Rhythm guitar player John Wilkinson, who performed with Elvis Presley more than a thousand times, has died at his home in southwest Missouri. He was 67.

Wilkinson passed away Friday at his home in Springfield after a fight with cancer, according to a family spokesman and the Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Priscilla and Lisa Marie Presley offered their "deepest sympathy" to his family, saying in a statement that "John and the beautiful music he made with Elvis will live forever in our hearts."

Wilkinson first met Elvis Presley when he was 10 years old after sneaking into his dressing room before a show at the Shrine Mosque in Springfield. He amused Presley when he told him, "You can't play guitar worth a damn."

Family friend and spokesman Gary Ellison said a Springfield history museum recalled the pair's meeting in an exhibit that ran until about three weeks ago.

"John loved to tell that story," Ellison, a fellow musician, said Friday.

After the chance meeting, Wilkinson developed a name for himself as a singer and guitarist, performing with such groups as The New Christy Minstrels.

He was 23 when Presley saw him perform on a television show in Los Angeles in 1968, and asked him to join the TCB Band – not knowing he was the youngster who insulted his playing a decade earlier, Ellison recalled.

Wilkinson went on to play 1,200 shows as Presley's rhythm guitar player until the legendary singer's death in 1977.

"John considered Elvis more as a friend than as a boss," Ellison said.

Even after suffering a stroke in 1989 that left him unable to play the guitar, Wilkinson continued singing with fellow musicians, including the old TCB Band (the acronym stood for Taking Care of Business), and also made a living in retail and airline services management.

"He was honestly one of the best acoustic guitar players I'd ever heard," Ellison recalled, adding that Wilkinson kept in touch with many of the performers from the folk music era in the late 1960s and early `70s.

A statement from the family, released through Ellison, said Wilkinson also was proud of the fact that he never turned down a request for an autograph.

"It didn't matter if he was meeting adoring fans, joking with Chuck Berry about keeping his B-string in tune, or if he was talking to a neighbor about her dog, people were people to him," the statement said.

It's been exactly two years since the series finale of "Lost" and you probably still love it/hate it as much as you did that night. No matter your stance on "Lost's" mystical ending, the fact that a series could polarize fans so instantly means that it did its job -- even if you didn't get all the answers you wanted. The "Lost" series finale will go down as one of the most controversial in TV history, and that's saying a lot. But was it one of the best series finales? With the "Lost" anniversary and "House" and "Desperate Housewives" both recently being laid to rest, HuffPost TV thought it'd be a good time to round up the most iconic, hilarious, touching and perfect series finales of all time -- click through our gallery to see what we deemed the top 14. Then, share your thoughts in the comments.

ABC’s reality dating game show series, which includes “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette,” is expected to face a class-action lawsuit this week for racial discrimination due to its failure of featuring minority contestants on the show.

According to TMZ, attorneys for Nathaniel Claybrooks and Christopher Johnson will file the complaint in federal court on Wednesday morning against ABC production companies Warner Horizon Television, Next Entertainment, NZK Productions and “Bachelor” executive producer Mike Fleiss.

Sources tell the site that both plaintiffs attended a Nashville audition at a local hotel claiming that a producer questioned their attendance before leaving the two out of the normal audition process. Both believe their race led to the producer’s decision to not contact them following the audition.

The show’s lack of diversity over the course of 23 seasons has raised a few questions in recent years as to why there has never been a non-white bachelor. Last year show creator, Fleiss told Entertainment Weekly that he and his production team are always looking to cast for ethnic diversity, “it’s just that for whatever reason, they don’t come forward. I wish they would.”

Keane's new video for their latest single "Disconnected" looks like it could have been a deleted scene from 1979's "Amityville Horror."

Inspired by '70s horror classics, the video was filmed in an actual haunted house in Barcelona, Spain.

The visuals for "Disconnected," the second single off the British band's latest album Strangeland, were co-directed by Spanish directors Juan Antonio Bayona and Sergio G Sanchez. Baynoa and Sanchez both worked together on 2007 horror movie "The Orphanage."

Fans of Keane may notice that the band's new material is geared heavily toward the pop-rock sound of their last album Perfect Symmetry, but the band has said that there will be elements from their first two studio albums on Strangeland.

"Sonically, I think it's probably close to Under The Iron Sea," bandmate Tim Rice-Oxley said during a 50 Fan Questions video segment. "I think there are elements of all three albums as you'd expect, but I think Under The Iron Sea had a very good balance of that really strong, emotional core but also some amazing soundscape and a lot of energy peeks and also some really intimate moments like 'Hamburg Song' and 'Try Again.'"

Keane also cited The Vaccines and their debut album as an inspiration for Strangeland, which eventually led them to work with The Vaccines producer Dan Grech.

Are we living in the future that Kraftwerk once imagined?

It's become something of a cliché to say so, now that the German pioneers of electronic music have been inducted into the art-world canon thanks to an eight-date engagement at the Museum of Modern Art that wraps up Tuesday.

But what do we really mean when we say that Kraftwerk predicted our present?

Certainly, today's music owes a debt to the music Kraftwerk -- and Kraftwerk alone -- was making back in the 1970s and early '80s. It's compulsory to mention that hip-hop founding father Afrika Bambaataa sampled Kraftwerk in his early track "Planet Rock," but Kraftwerk's influence can be heard everywhere from Coachella's Sahara tent, where the festival's biggest house and dubstep DJ's perform, to Top 40 radio, where Rihanna, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry can be heard crooning over synthetic bloops and blips.

(I can remember hearing Fatboy Slim's subtly sampled "Praise You" not long after it came out -- sometime in 1998 -- and thinking, "My God, everything has changed. No one will ever settle for music made without digital trickery again." Of course, I was wrong -- but not entirely. And even though that was 14 years ago, it was also almost a quarter century after Kraftwerk released its groundbreaking album, Autobahn.)

Kraftwerk's Rolf Hütter is too smart to claim credit for inventing electronic music. "We're the antenna catching information, the transmitter giving information, back and forth," he told The New York Times in a recent interview. But Kraftwerk gets credit for being first. At a time when music's biggest names were rocking arenas, igniting disco infernos, hopping the soul train or leaving the lite on, Hütter and his bandmates (he's the only original member left) were trying to sound like computers.

What made them do that?

For one thing, they needed a differentiator -- what used to be called gimmick. No one else was making pop music that sounded like it originated on a mainframe. But it's also true that, for Germans in the 1970s, looking forward was probably a lot more fun than looking back. If the past was defined by political catastrophe, and the present by tension and division, perhaps the future would be better. And if it wasn't going to be better -- was, in fact, going to be even worse -- who better to warn of the dangers than four Germans whose society had been through the fires of hell?

Interns are so hot right now. On the heels of the news that Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson will co-star in the comedy "The Internship," comes word that Tina Fey will lead "The Intern." Deadline.com reports that Fey is attached to star in the new comedy from writer-director Nancy Meyers.

The film will apparently focus on a platonic friendship between a businesswoman and her 70-year-old male intern. No word yet on which elder actor will star in the film, but apparently Meyers already has someone on her radar. Considering she's worked with Jack Nicholson in the past, just start crossing your fingers now that the soon-to-be 75-year-old actor is Meyers' choice. After all, who wouldn't want to see Fey battle wits with Jack onscreen?

This is the second Meyers project announced in the last day. She's also going to direct "The Chelsea" with star Felicity Jones. That film was written by Meyers' daughter. Whether "The Chelsea" or "The Intern" will shoot first is unclear, but the idea is to start filming "The Intern" in the first quarter of 2013.

For more on the project, including why Meyers wanted to make the film with Fey, head over to Deadline.com.

Sofia Vergara made her SNL debut this week with a hilarious open monologue and a cleavage-friendly outfit.

The 'Modern Family' star talked immigrating to America from Colombia and how "everyone was so nice ... this country welcomed me with open arms and pulled-down pants."

She also discussed her trademark accent.

"This accent can make anything sound sexy," she said.

We can't argue with that.

Rihanna has officially thrown her hat in the ring for the role of Whitney Houston if there is ever to be a biopic and a role to be played.

Reports recently abounded that record label executive Clive Davis was heading up efforts to make a biographical film to honor his close friend, but Davis has since denied the rumors.

Rihanna was reportedly being considered for the role, but she recently revealed that she would "love" to portray the legend.

"That would be something that I would have to give my entire life to do because I would want to really pull it off," Rihanna told The Press Association. "That's a huge, huge role and whoever does it has to do a good job."

Rihanna was on the short list of contenders for the role, along with Jennifer Hudson, Vivica Fox and "Sparkle" star Jordin Sparks. Brandy was also mentioned in some reports.

Though Rihanna may lack acting experience compared to the other candidates, she's not completely new to the industry. The Talk That Talk singer is set to debut her acting abilities in her first film, "Battleship," alongside Alexander Skarsgard, Brooklyn Decker and Liam Neeson. The sci fi thriller will be released in the U.S. in May.

But for Rihanna, portraying Whitney is not so much about acting experience, but about the chance to represent her musical inspiration on the big screen.

"My first song that I remember falling in love with was a Whitney Houston song -- 'I Will Always Love You,'" Rihanna said. "It was really inspiring and it made me develop a passion for music, so really she's partly responsible for me being here in this industry."

"True Blood" fans, this is the video you have been waiting for: The first truly new promo for Season 5 has arrived.

Paired with the Season 2 premiere of "Game of Thrones," the first promo features lots of fangs, shirtless men and people making out. Oh yeah, it's 30 seconds of new footage.

"True Blood" returns this June with a bevy of new cast members including former "Law & Order: SVU" star Christopher Meloni.

The other "True Blood" spots have been about the inability to escape the past and buried secrets ... that aren't staying underground.

Last time we were in Bon Temps in "True Blood" Season 4, Alcide confessed his feelings for Sookie, the witch was defeated and Tara took a bullet to the head. The promo features a bloody Sookie digging a hole ... but for who?

Watch it the trailer here and speculate in the comments below.

It's here! Jennifer Lopez's newest single "Dance Again" (Click to listen on Youtube) has finally arrived!

After weeks of teasing sneak peaks and snippets of photos, the full audio version of the J.Lo-Pitbull collaboration debuted on Youtube. Though the accompanying music video will not be released until April 5, today's video features the full lyrics in all their flashy, glittery glory.

A quick electro beat and rapid clapping pushes the momentum of the song from the start as Pitbull launches into a brief introduction.

The beat shifts from upbeat pings and claps to a bass backdrop as Lopez takes over the vocals.

"Nobody knows what I'm feeling inside. I find it so stupid so why should I hide that I love to make love to you baby," she sings.

The quick electro beat returns, revving up the energy before the chorus: "I wanna dance and love and dance again."

That's the line that will surely get stuck in your head.

J.Lo fans have been in a frenzy on Twitter today awaiting the release of soon-to-be dance hit.

Read some of the enthusiastic reactions to "Dance Again" in the gallery below.

So, there you have it, "Mad Men" fans -- we finally know the status of Don Draper's relationship with Megan.

(Warning: If you haven't watched the "Mad Men" Season 5 premiere yet, stop right here or risk being spoiled.)

In tonight's long-awaited Season 5 premiere (read Mo Ryan's full recap here), we found out that Don actually married his new Mrs. Draper, Megan (Jessica Pare). The two are living it up in their swanky Manhattan party pad -- Zoo Be Zoo Be Zoo! -- and, of course, she's been promoted from front desk receptionist to copywriter at Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce.

But how will their marriage affect Megan's relationship with Don and Betty's three children? After such a fun trip to L.A. together, is the Megan-Sally friendship kaput? It's hard to tell in the premiere, with the "new" Draper family chatting over breakfast ... Sally seems happy, but you never know with that little emotional timebomb.

I caught up with Sally Draper herself, actress Kiernan Shipka (read part 1 of our chat here), to find out her reaction when she learned about the changes this season, and how Sally is coping with it. Could Sally and Megan really "become best buds this season," like she teases? Only time will tell ...

What was your reaction when you read the first script and realized that Don and Megan had actually gotten married?
I was happy and I was excited, but I was kind of surprised ... a lot went through my head.

Well, of all the kids, I feel like Sally would be happiest to have a young, fun new stepmom ... but she'd also be affected the most.
Definitely. I mean, we saw how she didn't like Faye last season, so ... [Laughs.] Who knows how she's gonna like Megan as her dad's wife?

In that scene where they're all having breakfast together in Don and Megan's new place, you can't really tell what Sally's thinking. Can you give us some insight into the new dynamic and how Sally feels about it all?
I think, to be honest, she's just kind of adjusting to the new dynamic. She's kind of coping with what's going on.

Tomorrow's world of "The Hunger Games" doesn't just showcase the reality TV spectacle of teenagers battling to the death — it also features futuristic hovercraft, force fields and bioengineered "Mutt" creatures. Those technological marvels represent tools of oppression for the dystopian nation of Panem, where the Capitol elite live in high-tech luxury supported by the old-fashioned sweat of district coal miners, farm hands and factory workers.

But the popularity of the "Hunger Games" series has not stopped some fans from eying the technological imbalances of the story. Some question why a post-apocalyptic North America filled with futuristic technologies would still rely upon coal for its electricity needs; others wonder about the story's complete absence of the Internet. One character in "The Hunger Games" books complains about "forgotten" military technologies such as high-flying planes, military satellites and robotic drones, even as he rides inside a hovercraft.

Such "gaps" in technology don't necessarily represent plot holes, according to historians of science and technology. Real societies have adopted or rejected technologies based on whether they suited their particular economic, political or cultural circumstances.

"Technology is not pre-determined as "better" — it becomes better when a society deems it to be better or more advanced," said Joline Zepcevski, a researcher with a Ph.D. in the history of science and technology at the University of Minnesota. "With respect to "The Hunger Games," there is no reason why a new society, rising from the ashes of an old society, would necessarily re-invent the same technologies."

Technology has come and gone throughout history, said Marie Hicks, an assistant professor of history of technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago. Electric cars appeared on U.S. roads at the start of the 20th century, but disappeared for almost a century before making their recent comeback. Supersonic civilian jetliners made their debut with the Concorde in 1976, but ended up grounded in 2003.