When Elvis Presley died 40 years ago on 16 August 1977 as his career was declining, a cynical music sector professional commented on his death as, “a right career step”.
Whether this was said or not, his death meant a “boom in sales” for Elvis and many other music legends. Also, these deaths created a market for entrepreneurs to sell collectables for the fans. Elvis’ legend and revenue were always strong. According to Forbes “dead stars who still earn money” list, Elvis Presley earned 27 million dollars in 2016 and sold 1 million albums. The star who died of a heart attack when he was 42 years old was known for his unhealthy eating habits. The people close to him said that his favorite sandwich was bacon, fried ice cream and jam.
These sandwiches were turned into a business in Denmark by a “professional Elvis Presley fan”. Henrik Knudsen built the copy of Elvis’ “Graceland” home in Memphis and sold 11 thousand “Elvis Sandwich” to the visitors last year. 53-year-old Knudsen said he visited Elvis’ house 106 times: “When he died, I was 13 years old but I was not a big fan back then. I realized that his death was a great deal”. Knudsen formed a successful fan base in Denmark and managed to open a copy of Graceland in 2011.
In December 2015, he changed the name from “Graceland Randers” to “Memphis Mansion”. Henrik Knudsen who refused to talk about the details of the lawsuit hosted 150 thousand visitors last year. The adult entrance fee is 60TL and Elvis Sandwiches are sold around 40TL. “He was different than everything and I became a fan”. another Elvis fan who earns money on his hero is Sid Shaw from London. Shaw is the owner of a website called Elvisly Yours and sells Elvis souvenirs to fans in more than 50 countries. 71-year-old Sid told the first day he listened to the rock legend as follows: “I first heard him on Radio Luxembourg. Elvis was out and he was different than anything I heard before and I became a fan.”
Sid started to make Elvis busts when he died in 1977 and created a fan club in 1978: “In those days, Elvis Presley was not a brand and when I applied for the “Elvis” royalty it was declined because it was too general. I got the next best option which was “Elvisly Yours”. Sid said he bought 38 other brands in the UK to legally protect his brand.
GRACELAND
Entrance fee: 57.50 dollars for adults Annual number of visitors: 500 thousand Daily number of visitors for July: 4 thousand Contribution to Memphis economy: 150 million dollars per year
While Elvis fans generally belong to the same generation as the famous star, the reggae legend Bob Marley has a wider fan base. Bob Marley’s name is synonymous with Jamaica. The tourism director of the country Paul Pennicook says, “Bob Marley is more than just being a child of this country… He is an icon.”
Marley’s legend is managed by The Bob Marley Group company owned by the country and includes Bob Marley Museum. The museum in Kingston, the capital of Jamaica and converted from a famous singer’s house welcomes more than 36 thousand visitors every year. The adult entrance fee is 25 dollars.