Fans heading to Graceland for Presley's birthday

MEMPHIS — Elvis Presley fans will be gathering at Graceland to honor the late rock 'n' roll icon's 79th birthday.

Television personality Wink Martindale, a friend of Presley's, is expected to attend Wednesday's celebration at Graceland, the singer's longtime Memphis home. The event will feature a cake cutting and the singing of "Happy Birthday" by 16-year-old David Thibault of Quebec, Canada.

Presley was born in Tupelo, Miss., on Jan. 8, 1935, and moved to Memphis with his parents at age 13. He was 42 when he died Aug. 16, 1977.

Presley recorded his first song "That's All Right" at Sun Studio in 1954. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the recording and the first radio airplay of the single by disc jockey Dewey Phillips on the "Red, Hot, and Blue" show.

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