Graceland Celebrates Elvis' Birthday

Tuesday, January 9th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) â€” Elvis Presley fans gathered this week at Graceland â€” where the king of rock 'n' roll lived and died â€” to mark what would have been the legend's 66th birthday.

Those most faithful to the man in the blue suede shoes cut an orange and green cake in his honor Monday, when a new string of prerecorded messages guiding visitors through Graceland was revealed. The audiotapes featured the voice of the king's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley.

The rocker, born Jan. 8, 1935, died at Graceland in 1977 at age 42.

Each birthday, fans cut a cake on the front lawn and tour the white-columned house that draws 650,000 visitors a year.

New items from Graceland's third floor, which remains off limits to tourists, also were unveiled. They included a desk from the king's upstairs office and a round, fuzzy bed that once graced a dressing area.