Even 30 years after his untimely passing, when the name Elvis pops up we see a young, raw, tough-looking guy who changed the world, shaking his hips on stage and driving the girls wild! Forget about the fact that Grammy award winning and Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame inductee Elvis Costello deserves recognition and respect.

Ask, “Hey how about some Elvis songs!” at a party then follow it with the surname “Costello” while you’re requesting Elvis, and the vast majority will say “What! Costello, who’s that! Hey someone wants to hear Elvis songs!” The party goers erupt in cheers as the DJ quickly cues up a bunch of Elvis records.

Then there’s poor Puerto Rican Latin meringue singing sensation Elvis Crespo. You’d think even Hispanics like me who love his music would think of this multi-Grammy award winner when the name “Elvis” appears, but talk to any Hispanic, including my mother who doesn’t speak English, and they’ll tell you he’s been taking a backseat to the original Elvis since he was born; you see, his parents named him after Elvis Presley. The talent must be in the name. Both Costello and Crespo are regarded as heavy-hitting, big-time recording artists in the music business but their first names are weightless!

Elvis Presley still owns his own name and no one can take that away from him. Not in this generation or, for that matter, for many generations to come! I know one Elvis in my circle of friends and people make fun of his name all the time. He plays it off by curling his upper lip and doing his best Elvis Presley imitation. It’s no coincidence that he always “gets the girl” while everyone watches him leave the club in a cloud of smoke.