Thousands of Elvis devotees, candles in hand, walked in the humid night to the graves of Elvis and his relatives, some wiping away tears as they filed past. The vigil is the main draw of "Elvis Week," and some waited hours outside the stately mansion for the procession to start.
Penna, who met her Brazilian husband in an Elvis fan club, cried and hugged him, her sister and aunt after paying her respects.
She said Elvis songs have helped her family though good and bad. All four have Elvis tattoos.
"Elvis music keeps the family together," said Penna, who also was born on Aug. 16 and will celebrate her 27th birthday Tuesday. Fans like 60-year-old Joe Makowski — who claims he saw Elvis in concert 81 times — and his girlfriend, Pamela Hembree, were among the first in line and waited for hours along Graceland's outer brick wall. Some wore full Elvis outfits, others just his trademark sunglasses or sideburns.
Patrick Lucas sported sideburns and pompadour going as he walked to the vigil with the rest of the Elvis Presley Fans of Alabama, a club he joined on the Internet. About 15,000 to 20,000 people attended, according to estimates by police and an Elvis Presley Enterprises spokesman — nothing near the 75,000-strong crowd that's expected to flock to Graceland in 2012 for the 35th anniversary of the singer's death.
The annual vigil began when some Elvis fans traveled to Graceland the year their idol died. It was 55 years ago — 1956 — when the first two Elvis albums were released. That year alone, Elvis sold 10 million singles and 800,000 LPs.
Glenys Sites said she still remembers watching Elvis perform "Love Me Tender" for the first time.
"I was bawling non-stop," said Moller, who makes Elvis T-shirts and is now attending her 15th vigil.
Elvis Presley died 34 years ago, and still, thousands gather at Graceland to remember him. A candlelight vigil began Monday night and continued past midnight, into Tuesday, August 16, marking the anniversary of the death. People traveled from across the globe. A woman came from Brazil because she said Elvis kept her family together with his music. A man said Elvis helped him break out of his shell. Elvis Presley, to this day, still charms, fascinates, and brings a tear to the eyes of thousands. Elvis fans are unlike any other. On the eve of the 34th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, thousands still gathered at Graceland to pay homage to the King.
When I really didn't think I had any friends, there was Elvis," Rowe said.
For Ann McClain from Horn Lake, this is a continuation of her years following Elvis around Memphis.
They've converted an old beanie baby shelf into an Elvis shrine. Pat Roberts from Oxford, England, made a '50s-style dress from fabric with Elvis's face on it. Many were pleased to see so many younger fans continue to come each year, preserving the legacy of Elvis Presley.
About 30,000 to 40,000 fans are in town for Elvis Week.