When did Elvis become a rock legend?

Answer 1

Maybe it was after that '68 special on TV. He had already done a lot up to that point, been a top recording star, acted in the movies, served in the military, and had really been important in bringing rock and roll to the forefront of popular music.
In 1968 he had a nationally broadcast comeback special. Elvis looked and sounded great. He proved on that show that he still had it, was still the king. He followed that special with a couple of great albums, From Elvis in Memphis was one. He got back on the charts with In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds.
After that he became the Vegas Elvis, performing concerts around the world to hundreds of thousands of fans. But it was pretty much down hill after Burning Love came out in 1972.