Today in Elvis History

It's October seventeenth, and on this day in 1976, Elvis Presley performed at the Metropolitan Sports Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Part of his fall tour, this concert stood out for the energy and focus Elvis brought to the stage, surprising many with his noticeably rejuvenated appearance during a time when concerns about his health and consistency were growing. And back in 1955, Elvis—joined...

It's October sixteenth, and on this day in 1954... Elvis Presley made his debut on the *Louisiana Hayride* at the Municipal Auditorium in Shreveport, Louisiana. Backed by Scotty Moore and Bill Black, he performed both sides of his first single—“That’s All Right” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky”—twice during the show. His appearance impressed the producers enough to offer him a one-year contract on the...

It's October fifteenth, and on this day in 1955... Elvis Presley performed two shows in Lubbock, Texas, sharing the bill with Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins. At the 8:00 p.m. show at the Fair Park Coliseum, a young local act named Buddy & Bob—featuring none other than Buddy Holly—opened the show. Later that night, Elvis took the stage again at 11:00 p.m. at the Cotton Club, a venue known for hos...

It's October fourteenth, and on this day in 1975... construction officially began on the racquetball court at Graceland. Originally scheduled for July, the project marked yet another personal indulgence by Elvis, who was increasingly retreating into the comforts of his Memphis estate. The racquetball court would become one of the last major additions to Graceland during his lifetime, later preserv...

It's October thirteenth, and on this day in 1974... Elvis Presley performed two powerhouse shows at the High Sierra Room of the Sahara Hotel in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. The midnight performance featured a standout setlist that included emotional renditions of “It’s Midnight,” “Bridge Over Troubled Water,” and “I’m Leavin’.” These shows were part of a makeup engagement following canceled performances ea...

It's October eleventh, and on this day in 1956... Elvis Presley performed at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, Texas, drawing a record-breaking crowd of 26,500 fans—the largest audience he had performed for in the 1950s up to that point. Making a dramatic entrance in an open car that drove him to a stage set up at the fifty-yard line, Elvis delivered a landmark concert that underscored his explosive popu...

It's October twelfth, and on this day in 1955... Elvis Presley performed at the Midland High School Auditorium in Midland, Texas, as part of a star-studded Southern tour that included Johnny Cash, Wanda Jackson, and Floyd Cramer. But what made this date truly historic was backstage—when Johnny Cash introduced Elvis to a young Roy Orbison, marking the first meeting between two future legends of roc...

It's October tenth, and on this day in 1970... Elvis Presley was officially appointed a Special Deputy Sheriff of Shelby County, Tennessee. In a private ceremony during his stay in Memphis, the Sheriff presented Elvis with an official badge that granted him the legal authority to carry a pistol. A lifelong admirer of law enforcement, Elvis was especially proud of this honor—made even more meaningf...

It's October ninth, and on this day in 1973... Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s divorce was finalized at the Los Angeles County Superior Court in Santa Monica. The proceeding lasted only twenty minutes, and the couple emerged hand in hand afterward, symbolizing a continued sense of respect and affection. They agreed to share custody of their daughter, Lisa Marie, and Priscilla received a settlement o...

It's October eighth, and on this day in 1974... Elvis Presley performed at the San Antonio Convention Center to a packed crowd of 10,500 fans. Dressed in his striking Peacock jumpsuit, he delivered a powerful evening show that marked one of the standout stops on his fall tour. The concert added another electric night to his long legacy of Texas performances, showcasing the King’s continued ability...

It's October seventh, and on this day in 1972... Elvis Presley made a surprise appearance at the National Quartet Convention in Nashville. Held at the Municipal Auditorium, the gospel music event was in full swing when Elvis, accompanied by Linda Thompson, was introduced by J.D. Sumner. Though he didn’t perform, his presence electrified the crowd, offering fans a rare glimpse of the King away from...

It's October sixth, and on this day in 1974... Elvis Presley performed two sold-out concerts at the University of Dayton Arena in Dayton, Ohio. For the afternoon show, he wore his Blue Swirl jumpsuit, and in the evening, he took the stage in the striking Chinese Dragon suit. The back-to-back performances were part of his intense fall tour schedule and showcased both his vocal endurance and his fla...

It's October fifth, and on this day in 1955, Elvis Presley performed at the City Auditorium in Greenville, Texas, as part of the Louisiana Hayride tour. Sponsored by the Optimist Club, the show was one of many small-venue stops that helped Elvis build a loyal regional fan base and fine-tune the electrifying stage presence that would soon catapult him to national stardom. And in 1958, while station...

It's October fourth, and on this day in 1945, a ten-year-old Elvis Presley made what is widely regarded as his first public performance. It happened during “Children’s Day” at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo. Accompanied by his mother Gladys—since Vernon was working—Elvis rode the school bus to the fairgrounds and took part in a talent show broadcast live on WELO radio. He sa...

It's October third, and on this day in 1945... ten-year-old Elvis Presley stepped onto a public stage for the very first time. At the Mississippi–Alabama Fair and Dairy Show in Tupelo, Elvis stood on a chair to reach the microphone and sang “Old Shep” without any music behind him. The performance earned him fifth prize: five dollars and some free ride tickets. It was the first public glimpse of a...

It's October second, and on this day in 1954... Elvis Presley made his one and only appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, performing "Blue Moon of Kentucky" at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The reception was polite but far from enthusiastic, and afterward, Opry manager Jim Denny reportedly told Elvis he should stick to driving a truck. The remark left Elvis crushed—but also determined. That same...

It's October first, and on this day in 1958... the USS Randall docked at the port of Bremerhaven, Germany at 8:46 a.m., carrying Elvis Presley and his fellow soldiers. Over 1,500 fans and members of the press gathered to greet him. Later that evening, Elvis and his battalion arrived in Friedberg by troop train, marking the official start of his military service in West Germany—an era that would ch...

It's September thirtieth, and on this day in 1955... Elvis Presley was staying at a hotel in Gladewater, Texas, when he heard the tragic news that actor James Dean had died in a car crash at the age of 24. Deeply moved, Elvis cried upon hearing the news. Dean had been one of Elvis’s heroes, and the loss left a lasting impression on the young performer. And on this day in 1965... while wrapping up...

It's September twenty-ninth, and on this day in 1975... after hearing from his friend George Klein that singer Jackie Wilson had suffered a debilitating stroke, Elvis Presley quietly stepped in to help. Without hesitation, Elvis sent a check to cover Wilson’s hospital expenses and medical bills—a powerful reminder of Elvis’s generosity and deep respect for his fellow performers. And on this day in...

It's September twenty-eighth, and on this day in 1955... Elvis Presley performed at the B & B Club in Gobler, Missouri. According to a signed contract from the time, Elvis and his band were to receive 75 percent of the door admissions—a clear sign of his rising popularity and growing negotiating power on the Southern club circuit. And on this day in 1974... Elvis returned to the stage at the U...

It's September twenty-seventh, and on this day in 1957... Elvis Presley returned to his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, for a benefit concert at the Fairgrounds to support the creation of the Elvis Presley Youth Center. He was joined by Anita Wood, his parents, and close friends. The local newspaper praised him as “the best ambassador any town could have,” encouraging residents to greet him with...

It's September twenty-sixth, and on this day in 1956... Elvis Presley returned to his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi, for a triumphant homecoming concert at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show—the same stage where he had first performed as a ten-year-old boy. In honor of his return, the city declared it *Elvis Presley Day*. Elvis performed two shows that drew massive crowds and required o...

It's September twenty-fifth, and on this day in 1956... Elvis received a telegram from RCA celebrating an unprecedented achievement: his single *Love Me Tender* had been certified a gold record **before its official release**. With over 918,000 advance orders, it became the first record in industry history to reach gold status purely on pre-sales—another clear sign that Elvis wasn’t just popular…...

It's September twenty-fourth, and on this day in 1956... Elvis returned to Humes High School in Memphis, where he and his friend Nick Adams paid a surprise visit to his former senior homeroom teacher, Mildred Scrivener. During the visit, Elvis donated nine hundred dollars to the school’s ROTC program to provide new uniforms—a generous gift from the rising star to the place where his journey had be...

It's September twenty-third, and on this day in 1955... Elvis attended a gospel concert by the Blackwood Brothers at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis. When James Blackwood learned that Elvis had quietly purchased his own ticket instead of requesting special treatment, he personally apologized and refunded the cost. Elvis’s humility and deep respect for gospel music were already well known—and moments l...