On January 8, Elvis Presley would have turned 82 years old. His untimely death at the tender age of 42 shocked the nation and the world, but as Los Angeles music blogger Randy Lewis is fond of saying, "Elvis still lives." The worldwide celebrations scheduled for this weekend seem to prove Lewis' point.

Elvis lives through his music and his movies, but he's most alive in our memories. My friends and I used to dance in our living rooms, singing along with Elvis' records until we (and the records) were completely worn out. We saw every movie and bought every song. Some of my fondest memories feature an Elvis "soundtrack".

Most of us remember the first time we heard our favorite Elvis song. Or the excitement of seeing a larger-than-life Elvis on the movie screen. The very lucky ones even got to see him in concert. Since then, whole new generations of people have discovered Elvis. They're making new memories set to the music of Elvis Presley.

Which is why Elvis still lives. And always will.