his autopsy for 50 years. It is certain that the Mississippi legend's health worsened dramatically in the last years of his life.Memoir of Elvis Presley's girlfriend
Elvis Presley's girlfriend Ginger Alden, who was 21 at the time, found the body of the rock and roll star lying on the floor of his bathroom. According to the 'Mirror', she wrote in her memoir, "His arms lay on the ground, close to his sides, palms facing upward. It was clear that, from the moment he landed on the floor, Elvis hadn't moved."Expressing her horror, she wrote in the book, "I gently turned his face toward me. A hint of air expelled from his nose. The tip of his tongue was clenched between his teeth and his face was blotchy. I gently raised one eyelid. His eye was staring straight ahead and blood red."
Speculations
A slew of speculation was triggered after the family of he King of Rock and Roll ordered to seal the autopsy report for 50 years. Dan Warlick, Chief Investigator for the Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner, attended the autopsy and fueled the controversy further.Death Due to Constipation
He said that as the result of years of prescription drug abuse and high-fat and high-cholesterol intake, Presley suffered chronic constipation. As he forcefully attempted to defecate, his abdominal aorta was compressed, shutting down his heart."Drug Overdose?
Some others disagreed and said that the rock and roll superstar died of a drug overdose. But when the investigation was reopened in 1994, coroner Joseph Davis disagreed. He pointed out that the position of Elvis Presley's body was such that he was about to sit down on the commode when the seizure occurred. Davis said further that Presley pitched forward onto the carpet, his rear in the air, and was dead by the time he hit the floor.FAQs
When did Elvis Presley die?
Elvis Presley died suddenly on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42. His death was so sudden and unexpected that hundreds of thousands of his fans were shocked.How did Elvis Presley die?
Dan Warlick, Chief Investigator for the Tennessee Office of the State Chief Medical Examiner said that as the result of years of prescription drug abuse and high-fat, high-cholesterol gorging, Presley suffered chronic constipation. As he forcefully attempted to defecate, his abdominal aorta was compressed, shutting down his heart.
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