Elvis Statue To Be Unveiled July 26, 2007

A life-sized bronze statue of Elvis Presley, appearing in his famous beaded and studded costume he wore in a historic 1973 concert from Hawai'i, will be installed at the Neal Blaisdell Center at 10 a.m. July 26. The public may attend.

"With a great deal of affection, we're very excited to pay tribute to Elvis and that great event that was seen by 1.5 billion around the world," said Rob Pellizzi, senior vice president of marketing for TV Land, a cable channel devoted to classic and iconic TV programming.

The widely-viewed program, "Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii," was the first musical event beamed around the globe by satellite, reaching viewers in 40 countries, with an audience share of 51 in the U.S. The soundtrack album rocketed to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and earned a five-time platinum award for sales of more than 5 million. Since then, a DVD version also has become a keepsake.

"The connection with Elvis always has been remarkable worldwide," said Pellizzi. "In the Philippines, 92 percent of viewers watched; 70 percent in Hong Kong."

The statue installation and unveiling are keyed to the 30th anniversary of Presley's death on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42. The Honolulu concert - a TV "milestone" - is the reason Hawaii was selected to remember the rock music icon. Mayor Mufi Hannemann and entrepreneur Tom Moffatt are among Honolulu dignitaries who will participate in the statue unveiling. Larry W. Jones, TV Land president, also will be on hand.