MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Fans of Elvis Presley's are celebrating what would have been his 77th birthday with a cake-cutting ceremony and guitarist Jose Feliciano singing "Happy Birthday."
Feliciano, who was in town to cut an album of Elvis songs, sang "Love me Tender" and "Happy Birthday" in English and Spanish to about 500 fans.
The gathering at Graceland, the longtime Memphis home of the late rock and roll icon, on Sunday morning also featured a proclamation honoring Elvis by local dignitaries that was met with loud applause. Elvis was born Jan. 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Miss., and later moved to Memphis with his parents.
"Over a billion records sold," Memphis Mayor A C Wharton told the crowd. "And we all know that's plenty, how could one man rock so many?"
Fans from around the world were in attendance.
"I loved Elvis. I've been a fan since I was 17 years old and still carrying on his tradition," Pat Park from Scotland told WMC-TV in Memphis (http://bit.ly/wGgkUR).
The birthday celebration is the first in a string of events leading up to a remembrance of his death, which happened 35 years ago this August.
The three-day birthday celebration also included the opening on Jan. 5 of the new Graceland exhibit "Elvis on Tour."
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