Elvis Presley Events

1935 Jan 8 Elvis Presley is born
Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977; middle name sometimes spelled Aron)a was an American singer and actor. A cultural icon, he is commonly known simply as Elvis and is...
1942 Sep Elvis Presley entered the first grade
In September 1942, Presley entered first grade at Lawhon School in Tupelo. He was considered a "well-mannered and quiet child", but sometimes classmates threw "things at him — rotten frui...
1945 Oct 3 Elvis Presley's first public performance
On October 3, 1945, he made his first public performance in a singing contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show at the suggestion of his teacher, Mrs. J.C. Grimes. Dressed as...
1946 Jan 8 Elvis receives first guitar on 11th birthday
For his eleventh birthday, Presley received his first guitar. He had wanted a rifle but his parents could only afford a guitar. Over the following year, Vernon's brother, Vester, gave Elv...
1948 Sep The Presley Family moves to Memphis
In September 1948, the Presley family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, allegedly because Vernon—in addition to needing work—had to escape the law for transporting bootleg liquor. They found a...
1950 Sep Elvis Presley worked as an usher at Loew's State Theater
In September 1950, Presley occasionally worked evenings as an usher at Loew's State Theater—his first job—to boost the family income, but his mother made him quit as she feared it was aff...
1953 Jul 18 Elvis Presley records first songs
On July 18, 1953, Presley went to Sun Records' Memphis Recording Service to record "My Happiness" with "That's When Your Heartaches Begin," supposedly as a present for his mother although...
1954 Jan 4 Elvis records "I'll Never Stand In Your Way" and "It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You"
On January 4, 1954, he cut a second acetate demo recording of "I'll Never Stand In Your Way" and "It Wouldn't Be The Same Without You". At the time, Sun Records boss Sam Phillips was on t...
1954 Jun 26 Elvis Presley auditions for producer Sam Phillips
She called him on June 26, 1954. However, Presley was not able to do justice to the song. Phillips would later recall that "Elvis was probably as nervous as anybody, black or white, that ...
1955 Jan Buddy Holly Sees Elvis Perform
In January of 1955 Holly saw Elvis Presley perform in Lubbock, inspiring him to play rock 'n' roll. By the time he graduated high school that same year, he was already a popular performer...
1955 Aug 15 Elvis Presley signs management deal with "Colonel" Tom Parker
On August 15, 1955, "Colonel" Tom Parker became Presley's manager, signing him to a one year contract, plus renewals. Several record labels had shown interest in signing Presley and, by t...
1956 Mar 23 Elvis Presley releases self-titled debut album
Elvis Presley was the name of Elvis Presley's debut LP. It was released on RCA Victor, in mono, catalogue number LPM 1254, in March 1956. The recording sessions took place on January 10 a...
1956 Jul 1 Elvis Presley appears on the Steve Allen Show
Country vocalists The Jordanaires accompanied Presley on The Steve Allen Show and their first recording session together produced "Any Way You Want Me", "Don't Be Cruel" and "Hound Dog". ...
1956 Sep 9 Elvis Presley First Appears on The Ed Sullivan Show
Elvis, wearing a loud plaid jacket, greeted the audience from a set decorated with stylized guitar shapes. He announced that the show was “probably the greatest honor I have ever had in m...
1956 Oct 19 Elvis Presley releases Elvis
Elvis is the second album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono, LPM 1382, in October 1956. Recording sessions took place on September 1, September 2, and September 3 a...
1957 Oct 15 Elvis releases Elvis' Christmas Album
Elvis' Christmas Album is the fourth album by Elvis Presley on RCA Victor Records, LPM 1951, released in October 1957, and recorded at Radio Recorders in Hollywood. It has been reissued i...
1957 Oct 17 "Jailhouse Rock" Is Released
Jailhouse Rock is an American motion picture directed by Richard Thorpe, released by MGM on October 17, 1957. The film stars Elvis Presley (his third ever film role), Judy Tyler, and Mick...
1960 Apr 8 Elvis Presley releases Elvis Is Back!
Elvis Is Back! is the tenth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor Records in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2231, in April 1960. Recording sessions took place on March 20 and April 3, ...
1960 Dec Elvis Presley releases His Hand in Mine
His Hand in Mine was Elvis Presley's first RCA Victor 12" long-play gospel album, recorded and originally released in 1960; a followup to his 1957 EP Peace in the Valley. It is well kn...
1961 Jun 17 Elvis Presley releases Something for Everybody
Something For Everybody is the thirteenth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2370, in June 1961. Recording sessions took place on November 8, 1960,...
1962 Jun 5 Elvis Presley releases Pot Luck
Pot Luck with Elvis is the fifteenth album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Victor in mono and stereo, LPM/LSP 2523, in June of 1962. Recording sessions took place on March 22, 1961, at ...
1967 Feb 20 Elvis Presley releases How Great Thou Art
How Great Thou Art is a musical album by American entertainer Elvis Presley; it was his first non-soundtrack album recording of new material since 1962's Pot Luck and his first album rele...
1969 Jun 17 Elvis Presley releases From Elvis in Memphis
From Elvis in Memphis is the thirty-fourth album, not counting budget compilations on the RCA Camden subsidiary, by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Records, LSP 4155, in June 1969. Recorde...
1969 Nov Elvis Presley releases From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis
From Memphis to Vegas/From Vegas to Memphis is the thirty-fifth studio album by Elvis Presley released on RCA Records (LSP 6020) in November 1969. The set was issued to capitalize upon th...
1971 Jan 2 Elvis Presley releases Elvis Country (I'm 10,000 Years Old)
"Elvis Country" (I'm 10,000 Years Old) is the thirty-seventh studio album by Elvis Presley, released on RCA Records (LSP 44600 in January 1971. Recorded at RCA Studio B in Nashville, it r...
1971 Jun 16 Elvis Presley releases Love Letters from Elvis
Love Letters from Elvis is a 1971 studio album from Elvis Presley. The album was made up mostly of leftovers from Elvis' marathon June 1970 recording sessions in Nashville. Most of the...
1971 Oct 20 Elvis Presley releases Elvis Sings The Wonderful World of Christmas
Elvis Sings The Wonderful World Of Christmas is a 1971 album by Elvis Presley, and Elvis' second Christmas album. The album was released in October 1971, followed by the single from the a...
1972 Feb 20 Elvis Presley releases Elvis Now
Elvis Now is a gold-selling Elvis Presley album from 1972. Despite the "now" in the title, the tracks on this album were recorded anywhere from one to three years before its release. "...
1972 Apr Elvis Presley releases He Touched Me
He Touched Me was a 1972 gospel music album by Elvis Presley which sold over 1 million copies in the US alone and earned Presley his second of three Grammy Awards. Not counting compilatio...
1973 Jul Elvis releases self-titled 1973 album
Elvis is Elvis Presley's self-titled 1973 album. This album is often called The Fool album after one of the songs included in it, in order to differentiate it from the 1956 album of the s...
1973 Oct 1 Elvis releases Raised on Rock/For Ol' Times Sake
Raised on Rock/For Ol' Times Sake is a studio album by Elvis Presley released in 1973. It along with the album Elvis were both released after the massive success of Aloha From Hawaii. Thi...
1974 Mar 20 Elvis Presley releases Good Times
Good Times is a 1974 album by Elvis Presley. The album was constructed by the first pick of a session held by Elvis in Memphis, it includes a collection of songs that vary in style and...
1975 Jan 8 Elvis Presley releases Promised Land
Promised Land is a 1975 album by Elvis Presley. It was recorded in December 1973 at Stax Records studios in Memphis. These were the last recording sessions that Presley had in Memphis, wh...
1975 May 7 Elvis Presley releases Today
The Today sessions were held in RCA's Studio C, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, March 10–12, 1975, and marked the last time Elvis Presley would ever record in a studio. The material (...
1976 May Elvis Presley releases From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee
From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee is an album by Elvis Presley, released in 1976 on RCA Records. It is often mistaken that this is a concert recording as the album states t...
1977 Jun 26 Elvis Presley's final performance
Presley's final performance was in Indianapolis at the Market Square Arena, on June 26, 1977. According to many of his entourage who accompanied him on tour, it was the "best show he had ...
1977 Jul 19 Elvis Presley releases Moody Blue
Moody Blue is the title of Elvis Presley's last album to be released in his lifetime. The album was a mixture of live and studio work, and included tracks from Presley's final studio reco...
1977 Aug 16 Elvis Presley Dies
In 2006, a journalist recalled: "Elvis Presley had [in 1977] become a grotesque caricature of his sleek, energetic former self... he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviate...
2009 Aug 8 Rod Blagojevich sings Elvis song at Chicago neighborhood festival
At a street party on a muggy Chicago night, Illinois' former Gov. Rod Blagojevich jumps on stage with a look-a-like of the once-upon-a-time male hunk Fabio, announcing that they're both o...
2010 Jan 8 Time Magazine names Rod Blagojevich #2 Elvis Impersonator
ORIGINAL LIST 1. Johnny Cash 2. Rod Blagojevich 3. Andy Kaufman 4. Shawn Klush 5. Young (Really Young) Elvis 6. Eric Bressi 7. Junichiro Koizumi 8. Pete ...
2010 Apr 24 Elvis Presley's step brother publicly recognizes Rod Blagojevich at suburban church
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich was front-and-center for a motivational speech by Elvis Presley's stepbrother at a suburban Chicago church. Rick Stanley quickly picked the embattl...