
There are many ways to describe the beauty of Elvis Presley, and none of them feel exaggerated. Physically, he was blessed with a rare harmony of features, the kind that seemed almost unreal. But what gives that beauty real meaning are the stories shared by those who truly knew him. Over the years, I have spoken with people who spent not minutes, but seasons of their lives beside him. Among them was Kathy Westmoreland, his soprano singer and a dear friend, who knew him not only professionally but personally. I also had conversations with Joe Esposito, his closest friend and road manager, someone who witnessed Elvis in moments the world never saw.
Through these voices, a different Elvis emerges. Not the untouchable icon, but a man of warmth and deep feeling. I met Priscilla Presley, the woman who knew him as husband and as the father of her child, and through her presence alone, you could sense how layered his humanity truly was. These encounters painted a picture of someone generous to a fault, emotionally open, and profoundly devoted to the people around him. His beauty lived just as much in his kindness as it did in his appearance.
In January of 2017, I finally walked through his home. Standing inside the Trophy Room at Graceland, there was a stillness that felt almost alive. It was not imagination. It was presence. I felt something gentle and unmistakable, as though the walls still carried his gratitude, his longing, and his joy. That same feeling returns to me at times when I perform, a quiet sense of connection that feels less like memory and more like continuation.
I have been blessed to record two songs written for Elvis by Mike Stoller of Leiber and Stoller, a gift that made his spirit feel even closer. More than forty years after his physical passing, his beauty continues to move forward through the faces of those who dance to his music, through the awe of those who discover him for the first time, and through the hearts of those who feel him still. Elvis gave his life to his music and to his fans, whom he truly adored. And in return, his beauty never left.