(Credits: Far Out / MGM)
Wed 25 March 2026 4:00, UK
Think of any legendary name across music history, and there’s a strong chance that they’ve covered Elvis Presley at some point. Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Tom Petty, and more all had a stab at breathing new life into ‘The King’s classics, many of which weren’t even originals to begin with.
That said, while it’s no secret that Presley wasn’t exactly the most original figure in music, his fiery stage presence and rock ‘n’ roll aura were enough to ignite the same fire in any given onlooker, many of whom became so enamoured that they made it their mission to follow in the same footsteps.
And as we know, many of those wide-eyed music lovers did actually end up making it as a name in their own right, because after all, countless musicians have cited Presley and his iconic performance on The Ed Sullivan Show as the seminal moment where everything clicked, including the likes of The Beatles, Elton John, and, of course, Suzi Quatro.
A self-proclaimed “Elvis freak”, Quatro was, like many of her peers, completely besotted when she first saw his Ed Sullivan performance. At the time, the excitement it evoked was simple: watching him perform with all the same rebellion and charisma she would later channel, all she remembers thinking at the time was, “I’m gonna do that.”
Of course, being a female musician, things wouldn’t be quite as simple as that. However, that wasn’t something that crossed Quatro’s mind, not then, anyway. Back then, she simply wanted to be a musician, and Presley quickly became her guiding principle that overpowered any potential challenges relating to gender, mainly because she never considered herself a “female musician” to begin with. As she once told Tidal, “I just thought of myself as a musician.”
Quatro’s love for Presley has remained deep across the entirety of her career. She’s covered him on most of her albums, and he remains a deep focal point for most aspects of her artistic expression. For instance, following Presley’s iconic Comeback Special in 1968, Quatro, like many others, ventured out immediately to buy a leather jacket, and her 1973 leather jumpsuit was also inspired by the singer’s rebellious leather-clad aesthetic.
As such, it only seems natural that Quatro would once be given the chance to meet the man himself – an invitation that came her way after he heard her cover of his classic tune, ‘All Shook Up’, and wanted to personally introduce himself to her at his iconic Graceland residence in Memphis. Recalling the conversation, Quatro said that Presley loved her version of the song so much that he even said it was “the best since my own”.
This was high praise coming from somebody whose covers were and still are ten a penny, and also goes to show that Presley, unlike many other major rock voices, wasn’t all that bothered by female musicians like Quatro cutting through the noise like many of their male counterparts. The only thing that mattered was whether or not the music was actually good, and Quatro evidently charmed Presley enough to earn his genuine admiration.
Funnily enough, however, Quatro actually turned down Presley’s offer to meet him, saying that she needed more time to prepare. Unfortunately, it turned out to be her only chance, as he then passed away only a handful of years later. Still, Quatro didn’t regret her decision, which probably had something to do with the fact she had gained his stamp of approval: enough for any “Elvis freak” to realise they’ve truly made it.
