Today in Elvis History

It’s July ninth, and on this day in 1954… riding the wave of excitement from the radio debut of “That’s All Right,” Elvis Presley returned to Sun Studio with Scotty Moore and Bill Black to record the B-side. The trio laid down their energetic take on Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” transforming the bluegrass classic into a rocking companion to their first hit. This session completed Elvis’s...

It’s July eighth, and on this day in 1954… Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips played Elvis Presley’s debut single, “That’s All Right,” for the very first time on WHBQ radio. The song instantly caught the ears of local listeners, prompting a flood of phone calls to the station. Meanwhile, Elvis—too nervous to listen—was at the movies. When Dewey decided to interview him live on air, Elvis’s parents had to t...

It’s July seventh, and on this day in 1954… Sam Phillips, fresh from recording Elvis Presley’s explosive version of “That’s All Right,” took an acetate of the track to local Memphis DJ Dewey Phillips. Dewey agreed to play it the following evening on his *Red, Hot and Blue* radio show. That decision would launch not just a song, but a seismic shift in American music. The world hadn’t heard Elvis on...

It’s July sixth, and on this day in 1954… Elvis Presley returned to Sun Studio with Scotty Moore and Bill Black to record the second song for what would become his debut single. Just the night before, they had captured lightning in a bottle with “That’s All Right.” Now they needed a B-side. The trio settled on a hopped-up version of Bill Monroe’s “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” transforming the bluegrass...

It’s July fifth, and on this day in 1954… Elvis Presley, along with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, walked into Sun Studio after a long day at work. During a break in their otherwise uneventful rehearsal, Elvis spontaneously launched into a blues tune—Arthur “Big Boy” Crudup’s “That’s All Right.” Sam Phillips, listening from the control room, immediately recognized something special...

It’s July fourth, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley returned to Memphis by train and spent the afternoon with his family and girlfriend Barbara Hearn at his home on Audubon Drive. That evening, he performed a special Independence Day concert at Russwood Park, a charity benefit sponsored by the Memphis Press-Scimitar. The show drew a massive crowd and marked one of Elvis’s most celebrated home...

It’s July second, and on this day in 1963… Elvis Presley arrived in Hollywood to begin work on *Viva Las Vegas*, his fifteenth film. Originally titled *The Only Girl in Town*, the movie paired Elvis with rising star Ann-Margret, whose chemistry with Elvis sparked an off-screen romance as well. Their closeness quickly drew attention—not just from Elvis’s entourage, but from gossip magazines and new...

It’s July second, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley walked into RCA Studios in New York City and took full control of the recording session for the first time in his career. What followed would become one of the most iconic moments in rock and roll history. Over the course of the day, Elvis recorded “Hound Dog,” pushing through 31 takes to get it just right. He also recorded “Don’t Be Cruel,”...

It’s July first, and on this day in 1955… “Elvis Prestley,” as a newspaper ad misspelled it, performed at the Casino Club in Plaquemine, Louisiana, playing a single show that ran from 8:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. Admission was \$1.50, and the club’s owner, Lou Millet, along with his band the Melody Makers, shared the bill. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Elvis’s manager Bob Neal flew to Nashville to meet...

It’s June thirtieth, and on this day in 1954… tragedy struck the gospel world when R.W. Blackwood and Bill Lyles of The Blackwood Brothers were killed in a plane crash in Clanton, Alabama—just two weeks after winning first place on the *Arthur Godfrey Talent Scouts Show*. Cecil Blackwood stepped in to lead the group, leaving an opening in their affiliated younger act, The Songfellows. The group of...

It’s June twenty-ninth, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley arrived in New York City to begin rehearsals for his upcoming appearance on *The Steve Allen Show*. At the rehearsal hall in midtown Manhattan, Elvis was greeted by Colonel Tom Parker and representatives from the William Morris Agency, along with Steve Allen and co-stars Andy Griffith and Imogene Coca. Elvis and Griffith, already acqua...

It’s June twenty-eighth, and on this day in 1962… while home in Memphis for the summer, Elvis Presley acquired his most notorious pet—Scatter the chimpanzee. Originally a TV performer in Memphis, Scatter quickly became a fixture in Elvis’s Hollywood home, known for his wild antics and party tricks, including his fondness for peeking under women’s dresses. Alan Fortas often chauffeured Scatter arou...

It’s June twenty-seventh, and on this day in 1954… Elvis Presley got his first real shot at Sun Records. Marion Keisker, assistant to Sam Phillips, urged her boss to give the young man with the sideburns a chance to try out a new song from Nashville publisher Red Wortham. Elvis hurried to the studio and spent the afternoon working on “Without You,” but couldn’t deliver a usable take. Still, Sam Ph...

It’s June twenty-sixth, and on this day in 1909… Andreas Cornelius van Kuijk was born in Breda, Holland. The man who would later become known as Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis Presley’s lifelong manager, immigrated illegally to the United States in 1929, reinventing himself as a native of Huntington, West Virginia. After serving in the U.S. Army, Parker launched a colorful career in carnivals and fairs...

It’s June twenty-fifth, and on this day in 1977… Elvis Presley arrived in Cincinnati, Ohio, in the early morning hours to perform what would become the second-to-last concert of his life. Earlier in the day, he quietly visited a University of Cincinnati class taught by Bill Randle—the DJ who helped launch Elvis’s career in the North back in 1955. Frustrated with a broken air conditioner at his hot...

It’s June twenty-fourth, and on this day in 1972… Elvis Presley returned to Memphis for a summer break at Graceland following a multi-city tour. Rumors were swirling about an impending divorce between Elvis and Priscilla, fueled by reports of her relationship with karate instructor Mike Stone. Meanwhile, Elvis was seen at the Memphian Theater for a midnight movie, accompanied by actress and Memphi...

It’s June twenty-third, and on this day in 1963… Elvis Presley took the first steps toward creating a place of peace and reflection at Graceland by commissioning the Meditation Garden. At Elvis’s request, Marty Lacker arranged for Bernard Grenadier to design the space. What began as a personal retreat quickly became one of Elvis’s most cherished places on the property. In time, the Meditation Gard...

It’s June twenty-second, and on this day in 1964… principal photography began on Elvis Presley’s film *Girl Happy*. The production drew high-profile visitors to the set, including actor George Hamilton and Lynda Bird Johnson, daughter of President Lyndon B. Johnson. The visit added a touch of political and Hollywood prestige to the lighthearted beach movie, which would go on to become one of Elvis...

It’s June twenty-first, and on this day in 1961… Elvis Presley began a recording session at RCA’s studios in Nashville, laying down tracks that would appear on the *Pot Luck* album. Songs recorded included “Kiss Me Quick,” “That’s Someone You Never Forget,” and “I’m Yours.” The session featured Elvis’s trusted Nashville crew: Scotty Moore, Hank Garland, and Neal Matthews on guitar; Bob Moore on ba...

It’s June twentieth, and on this day in 1956… the *Memphis World*, an African-American newspaper, reported that Elvis Presley had quietly defied segregation laws by attending the Fairgrounds amusement park on a night designated for Black patrons only. The move was seen as a sign of solidarity by many in Memphis’s Black community, who already recognized the deep influence of Black artists on Elvis’...

It’s June nineteenth, and on this day in 1959… Vernon Presley returned to Memphis from Germany to handle family business, including renewing the license plates on Elvis’s fleet of luxury cars. But it wasn’t the paperwork that drew attention—it was the mysterious woman on his arm. Dee Stanley, a stylish, blue-eyed blonde unfamiliar to the Memphis press and public, caused quite a stir. Rumors quickl...

It’s June eighteenth, and on this day in 1964… *Viva Las Vegas* opened in theaters across the United States. Though its release schedule was unusual—first premiering months earlier in the Far East, then in Italy, and only later in America—the film quickly became a hit. It marked Elvis Presley’s fifteenth movie and his first on-screen pairing with Ann-Margret, whose chemistry with Elvis helped elev...

It’s June seventeenth, and on this day in 1933… Vernon Elvis Presley and Gladys Love Smith hitchhiked twenty miles from Tupelo to Pontotoc, Mississippi, to elope. Seventeen-year-old Vernon claimed to be twenty-one on the marriage license, while Gladys, nineteen, gave her age as seventeen to meet the legal requirement. They were married by circuit court clerk J.M. Gates. The young couple lived with...

It’s June sixteenth, and on this day in 1976… the growing isolation surrounding Elvis Presley became undeniable. Even Colonel Tom Parker couldn’t reach him. Parker wrote a letter expressing his concern, noting that he hadn’t heard from anyone—not Sonny, not staff, not Elvis himself. By this point, most of Elvis’s inner circle had splintered. Joe Esposito was living in California, Lamar Fike had re...

It’s June fifteenth, and on this day in 1961… *Wild in the Country*, Elvis Presley’s seventh film, premiered in Memphis. Based on a novel by J.R. Salamanca, the film marked a more dramatic turn for Elvis, and proceeds from the premiere were donated to local charities. Elvis didn’t attend the event himself—Colonel Parker famously said, “Unless we can do our show, we don’t go.” Instead, Elvis later...