Bio 1912-1959

April 25, 1912 Gladys Love Smith is born in pontotoc county, mS April 10, 1916 Vernon Elvis Presley is born in fulton, MS June 17, 1933 Gladys Smith and Vernon Presley are married January 8, 1935 In Tupelo, Mississippi, shortly before dawn, in a two-room house built by her husband and her brother-in-law,
Gladys Presley gives birth to twin sons. The first, Jessie Garon, is born dead.
The second, Elvis Aaron, is born alive and healthy. Elvis would be their only child 1935 - 1948 They move from one house to another in Tupelo. Elvis attends the Assembly of God Church with his family,
and the music and preaching register deeply. Other influences are black bluesmen in the neighborhood and
country music radio programs enjoyed by his family October 3, 1945 Ten-year-old Elvis stands on a chair at a microphone and sings "Old Shep" in a youth talent contest at the
Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, held in Tupelo. The talent show is broadcast over WELO Radio.
Winning fifth prize, Elvis receives $5.00 in fair ride tickets 1946 Elvis’ parents cannot afford a bicycle that Elvis wants, so Gladys talks him into accepting a guitar instead.
Elvis' first guitar costs $12.95 and is purchased at the Tupelo Hardware Company November 6, 1948 Elvis and his parents pack their belongings in a trunk strapped to the roof of their 1939 Plymouth,
and move to Memphis, Tennessee in search of a better life economically.
Other members of the Presley and Smith clan would follow. 1948-1953 Elvis and his parents live in public housing or low rent homes in the poor neighborhoods
of north Memphis. Vernon and Gladys go from job to job and Elvis attends L.C. Humes High School.
Elvis works at various jobs to help support himself and his parents. Elvis and his family attend
the Assembly of God Church. The teenage Elvis continues to be known for singing with his guitar.
He buys his clothes on Beale Street and he absorbs the black blues and gospel. He wears his
hair long and slick, and lets his sideburns grow. He’s really different from the other kids
While at Humes High, Elvis nervously sings with his guitar at a student talent show.
Much to his own amazement, he gets more applause than anyone else and wins,
then performs an encore. The acceptance feels good June 3, 1953 Elvis graduates from Humes High School. 1953 Elvis works at Parker Machinists Shop right after graduation. That summer.
he drops by The Memphis Recording Service, home of the Sun label and makes a demo acetate
of "My Happiness" and "That’s When Your Heartaches Begin" for a cost of about $4.00.
The studio owner isn’t in, so his assistant, Marion Keisker handles the session. Elvis wants to see
what his voice sounds like on a record and he has aspirations to become a professional singer.
He takes the acetate home, and reportedly gives it to his mother as a much-belated extra
birthday present. By the fall, he is working at Precision Tool Company January, 1954 Elvis makes another demo acetate at Sun. Sam Phillips, the owner, is in this time and,
like Marion Keisker, is intrigued by this unusual looking and sounding young man April 20, 1954 Elvis changes jobs again, going to work for Crown Electric Company. At Crown,
he does various jobs, including driving a delivery truck and delivering supplies to job sites.
He also goes to night school and studies to be an apprentice electrician June 6, 1954 At Marion Keisker’s suggestion, Sam Phillips calls Elvis into the studio to try singing a song.
Sam hopes to put out on record. The song is "Without You" and Elvis does not sing it to Sam’s satisfaction.
Sam asks Elvis what he can sing, and Elvis runs through a number of popular tunes.
Sam is impressed enough to team Elvis up with local musicians Scotty Moore (guitar) and Bill Black (bass)
to see if they, together, can come up with something worthwhile July 4, 1954 Elvis meets Scotty and Bill, but nothing really clicks until July 5, when after a tedious session,
Elvis and the guys break into a sped-up version of Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup's "That's All Right."
This song, backed with Blue Moon of Kentucky, becomes the first of five singles,
Elvis will release on the Sun label Summer 1954 Elvis, Scotty, and Bill start performing together, with Scotty acting as the group’s manager.
Elvis continues to work at Crown Electric as the group starts to play small clubs and
other smalltime gigs locally and throughout the South October 2, 1954 Elvis’ one appearance on the Grand Ole Opry doesn’t go over particularly well,
with one of the Opry officials reportedly suggesting that Elvis go back to driving a truck.
The Opry is very important at this time. This is a painful disappointment in Elvis' early career. Elvis, Scotty, and Bill continue to record and to travel,
and they quit their day jobs in mid-October 1954. October 16, 1954 They appear for the first time on the Louisiana Hayride, a live Saturday night country
music radio show originating in Shreveport, Louisiana, broadcast over KWKH Radio.
The show is the Grand Ole Opry's chief competitor, carried by 190 stations in thirteen states.
This leads to regular appearances on the Hayride and, in November, Elvis signs
a one-year contract for fifty-two Saturday night appearances. This is a great
break, but as Elvis’ popularity grows, his commitment to the Hayride prevents him
from traveling much outside the South to further his career on a larger scale October 31, 1954 Elvis meets Oscar Davis and the jordanaires January 1, 1955 Elvis signs a contract with Bob Neal, who becomes his manager January 15, 1955 During Elvis' association with the Hayride he meets “Colonel” Tom Parker, a promoter
and manager connected with various acts, and connected with the Louisiana Hayride.
Parker is also the manager for country star, Hank Snow. A previous Parker client is country star Eddy Arnold 1955 Elvis, Scotty, and Bill continue touring on their own and in package shows with various
country stars, including package tours of artists from the Hayride. Colonel Parker is involved.
This includes touring with Hank Snow. The regular Hayride appearances continue. Drummer D.J. Fontana
joins Elvis’ band. In the spring, Elvis fails to be accepted on Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts,
a network television show. As always, Elvis’ live appearances have special appeal for the teenagers,
especially the females. His unusual style, sexy moves, and good looks start to cause more
and more excitement wherever he plays. Sometimes the crowds break through the barricades in
near-riot behavior. Elvis gains more and more popularity and begins to receive national attention.
Colonel Parker becomes more involved in Elvis’ career August 15, 1955 Elvis signs a management contract with Hank Snow Attractions, which is owned equally by Snow
and Colonel Tom Parker. Bob Neal remains involved as an advisor. Colonel Parker is to be Elvis’ exclusive
manager from this time on, and Snow is soon no longer connected to Elvis November 20, 1955 Elvis signs his first contract with RCA Records. Colonel Parker negotiates the sale of Elvis’ Sun
contract to RCA, which includes his five Sun singles and his unreleased Sun material.
The price is an unprecedented $35,000, with a $5,000 bonus for Elvis. RCA soon re-releases the five
Sun singles on the RCA label. At the same time Elvis signs a contract with Hill and Range Publishing Company,
which is to set up a separate firm called Elvis Presley Music, Inc. Elvis will share with Hill and Range
the publishing ownership of songs bought by Hill and Range for him to record.
Elvis is the hottest new star in the music business January 10, 1956 Two days after his twenty-first birthday, Elvis has his first recording session for RCA,
held at their studio in Nashville. Among the songs laid to tape during this session is "Heartbreak Hotel." January 27, 1956 "Heartbreak Hotel" b/w "I Was the One" is shipped by RCA and sells over 300,000 copies
in its first three weeks on the market. It is soon to go to number one on Billboard’s pop singles chart
for eight weeks and hit number one on the country chart and number five on the R&B chart.
It becomes the first Elvis single to sell over one million copies, his very first gold record award January 28, 1956 Elvis appears with Scotty, Bill, and D.J. on the Jackie Gleason-produced Stage Show,
starring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey on CBS. This is Elvis’ first network television appearance.
He appears five more nights on Stage Show over the weeks ahead and makes minor waves nationally.
The last of these six appearances is March 24. Traveling and personal appearances continue during this time,
including the Louisiana Hayride appearances for which he is still under contract. Fame and “infamy” build February, 1956 As "Heartbreak Hotel" makes its climb up the charts on its way to number one,
"I Forgot to Remember to Forget" b/w "Mystery Train", Elvis' fifth and last single to be released on the Sun
label, hits number one on Billboard’s national country singles chart. His first number one hit on a national chart March 23, 1956 RCA ships Elvis Presley, Elvis’ first album. The album soon goes to number one on Billboard’s pop album
chart for ten weeks. It is the first Elvis album to reach over $1 million in sales,
earning Elvis his first gold album award March 25, 1956 Elvis arrives in Los Angeles to begin a two-part screen test for Paramount Studios in Hollywood
on the 26th and 27th. He lip syncs "Blue Suede Shoes" and he performs a scene from the as yet
unmade film, The Rainmaker, a film he does not end up being in. Elvis leaves on March 28th April 3, 1956 Elvis appears on The Milton Berle Show on NBC, which, for this particular broadcast,
originates from the deck of the aircraft carrier, the USS Hancock April 2 - 6, 1956 Elvis signs a one-picture movie contract with Hal Wallis and Paramount Pictures.
The contract includes options for six more pictures April 23 - May 9, 1956 Compared to the usual hysteria, Elvis has lukewarm acceptance for his two-week engagement
at the New Frontier Hotel in Las Vegas. He is not exactly what the adult audience of Vegas gamblers
relates to very well. During these two weeks, the single Heartbreak Hotel and the album Elvis Presley
both hit number one on the Billboard pop charts. Through all of this, the travel and personal
appearances around the country and new record releases continue. The crowds get bigger
and bigger, wilder and wilder. Elvis’ fame grows dramatically. Some of these shows have to end early
due to fans’ storming the stage. Elvis creates pandemonium wherever he goes June 5, 1956 Elvis appears again on The Milton Berle Show, this time in the studio where the show
usually originates, this time backed by the Jordanaires in addition to Scotty, Bill and D.J. Among his
selections is a playfully sensuous performance of "Hound Dog" that drives the kids in the audience
wild, and, the next day, has the press and some of the adult viewers appalled. It is one
of his most controversial performances. This merely serves to fuel his seemingly unstoppable
popularity even more. Traveling and personal appearances and new record releases continue.
By this time Elvis, with his sexy moves and black-influenced sound, is being condemned by certain
factions of the “morally concerned” establishment and the religious community. But, the kids love it July 1, 1956 Elvis appears on The Steve Allen Show on NBC. Among his performances this night is a much
toned down version of "Hound Dog". Allen has Elvis dressed in white tie and black tux with tails
and has him sing the song to a live Basset hound, a tongue-in-cheek response to all controversy
created by the Berle appearance the month before. Elvis good-naturedly goes along with it,
but is not too happy about it. Elvis also appears in a cowboy comedy sketch with Allen,
Imogene Coca and Andy Griffith. The condemnation and controversy continue along with the
ever-growing popularity. Ed Sullivan, who had said that he would never have the likes of
Elvis Presley on his show, changes his tune when he sees the big ratings that Elvis attracts
to the Berle and Allen shows. A three-appearance deal is worked out for $50,000 and is the highest
amount ever paid to a performer, up to that time, for appearing on a variety show July 2, 1956 The Jordanaires, a gospel quartet and popular country back-up group, begin working with Elvis
in the studio during his 4th RCA session and soon begin touring with him. They will also appear
with him in several films and remain his main back-up group until the late sixties August 1956 Elvis begins shooting his first movie, Love Me Tender on loan-out from Paramount to Twentieth
Century Fox. It is originally titled The Reno Brothers, but is re-titled before its release to
capitalize on Elvis’ sure-to-be-a-hit single from the soundtrack September 9, 1956 Elvis makes the first of three appearances on the Ed Sullivan Show, the top television program of the
era. Elvis attracts the highest ratings ever for any television variety show receiving 80% of the
National Viewing Audience. Character actor Charles Laughton hosts in place of Sullivan,
who is recuperating from a car accident September 26, 1956 Elvis Presley Day is proclaimed in Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis’ parents join him as he returns to the
town of his birth as a big star. He performs two shows at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and
Dairy Show, the same fair at which he had performed at age 10. This time there are a hundred National
Guardsmen surrounding the stage to control the crowds of excited fans. By this time, souvenir
merchandising using Elvis’ name, image, and likeness has become a big part of the Elvis phenomenon.
Licensees will soon be producing as many as thirty different products. Elvis and the Colonel are to blaze
new trails in the area of celebrity merchandising. This is to be forever a part of the marketing
of Elvis Presley, feeding a never-ending demand October 28, 1956 Elvis makes his second of three appearances on Ed Sullivan. November 15, 1956 Elvis’ first movie, Love Me Tender premieres at the Paramount Theater in New York City,
opening nationwide in the days following. It becomes a smash hit, and the critics’ reviews
aren’t bad for his acting in this melodrama, which is set in the American South of the
1800’s Civil War era. The film has Elvis performing several songs, of course December 31, 1956 The front page of The Wall Street Journal reports that in the past few months Elvis merchandise
has grossed $22 million in sales. The year of 1956 has seen the beginning of Elvis souvenir
merchandising, the beginning of a successful movie career, huge record sales
(five number one singles on the pop chart, two number one albums on the pop chart, and other hits)
history-making television appearances, record-breaking personal appearances and more. Elvis has
become the primary symbol of the new youth culture in America. He has also become one of society’s
most controversial figures. His unique blending of white country and gospel music, black R&B and
gospel, white pop music, his particular brand of charisma and talent, and the resulting success and
controversy, have helped him greatly to begin, without premeditation, a cycle of change in music and pop
culture and the mores of American society. Nothing will ever be the same for Elvis Presley or for the world January 6, 1957 Elvis makes his third and final appearance on Ed Sullivan’s Toast of the Town Show. It is for
this appearance that Elvis is seen only from the waist up. It’s funny that after all of his
television appearances the previous year, such censorship comes at this time. It is particularly
amusing that this guideline remains in place during Elvis’ performance of the gospel standard,
Peace in the Valley, one of five songs he performs on this Sullivan appearance. Ed Sullivan
himself helps diffuse some of the controversy surrounding Elvis when he comes out on stage
to thank Elvis and tells the studio audience and millions of American television viewers
that “this is a decent, fine boy” and what a delight he has been to work with when appearing on
the show. Ed Sullivan is the most influential person on television audiences and one of the most
powerful people in the television industry at the time January, 1957 Elvis begins production of his second movie, Loving You. Elvis also begins dying his hair black February 3, 1957 The New York Times runs a story entitled, "Presley Records a Craze in Soviet Union."
Elvis records are not legally available in the Soviet Union. The article tells of bootleg
recordings being cut on discarded X-ray plates and being sold in Leningrad on the black
market for fifty rubles (about twelve and a half dollars) each, a lot of money at the time March 1957 Elvis buys Graceland Mansion for himself, his parents, and his paternal grandmother to live in for
$102,500. It will be ready for them to move into on May 16th, 1957. Elvis doesn't
spend his first night in Graceland until June 26th, 1957 April 1957 While touring with his show, Elvis performs outside the United States for the first time
when he appears in Canada: two shows in Toronto on April 2 and two shows in Ottawa on April 3 May, 1957 Elvis begins work on his third motion picture, Jailhouse Rock for MGM. July 9, 1957 Elvis' second motion picture, Loving You, premieres in Memphis. It opened nationwide on July 30
and was on the Variety’s National Box Office Survey for 4 weeks peaking at #7.
Hit records include the title song and the classic smash "Teddy Bear" August 31, 1957 Elvis performs in Vancouver. This is the third Canadian city he has performed in,
and marks the last time he will perform in concert outside the United States September 27, 1957 Elvis returns once more to the town of his birth to perform. This time it is a benefit for the proposed
Elvis Presley Youth Recreation Center in Tupelo, Mississippi. The grounds include Elvis’ birthplace home.
He will donate regularly to the center for the rest of his life. (The center is still used by the general community
today. The birthplace home is open for tours, and there is a small museum and a memorial chapel) October 17, 1957 Jailhouse Rock, Elvis’ third motion picture, premieres in Memphis. Jailhouse Rock opens nationally on
November 18 and peaks at #3. It was #14 for the year, and by 1969 its earnings in the US and Canada
were roughly comparable with those of The Wizard of Oz. The title song is a smash hit.
Years later, this film will be considered one of Elvis’ best acting performances, surpassed only
by King Creole, which is to follow in 1958. Jailhouse Rock will come to be considered the ultimate
classic of all “rock opera” movies, and the "Jailhouse Rock" production number in the film is to be recognized
as the grandfather of pop/rock music videos, a music format to become widely popular by the 1980’s November 10, 11 1957 Elvis performs shows in Hawaii for the first time. This would also be his last
public appearance before entering the army December, 1957 Elvis and family enjoy their first Christmas at Graceland and Elvis officially receives
his draft notice, a day he has known would be coming soon Late January- Early March, 1958 Elvis films and records for his fourth motion picture, King Creole March 24, 1958 Elvis Presley is inducted into the U.S. Army at the Memphis Draft Board,
and is assigned serial number 53310761 March 25, 1958 Elvis gets his famous G.I. haircut at Fort Chaffee, Arkansas March 28, 1958 Private Presley arrives at Fort Hood, Texas for basic training,
and is stationed there for six months June 10, 1958 After basic training, while on his first leave, Elvis has a recording session,
his last until 1960. Among the songs recorded was "A Big Hunk O'Love." June 20, 1958 Elvis' parents soon move into a temporary trailer near the Army base
at Fort Hood, Texas. They move into a house on July 1 July 2, 1958 King Creole, Elvis’ fourth motion picture opens nationally and the reviews are the best he will
ever have for his acting. Its impressive list of co-stars and supporting cast includes
Carolyn Jones, Walter Matthau, Dean Jagger and Vic Morrow. It becomes a top five film
at the box office. This Michael (Casablanca) Curtiz-directed movie, set in New Orleans and based
upon the Harold Robbins novel, "A Stone for Danny Fisher," will come to be regarded as Elvis’ finest film,
his greatest acting performance, and proof positive of his potential to have become a respected serious actor,
though the realization of this desire will remain forever out of his grasp August 8, 1958 Elvis' mother becomes ill and returns to Memphis to be hospitalized with acute hepatitis.
Elvis is granted emergency leave and arrives in Memphis on the afternoon of August 12th.
He visits her that night, and the next day and night. A few hours after Elvis goes home to
Graceland to rest, she dies in the early hours of August 14 at age 46. Her body lies in state at
Graceland that afternoon. Services are at the Memphis Funeral Home on the 15th, with the
Blackwood Brothers singing "Precious Memories" and "Rock of Ages," two of Gladys Presley’s favorite hymns.
She is laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery, a few miles down the road from Graceland. Elvis is devastated August 24, 1958 Elvis reports back to Fort Hood September/October 1958 September 19, Elvis boards a troop train to New York, later boards the USS. Randall and sails
to Germany, arriving on October 1. He will be stationed in Friedberg for 18 months,
maintaining an off-base residence in Bad Nauheim, shared with his father and grandmother,
and some friends from Memphis. He finds the fans in Europe to be as enthusiastic as those in America January 8, 1959 Elvis is interviewed off-camera via trans-Atlantic telephone by Dick Clark on his American
Bandstand show on ABC-TV. The show commemorates the star’s twenty-fourth birthday.
(Elvis never performed on American Bandstand.) Later in January the family moves from a hotel to
a rented house, and Elvis poses with actress Vera Tschechowa and the March of Dimes poster child. Colonel Parker continues to keep Elvis’ career alive with promotions and hit record releases March 3 – 5, 1959 On a three–day leave, Elvis visits Munich where he visits actress Vera Tschechow and the Moulin Rouge June 13 – 27, 1959 Elvis visits Paris via Munich visiting clubs in Paris and Munich, which includes a visit to the Lido August 15, 1959 Captain Joseph Beaulieu moved from Texas to Weisbaden Air Force Base near Friedberg,
Germany accompanied by his wife and children, including his fourteen-and-a-half- year-old
stepdaughter, Priscilla Ann. (Priscilla is the only child from Ann Beaulieu’s marriage to her first husband,
James Wagner, a Navy pilot who was killed in a plane crash when Priscilla was an infant) September 13, 1959 Through a mutual friend, Priscilla is invited to a party at Elvis’ home soon after
her arrival in Germany. They meet, and the rest is history