![January 8th – Elvis’ Birthday + Steve Clark from Def Leppard Dies](http://townsquare.media/site/490/files/2013/01/Def-Lepp2-300x208.jpg?w=980&q=75)
January 8th – Elvis’ Birthday + Steve Clark from Def Leppard Dies
Today is January 8th. Every year this date rolls around and two celebrities come to mind, Elvis Presley and Steve Clark from Def Leppard. Two very different artists with similar endings; both Presley and Clark liked the substances. Today would have been Elvis’ 78th birthday or maybe it is? I joke, but truly I think Elvis did actually die. Although maybe he is working the night shift at the 7-11 in Tulsa along with Jim Morrison from the Doors. Seriously though, by all legitimate accounts, Presley died on August 16th of 1977. Presley’s next show after he died was to be at The Cumberland Civic Center in Portland, Maine on August 17th the very next night.
On this date 22 years ago, one of the guitarists from, I would say and so would everyone else who knew me from high school would say, my favorite band Def Leppard, passed away. Clark was a large part of the band's heyday and was featured on the two most memorable Def Leppard albums, 'Pyromania' and 'Hysteria.' Clark had written and laid down tracks for 'Hysteria’s' follow up 'Adrenalize,' but when it came to produce the album, Def Leppard’s other guitarist Phil Collen played the part of Clark. I remember hearing about Clark’s death working at a store but I'm not sure if it was from the radio or if I read it in the entertainment section of the newspaper.
There are too many great Def Leppard songs to give as my favorite but 'White Lightning' off of 'Adrenalize' was about Steve Clark, so here you go.
More From 92 Moose
![Augusta, Maine, Will Attempt to Set Record for Most Elvis Impersonators in One Place](http://townsquare.media/site/699/files/2023/07/attachment-GettyImages-52641894.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Matthew McConaughey Becomes ‘Agent Elvis’ In New Netflix Trailer](http://townsquare.media/site/442/files/2023/02/attachment-Agent_Elvis_S1_E1_00_04_09_11.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![50 Most Covered Songs of All Time](http://townsquare.media/site/252/files/2020/12/beatles-covered-songs.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Lisa Marie Presley’s Son, Benjamin Keough, Dies at 27](http://townsquare.media/site/204/files/2020/01/lisa-marie-presley-daughters-elvis-birthday.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Who Would You Like To See Perform In Maine In 2020?](http://townsquare.media/site/490/files/2017/09/Waterfront-Concerts.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Priscilla Presley Is Creating a Cartoon Series Where Elvis Is a Spy](http://townsquare.media/site/442/files/2019/08/elvis-spy-cartoon.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Donald Trump Said People Used to Say He Looked Like Elvis Presley](http://townsquare.media/site/295/files/2018/11/Trump-Elvis.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Two of Andy Warhol’s Most Iconic Portraits will be at Auction; ‘Triple Elvis’ + ‘Four Marlons’](http://townsquare.media/site/490/files/2013/02/gavel-on-table-Christopher-Furlong1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Major Bands’ Rejected Names](http://townsquare.media/site/490/files/2014/08/Green-Day.jpg?w=980&q=75)