Fans to celebrate Elvis's time in the army

Fans will commemorate Elvis Presley the soldier when they gather to celebrate his birthday on January 8.

Hundreds are expected at his former Graceland home in Memphis for the 67th anniversary of his birth.

Spokesman Todd Morgan said it was right to focus on Presley's military service following the US terror attacks. Presley served for two years in the Army, discharged with the rank of sergeant in 1960.

Morgan said: "Elvis was a patriot."

A birthday dance on Tuesday is being billed as GI, Red, White and Blues.

During the dance, Presley's film GI Blues will play on a big screen in a hotel ballroom decorated with a patriotic red, white and blue theme.

The birthday party generally draws several hundred fans each year from around the country and abroad, Morgan said.

Graceland draws some 700,000 visitors a year, and estate managers say the fan clubs play a big role in keeping Presley's memory alive.

The singer died at age 42 in 1977.