Today in Elvis History

It's December sixth, and on this day in 1959… Elvis Presley began bi-weekly karate lessons with Jurgen Seydel, widely recognized as the father of German karate. Stationed in Germany during his military service, Elvis took a serious interest in martial arts, laying the foundation for a lifelong passion. These early lessons marked the beginning of a discipline that would influence both his physical...

It's December fifth, and on this day in 1970… Elvis Presley attended the wedding of his longtime friend George Klein to Barbara Little at the International Hotel in Las Vegas. Ever the loyal companion, Elvis arranged for his father Vernon and stepmother Dee to join the celebration, underscoring the deep personal connections he maintained with those closest to him—even amid the glitz of Vegas and t...

It's December fourth, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley dropped by Sun Studio in Memphis, where Carl Perkins was in the middle of a recording session. What followed became one of the most legendary moments in rock and roll history. Elvis joined Carl and Jerry Lee Lewis for an impromptu jam session, and Sam Phillips had the foresight to roll tape. Later dubbed the “Million Dollar Quartet,” thi...

It's December third, and on this day in 1968… *Singer Presents Elvis*, the NBC television special now famously known as the '68 Comeback Special, aired at 9:00 p.m. Capturing an astounding 42% of the national TV audience, it became NBC’s highest-rated broadcast of the year. Critics may have been split, but the viewers had spoken loud and clear—Elvis was back. The show reignited his performing care...

It's December second, and on this day in 1968… Elvis Presley was photographed in Beverly Hills the day after the broadcast of his legendary NBC television special, commonly known as the ’68 Comeback Special. Still riding high from the critical and fan acclaim, Elvis appeared confident, stylish, and reenergized—marking the beginning of a bold new chapter in his career.

It's December first, and on this day in 1957… Elvis Presley donated \$1,050 to ensure that every student at his alma mater, Humes High School, could attend the E.H. Crump Memorial Football Game for the Blind. His gift covered the cost of tickets for all 1,400 students, reflecting both his deep connection to his Memphis roots and his generosity toward causes benefiting the blind—a recurring theme i...

It's November thirtieth, and on this day in 1976… Elvis Presley performed at the Convention Center in Anaheim, California. It was one of his stronger shows of the tour, with several in his inner circle noting a noticeable lift in his energy. Linda Thompson had recently departed, and Ginger Alden was now present at the concert. Later that night, Elvis confided to his spiritual advisor Larry Geller...

It's November twenty-ninth, and on this day in 1965… Elvis Presley purchased a retired D’Elegance Greyhound bus, intending to have it refurbished for personal travel between Memphis and California. Always drawn to the freedom of the open road, Elvis envisioned the customized bus as a private, rolling escape—another piece of his ever-expanding mobile kingdom.

It's November twenty-eighth, and on this day in 1976… Elvis Presley performed at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. Behind the scenes, a major shift in his personal life was underway. Elvis had Ginger Alden flown out on the JetStar to join the tour, while at the same time encouraging longtime companion Linda Thompson to take a break and return to Memphis. The performance and the travel a...

It’s November twenty-seventh, and on this day in Elvis history: In 1976, Elvis Presley performed at the University of Oregon's McArthur Court in Eugene. The show was part of his final full year of touring, and though his health was increasingly fragile, fans still filled arenas to see him. Clad in one of his signature jumpsuits, Elvis delivered the kind of high-energy performance that reminded aud...

It's November twenty-sixth, and on this day in 1954… Elvis Presley returned to the Paladium Club in Houston, Texas, by popular demand. Just one day after his first performance there, the crowd’s overwhelming enthusiasm brought him back for an encore show. That same day, Elvis sent a telegram home to his parents, enclosing money to help with bills and promising to send more soon—a touching reminder...

It's November twenty-fifth, and on this day in 1975… Elvis Presley took out a loan for \$350,000 from the National Bank of Commerce in Memphis, using Graceland itself as collateral. The loan was necessary to cover the costs of his extravagant lifestyle, including recent purchases of airplanes, luxury cars, jewelry, and a racquetball court—along with the substantial payroll required to support his...

It's November twenty-fourth, and on this day in 1971… blood test results confirmed that Elvis Presley was not the father of Patricia Parker's child. The paternity lawsuit had generated tabloid attention, but the conclusive results put the matter to rest. It was a rare instance of Elvis being publicly cleared during a time when his fame often made him the target of sensational claims.

It's November twenty-third, and on this day in 1976… Jerry Lee Lewis showed up at the gates of Graceland for the second night in a row, this time waving a gun and demanding to see Elvis. In the early morning hours, police found Lewis sitting in his car with a loaded .38 derringer on his knee, shouting and cursing. Elvis, safely inside, watched the entire incident unfold on his closed-circuit secur...

It's November twenty-second, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley performed two shows at the Sports Arena in Toledo, Ohio. Following the evening concert, the excitement took an unexpected turn when Elvis was confronted by a jealous husband upset over his wife's admiration for the King. The encounter escalated into a physical altercation, but Elvis managed to keep his composure until police inter...

It's November twenty-first, and on this day in 1956… *Love Me Tender* was released nationwide in theaters across the United States, while RCA Victor officially released Elvis’s recording of the title song. The film, which marked Elvis Presley's acting debut, had already generated tremendous buzz. The song itself broke records with over one million advance orders, earning gold status even before it...

It's November twentieth, and on this day in 1955… RCA Victor officially purchased Elvis Presley’s contract from Sun Records for \$25,000. The deal marked a turning point not only in Elvis’s career but in the history of popular music. With this acquisition, Elvis moved from a regional rockabilly upstart to a national phenomenon poised to change the sound of American radio. The contract also ensured...

It's November nineteenth, and on this day in 1976... Elvis Presley was introduced to the Alden sisters at Graceland by his longtime friend George Klein. Although the expectation was that Elvis might be interested in Terry Alden, it was the youngest sister, nineteen-year-old Ginger Alden—then Miss Mid-South Fair—who caught his attention. This meeting marked the beginning of what would become Elvis'...

It's November eighteenth, and on this day in 1972... Elvis Presley performed two shows at the Honolulu International Center Arena in Hawaii—one in the afternoon and one in the evening. Originally, one of these performances was considered for the upcoming *Aloha from Hawaii* satellite broadcast. These concerts served as preparation for the historic global event, testing both the venue’s logistics a...

It's November seventeenth, and on this day in 1972... Elvis Presley performed at the Honolulu International Center Arena in Hawaii to a crowd of 8,400 fans. Wearing the Thunderbird jumpsuit with the Jack Lord belt and a blue cape, Elvis delivered a powerful set that included “See See Rider,” “Polk Salad Annie,” “Until It’s Time for You to Go,” and “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me.” The concert s...

It's November sixteenth, and on this day in 1970... Elvis Presley performed to a sold-out crowd of eleven thousand fans at the State Fairgrounds Arena in Oklahoma City. Wearing his striking Lace suit with the White Macramé belt, Elvis delivered a powerhouse performance as part of his triumphant return to full-scale touring. The high-energy show reflected the growing momentum of his 1970 tour, whic...

It's November fifteenth, and on this day in 1970... Elvis Presley performed at the International Sports Arena in San Diego, California, as part of his first full-scale tour since the 1950s. Dressed in the White Chain Suit, Elvis captivated an enthusiastic crowd with a powerhouse setlist that included "That's All Right," "Polk Salad Annie," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "Suspicious Minds." The...

It's November fourteenth, and on this day in 1970... Elvis Presley shattered attendance records with two sold-out concerts at The Forum in Inglewood, Los Angeles, California. Performing at 3:00 and 8:30 p.m., Elvis drew a combined crowd of 37,398 fans, surpassing the previous record set by the Rolling Stones. The shows brought in over \$300,000 in profit. In a bizarre twist, Elvis was served with...

It's November thirteenth, and on this day in 1970... Elvis Presley performed for a packed house of 14,300 fans at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. Wearing his striking Red Ladder jumpsuit, Elvis delivered a powerhouse set that included "That's All Right," "Polk Salad Annie," "Bridge Over Troubled Water," and "Suspicious Minds." The show was part of his high-energy West Coast tour and h...

It's November twelfth, and on this day in 1955... Billboard magazine named Elvis Presley the "Most Promising Country and Western Artist" in its annual disc jockey poll, marking one of the earliest acknowledgments from the music industry of his skyrocketing potential. That same day, Elvis performed two shows—an afternoon set at the opening of the Carthage Milling Company in Texas, and an evening ap...