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ELVIS ARON PRESLEY - 8 Jan 1935 to 16 Aug 1977 HOME | BIOLOGY | FILMS | GEOGRAPHY | HISTORY | INDEX | MUSIC | THE BOAT | SOLAR BOATS | SPONSORSElvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as The King of Rock and Roll, or as just simply The King, was an American singer who had an immeasurable effect on world culture. He started his career under the name the Hillbilly Cat and was soon nicknamed Elvis the Pelvis because of his sexually suggestive performance style.Elvis Presley was the first real rock and roll star. A white southerner who singing blues laced with country and country tinged with gospel, Presley brought together music from both sides of the color line. Presley performed this music with a natural hip swiveling sexuality that made him a teen idol and a role model for generations of cool rebels. Presley was repeatedly dismissed as vulgar, incompetent and a bad influence. However the force of his music and image signaled to the mainstream culture it was time for a change.Scottish author Allan Morrison claims that Elvis was of Scottish descent. In an as-yet-unpublished book, Morrison claims to have found that his ancestors lived in Lonmay, Aberdeenshire in the 1700s. According to Morrison, records show that Andrew Presley married Elspeth Leg in Lonmay in 1713. Their son, also called Andrew, went to the English colonies in 1745. Through his father's mother Minnie Mae, Elvis was descended from King Henry II of England. Elvis' maternal grandmother was Jewish.Gladys, Elvis and Vernon Presley 1937Born January 8, 1935, in East Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley was the son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, a sewing machine operator and a truck driver. Presley's twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn, and he grew up as an only child. At age three, Vernon was sent to prison for forgery. It seems that Vernon, Travis Smith, and Luther Gable changed the amount of a check from Orville Bean,Vernon's boss, from $3 to $8 and cashed it at a local bank. Vernon pled guilty and was sentenced to three years at Parchment Farms Penitentiary. Vernon's boss, Mr. Bass calls in a note that Vernon signed to borrow money to build the house. Gladys is forced to move in with Vernon's parents. Vernon would only serve eight months. Afterward Vernon's employment was spotty and the family lived just above the poverty line. The Presleys attended the First Assembly of God Church whose Pentecostal services always included singing.Entering the fifth grade, Presley is asked by his teacher, Oleta Grimes to enter a talent contest on children's day at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. At the age of ten , dressed in a cowboy suit, and standing on a chair to reach the microphone, Presley for his rendition of Red Foley's "Old Shep" won second place, a $5 prize and a free ticket to all the rides. On his birthday the following January he received a guitar purchased from Tupelo Hardware Store. Over the next year,Vernon's brother Johnny Smith and Assembly of Good pastor Frank Smith. gives him basic guitar lessons.In 1948 after losing another job Vernon moved the family to Memphis. Glady's brothers get him a job at the Precision Tool Company and the Presleys moved into a small apartment at 370 Washington Street for $11 a week. On September 13 Elvis enrolls at L.C. Humes High School.Starting his sophomore year Presley works in the school library and after school at Loew's State Theatre. In 1951, his receives his first driver's license, joins the ROTC unit at Humes High, tries out for the football team (he's cut by the coach when he won"t trim his sideburns and ducktail), and in his spare time hanging around the black section of town, especially on Beale Street.Presley's Senior Class pictureIn his senior year Presley gets his first car, a 1942 Lincoln Zephyr, from Vernon. At eighteen majoring in Shop, History, and English he graduates from Humes High in 1953.The day after graduation he took a job at Parker Machinists Shop. By June was working at the Precision Tool Company and then drove truck for the Crown Electric Co. After a short time in the stock room he is promoted to truck and began to wear his long hair pompadoured, the current truck driver style. That summer he recorded "My Happiness" and "That's When the Your Heartaches Begin" at Memphis Recording Studios, a sideline Sam Phillips had started at his Sun Records studios where anyone could record a ten inch acetate for four dollars.You would never have guessed any of this back in 1953 when a young worker from the Parker Machinists Shop wandered into the Memphis Recording Service on his lunch hour to record two songs as a belated birthday present for his mother. Okay, maybe that's just folklore as this was summer and Gladys' birthday was in April. Maybe he just wanted to record. That's okay. Whatever the motivation, it was worth the $3.98 shot.Presley choose to record two Ink Spots tunes, "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin." What's interesting about the choices is that Sam Phillips, the owner, also owned Sun Records, an independent record label, and was known to be looking for a white man who could sing in a black R&B style.However, Sam Phillips wasn't impressed then or when the young Presley tried again in January of 1954, when Elvis recorded, "Careless Love" and "I'll Never Stand In Your Way." (Some say the song was "Casual Love Affair, but the Sun site says "Careless Love" and that's good enough for me.)In July of 1954 Elvis was back in the studio singing "That's Alright Mama" only now at Phillips suggestion, he has Scotty Moore playing guitar and Bill Black on bass. Phillips, finally recognizing the potential, knew he had the breakthrough star he had been looking for. Specifically, Phillips had found a white guy who had the sound and feel of the black R&B artists he had been recording.Elvis joined Sun Records and what would come to be called Sun's "Million Dollar Quartet" - the foursome of Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash and Presley.Presley's graduation certificateBy 1955 Elvis had recorded 5 songs for Sun Records and gained some popularity in the South. What he also acquired was a new manager, Col. Tom Parker. Giving Parker his due - the man knew how to market. Parker launched a campaign aimed at garnishing national exposure for Elvis.Elvis first appeared on CBS' Dorsey Brothers Stage Show. On The Steve Allen Show, he sang "Hound Dog" to a real dog. From his performance on Milton Berle's Texaco Star Theatre he got the nickname Elvis the Pelvis - which worried the family minded Ed Sullivan. By the third performance, Sullivan decided to "crop" Elvis. Thus, the now famous "from the waist up only" appearance on the Sullivan show. It is estimated that one of these Sullivan performances was viewed by 52 million people - one out of every three Americans.Parker wanted to move Elvis away from Sun so he began some fancy negotiations. According to the legend, Parker hawked the contract to Decca, Mercury, Columbia and Atlantic - pitting them against one another to get progressively higher bids. Ultimately, RCA bought Elvis' Sun contract for $40,000, a huge sum for that time. Because he was under 21 and therefore, still a minor, Elvis' father, Vernon had to sign the contract.In February of 1956 Elvis recorded his first five songs for RCA. Among these was Heartbreak Hotel, which quickly rose to the top of the charts to become Elvis' first Number 1 hit.The second half of the decade was good to Elvis. Amazingly, eight of his lifetime Top Ten songs are from the Fifties. This in spite of the fact that from 1958 through 1959, Elvis was in the U.S. Army.Elvis Presley: The Missing Years [DVD] (Rare Army footage) - DVDWith the advantage of hindsight, we all know what the future would hold for Elvis Presley. Circumstances would catapult Elvis into a stardom unknown before or since by any single artist. And, the road would wind into a sad and tragic end. Beyond the Fifties we would never again have the intimate, close feeling that Elvis evoked. It would be the last time that we felt we could touch The King.Elvis Presley - portraitMUSICAL MILESTONES During his lifetime, Elvis Presley:recorded 104 singles that hit the Top 40 of the Billboard pop chart.had 18 number 1 Billboard hits, including four singles in 1956 that occupied the top of the charts for a cumulative total of 25 weeks. The total (18) is surpassed only by The Beatles, who had 20 number 1 hits.had 38 Top 10 Billboard hits. This total is currently unchallenged; the closest competitor, Madonna, has 35. (The Beatles had 34 Top 10 hits during their career.)Until the record was broken by Boyz II Men's "End of the Road" in November 1992, Elvis Presley's double-side "Don't Be Cruel/Hound Dog" was the undisputed champion of singles in terms of weeks spent at number one. The record spent 11 weeks at the top starting on August 18, 1956.These are other records set by Presley's recordings:From March 1956 to November 1959, every week there was at least one Elvis song on the singles chart.From 1956 to 1962 Elvis set the record with 24 consecutive top 5 hit singles (singles listed with B-side songs and original U.S.A. release dates):"Heartbreak Hotel" / "I Was the One" - released 1/27/56"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" / "My Baby Left Me" - 5/4/56"Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog" - 7/13/56"Love Me Tender" / "Any Way You Want Me" - 9/28/56"Too Much" / "Playing For Keeps" - 1/4/57"All Shook Up" / "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" - 3/22/57"Teddy Bear" / "Loving You" - 6/11/57"Jailhouse Rock" / "Treat Me Nice" - 9/24/57"Don't" / "I Beg Of You" - 1/7/58Elvis also charted 9 consecutive #1 singles:"Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" / "Doncha' Think It's Time" - 4/1/58 (the first single to debut on the chart in the top 10)"Hard Headed Woman" / "Don't Ask Me Why" - 6/10/58"One Night" / "I Got Stung" - 10/21/58"A Fool Such As I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight" - 3/10/59"A Big Hunk O' Love" / "My Wish Came True" - 6/23/59"Stuck On You" / "Fame And Fortune" - 3/23/60"It's Now Or Never" / "A Mess Of Blues" - 7/5/60"Are You Lonesome Tonight" / "I Gotta Know" - 11/1/60"Surrender" / "Lonely Man" - 2/7/61"I Feel So Bad" / "Wild In The Country" - 5/2/61"His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister" - 8/8/61"Can't Help Falling In Love" / "Rock-A-Hula Baby" - 11/22/61"Good Luck Charm" / "Anything That's Part Of You" - 2/27/62"She's Not You" / "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello" - 7/14/62"Return To Sender" / "Where Do You Come From" - 10/2/62All the above 24 singles also sold over 1 million copies each as well. That is another record yet to be broken.Since 1962, the closest anyone has come to matching this was Madonna in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with 19 consecutive top 5 hits.Also, on the official United Kingdom Top 40 chart, "It's Now Or Never" reached number one in the week of Sunday, January 30, 2005, 27 years after Presley's death.Visit ShopElvis.com and see our whole new look with lots of new products that have never been offered before. Our streamlined checkout process, combined with our online catalog of Elvis merchandise and collectibles, is sure to enhance your shopping experience.In early 1957 Presley became the target of criticism by teachers, clergymen, and even other entertainers who his style was to suggestive. He was nicknamed "Elvis the Pelvis" by one writer. On January 6, he made the last of his three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show and was shown only from the waist up.GracelandsIn March 1957 Presley purchased Graceland, a former church and converted it into a twenty three room mansion. In February "All Shook Up" began an eighteen week stretch at number #1Presley was the first rock star to crossover into films with consistent commercial success. Loving You, his second film, was released in July 1957 and "Teddy Bear" from it's soundtrack went to #1 on the pop, country, and R&B charts, as did "All Shook Up" and "Jailhouse Rock," the title song from his next movie. That December he received his draft notice, but was given a 30 day deferment to complete the filming of King Creole. Presale's first four feature films are considered his best. Originally Presley intended to be a serious actor. Unfortunately after he left the service, the choice of roles was left entirely to Colonel Parker with poor results. Since Presley would not tour until the early Seventies, it was through these movies that his fans most fans saw him and that alone accounted for their massive success.Elvis Presley GIOn March 24, 1958 Presley entered the Army. The next months saw number one hits with "Don't" and "I Beg You." A few months later he went on leave to be with sick mother. Gladys Presley died the day after his arrival home in Memphis, on August 14, 1958. Presley would call her death the greatest tragedy in his life. He returned to the Army and was shipped to Bremerhaven, West Germany. In January 1960 he was promoted to sergeant and was discharged that March.During his time in the service Colonel Parker continued to release singles recorded before his departure so his fans wouldn't forget him. a number of these were hits including "Wear My Ring Around Your Neck," "Don't cha Think It's Time," "Hard Headed Woman," "Don't Ask Me Why," "One Night," "I Got Stung," "A Fool Such as I," "I Need You, I Love You," "A Big Hunk O' Love," and "My Wish Came True". In 1958 alone Presley earned over $2 million. After his release, in March 1960, he recorded his first stereo record, "Stuck On You" and later that month he taped a TV program with Frank Sinatra, The Frank Sinatra Timex Special.Vernon Presley and Davada "Dee" StanleyIn July Vernon, Presley's father remarried. Vernon Presley's second wife was Davada "Dee" Stanley. At this time Presley began gathering more closely around him his friends, employees, and hangers on that would become known as the Memphis Mafia and would accompany him almost constantly until his death. Presley's world would become increasingly insular.Picture from G.I. BluesG.I. Blues was released in in 1960 and "It's Now Over Never" reached #1 . Presley had five number #1 hits in the early 60s, "Stuck On You," "It's Now or Never, "Are You lonesome Tonight," (1960); "Surrender (1961); and "Good Luck Charm" (1962). Priscilla Beaulieu, a teenage daughter of an Army officer that Presley had met while in Germany, visited Graceland during Christmas 1960. In early 1961 she moved in, it was said, under the supervision of Vernon and Davada. The press went along with the spin Colonel Parker put on the story, and few seemed to care the King of Rock and Roll was sharing his house with a teenaged girlfriend.After a live performance on March 25, 1961 Presley quit performing and spent the next eight years making movies. The soundtracks from his movies were generally poor. By the mid-Sixties Presley was earning $1 million per movie plus a large percentage of the gross. Each movie had a concurrently released soundtrack album, five of which went gold. Presley was displease with these films, but Colonel Parker insisted that Presley stick with this winning formula. Years later Parker's shortsightedness would result in his turning down Barbara Streisand's offer to have Presley costar with her the 1974 remake of A Star Is Born. Parker felt Streisand didn't deserve equal billing with Presley.Priscillia, Lisa and ElvisWith the British invasion, teenagers were hearing more of his disciples than Presley himself. Presley, unlike most American rockers wasn't swept away, but the Top Ten was increasingly beyond his reach. Presley turned increasing inward, focusing on the family. On May 1, 1967 Presley married Priscilla in Las Vegas; on February 1, 1968 their only child Lisa Marie was born. Fearing he had been forgotten, Presley defied Parker and made a comeback television special. Over the summer he taped the television special that was released on December 3 to high ratings. It's soundtrack reached #8 and produced his first Top Twenty single "If I Can Dream" (#12, 1968) since 1965. With this success Presley turned to performing in Las Vegas. On July 26, 1969 Presley began a month long appearance at the International Hotel. This set the course for all of his future performances. His fee for four months was over a $1 million. Riding the crest of the comeback Presley released a series of top singles, including "In the Ghetto," "Suspicious Minds," "Don't Cry Daddy," and The Wonder of You". Presley began touring again, his shows selling out and frequently breaking box office records. Two on tour documentaries were released Elvis: That's the Way It Is (1970) and Elvis On Tour (1972), the latter which won the Golden Globe Award for Best Documentary.Presley was honored with countless Elvis Presley days around the country, and the U.S, Jaycees named him one of the ten most outstanding young men of America in 1970. His birthplace in Tupelo, Mississippi was opened to the public and a portion of Highway 61 South that ran in front of Graceland was renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard. That October Presley had his last Top ten hit "Burning Love" (#2).Meanwhile Presley's personal life had become the subject of countless tabloids.In February 1972, Presley separated from Priscilla and on his birthday in 1973 filed for divorce. Less than a week later the TV special Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii was broadcast over satellite to over a billion people in forty countries, an indication of his international appeal although (with the exception of three dates in Canada in 1957 and an impromptu performance in Paris while on leave in 1959) Presley never performed outside the United States. During his career Presley had 94 gold singles, three gold EPs, and over 40 gold albums. His movies grossed over $180 million and millions more were made by the merchandising of Elvis products, the rights which were controlled by Colonel Parker.Typical Elvis performanceOutwardly, Presley was more popular than ever and one of the biggest personality cults in modern history was taking hold. Off stage Presley was plagued with self doubt, poor management, and a basic dissatisfaction with his life. He repeatedly threatened to quit show business, but debts and financial obligations to his large extended family, employees, and assorted hangers on made that impossible. Presley turned to drugs. After leaving the army he became wary of the public and would often rent whole movie theatres and amusement parks that he would visit at night. By the late Sixties he was an almost total recluse. Although evidence that Presley began taking drugs shortly after began performing or while in the army, his abuse of prescription drugs increased during the last years of his life. Through all this he remained highly spiritual and publicly denounced the use of recreational drugs.Toward the end of his life he would babble incoherently on stage and rip his pants, having grown quite obese, and at least once collapsed on stage. Despite deteriorating health, Presley maintained a frantic tour schedule, because in 1973 Colonel Parker negotiated a deal with RCA to the rights of many of his masters in exchange for a lump sum payment of which only 2.8 million came to him. After 1973, Parker was earning nearly 50% commission. Worse yet Presley wasn't earning royalties on records recorded before 1973, although they continued to sell millions. Presley opposed tax shelters on principle; naively relied on his father for business advice; gave away expensive gifts and cash. The result was by the mid-Seventies was an impending financial disaster.June 26, 1977 Presley performed live for the last time in Indianapolis. On August 16, 1977, the day before his next scheduled concert, Presley was discovered by his girlfriend Ginger Alden dead in his bathroom at Graceland. His death was attributed to congestive heart failure. A later autopsy revealed advanced hardening of the arteries and an enlarged liver. Later it was determined that drug abuse may have been a contributing factor. in September 1979 Presley's private doctor Dr. George Nichopoulos was charged by the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners with indiscriminately prescribing 5,300 and vials in the seven months before his death. He was later acquitted. Elvis Presley RIP - GracelandsThousands gathered at Graceland where his body lay in state before he was buried in a mausoleum at Forest Hills Cemetery in Memphis. After attempts to break into the mausoleum, Presley's body and that of his mother were moved to the Meditation Garden behind Graceland. Nearly two years later, Vernon died and was also buried there. The estate now passed on to Lisa Marie.Court battles over the estate ended in June 1983 after twenty one months of litigation with a settlement of four lawsuits. Colonel Parker was forced to turn over most of his interests in Presley's audio and visual recordings to RCA and the Presley family in return for a large monetary settlement. Priscillia Presley assumed control of the estate and through a number of business moves made Presley's estate more valuable than it had ever been. The cornerstone of the Elvis Presley Enterprise, Inc. financial empire is the Tennessee state law Priscillia Presley pushed for that guarantees to heirs of commercial rights to the deceased celebrity's image and likeness. as a result Elvis Presley is a trademark and anyone selling Presley related memorabilia in the U.S. must pay EPE an advance fee plus a royalty on every item sold.Claiming the funds were needed to maintain the property, Priscillia opened Graceland to the public in 1982. Though not maintained exactly as Elvis left it and the second floor, where the bedroom was remains off limits to the public, millions from all over the world have visited Graceland. Approximately 675,000 people visit Graceland yearly. The Presley estate in now estimated at well over a $100 million.Statistically, he holds records for the most Top Forty hits (107), the most Top Ten hits (38), the most consecutive #1 hits (10) and the most weeks at #1 (80). As far as his stature as a cultural icon, which continues to grow even in death, writer Lester Bangs said it best: "I can guarantee you one thing - we will never again agree on anything as we agreed on Elvis."Richard Nixon and Elvis Presley ENDURING LEGACYNow, more than 25 years after his death, Presley remains a foremost pop icon of the 20th century. His image, especially his trademark forelock, is instantly recognizable. He is still the gold standard against which modern notions of fame are measured. At least one modern recording artist, Elvis Costello, borrowed Presley's first name to help his fledgling career.But all too often Elvis Presley's kitsch appeal and the industry which has grown up around it, chronicling his dietary and chemical predilections and the trappings of his celebrity, have tended to obscure the vibrant and vital music he made as a young man, the vocally-influential recordings of his later career, and the lasting influence both he and his music had on American popular culture. Connected with this is a continuing urban myth that Elvis is still alive. "Elvis sightings", in which Presley is reported to have been located (frequently in mundane and out-of-the-way places, such as a supermarket in South Dakota), are common events, and one of the staples of supermarket tabloids.However, interest in his music returned during the buildup to the 2002 World Cup, when Nike used a Junkie XL remixed version of his "A Little Less Conversation" (credited as Elvis Vs JXL) as the background music to a series of TV commercials featuring international soccer stars. The remix hit Number 1 in over 20 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia (it was also his first top 10 hit in the UK for nearly 22 years, and his first #1 there for nearly 25 years). At about the same time, a compilation of Presley's US Number 1 hits, ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits, was being prepared for release. "A Little Less Conversation" (remix version) was quickly added as the album's 31st track just before its release in October 2002. Nearly 50 years after Presley made his first hit record and 25 years after his death, ELV1S: 30 #1 Hits reached number 1 on the charts in the US, the UK, Australia and many other countries. A re-release from the album, "Burning Love" (not a remix) also made the Australian top 40 later in the year.His renewed fame continued with another remix in 2003 (this time by Paul Oakenfold) of "Rubberneckin'", which made the top 3 in Australia and top 5 in the UK. This was followed by another album called 2nd to None, a collection of his B-sides, including the "Rubberneckin'" remix.In mid-2004, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Presley's first professional recording, "That's All Right", the recording in question was re-released, and made the charts around the world, including top 3 in the UK and top 40 in Australia.In early 2005 in the United Kingdom, RCA began to re-issue his 18 UK #1 singles as CD-singles in the order they were originally released, one of them a week. The first of these re-issues, "All Shook Up", was chart ineligble due to the fact that it was sold together with a collectors' box which holds all 18 singles in it (it actually sold enough to be #2). The second of these re-releases, "Jailhouse Rock", was the number one in the first chart of 2005, and "One Night/I Got Stung", the third re-release in the series, replaced it on the January 16 chart (and thus becoming the 1000th UK number one). However, the fourth re-release, "A Fool Such As I/I Need Your Love Tonight" was beaten the next week by Ciara's "Goodies" at the end of the respective sales week, leaving him at #2 (even though he had been leading throughout most of that week). He was beaten due to the fact that these re-releases were "limited edition", and not as much could be sold to keep it in the lead on that weekend. Due to this, RCA is now pressing more copies of each re-release single.The fifth re-release, "It's Now Or Never", returned him to the top spot yet again the next week. But the week after that, when the sixth re-release "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" was leading at midweek figures, he was beaten once again, even though there were increased copies due to extra pressings, making this re-release the highest selling out of the previous five. The act he was beaten by was Eminem, with his song "Like Toy Soldiers" selling higher than Elvis' song by a mere 996 copies due to a weekend surge. The week after, he was beaten yet again, with rock band U2's song "Sometimes You Can't Make It On Your Own" beating Elvis' "Wooden Heart", always seeming to be beaten only at the end of the week. Elvis was beaten once again the next week, with "Surrender" being beaten this time by Jennifer Lopez and her song "Get Right".Being beaten for the third week in a row by established artists suggests that the sales for the rest of the chart is picking up slowly (due to recent slumps) compared to Elvis' sales, but he is still selling consistently, being at #2 for a few weeks with different singles. But the week after this, not only was he beaten again, but "(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame/Little Sister" only made #3 that week, beaten by Jennifer Lopez for a second week, and Nelly featuring Tim McGraw's #1 debut "Over and Over". The week after, his "Rock-A-Hula Baby/Can't Help Falling In Love" was also at #3, beaten once again by Nelly at #2, but also by the #1 that week, which was Stereophonics' "Dakota". He did manage to regain a top 2 position the following week with "Good Luck Charm", beaten only by McFly's Comic Relief charity single "All About You/You've Got A Friend".These re-releases are breaking many chart records there, making Elvis the only artist so far to spend at least 1000 weeks in the top 40 (coincidently, he broke this record on the week he held the 1000th UK #1 song), and also having the most songs in the top 40, but they have also made him break the record for the biggest drops from the #1 and #2 positions ever. A further 7 Elvis singles are due for re-release.Among his many accomplishments, Elvis Presley is only one of two singers (Roy Orbison being the other) to ever have two Top 5 albums on the charts simultaneously. He has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1998), and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2001). In 1993, Presley's image appeared on a United States postage stamp.Note: The Presley family, including Elvis, spelled his middle name "Aron" throughout his life, although Elvis is said to have considered changing it to "Aaron". His birth certificate and tombstone both read "Aaron".The KingOFFICIAL ELVIS PRESLEY WEBSITEFor the Young and Young at Heart visit the section of our site just for kids featuring games, music, coloring pages and tons of great surprises.Check out other great features of Elvis.com, including animated e-postcards featuring some of your favorite Elvis songs and images, interactive trivia games, and IPIX tours of Graceland's expanded exhibits. If you're interested in joining a fan club, visit Fan Relations!Not on the E-news subscriber list? Sign up today for our E-newsletters, your source for the latest information on the world of Elvis and Graceland. When you sign up, fill out our survey, and you'll have the chance to win a great gift from Graceland!Whether you're a long-time Elvis fan or new to the magic of Elvis, and no matter where you call home, we've assembled a stunning array of interactive features designed to bring Elvis to you in new and exciting ways. Lots of little-known facts and fabulous photos, up-to-date news including the latest in the world of Elvis and Graceland, streaming video and audio, plus panoramic views of Graceland and its brand new exhibits. Also, check out the coolest place to dwell -- Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel. Getting married? Why not tie the knot at Graceland? Check out our fabulous Wedding Chapel.As our special guest, you are entitled to download two free screen savers, featuring classic images of Elvis!Do you know how to spell Elvis' middle name? Are you sure? Do you wonder what special things might be happening in the future with Elvis concert footage? Find out in the FAQ section of All About Elvis, our "everything Elvis" reference library about his life, career and legacy.Interested in Joining a Fan Club? Visit his beloved Graceland Mansion in Memphis, Tennessee!Want to emulate the kind of generosity Elvis expressed throughout his life? Support Presley Place, a transitional housing facility that helps homeless families break the cycle of poverty and get back on their feet again.ELVIS PRESLEY ENTERPRISES, INC. P.O. Box 16508 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard Memphis, Tennessee 38186-0508 (901) 332-3322 (800) 238-2000 TTY: (901) 344-3146Elvis LinksBe the Next Elvis (on TV)How Santo Met ElvisElvis triviaParty invitation in AustriaThe Anti-Elvis ClubElvis Inn in IsraelElvis and Nixon togetherLast Will and TestamentAn Elvis mural in ColoradoPilgrimage to GracelandAn Elvis seanceHow the seance was performedElvis' shopping listThe Elvis computer virusElvis software to downloadElvis pen palsYoung pen palsRomantic pen palsElvis literatureElvis poetryDid Elvis Sing in Your Hometown?Before Elvis There was NothingHeartbreak HotelThe Elvis/Alien connectionIs Elvis alive?A recent convention he may have been atNotes on that conventionElvis sightingsMore Elvis sightingsAnd more Elvis sightingsThe Space Elvis ChroniclesSpace Elvis himselfEPE's letter to meOther 'Net copyright issuesCHRONOLOGY:January 8, 1935 Elvis Aron Presley is born to Gladys and Vernon Presley in a two-room cabin on North Saltillo Road in East Tupelo, Mississippi.SUMMER 1953 Elvis Presley stops at Memphis Recording Service to record two songs, "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," as a birthday present for his mother. Phillips notes that Presley has a good feel for ballads and should be invited back.July 18, 1953 Elvis Presley, then earning his keep as a truck driver, drops by the Memphis Recording Service, home of Sun Records. He privately records two songs ("My Happiness"/"That's When Your Heartaches Begin") for the sum of $4, leaving with a ten-inch acetate. Office manager Marion Keisker jots a note for owner Sam Phillips: "Good ballad singer."January 4, 1954 A young Elvis Presley visits the Memphis Recording Service to record "Casual Love Affair" and "I'll Never Stand in Your Way" and meets Sun Records owner Sam Phillips.June 27, 1954 After several fruitless recording sessions, Sam Phillips pairs Elvis Presley with guitarist Scotty Moore and bass player Bill Black. He hopes the singer might find his voice by rehearsing with other musicians cut from the same country, pop, gospel and R&B cloth.July 5, 1954 Rock and roll history is made when Elvis Presley, Scotty Moore and Bill Black spontaneously perform bluesman Arthur "Big Boy" Cruddup's "That's All Right" in romping, uptempo style. The next day, bluegrass pioneer Bill Monroe's "Blue Moon of Kentucky" is given a similarly playful treatment. On July 19th, the two songs are released as Elvis Presley's first single, which bears the legend "Sun 209."July 19, 1954 Sun releases "That's All Right" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky" by Elvis Presley, backed by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.July 20, 1954 Elvis Presley makes his first public appearance, performing on a flatbed truck in Memphis. This inaugurates a period of wildly performed and riotously received concerts that will be interrupted only by Presley's induction into the U.S. Army.August 15, 1955 Elvis Presley signs a management contract with "Colonel" Tom Parker, whose other clients included country-music stars Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow. The relationship with Parker will continue till Presley's death.November 1, 1955 Despite Presley's growing popularity, his five Sun singles fail to make a dent on the national charts. Phillips sells his contract to RCA Records for $35,000.November 20, 1955 Elvis Presley's contract with Sun Records, including all previously released and recorded material, is sold to the New York-based RCA label for $35,000.January 27, 1956 Elvis Presley's debut single for RCA, "Heartbreak Hotel," is released. The first of Presley's 17 Number One hits, it holds down the top spot for eight weeks. "Heartbreak Hotel" establishes Elvis Presley and rock and roll itself as national phenomena.January 28, 1956 Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on network TV as a guest on Stage Show, hosted by jazz bandleaders Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Throughout 1956, Presley's biggest year, he will also appear on The Milton Berle Show, The Steve Allen Show and The Ed Sullivan Show.April 15, 1956 Heartbreak Hotel (Elvis Presley) was a hit.July 22, 1956 I Want You, I Need You, I Love You (Elvis Presley) was a hit.August 4, 1956 What many consider to be one of rock's greatest double-sided singles, "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog," is released. Both sides will share the top spot for 11 weeks.August 12, 1956 Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel (Elvis Presley) was a hit.October 28, 1956 Love Me Tender (Elvis Presley) was a hit.November 15, 1956 The film Love Me Tender, which features Elvis Presley in the first of 31 Hollywood movie roles, premieres at the New York Paramount. Two months earlier, on September 9th, he performed the title song on the Ed Sullivan Show to a record viewing audience estimated at 54 million.December 4, 1956 Four legendary past and present Sun Records recording artists—Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Johnny Cash—gather at Sun for an informal jam session. Later dubbed the Million Dollar Quartet, the stars (sans Cash, who stays only briefly) perform gospel standards and recent hits in relaxed, impromptu fashion.December 4, 1956 The "Million Dollar Quartet"—Presley, Perkins, Cash and Jerry Lee Lewis—records old gospel, country and pop songs at an impromptu session. The recordings aren't officially released until the mid-Eighties.1957 Leiber & Stoller are summoned to New York by Elvis's Brill Building music publisher to write songs for the movie 'Jailhouse Rock.' The title song soon reaches #1.January 6, 1957 Elvis Presley sings five songs in his final performance on the Ed Sullivan Show.January 8, 1957 Elvis Presley passes the pre-induction exam for the Army.February 3, 1957 Too Much (Elvis Presley) was a hit.April 7, 1957 All Shook Up (Elvis Presley) was a hit.July 2, 1957 (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear (Elvis Presley) was a hit.September 1, 1957 Jimi Hendrix goes to see Elvis Presley perform at Sicks Stadium.October 15, 1957 Jailhouse Rock (Elvis Presley) was a hit.December 19, 1957 Elvis Presley is served with his draft notice while home at Graceland for the Christmas holidays. He is sworn in as a private in the U.S. Army on March 24, 1958, and later sent to basic training in Fort Hood, Texas. Shipped to Germany, he will serve in Company D, 32nd Tank Battalion, 3rd Armor Corps, from October 1, 1958, to March 1, 1960.February 4, 1958 Don't (Elvis Presley) was a hit.July 15, 1958 Hard Headed Woman (Elvis Presley) was a hit.August 4, 1959 A Big Hunk O' Love (Elvis Presley) was a hit.April 19, 1960 Stuck On You (Elvis Presley) was a hit.May 12, 1960 Elvis guest-stars on a Frank Sinatra-hosted TV special, Welcome Home Elvis, and cuts his first post-Army recordings in Nashville. They yield the hit album Elvis Is Back and such million-selling singles as "It's Now or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight."August 9, 1960 It's Now Or Never (Elvis Presley) was a hit.November 22, 1960 Are You Lonesome Tonight? (Elvis Presley) was a hit.March 14, 1961 Surrender (Elvis Presley) was a hit.December 16, 1961 The soundtrack to Blue Hawaii reaches #1 on the album charts, where it will remain for 20 weeks. With sales of 2 million, it is Elvis Presley's best-selling album to date.April 15, 1962 Good Luck Charm (Elvis Presley) was a hit.July 26, 1965 Elvis Presley's version of the Orioles' "Crying in the Chapel" peaks at #3 on the pop chart.August 27, 1965 The Beatles spend the evening talking and playing music with Elvis Presley at his Bel air home.May 1, 1967 Elvis Presley marries Priscilla Beaulieu, who he met eight and a half years earlier during his tour of duty in Germany, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, is born exactly nine months later, on February 1, 1968.December 3, 1968 NBC airs "Elvis," a television special that revitalizes Elvis' career as a rock and roll performer.December 8, 1968 The hour-long special Elvis, sponsored by Singer Sewing Machines, airs on NBC-TV. Clad in black leather, Elvis successfully pulls off the greatest comeback in rock and roll history. After his decade-long stint as a movie star, he re-establishes himself as a musical performer and cultural totem on this electrifying, widely viewed special.January 13, 1969 Presley enters American Sound Studio in Memphis, where he will cut some of the finest recordings of his career, including the hits "In the Ghetto" and "Suspicious Minds." It is the first time he's recorded in his hometown since 1956.July 31, 1969 Elvis Presley performs his first live concert since March 25, 1961, opening a four-week engagement at the 1,500-capacity Showroom at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. The remaining eight years of Presley's life will largely be devoted to live performances, either on the road or at the International Hotel.October 26, 1969 Suspicious Minds (Elvis Presley) was a hit.1969 Elvis Presley returns to the road. His guitarist and bandleader is James Burton, who will remain with Presley until his death in 1977.January 9, 1971 Elvis Presley is named one of 10 Outstanding Young Men of the Year by the U.S. Jaycees.October 9, 1973 Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorce in Santa Monica, California.June 26, 1977 Elvis Presley delivers his last live performance, at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, Indiana.July 16, 1977 The last of 105 singles by Elvis Presley to reach the Top Forty in his lifetime, "Way Down," enters Billboard's Top Pop Singles chart, peaking at #18.August 16, 1977 An unconscious Elvis Presley is rushed to Baptist Memorial Hospital around 3 p.m. Despite efforts to revive him, Presley is subsequently pronounced dead. At a press conference that evening, medical examiner Dr. Jerry Francisco indicates that the cause of death appeared to be "cardiac arrhythmia," noting that, "There was severe cardiovascular disease present."January 23, 1986 Elvis Presley is inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the first induction dinner. Julian and Sean Lennon are his presenters.1992 The Elvis Presley postage stamp is released.ELVIS PRESLEY on DVD Elvis: '68 Comeback Special (Deluxe Edition)(1968) Elvis: That's The Way It Is (1970) Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii (Deluxe Edition) (1972)Love Me Tender (1956) Jailhouse Rock (1957) Loving You (1957) King Creole(1958) Flaming Star(1960) Blue Hawaii (1961) Wild In The Country (1961) Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) Follow That Dream (1962) Viva Las Vegas (1963) Fun In Acapulco (1963) Roustabout (1964) Harum Scarum (1965) Paradise, Hawaiian Style (1966) Clambake (1967) Easy Come, Easy Go(1967) Double Trouble (1967) Speedway(1968) Change Of Habit (1969) The Trouble With Girls (1969)------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------If you've got what it takes and are looking for a break CONTACT USMUSIC INDEX A - ZAbbaAC-DCAerosmithA H RahmanA-haAlabamaAlanis MorisetteAlison KrausAll SaintsAmerican IdolAnnie LennoxArctic MonkeysAtomic KittenAvril LavigneBand AidBackstreet BoysBabra StreisandBarry ManilowBarry WhiteBay City RollersBeach BoysBilly JoelBing CrosbyBlack SabbathBlondieBob DylanBob GeldofBob Marley & WailersBon JoviBoney MBoyz II MenBrenda LeeBritney SpearsBruce SpringsteenBryan AdamsBucks FizzBuddy HollyB'zCeline DionCharles AznavourCharlotte ChurchChacagoChildrens SongsChristina AguileraChuck BerryCindy LauperCliff RichardColdplayComic ReliefContestDavid BowieDef LeoppardDepeche ModeDestiny's ChildDire StraitsDolly PartonDonna SummerDuran DuranEarth Wind and FireEddie ArnoldElton JohnElvis PresleyEminemEnyaEurovision Song ContestEvanescenceFleetwood MacForeignerFrank SinatraFrankie Goes to HollywoodFrankie LaineGarth BrooksGary NumanGenesisGeri HalliwellGlastonburyGloria EstefanGuns and RosesHaircut 100Hank ThompsonIron MaidenJanet JacksonJean Michel JarreJethro TullJohn DenverJohnny CashJohnny HallydayJohnny MathisJoni JamesJoss StoneJourneyJulio IglesiasJustin TimberlakeKate BushKenny RogersKylie MinogueLed ZeppelinLinda RonstadtLionel RichieLive AidLive 8Louis WalshLuciano PavarottiKISSMadonnaMariah CareyMarillionMeatloafMetallicaMichael BoltonMichael JacksonMireille MathieuModern TalkingNational AnthemsNat King ColeNeil DiamondNirvanaOlivia Newton-JohnPatti PagePearl JamPerry ComoPetula ClarkePhil CollinsPink FloydPop IdolPop MusicPrinceQueenRicky NelsonRobbie WilliamsRod StewartRoxetteRoxy MusicRule BritanniaSantanaShania TwainSharon OsbourneSimon CowellSimply RedSpice GirlsStars in Their EyesStevie WonderSting - The PoliceSugababesTerry WoganThe BeatlesThe Bee GeesThe CarpentersThe ClashThe Doobie BrothersThe DoorsThe EaglesThe JacksonsThe RamonesThe Rolling StonesThe Royal CanadiansThe SeekersThe VenturesThe WhoThe X FactorThe X Factor 2005Three Dog NightTina TurnerU2UB40USA For AfricaVan HalenVicky LeandrosWei WeiWhitney HoustonWorld IdolZZ TopRECORD COMPANIES INDEX A - ZBMGCBS COLUMBIACHRYSALISEMIMOTOWNRCASONYUNIVERSAL MUSIC GROUPVIRGIN MUSIC GROUPWARNER MUSIC GROUP (AOL TIME WARNER)Music companies looking for acts: please stay tuned and contact our A&R departmentor write to the address below, when you spot someone with potential.MUSIC INDEX RECORD DEALS DEMOS OUR STUDIO PHOTOGRAPHY PRODUCTION-------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------A taste for adventure capitalistsSolar Cola - a healthier alternative This website is Copyright © 1999 & 2006 NJK. 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