The Peter Pan of Pop has credited Elvis Presley with inspiring him to pursue a profession in music.
Cliff Richard has credited Elvis Presley for uplifting him to pursue music (Picture: Getty Photos)
As one of many biggest singers in British music historical past, Sir Cliff Richard has bought greater than 250 million information worldwide. For years, the musician has credited Elvis Presley for being the inspiration that pushed him to pursue a profession in music. So it got here as fairly a shock a couple of years in the past when the 85-year-old revealed the true purpose he turned down a chance to satisfy his idol in particular person.
Throughout an interview on This Morning in 2023, the Residing Doll singer revealed {that a} journalist provided him the prospect to satisfy Elvis, however he needed to push again on the assembly as a result of “he’d placed on lots of weight”. Richard defined: “I assumed, ‘If I am having {a photograph} taken with him and it should be hanging on my refridgerator then he is received to look good’. After which in fact, I put it off after which he died.”
The Residing Doll singer got here below fireplace for his “fats shaming” feedback (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Alison responded: “You must by no means have put it off simply because they’re slightly bit heavier,” to which he responded: “You must take the prospect to satisfy your idols even when they’ve placed on weight.”
Understandably, the singer – who solely eats one meal a day – obtained important backlash for his feedback on-line. However through the years, the musician has showered the Hound Canine hitmaker with reward.
An excerpt from A Head Stuffed with Music revealed in The Guardian remembers the fateful day in Might 1956 when Cliff and his buddies Norman Mitham and Terry Sensible first heard “the alien-sounding music” of Elvis for the very first time.
He wrote: “It was a French automobile, a inexperienced Citroën, with a cool curved again. You didn’t see a lot of these in rural Hertfordshire, so we headed over to it for a gawp. After which, wafting by means of the open entrance window, we heard the tune enjoying on the automobile radio. ‘We-e-e-e-ll, since my child left me…’.”
He continued: “Wow! I had by no means heard something prefer it in my life! Norman, Terry and I spent the entire afternoon gabbing about how nice it had sounded, and the way we needed to discover out what it was.
Elvis Presley died on the age of 42 resulting from a cardiac arrest (Picture: Corbis by way of Getty Photos)
“Elvis appeared like he was singing for me. To me. No person my age, no teenager, would ever have been impressed by Frank Sinatra or Bing Crosby, or needed to be like them.
“Elvis was completely different. He sounded so younger, so cool, and so now, and his voice minimize by means of every thing else. He sounded passionate and highly effective. He appeared like he had secrets and techniques that you simply wanted to study.”
He continued: “Instantly, he obsessed me. I began looking for out every thing about Elvis that I may. After I first noticed {a photograph} of him, I couldn’t imagine how cool he appeared – that quiff! That curled lip!”
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Since lacking out on his alternative to satisfy the famed rock and roll star, Richard has spent a “attractive” intimate night wining and eating The King’s ex-wife, Priscilla Presley, 80.
Final yr, the singer-songwriter discovered himself in New Zealand on his world tour when he ran into Priscilla, and so they determined to make an evening of it. The Peter Pan of pop recalled: “What a stunning night spent collectively. I cherish these moments – they mild up my life.”
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