Presley's assistant dies

07/03/2006 - 17:30:56
Elvis Presley's longtime collaborator and pal Charlie Hodge has died in Knoxville, Tennessee, aged 71.

The guitarist formed a friendship with Presley when they served time together in the US army in Germany and went on to appear with his pal in a series of 1960s movies.

Hodge also became Presley's onstage assistant, and appeared alongside the rocker during his fabled 1968 comeback special.