Yesterday was the 80th anniversary of Elvis Presley’s birth and, for those Danish fans who couldn’t make it to Memphis, Randers was the place to be. Randers is home to Denmark’s only professional Elvis fan and his tribute to the King: Graceland Randers.
CNN reports that 2015 is also a significant year for Henrik Knudsen – it mark 25 years since he decided to earn his living from being an Elvis fan.
"I was a sales agent for a long time and I decided I didn't want to be that anymore,” Knudsen told CNN.
“I thought: imagine if I could be a full-time Elvis fan. I knew it was a big leap, but I felt like I just had to do it. And a few years later I was."
Randers, of all places
Knudsen built a replica of Graceland, Presley’s home from 1957 to his death in 1977, in his hometown of Randers. Twice the size of the original, it opened to the public in 2011 and houses an American diner, which serves all manner of high cholesterol delights, an Elvis museum and a souvenir shop.
Graceland Randers organised a sold-out birthday celebration yesterday at the Randers concert venue Værket, and Knudsen was excited in advance of the event.
"We have the TCB Band, which is the band he used from 1969 until his death. Then we have his backup singers, the Imperials, and we have his musical director, Joe Guercio,” he enthused.
"For them to be here in Randers, of all the places in the world, on his birthday, is pretty remarkable, I think."
