In the 1950s and ‘60s, Elvis Presley was at his peak, as millions of fans from the United States fell in love with his iconic pelvic thrusts and groovy tunes.

But on the other side of the world, Chinese leaders raised concerns about the "King of Rock and Roll”, and the government's first action was to denounce the popular music genre as pornography.  

China was one of the only places in the world that did not release Presley's music at the time of its initial release, said Anders Nelsson, managing director of BMG Pacific Ltd., the Hong Kong-based company that eventually distributed his albums in the country. 

During the Cultural Revolution in China, the few Elvis fans who managed to get their hands on his records often saw the material set ablaze by Red Guards. 

But that didn’t stop the Cat King as he was better known later in China from rising to the top of the charts in the Philippines, Japan, South Korea, India, Singapore, as well as in Hong Kong. 

Finally in 1977, Presley's classic 1958 album, "Golden Hits," was released in China, with hit songs like "Jailhouse Rock", "All Shook Up" and "Heartbreak Hotel." 

All 20,000 cassette tapes were sold out in six days on it’s initial release, and later another 30,000 was pre-sold on the second scheduled run, said Kenny Bloom, president of BMG's China licensee, KB Communications.   

This year marks Presley's 40th death anniversary. But some still refuse to believe he's dead, even as many from all over the world gathered to commemorate this occasion at his Graceland mansion in Memphis.

On August 16, 1977, Elvis Presley died of a sudden heart attack at 42, and within hours, thousands surrounded his home in Memphis, Tennessee, to mourn the loss. 

In Hong Kong, a unique fanclub continues to celebrate the life and legacy of the Cat King. It comprises some 120 members from all walks of life including bus drivers, doctors, lawyers, Japanese performers, a Myanmar obstetrician, businessmen, and of course Elvis impersonators.

Of those impersonators, Melvis Kwok Lam-sang, better known in Hong Kong as Melvis the Elvis, stands out the most. He has been doing Elvis shows for nearly two decades now. Shy about his age, Kwok is believed to be between the ages of 45-61 years old, and owns 20 sparkly suits, two guitars and a black wig sprouting outsized sideburns. He can be found in the alleys of the Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo neighborhoods, where he'll burst into an occasional song.

Today, Presley's popularity in China has dwindled as the country embraces more modern western pop acts, but his Chinese fans continue to celebrate Elvis' legacy in their own way, despite their small number.

As shown in the video above, Hong Kong impersonators were marking the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death.  This video was created 20 years ago and has not received the same popular vote as when Elvis’ album was first released in China. To date, the video only received 277 hits on YouTube. 

Make not mistake, the power of Presley still lives on, even 40 years after his death.

This year’s anniversary will see a 10-day event filled with live concerts, exhibitions and sounds from the 24-hour Elvis Radio. Organizers are expecting some 30,000 attendees, with special guests like Wanda Jackson, Bill Medley, Jerry Schilling, and the music legend's former wife Priscilla Presley. 

Wrapping up the event will be a candlelight vigil, in which fans will walk from Elvis' mansion to his grave.

Join CGTN for the live streaming of the 40th anniversary of Elvis’ death at the link below.

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