# data[].attributes.body
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AG9ph9xkOrw

# data[].attributes.body
recording of him at Madison Square Garden

# data[].attributes.body
1. Elvis's natural hair color is brown, not black
2. He bought his first guitar at eleven when his mother convinced him to get it instead of the rifle he wanted
3. While recording "Hound Dog" in the studio, he demanded 31 takes.

# data[].attributes.body
ES

# data[].attributes.body
Also nicknamed the 'King of Rock and Roll"

# data[].attributes.body
Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century

# data[].attributes.body
"Father of Rock and Roll'
ES

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - If I Can Dream ('68 Comeback Special)

# data[].attributes.body
Presley's Mansion named "Graceland".

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley's Graceland Tour with Audio Guide & Airplanes provided by Graceland | Memphis, Tennessee - TripAdvisor

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Book tickets for Elvis Presley's Graceland Tour with Audio Guide & Airplanes, Memphis. Visit Elvis Presley's Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee - US$66.00

# data[].attributes.body
Presley purposefully tried to convey a "sexy image" with his dancing.
His music modernized blues, country, and bluegrass for younger audiences.
Presley bought his mansion at age 22.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis is known for dancing during performances.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis did not perform on air when he was 12 years old because of his shyness.

# data[].attributes.body
At age eleven, Elvis purchased a guitar instead of a gun because his mother persuaded him.

# data[].attributes.body
The natural color of his hair was brown but he died it black.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley  Heatrbreak Hotel Live (1956`)

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis was born a twin. He served in the army. He never performed outside of North America. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzQ8GDBA8Is
Elvis in his recognizable getup.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (Music Video)

# data[].attributes.body
he was cute KO

# data[].attributes.headline
Elvis was 6' and wore a size 11 shoe. yummmmmy

# data[].attributes.subject
Elvis was 6' and wore a size 11 shoe. yummmmmy

# data[].attributes.body
KO

# data[].attributes.headline
When he was 18 he paid $4 for his first record for a gift to his momma 

# data[].attributes.subject
When he was 18 he paid $4 for his first record for a gift to his momma 

# data[].attributes.body
KO

# data[].attributes.body
he was 11 when he first purchased a guitar. he wanted a rifle but his mom convinced him tog get a guitar.
KO

# data[].attributes.body
Hound dog showed how energetic and exciting he was to watch

# data[].attributes.body
This is a picture of elvis's first guitar

# data[].attributes.body
During concerts, Elvis would constantly change the lyrics to amuse himself

# data[].attributes.body
He paid $4 to make his first record as a gift to his mom

# data[].attributes.body
At the age of 11, Elvis wanted a rifle but his mom convinced him to get a guitar instead

# data[].attributes.body
Video about his life

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley doing oneofhis famous dance moves while performing

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis natural hair color is Brown. He purchased his first guitar when he was eleven years old. His nickname for his manhood was Little Elvis.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley performing one his most popular songs "Hound Dog".

# data[].attributes.body
The cover of Elvis Presley's debut album.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley's debut album topped the charts for ten weeks. It was also the first rock and roll album to reach number one.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley not only made music, he also appeared in many movies during his career.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley was an only child. He had a very close relationship with his mother, and her death affected him very deeply.

# data[].attributes.body
The title of this song is 'Hound Dog'.

# data[].attributes.body
This was Elvis Presley's first guitar. He bought this when he was 11 years old

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis would sleepwalk as a child

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis was great friends with Johnny Cash

# data[].attributes.body
15 of Elvis's songs had the word "blue".

# data[].attributes.body
One of his famous songs called Jailhouse Rock

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (Music Video)

# data[].attributes.body
He bought Graceland when he was 22

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Burning Love (Aloha From Hawaii, Live in Honolulu, 1973)

# data[].attributes.body
His hair was naturally blonde

# data[].attributes.body
He was nicknamed The

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis performing in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1956

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis paid $4 to make his first record when he was 18.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis got his first guitar when he was 11.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley dyed his hair to be black.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis' music video for Jailhouse Rock.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gj0Rz-uP4Mk

# data[].attributes.body
Even though he recorded more than 600 songs, Elvis was not responsible for writing any of them.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1954, Elvis had auditioned for a gospel quartet, although he was denied.

# data[].attributes.body
Throughout the entirety of his career, he only played 5 shows outside of the United States.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Hound Dog (1956) HD 0815007

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis bought FDR's presidential yacht for 55,000 dollars in 1964

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis never performed outside of North America and mostly he performed in the United and only a few select times in Canada.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis was drafted into the US army after he became famous. Elvis was stationed in West Germany where he actually met his future wife Priscilla.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1957 Elvis bought Graceland for 102,500 dollars at the age of 22.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis's natural hair color was brown but he died it black.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis performing "Can't help falling in love"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling In Love ('68 Comeback Special)

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis and his twin brother Jesse

# data[].attributes.body
In the 50’s many TV programs wouldn’t show Elvis from the hips down, as the way he would move his hips on the performance was considered to be indecent by many

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis' famous black hair was dyed - his natural color was brown.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis was 6 feet tall and wore a size 11 shoe.

# data[].attributes.body
At 18, Elvis paid $4 to make his first record, a gift for his mama.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis is known to have a movement of impersonators, and many people are pretty good at it!

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis gave his mother his famous Pink Cadillac!

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis served in the armed forces even after he became famous!

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Bought FDR’s presidential Yacht! The USS Potomac

# data[].attributes.body
Presley's Memphis home, Graceland, is open to the public, and numerous fans from around the world visit the legendary residence annually, especially around Presley's birthday and the anniversary of his death.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Quick Facts "Fingerprints are like values-you leave them all over everything you do.""After a hard day of basic training, you could eat a rattlesnake.""Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine.""Animals don't hate, and we're supposed to be better than them.""Thank you, thank you very much.""When things goes wrong, don't go with them.""Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a while but it ain't going away.""Man, I really like Vegas.""When I was a child, ladies and gentlemen, I was a dreamer. I read comic books and I was the hero of the comic book. I saw movies and I was the hero of the movie. So every dream I ever had has come true a hundred times ... I learned early in like that without a song the day would never end, without a song a man ain't got no friend; without a song the road would never bend- without a song. So I keep singing a song.""Some people tap their feet, some snap their fingers and some sway back and forth. I just sorta do them all together, I guess.""Man, I was tame compared to what they do now. Are you kidding? I didn't do anything but just jiggle."

Who Was Elvis Presley?

Elvis Presley came from very humble beginnings and grew up to become one of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll. By the mid-1950s, he appeared on the radio, television and the silver screen. On August 16, 1977, at age 42, he died of heart failure, which was related to his drug addiction. Since his death, Presley has remained one of the world's most popular music icons.

Early Life

Elvis Aron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. (He later changed the spelling of his middle name to the biblical form of Aaron.) Presley was supposed to be a twin, but his brother, Jesse Garon (sometimes spelled Jessie) was stillborn. From very humble beginnings, Presley grew up to become one of the biggest names in rock 'n' roll.

Raised by loving, working-class parents, Presley's family had little money, and they moved from place to place frequently. He was deeply devoted to his parents, especially his mother, Gladys, and was raised to have a strong faith in God. Presley attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an important influence for him.

Presley received his first guitar as a gift from his mother on his 11th birthday in 1946 and had his first taste of musical success a few years later when he won a talent show at Humes High School in Memphis. After graduating in 1953, he worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. He cut his first demo record at what later became known as Sun Studio that year, and before long, Sam Phillips, the record label owner, decided to take the young performer under his wing. Presley soon began touring and recording, trying to catch his first big break. "That's All Right" was Presley's first single in 1954.

First No. 1 Hit: 'Heartbreak Hotel'

In 1955, Presley began to develop a following with fans being drawn to his unusual musical style, provocative gyrating hips and good looks. That same year, he signed with RCA Records, a deal worked out by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Presley was on a roll, scoring his first No. 1 single with "Heartbreak Hotel," as well as his first No. 1 album, Elvis Presley, and signing a movie contract with Paramount Pictures - all in 1956. Despite the uproar that his sexy dance moves caused, he also became a popular guest on a number of television variety shows.

Military Service

Soon, Presley was everywhere, working as a musician and actor. His first film, Love Me Tender (1956), was a box office hit. Even a stint in the U.S. military couldn't put a damper on Presley's thriving career. He received his draft notice in 1957 and was inducted into the Army the following March. He eventually served in Germany for about a year and a half. Shortly before Presley left for Europe, his beloved mother, Gladys, died. He was granted a leave and returned to Memphis for the funeral. Deeply saddened by her death, Presley returned to duty. While in Germany, his spirits were lifted slightly when he met a young teenager named Priscilla Beaulieu. The pair fell in love and married on May 1, 1967, in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Movies and Soundtracks

After leaving the Army in 1960, Presley resumed his career and was soon back at the top of the charts with the soundtrack for his film GI Blues. He continued recording music and acting in such films as Blue Hawaii (1961), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) and Viva Las Vegas (1964). Though his films were often hit or miss with both critics and audiences, they brought in a profit and the soundtracks usually sold well. By the late 1960s, however, the enigmatic performer appeared to be losing his box office appeal. Proving he was still the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," he recorded his first TV special in 1968, often referred to as the "'68 Comeback." He wowed audiences with his performance, which showcased his talents as a singer and a guitarist.

Daughter, Divorce From Priscilla and Drug Addiction

Around this time, Presley's personal life also seemed to be on an upswing. He and Priscilla wed in 1967 and had a daughter, Lisa Marie, the following year. Unfortunately, this joyous time would not last. By the early 1970s, Presley's marriage was falling apart. The couple divorced in 1973, and Priscilla received custody of Lisa Marie. Presley was also wrestling with other personal problems, including a growing addiction to prescription drugs; the once-thin rock star was battling a weight problem, and his destructive lifestyle caught up with him that fall when he was hospitalized for drug-related health problems. Despite his personal obstacles, Presley remained a popular draw in Las Vegas and on tour. He performed at his last concert in June 1977, in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the concert, he returned home to his Memphis mansion, Graceland, to prepare for another tour.

Death and Legacy

On the morning of August 16, 1977, Presley died of heart failure, at the age of 42. It was later ruled that his death was related to his prescription drug use. Presley was buried on the Graceland property, near the gravesites of his mother, Gladys, father Vernon and grandmother Minnie Mae Hood Presley.

Throughout his amazing career, Presley helped popularize rock 'n' roll music in America. He also won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings. A major musical force, Presley had 18 No. 1 singles, including "Don't Be Cruel," "Good Luck Charm" and "Suspicious Minds," as well as countless gold and platinum albums. He was one of the first performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (1986). But Presley has been recognized for his contributions to several musical genres, most notably rock, country and gospel. In 1998, Presley was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame; three years later, he was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Graceland

Presley's Memphis home, Graceland, is open to the public, and numerous fans from around the world visit the legendary residence annually, especially around Presley's birthday and the anniversary of his death.

Thousands of fans traveled to Graceland on August 16, 2012 - the 35th anniversary of Presley's death - for a special vigil in honor of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. During the gathering, fans held lit candles and stood outside of Presley's home. Though the Presley family holds a tribute event each year to mark the anniversary of Presley's death, the 2012 gathering was unique: Presley's estranged wife, Priscilla, and daughter Lisa Marie appeared together for the first time at the annual event.

"You should see this from our point-of-view. It's amazing," Priscilla said during the event, according to the Washington Post. "The candles are lit. It's truly a sight to behold ... This is something that Elvis would never, ever have believed could have taken place here."

Pop Culture

Since his death, Presley has remained one of the world's most popular music icons. Over the years, several documentaries and films have explored the enigmatic performer, including a 2005 television miniseries starring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers as Elvis. In 2018, a two-part documentary, Elvis Presley: The Searcher, was released and explores his early life, rise to fame and his myriad musical influences.

That year, the online auction site IronPlanet announced that a private jet once owned by Presley and his father was on the market. The red 1962 Lockheed Jetstar, which has sat idle on a New Mexico runway for decades, features an interior with gold-tone woodwork and red velvet seats but has no engine. The previous owner purchased the jet in 2017 for $430,000.

Another 2018 auction, held at the Guest House at Graceland and online, featured more than 200 keepsakes from third-party collectors which were all once owned, used and signed by the King himself. The highest-priced item, a 1942 Beretta M1934 pistol given to Presley by General Omar Bradley, sold for more than $51,000.

Fact Check

We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Quick Facts "Fingerprints are like values-you leave them all over everything you do." "After a hard day of basic training, you could eat a rattlesnake." "Ambition is a dream with a V8 engine." "Animals don't hate, and we're supposed to be better than them." "Thank you, thank you very much."

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Actually used to change lyrics during live shows to keep himself entertained.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
From the book he died reading on the toilet to the one person who's been allowed in his bedroom, these Elvis Presley facts reveal rock's weird side.

On January 8, 1935, Elvis Aaron Presley was born-just minutes after his identical twin. And that's just the first of many seldom-heard, interesting Elvis facts that you probably haven't come across before.

From dating a 14-year-old to impersonating cops to earning the karate nickname of "Mr. Tiger," this is the tale of the king of rock and roll's weird side. See what we mean with these twenty-five things you probably never knew about The Pelvis:

On his 11th birthday, Elvis was really hoping for a new bike (some say a rifle), but much to his disappointment, was given a guitar instead.

A special variation on Elvis' favorite sandwich called the Fool's Gold Loaf packed a pound of bacon, a jar of peanut butter, and a jar of jelly into an entire loaf of Italian bread, which was then fried in butter.

Elvis' collection of animals included a turkey named Bowtie, five dogs, many horses, donkeys, peacocks, ducks, chickens, pigs, a chimpanzee, a spider monkey, and a mynah bird.

WordPress

Elvis and Johnny Cash were good friends and would often impersonate each other in public.

Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was once married to actor and Elvis super fan Nicolas Cage. She allowed Cage to become the only person outside of Elvis' immediate family to see his Graceland bedroom after his death. All other requests to see the bedroom have been denied, even one request from President Bill Clinton.

Like this gallery?
Share it:

25 Strange Elvis Presley Facts: Sex, Drugs, And Rock And Roll-And Nicolas Cage

For more on Elvis, see why his fans were the original Beliebers and discover where he ranks among rock and roll's most iconic hairdos.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
25 Strange Elvis Facts That Reveal The King's Weird Side

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
On January 8, 1935, Elvis Aaron Presley was born-just minutes after his identical twin. And that's just the first of many seldom-heard, interesting Elvis facts that you probably haven't come across before. From dating a 14-year-old to impersonating cops to earning the karate nickname of "Mr. Tiger," this is the tale of the king of rock and roll's weird side.

# data[].attributes.body
The radio actually wanted him to perform live at age 12, but he was to shy to

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
25 Fun Facts About Elvis Presley, the King of Rock & Roll

In honor of the King's birthday (January 8) and Heather's appearance at the University of Memphis' Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law that same day, here are 25 fun facts about Elvis Aaron Presley:

Elvis' famous black hair was dyed - his natural color was brown.

Elvis purchased his first guitar when he was just 11 years old. He wanted a rifle, but his mama convinced him to get a guitar instead.

In 1947, a local radio show offered a young Elvis (age 12) a chance to sing live on air, but he was too shy to go on.

At 18, Elvis paid $4 to make his first record, a gift for his mama.

In 1954, Elvis auditioned for a gospel quartet named the Songfellows. They said no.

That same year, a local radio DJ played Elvis' version of That's All Right. He went on to play it 13 more times that day, but had trouble convincing his audience that Elvis was white.

His nickname for his manhood was reportedly Little Elvis.

His breakthrough hit was Heartbreak Hotel, released in 1956 - a song inspired by a newspaper article about a local suicide .

When performing on TV in 1956, host Milton Berle advised Elvis to perform without his guitar, reportedly saying, "Let 'em see you, son." Elvis' gyrating hips caused outrage across the U.S. and within days he was nicknamed Elvis the Pelvis.

A Florida judge called Elvis "a savage" that same year because he said that his music was "undermining the youth." He was subsequently forbidden from shaking his body at a gig, so he waggled his finger instead in protest.

He played only five concerts outside the U.S., all on a 3-day tour of Canada in 1957. Many believe that the reason why he never toured abroad again was that his longtime manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was an illegal immigrant from Holland who would have been deported had he applied for a U.S. passport.

Col. Parker is said to have always had an eye for talent and for a quick buck - prior to managing Elvis, Parker reportedly painted sparrows yellow to sell them as canaries.

Elvis was 6 feet tall and wore a size 11 shoe.

Recording Hound Dog in the studio, Elvis reportedly demanded 31 takes.

Elvis bought his mansion, Graceland, in Memphis, TN in 1957 for $100,000. It was named by its previous owner after his daughter, Grace.

Performing "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" in Las Vegas in 1969, Elvis did one of his frequent lyric changes to amuse himself. Instead of "Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there?", he sang "Do you look at your bald head and wish you had hair?"

In 1956, he began his film career with a western, Love Me Tender. His second film, Loving You, featured his parents as audience members. Following his mother's death in 1957, he never watched the film again. He went on to make a total of 31 movies in his career.

In December 1957, Elvis was drafted into the U.S. Army, earning a $78 monthly salary. During his brief two-year stint on active duty, he was unable to access his music-generated income of $400,000.

In 1959, while serving overseas in Germany, Elvis (then 24 years old) met his future wife, 14 year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. They were married 8 years later.

Elvis' 1960 hit "It's Now or Never"so inspired a prisoner who heard it in jail that he vowed to pursue a career in music upon his release. The artist, Barry White, was then serving a 4-month sentence for stealing tires.

Elvis and Priscilla's only daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born in 1968. Lisa Marie later married Michael Jackson and actor (and Elvis obsessive) Nicholas Cage. Mr. Cage is reportedly the only person outside of Presley's immediate family to have ever seen Elvis' Graceland bedroom.

Following his divorce from Priscilla in 1972, Elvis was said to have allowed 'good-looking girls' who waited outside Graceland to enter afterhours. One night it was 152 women!

Elvis' popularity faded in the 1960's with the rise of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and others. He successfully relaunched his career with a 1968 television special that came about because Elvis had walked down a busy Los Angeles street and had no one recognize or approach him.

He was distantly related to former U.S. Presidents Abraham Lincoln and Jimmy Carter.

Elvis recorded more than 600 songs, but did not write any of them.

Connect With Heather

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
25 Fun Facts About Elvis Presley, the King of Rock & Roll | Heather Jarvis | Student Loan Expert

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In honor of the King's birthday (January 8) and Heather's appearance at the University of Memphis' Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law that same day, here are 25 fun facts about Elvis Aaron Presley: Elvis' famous black hair was dyed - his natural color was brown.

# data[].attributes.body
Here is elvis performing "If I can dream."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - If I Can Dream ('68 Comeback Special)

# data[].attributes.body
Here is elvis presley and where he is from

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley performing I can't help Fallin in Love with You

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - I can't help falling in love with you

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley with his guitar.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis’ first album spent 10 weeks in the #1 spot.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Elvis and Priscilla's relationship would have been illegal today

Priscilla Beaulieu was indeed young when Elvis set his sites on her, but they went on to marry, and she was the only woman Elvis ever took vows with. Life was a whirlwind for the teenager as she came of age married to the most coveted man in the world.

"I was kind of lost really in who I was earlier in my life, I really didn't have teenage years," she later said. "I learned so much about him and was with him so much that I thought the way he did." Priscilla was only 14 years old when the two met - Elvis was 24.

He had a twin

Elvis Presley, the undisputed King of rock 'n roll, was born on January 8, 1935, in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi.

Evidently, there was another king, as Elvis was born a twin, but his brother didn't make it through the complicated birth that forced his mother to go to the hospital.

As a result, his mother never had another child, and she became very attached to her young, future monarch of music. They were so close that when she died in 1958, it's reported that funeral guests became uncomfortable with the extreme amount of sorrow shown by Elvis. Others say he was never the same after she died.

Elvis was really shy

There's an age-old question in America: Rifle or guitar?

Eventually, Elvis would choose both. But at age 11, his mother got the guitar instead of the rifle. She wanted to keep his fingers stringing instruments instead of pulling triggers (though she was only delaying his affinity for guns for the time being).

It may surprise some to learn that the ultimate performer was exceptionally shy when he grew up. He learned to play the guitar as soon as he got it and started singing too. He was so good at singing that when he was 12 years old, a local radio station offered him a chance to sing on one of their shows, but he turned the opportunity down for a reason that's very un-Elvis: he was too scared.

He was turned down after an audition when he was 19

When Elvis was 19 years old, he auditioned to join a gospel quartet called Songfellows. In a move the judging panel probably later regretted, they turned him down. But that ended up working out for all of us because Elvis had already started recording songs.

The previous year, Elvis recorded his first song. He paid $4 to have the song tracked, and it was a gift for his mother. By now Elvis was in Memphis, Tennessee after his family moved there when he was 13 years old. In 1954, the same year he auditioned for the Songfellows, he was about to make an already budding music scene in Memphis rock and roll.

Elvis used shoe polish to make his hair black

As legend has it, a local DJ played Elvis' "That's All Right" 14 times in one day. The Memphis listeners loved it, but the only problem was they didn't believe Elvis was white. The only thing black about Elvis was his hair, and he used shoe polish to make that happen.

By 1955 Elvis was rising, but nowhere near the household name status he enjoys today. In that same year, he bought a '55 Fleetwood Series 60 Cadillac (his second Cadillac). He gave it to his mother who didn't even have a driver's license, but that didn't stop him from touring in it with Scotty Moore and Bill Black in 1955 and 1956. You can view the pink Cadillac today at Graceland.

He didn't write any of his songs

The King's breakout hit was actually an ominous song about a man who jumped out of a window in a hotel in Kentucky. The single's name was "Heartbreak Hotel" and it was released in 1956. It became his first million-dollar seller, and just like every other song he released, he didn't write it.

"Heartbreak Hotel" has simple guitar strings, but it's catchy, and Elvis' voice shows its range from high-pitched whaling, down to his own low tone. While the sound certainly caught everyone's ears, it was really when their eyes saw him move about on TV. His fast-moving, suggestive hips bumped shock-waves around the world.

"Elvis the Pelvis"

We may know Elvis as the King, and as much as it deserves to be a title for him, it's a nickname. While it's the one that stuck through time, there were a few other nicknames before he was crowned eternally. His first nickname came after a performance of "Hound Dog" on live TV.

Elvis uncharacteristically didn't perform with his guitar, and that was at the request of host Milton Berle who said, "Let 'em see you, son." Elvis rocked that stage, gyrating his hips as he sashayed around the microphone stand. The performance affected the audience so profoundly that he was immediately dubbed "Elvis the Pelvis."

Elvis' first album spent 10 weeks in the #1 spot

Elvis gained another short-lived nickname that stuck around about as long as Jell-O nailed to a wall. We can all be happy that the "Atomic Powered Singer" didn't stick and understand that a nickname like that came from the United States at the height of its nuclear testing and in the think of the Cold War.

Speaking of bombs going off, Elvis Presley soared into the stratosphere with his debut album "Elvis Presley." It was the first rock and roll album to go number one, and it stayed there for an astonishing ten weeks in 1956. Elvis had hit the ground running and was a star right off the bat.

Elvis starred in over 30 movies

Also in 1956 "Elvis the Pelvis," and the "Atomic Powered Singer" were bulldozed aside as the coronation of the "King" saw Elvis rule the court of rock and roll for all time. He took the throne, the one that he reigns from even now, even today, pretty much from the get-go. His performances had women in screaming frenzies and critics swooning.

In the same year Elvis was called "a savage" by a Florida judge for "undermining the youth." But what kind of rock star doesn't stir up a little controversy? Ridin Elvis mania, the King ventured into his film career. Elvis was quite the actor. He went on to star in over 30 films in his lifetime.

Elvis bought (and lived in) Graceland within the first year of his career

In 1957 Elvis purchased his famous home (and now the notorious landmark), called Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee. Rumor has it that the previous owner named it after his daughter Grace. Elvis bought for $100,000. It became an iconic tribute to the singer and remains a popular tourist attraction for Elvis fans.

Elvis was living the good life, but 1958 brought about a lot of change. All kidding aside, Elvis was really fond of his mother, and he took it very hard when she died in August of that year of a heart attack. Elvis apparently received over 100,000 cards from sympathetic fans.

Elvis served two years in the military at the height of his fame

Elvis' ride at the top was short-lived, or at least delayed for a while in 1957.

During the Cold War, the United States instituted a peacetime draft to keep their numbers up in the face of the Soviet threat. When Elvis' number was called, despite being one of the most famous people in the world, he reported for duty.

Elvis was conscripted into the United States Army in 1958 where he served until 1960. By then, he had fancy cars, women across the country losing their minds over him, many toys, and over $400,000 cash in a bank account. He had to leave it all behind while he fulfilled his duty to the country.

Elvis would have been arrested for this today (strike 2!)

The King's service to his country brought him all the way to Germany. While there he didn't receive any special treatment (though it was offered to him, he turned it down) from the army, and he was given $78 a month in salary. The fact that he did his duty gained him respect from his haters.

Though Elvis would have many love interests in his life, he met the love of his life while on duty Germany. He was 24 years old at the time, but that didn't stop him from falling in love with the 14-year-old daughter of a US Navy pilot (you know who). Bold move, Elvis.

Elvis always asked Priscilla to do this

Despite their long relationship, and indeed, marriage, Elvis asked that the love of his life to always look her best - to always look her best and to uphold his idealism of her as a perfect beauty. No sweats and ice cream pints for her.

Later in life, Priscilla also revealed that she wore makeup around him 100% of the time, and he didn't want to see her get dressed or do her hair or any of the other things ladies do to look their best. According to Priscilla, Elvis liked the mystery. Knowing the competition for her man was fierce, Priscilla obliged.

Elvis was really into karate

Elvis would've been a great soldier to serve with, and his generosity gained him fantastic fanfare. He bought everyone in his unit an extra set of fatigues and donated all of his army salary to charity. He wasn't just a music star anymore: He was turning into America's son. Women loved him; men wanted to be him.

While in the army, Elvis also got seriously into karate and studied the fighting style of Chito-Ryu by his instructor Hank Slemansky. Elvis would take the stage after his tour and use his moves during his acts. Before he left Germany in 1960, he was so good that he received his black belt.

Career power moves

Priscilla was concerned that her lover's career would suffer from him being a regular soldier. She wanted him to go into the Special Service, which isn't for the inept, but a place where he could do performances for the army, and would have contact with the press, and enjoy safeties that weren't afforded to other soldiers.

But Elvis had a manager that was top notch and clairvoyant, and correctly determined that if Elvis did his time in the service, it would make him immensely popular. Colonel Tom Parker would have the King's back through thick and thin over the years, and Elvis trusted him throughout his whole career to point him in the right direction.

"Little Elvis" (yeah, THAT little Elvis)

Elvis never did like spending the night alone, much to the chagrin of Priscilla. While in Germany Priscilla might've been his girlfriend, but the King had many love interests. That included a 19-year-old Elisabeth Stefaniak, who he originally hired to handle his fan mail. She uh, ended up handling a bit more than the mail.

"Little Elvis," as the King used to refer to his manhood, was rarely alone. And when Sergeant Presley (because in his brief two years, he was promoted) was discharged in March of 1960, his return journey home saw the train he was riding mobbed at every stop from New Jersey to Tennessee.

"Elvis' singing wasn't sexy, it was pornographic."

The record label that Elvis was signed with was RCA, and they managed to put together four albums from old recorded material during the King's tenure in the military.

When he got back, he was rushed into the studio, even recording a song during a stop on his train ride home.

The result was the 1960 classic "Elvis is Back!" The album was an instant success. It produced such memorable songs as Elvis' rendition of "It's Now or Never" and "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" The album inspired one music critic to say, "Elvis' singing wasn't sexy, it was pornographic." And with song titles like that, it's easy to understand why.

He had one daughter, Lisa Marie

In 1961 Elvis hit his stride as an actor and played the title role in Can't Help Falling in Love With You. He also produced a number one single with a song of the same name. He did the same thing with "Return to Sender" the following year. He was dominating the entertainment business. But something was missing.

After seven years of courtship, Elvis and Priscilla finally tied the knot, though rumor has it that it wasn't their call. They had their only child together shortly after, a daughter they named Lisa Marie. But after they had a child, Elvis became distant from his wife, and the couple called it quits by 1972.

Elvis' manager might have been an illegal immigrant

The idea to get married was another one suggested by Colonel Parker. He was always extremely conscious of the King's image and went to great lengths to ensure he was well received. He thought the union would make Elvis more popular to the public, and pushed for Elvis and Priscilla to get married.

Lesser known was the fact that Parker was an illegal immigrant from Holland. Elvis never once did a European tour, and only played in Canada for a handful of days during his career. It's rumored that Elvis didn't travel abroad because Parker would've been deported if he applied for a passport, and they weren't going to risk that.

Elvis was a serious germaphobe

An interesting fact about Colonel Parker is that he used to paint Sparrows yellow and sell them as canaries to make ends meet before he met Elvis.

Hopefully, he didn't sell those birds to any minors, but when it came to Elvis apparently, he was a straight shooter, and Elvis rewarded him handsomely for it.

Elvis probably never would've touched those birds, as reports from Priscilla tell us that he was a germaphobe. According to her, he used to sip his glasses from the part above the handle, knowing that no one before would've drunk from that part of the glass.

He had a very disobedient chimp name Scatter

Eccentricities are something that comes with fame (cause hey, when you got a lot of attention, you have to fight to keep it), and for Elvis that manifested itself in many ways. One way, in particular, was when he adopted his pet Chimpanzee Scatter. The chimp was a troublemaker from the outset, and Elvis was largely responsible for that.

Scatter would show up wearing a Hawaiian shirt, and when Elvis hosted parties at Graceland he would terrorize the guests. Reports say that he received a sharp uppercut form a lady guest when he put his hands where they didn't belong. He was also known to make big, loud entrances. Wonder where he learned that?

Elvis was a little trigger happy

Elvis may have gotten a guitar when he was 11 years old, but when he became an adult he finally got that rifle he wanted, and a whole lot more. Elvis loved guns and carried them around frequently. Tom Jones even remembers when Elvis carelessly left a pistol in his dressing room for anyone to take.

A girlfriend of Elvis' named Ginger Alden even recounted a time when Elvis fired a gun at a TV set. She also recalled a time when he fired a bullet into a headboard as she slept. He apparently did it to "grab her attention." Let's just say Elvis' reasons for firing got pretty casual.

Falling from fame took a huge toll on him

Elvis was a successful film star, but his absence from the music scene saw his celebrity wane. Other major bands such as the Beatles, Queen, and the Rolling Stones were topping the charts and rock and roll had exploded onto the mainstream, in large part due to him. The King wasn't about to sit back and watch his throne be taken.

According to reports, sometime around 1968, Elvis took a walk down a busy Los Angeles street and no one recognized him. He had come a long way from girls fainting and crying when they saw him. It was enough to cause him to relaunch his career, which he did with his television concert titled "Elvis."

Elvis' big comeback

Elvis hadn't cracked the top 10 in years before his comeback and his previous two singles were decidedly underwhelming. He also hadn't been touring, and "Elvis" was his first live performance since 1961. The soundtrack album that was released after the show returned him to the top ten of the music charts.

Elvis is said to have been "uninhibited" in the '68 Comeback Special, as he previously felt constrained about the songs he sang and requests from producers and audiences. He vowed to never sing a song he didn't believe in again, and to do his career his way - for better or for worse.

Elvis was granted a badge as a narcotics agent

Elvis was back at the top, at least for a little while. He had always dabbled in drug use over the years, and by the mid-1960s, he used prescription pills regularly. His drug use was beginning to show its effects on him, which made his meeting with President Richard Nixon in 1970 all the more awkward.

Elvis met Nixon in the Oval Office of the White House and had an odd request for the president. He asked the president if he would grant him a badge as a narcotics agent. This seems like an outrageous request, except for the fact that the President granted his wish, despite his lack of training.

Elvis liked to dress up as a police officer and pull people over

Giving Elvis a badge was probably a bad idea. He loved to dress up as a police officer and pull people (mainly women) over to give them his autograph, being the first person in uniform to hand someone a "ticket" and say, "you're welcome." And those autographs were worth something, so rather than paying, the unsuspecting motorist was coming up!

Priscilla is said to have disapproved of the practice, and a lot of other aspects of the King's life. In 1972 the two were divorced, much to the happiness of women across the country. It's rumored that Elvis would allow "good looking girls" to enter Graceland after hours, and one night, there were 152 ladies (ahem) waiting outside!

Eyelash dye did him dirty

By the time Elvis was divorced, he was 37 years old. He was no longer the young buck with the boyish good looks and his fast-paced lifestyle was taking its toll on both his mental and physical health. But Elvis went to great lengths to keep his appearance as youthful as possible.

The King was no longer using shoe polish to keep his hair black. For that, he used Miss Clairol 51 D, "Black Velvet." He even died his eyelashes, which reportedly led to health complications later in his life. But Elvis still had one act to play in the city referred to as America's playground.

Elvis wasn't initially welcome in Vegas

Music critics despised Elvis Presley when he first showed up to rock and roll Las Vegas in 1956. It wasn't quite the swinging sixties yet, as the town was still owned by a member of the Rat Pack. The WWII generation wasn't quite ready for the hip-shaking King, but he rolled in anyway.

A Las Vegas Sun writer said, "As he stands up there clutching his guitar, he shakes and shivers like he is suffering from itchy underwear and hot shoes." But the generations had changed by the early 70s, and the King made Vegas his home base. Elvis was Vegas, and Vegas was him.

White little chapels and shotgun weddings

"What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas," is the slogan adopted during the King's reign in the desert. In 1964 Elvis starred in a movie called Viva Las Vegas (and recorded a song of the same title, of course). In the movie, he got a "quickie" marriage to his co-star Ann Margaret, and ever since wedding chapels have adorned the area around the Vegas strip.

Though we can't say that's the exact reason Las Vegas became the eloping (to put it nicely) capital of the country, the release of the movie timed up well with the explosion of shotgun weddings. Elvis and Priscilla Presley were even married in... you guessed it, Las Vegas, long before the quickie wedding became somewhat of a tourist attraction.

Elvis developed a bad pill problem

The Elvis Presley that performed "Aloha From Hawaii" in 1973 wasn't the Elvis that opened in Vegas in 1956. He had prescriptions coming in from five doctors, became depressed and developed poor personal habits, and sometimes became so concerned about his weight, he would lay in bed for days without eating.

When the King's music gave way to rock and roll the likes of The Doors and Jimi Hendrix, Elvis could still be found on the strip rocking for a crowd that paid $17.50 for his show and a lobster dinner. The King was, and had always been, a man of the people.

Some people believe he faked his own death

Elvis left the building for good on the night of August 16, 1977, at the age of 42 in his bathroom at his home in Graceland. Mystery swirls around his death and theories live on to this day - that he faked his death to escape fame (a common thread with musical legends, such as Tupac and Jim Morrison). But Elvis' lifestyle had finally caught up to him as he died of a heart attack, and toxicology reports indicate over a dozen different drugs in his system.

The King had recorded over 600 songs in his career and his style was so unique he is perhaps impersonated more than anyone on the planet. He broke down barriers that paved the way for future rock and rollers and lived one hell of a life in the process. There's been no one like him before or since. Long live the King!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
30 Facts You Didn't Know About Elvis Presley

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Think you know Elvis? The King is one of the most polarizing figures in music and left behind a treasure trove of vintage photos, vivid stories and viral hits to prove it. From wild spending habits to the way he liked his women (as his wife, Priscilla reveals), Elvis Presley was one of a kind.

# data[].attributes.body
Doctors said he died of a heart attack, likely brought on by his addiction to prescription barbiturates.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Popular music icon Elvis Presley dies in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42. The death of the “King of Rock and Roll” brought legions of mourning fans to Graceland,

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis had a younger twin brother who was a stillborn.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
1. Elvis had a twin.
On January 8, 1935, Elvis Aron (later spelled Aaron) Presley was born at his parents' two-room house in East Tupelo, Mississippi, about 35 minutes after his identical twin brother, Jesse Garon, who was stillborn. The next day, Jesse was buried in an unmarked grave in nearby Priceville Cemetery.

Elvis, who spoke of his twin throughout his life, grew up an only child in a poor family. His father, Vernon, worked a series of odd jobs, and in 1938 was sentenced to three years in prison for forging a $4 check (he spent less than a year behind bars). In 1948, the Presleys moved from Tupelo to Memphis in search of better opportunities. There, Elvis attended Humes High School, where he failed a music class and was considered quiet and an outsider. He graduated in 1953, becoming the first member of his immediate family to earn a high school diploma. After graduation, he worked at a machinist shop and drove a truck before launching his music career with the July 1954 recording of "That's All Right."

2. Elvis bought Graceland when he was 22.
In 1957, Elvis shelled out $102,500 for Graceland, the Memphis mansion that served as his home base for two decades. Situated on nearly 14 acres, it was built in 1939 by Dr. Thomas Moore and his wife Ruth on land that once was part of a 500-acre farm dubbed Graceland in honor of the original owner's daughter, Grace, who was Ruth Moore's great-aunt. The Moores' white-columned home also came to be known as Graceland, and when Elvis purchased the place he kept the name.

The entertainer made a number of updates to the property over the years, including the addition of music-themed iron entrance gates, a "jungle room" with an indoor waterfall and a racquetball building. After finding out President Lyndon Johnson enjoyed watching all three network news programs simultaneously, Elvis was inspired to have a wall of built-in TVs installed in his home. In 1982, five years after Elvis was found dead in a bathroom at Graceland, his ex-wife Priscilla Presley opened the estate to the public for tours. Some 600,000 fans now flock there each year. Elvis' only child, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited Graceland when she turned 25 in 1993 and continues to operate it today.

In 2006, George W. Bush became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Graceland, when he traveled there with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, a die-hard Elvis fan.

3. Elvis' controversial manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was a former carnival barker.
Born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk in the Netherlands in 1909, Elvis's future manager immigrated illegally to America as a young man, where he reinvented himself as Tom Parker and claimed to be from West Virginia (his true origins weren't known publicly until the 1980s). He worked as a pitchman for traveling carnivals, followed by stints as dog catcher and pet cemetery founder, among other occupations, then managed the careers of several country music singers. In 1948, Parker finagled the honorary title of colonel from the governor of Louisiana and henceforth insisted on being referred to as the Colonel.

After learning about the up-and-coming Elvis in 1955, Parker negotiated the sale of the singer's contract with tiny Sun Records to RCA, a major label, and officially took over as his manager in 1956. Under the Colonel's guidance, Elvis shot to stardom: His first single for RCA, "Heartbreak Hotel," released in 1956, became the first of his career to sell more than 1 million copies; his debut album, "Elvis Presley," topped Billboard's pop album chart; and he made his big-screen debut in 1956's "Love Me Tender."

The portly, cigar-chomping Parker controlled Elvis' career for the next two decades, helping him achieve enormous success while at the same time taking commissions of as much as 50 percent of the entertainer's earnings and drawing criticism from observers that he was holding Elvis back creatively. Parker outlived his protégé by 20 years, dying in 1997 at age 87 in Las Vegas.

4. Elvis served in the Army after he was already famous.
In December 1957, Elvis, by then a major star, was drafted into the U.S. military. After receiving a short deferment so he could wrap up production on his film "King Creole," the 23-year-old was inducted into the Army as a private on March 24, 1958, amidst major media coverage. Assigned to the Second Armored Division, he attended basic training at Fort Hood, Texas. That August, while still at Fort Hood, he was granted emergency leave to visit his beloved mother, who was in poor health. Gladys Presley passed away at age 46 on August 16, 1958. The following month, Elvis shipped out for an assignment with the Third Armored Division in Friedberg, West Germany, where he served as a jeep driver and continued to receive stacks of fan mail.

While in Germany, he lived off base with his father and grandmother Minnie Mae Presley. It was also during this time that Elvis met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, the daughter of a U.S. Air Force captain. (After a lengthy courtship, Elvis and Priscilla married in 1967; the couple divorced in 1973.) Elvis was honorably discharged from active duty in March 1960, having achieved the rank of sergeant. His first post-Army movie, "G.I. Blues," was released that November of that same year. The film's soundtrack spent 10 weeks at the top of the Billboard album music chart and remained on the chart for a total of 111 weeks, the longest of any album in Elvis' career.

5. Elvis never performed outside of North America.
An estimated 40 percent of Elvis' music sales have been outside the United States; however, with the exception a handful of concerts he gave in Canada in 1957, he never performed on foreign soil. A number of sources have suggested that Elvis' manager, Colonel Parker, turned down lucrative offers for the singer to perform abroad because Parker was an illegal immigrant and feared he wouldn't be allowed back into the U.S. if he traveled overseas.

6. Elvis was burned in effigy after an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show."
In the summer of 1956, Colonel Parker arranged a deal for Elvis to make three appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" for a then-whopping fee of $50,000. Although Sullivan previously had said he wouldn't book the hip-swiveling, lip-curling singer on his family-oriented TV variety show, he relented after competitor Steve Allen featured Elvis on his show in July 1956 and clobbered Sullivan in the ratings. When Elvis made his first appearance on Sullivan's program on September 9, 1956, 60 million people-more than 80 percent of the TV viewing audience-tuned in. (As it happened, Sullivan, who had been injured in a car accident that August, was unable to host the show.) After the singer made his second appearance in October, crowds in Nashville and St. Louis, outraged by the singer's sexy performance and concerned that rock music would corrupt America's teens, burned and hanged Elvis in effigy.

The singer made his final appearance on Sullivan's show in January 1957, and this time network censors demanded he be filmed from the waist up. Despite this requirement, at the end of the program, Sullivan gave the entertainer a special nod, telling the audience Elvis was "a real decent, fine boy," and letting him know that "we've never had a pleasanter experience on our show with a big name than we've had with you."

7. Elvis bought Franklin Roosevelt's presidential yacht.
In 1964, Elvis paid $55,000 for the Potomac, the 165-foot-long vessel that served as FDR's "floating White House" from 1936 to 1945. Constructed in 1934, the Potomac originally was a U.S. Coast Guard cutter. After the president's death in 1945, the ship was decommissioned and had a series of owners before Elvis bought it. However, he soon donated it to St. Jude's Children's Hospital, which in turn sold the vessel to raise money. (In 1980, the Potomac, then being used by drug smugglers, was seized in San Francisco by U.S. Customs. It later was restored and opened to the public.)

Elvis' yacht donation was one of many charitable acts after he would make during his life. In addition to giving away cars, jewelry and cash to friends and strangers, he performed a number of benefit concerts. One such performance, in 1961, generated more than $50,000 toward the completion of the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. Work on the project, a tribute to the more than 1,100 men who died aboard the USS Arizona during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, had begun years earlier then stalled due to a lack of funds. Elvis' concert, for which tickets ranged from $3 to $100, helped reinvigorate fund-raising efforts for the memorial, and it was dedicated the following year.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
1. Elvis had a twin. On January 8, 1935, Elvis Aron (later spelled Aaron) Presley was born at his parents' two-room house in East Tupelo, Mississippi, about 35 minutes after his identical twin brother, Jesse Garon, who was stillborn. The next day, Jesse was buried in an unmarked grave in nearby Priceville Cemetery.

# data[].attributes.body
"Suspicious Minds" Elvis wrote this song about his disappointment with how he acted as a husband to Priscilla

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds (Official Audio)

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis's first guitar that his mom talked him in to buying instead of a rifle

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis recorded more than 600 songs that he didn't write.

# data[].attributes.body
In 1957 Elvis was drafted into the army for two years of active duty.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis made 31 movies.

# data[].attributes.body
One of his hits "Can't help falling in love"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling In Love (Official Audio)

# data[].attributes.body
his natural hair color.. brown

# data[].attributes.body
At 18 years old, he paid $4 for his first record.

# data[].attributes.body
He purchased his first guitar at 11 years old. He wanted a rifle, but his mother convinced him other

# data[].attributes.body
His famous hair color of black was dyed. His natural hair color is brown

# data[].attributes.body
His best hit was "Heart Break Hotel"

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis never performed outside of North America.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis bought Graceland when he was 22. In 1957, Elvis shelled out $102,500 for Graceland, the Memphis mansion that served as his home base for two decades

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Elvis Presley - Jailhouse Rock (COLOR and ORIGINAL TRUE STEREO) - Jailhouse Rock Movie

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis Presley performing at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in 1956 in Tupelo.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The search engine that helps you find exactly what you're looking for. Find the most relevant information, video, images, and answers from all across the Web.

# data[].attributes.body
Elvis and one of his fans, B.B. King

# data[].attributes.body
"He had a twin brother who was stillborn"

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Elvis Presley, Soundtrack: Girls! Girls! Girls!. Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in East Tupelo, Mississippi, to Gladys Presley (née Gladys Love Smith) and Vernon Presley (Vernon Elvis Presley). He had a twin brother who was stillborn. In 1948, Elvis and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee where he attended Humes High School.