Elvis Presley changed the course of music history with his unique blend of gospel, blues, and country. He became the King of Rock and Roll and defined the culture of the 1950s. Furthermore, his influence extended beyond music into fashion and film. Consequently, Graceland remains one of the most visited homes in America today. Explore these fascinating details about the boy from Tupelo.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley actually had an identical twin brother named Jesse Garon. Sadly, Jesse died at birth, which deeply affected Elvis throughout his entire life.
His natural hair color was actually sandy blond. However, he began dyeing it jet black in his late teens to achieve an edgier look.
He famously loved a sandwich known as the “Fool’s Gold Loaf.” Specifically, this massive meal consisted of a hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with peanut butter, jelly, and a pound of bacon.
Colonel Tom Parker prevented Elvis from touring internationally. Consequently, the King performed only a few shows outside the United States because his manager lacked a passport and feared deportation.
Elvis Presley served as a regular soldier in the US Army rather than in Special Services. Notably, he refused special treatment and scrubbed toilets just like the other recruits in his unit.
Elvis showed up at the White House uninvited to meet President Richard Nixon. Bizarrely, he requested a federal agent badge to help him fight the drug war.
He earned a black belt in karate. Impressively, he often incorporated martial arts moves into his stage performances during the 1970s.
He owned a pet chimpanzee named Scatter. Reportedly, the animal drank alcohol and frequently caused chaos at parties by pulling up women’s dresses.
He purchased Graceland when he was only 22 years old. Thus, he secured his famous home for $102,500, a surprisingly low price by modern standards.
He never wrote a single song in his career. Instead, professional songwriters composed all his massive hits, though he arranged them with his unique style.
Television censors filmed him only from the waist up during his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Apparently, they feared his hip-shaking dance moves would corrupt the youth of America.
He holds the record for the most Gold and Platinum albums. Therefore, he remains the best-selling solo music artist of all time.
He recorded his very first song as a birthday gift for his mother. Sweetly, he paid $4 to press the acetate disc at Sun Studio in Memphis.
Elvis Presley appeared in 31 feature films during his acting career. Unfortunately, he disliked many of the scripts but filmed them anyway to satisfy his strict contracts.
Finally, he helped conquer polio in the United States. Specifically, he took the vaccine on live television to convince teenagers that the medicine was safe.
