'Elvis would be laughing about when I snubbed him'

Suzi Quatro hails Elvis Presley as the inspiration behind her successful rock 'n' roll career

Rock veteran Suzi Quatro says she believes Elvis Presley is laughing in heaven about the time she snubbed the opportunity to meet him.

The singer, who lives near Chelmsford, Essex, denied being "All Shook Up" by an invitation to Graceland, instead insisting she was "very busy".

Detroit-born Quatro, 74, inspired a generation of female singers when she donned a leather jump suit and picked up her bass guitar back in the Sixties.

Speaking to BBC Essex on what would have been Elvis' 90th birthday, she said her idol was "a blessing to the world".

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935, Elvis recorded some of the defining songs of the 1950s rock 'n' roll era, including Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes and many more.

Quatro said her life changed at the age of five when she watched him perform on the television.

"He was the original rock and roller where people looked at him and thought 'what's he doing?'," the singer-turned-broadcaster said.

"He brought that electric, dangerous element to the music industry."

Quatro said Elvis enjoyed hearing her rendition of All Shook Up

Quatro came to Elvis' attention when her own version of All Shook Up was played on the radio.

Impressed by what he heard, the King of Rock 'n' Roll personally invited her to his Memphis home in 1974 - but she did not accept his offer.

Quatro explained: "I was on tour and the phone rang in my hotel room and it was Elvis' people.

"I thought 'well this is a joke', but all of a sudden he came on the line and, well, you could've knocked me over with a feather."

'Spiritual'

The former BBC Radio 2 presenter recounted how Elvis swooned over her rendition of his hit, saying it was "the best since my own".

She added: "[He said] I'd like to invite you to Graceland while you're in town and I replied 'I'm very busy'.

"It wasn't because I was scared, I just wasn't quite ready to meet him yet."

Quatro became a huge success marrying the double-tracked drums of glam rock to the strolling bass lines of Motown

Quatro said Elvis was "up there laughing right now", stressing he was not offended by the rejection.

She never got to meet her idol, finding out about his death in 1977 while watching the news in a hotel room.

However, she said she had no regrets about turning down the chance to meet him.

"I think I wasn't supposed to meet him, instead he was a spiritual thing on my shoulder during my whole career."