Remembering the Day Elvis Presley, King of Rock & Roll, Died at Age 42

Elvis Presley — the undisputed King of Rock & Roll, who left one of the largest-looming musicians of any genre — died on Aug. 16, 1977 at the age of 42.

His untimely and unexpected death rocked fans across the world. But his music lived on, and left a massive imprint on a wide swath of genres, artists and styles.

How Did Elvis Presley Die?

In the early hours of Aug. 16, 1977, Presley was preparing for a flight that evening from Memphis, Tenn. to Portland, Me. He was scheduled to play a show there before embarking on a series of scheduled tour dates.

Read More: 40 Country Singers Who Died Tragically Young

According to Elvis Australia, the singer retired to his master suite at about 7AM in order to rest before catching his plane that night. Hours later, his fiancée Ginger Alden discovered him unresponsive on the floor of the bathroom in his master suite, per People.

First responders' efforts to revive Presley were unsuccessful, and he was transported to Memphis' Baptist Hospital via Fire Department ambulance, Memphis' Commercial Appeal reports. He was pronounced dead at 3:30PM.

What Was Elvis Presley's Cause of Death?

At the time, the New York Times reported that "preliminary autopsy findings" showed "cardiac arrythmia" as the cause of Presley's death.

Shelby County Medical Examiner Dr. Jerry Francisco, who conducted the autopsy, was unable to initially determine the cause of the arrythmia, though Presley had some family history of heart trouble (his mother, Gladys Presley, had died of a heart attack at age 46.) Francisco did state that Presley had a history of "mild hypertension" and that he found "evidence of coronary artery disease."

Read More: 10 Elvis Presley Facts That Even Fans Might Not Know

There was speculation that drug use played into Presley's death, and the Commercial Appeal reported not long after that lab reports had indicated there were 14 drugs found in his system at the time he died. Those included "near toxic levels" of codeine, morphine and Placidyl.

Two months later, drug overdose was ruled out as Presley's cause of death in a report published in the New York Times, with Dr. Francisco reiterating that the singer's death was "hypertensive heart disease, with coronary artery disease as a contributing factor."

Read More: Elvis Presley's Daughter Lisa Maria Remembers the Day He Died

However, Presley's prescription drug use was later suggested to have more to do with his death than initially reported. According to PBS, two other pathologists associated with the autopsy ultimately stated that the examination also revealed evidence of diabetes, glaucoma and "severe and chronic constipation."

Today, it is thought that Presley's drug use and the strain of a punishing touring schedule likely exacerbated his heart problems.

What Legacy Did Elvis Presley Leave Behind When He Died?

It's difficult to overstate the lasting impact Elvis Presley left on music and pop culture. He was a pioneering figure in rock, pop, rockabilly and country music who helped define those genres and influenced many others.

He was among the best-selling artists in history, and won three Grammy Awards plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 36. In 2018, Presley was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Read More: Which Country Artists Are in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame?

After his death, a crowd of approximately 25,000 of his family, friends and fans flocked to Graceland, hoping to catch a glimpse of Presley before he was interred on the property. U.S. President Jimmy Carter issued a statement in which he said that the singer's death "deprives our country of a part of itself."

In country music, Presley's career was an essential piece of the genre's story. He was successful in the country market early on in his career, and opened the genre up to a younger generation of fans.

Elvis Presley was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998.