A Lesson From Elvis

"The boy won't last," were just a few of the criticisms Elvis heard in the early years of his career. "Rock N Roll must go," nobody wanted to accept his interpretation of music. And at just 19 years old, a man but still a boy, I imagine the unacceptance was unsettling, devastating even.

Few believed in his dreams. Even his father, Vernon Presley, advised Elvis to learn a trade. "He had never seen a guitar player worth-a-damn." What he needed, said Vernon, was a job with a future, one that he could raise a family by. Be an electrician--they make a good union wage--learn that, Vernon said.

Can you imagine what the world of music, rather our culture, would look like today if "that boy" would have simply given up?

How many other artist would have been stifled by this failure? Dillon, Lennon, McCartney; the list of popular artists Elvis influenced is long and spans many generations. The loss would have been immense.

There will always be naysayers in our life; some forged out of good intentions and others from jealousy, but we must be true to ourselves first. Instinctively, Elvis knew this. He drove a truck for awhile, trying to conform to the world Vernon saw for "his" boy. He thought of marrying his high school sweet heart, planned to settle down and work a "respectable" 9 to 5 job.

In his soul, Elvis knew he was meant for more; he felt the drive to be more. "I knew something big was going to happen to me." Elvis had an insight, and most importantly, the drive to keep true to himself.

That's the hard part, isn't it, staying true? Especially when some would rather you stay in your lane, don't rock the boat, or make others uncomfortable. They would rather we keep the course, the exact path they too had to accepted.

Misery and defeat are the worse kind of company to keep.

We're aiming for the skies on Blue Suede Connection, we are going to get lost in the 50's! All weekend, you will hear the songs that broke the mold. Elvis will show us all how to keep the light of our dreams blazing, despite the opposition, and inspire us all to protect the small encouraging voice from within.

Turn it up! Let the flames grow.

Patricia

This blog is dedicated to all the dreamers; follow your dream, it's yours and it's divine.