You are absolutely right Alec, although i do feel that Elvis´s problem was with his management rather than his pursuit of commercial success. But with a few exeptions, i dont think Elvis done anything of real note for real music lovers after 1956. John Lennon nailed it when told of Elvis´s death he said "Elvis died the day he went in the army"
His records on the Sun label were absolutely amazing, i cant imagine how they must have sounded to middle class Bible belt America when they first come out....i think they were an important part of the civil rights movement.
But these problems of people selling out for commercial success are common. just about everyone does it in the end, The problem with Cliff is that he got so naff, that its hard to remember that he actually deserves his place in the British RnR hall of fame, but only because he had done his best work by the time he was 20. I listen to Move it and think what could have been...

Whats got 200 feet and smells of urine "the front row of a Cliff richard concert".... what a shame....