Elvis Presley was an American singer and actor. He was widely known as the King of Rock 'n' Roll.
After receiving his first guitar on his 11th birthday in 1946, Elvis dabbled in music until releasing his first single in 1954, "That's All Right." In 1955 he released "Heartbreak Hotel" which was a massive success. A year later he signed his first movie contract.
In 1957, Elvis received a draft notice and served in the American army in Germany for a year and a half. In Germany, the star met teenager Priscilla Beaulieu. The two married in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 1967 and welcomed a daughter a year later.
Elvis died at the age of 42 on Aug. 16, 1977, from heart failure.
Paul McCartney wrote songs about many subjects, including love, friendship, temporary secretaries, and yellow submarines. Few fans know he wrote a song about a milkshake.
Paul McCartney has written some of the most meaningful pop songs of all time. However, he revealed one of his Wings hits had an utterly meaningless lyric.
The Beatles reviewed one of Elvis Presley's hit songs on television. George Harrison liked Elvis but he didn't like the song at all. John Lennon predicted the song would be a hit. It became successful in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Elvis Presley really loved a song by a 16-year-old artist. Subsequently, the King of Rock 'n' Roll decided to send this artist a letter telling him how much he enjoyed the song. He and Priscilla Presley would later meet the singer behind his favorite song in Las Vegas. Interestingly, the song in question was co-written by a showbusiness legend.
Elvis Presley |Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images
Elvis Presley's favorite song was written by a superstar
Carole King is most known as a singer today. At one time, she was most known for writing songs for other artists. King and her songwriting partner, Gerry Goffin, were behind many classic hits.
Some of these hits include The Monkees' "Pleasant Valley Sunday" and "Porpoise Song," The Shirelles' "Will You Love Me Tomorrow," and Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman." According to the Vancouver Sun, King and Goffin once wrote a song for a record company called Quality Records. A young singer recorded the track.
Elvis Presley sent a letter to the teenage artist who sang his favorite tune
The song in question was "Halfway to Paradise" by Tony Orlando. Orlando discussed how much Elvis liked the song. "As a matter of fact, I got a letter from Elvis," he said. "I think I was 16. The letter said, 'I just want you to know I put 'Halfway to Paradise' in my jukebox.'"
Orlando eventually met the King of Rock 'n' Roll. "When I finally met him in the '70s, I was headlining the same hotel he headlined in, the Hilton in Las Vegas," he said. "I was following him a week later. I sat with him in his dressing room. I said, 'Let me ask you a question. Do you remember writing a letter to me, saying that you liked 'Halfway to Paradise?" And he calls Priscilla, who remains a good friend, into the room, and he said, 'Tell Tony what my favorite song is.' And sure enough, it was 'Halfway to Paradise.'"
On the other hand, the song was not popular in the United Kingdom. The Official Chart Company reports "Halfway to Paradise" did not chart in the U.K. Subsequently, Orlando would find success in the U.K. with his singles "Bless You" and "Who's in the Strawberry Patch With Sally." While "Halfway to Paradise" wasn't a massive hit, it meant something to Elvis.
During an interview, Priscilla Presley revealed why she felt she had to divorce Elvis Presley. In her memoir 'Elvis and Me,' she also explained why the King of Rock 'n' Roll never touched his divorce papers, and what she thought of him following his death.
Elvis Presley was completely unrecognizable to one hotel worker during the filming of "King Creole," who would not let the King of Rock and Roll back into his hotel room. The reason? He did not recognize him.
Johnny Cash had strong feelings about Elvis Presley as a performer and as a person. He said he helped inspired Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes" before it became an Elvis song. Elvis' version of "Blue Suede Shoes" was more popular than Perkins' in the United Kingdom.
Future 'I Dream of Jeannie' star Barbara Eden co-starred in an Elvis Presley movie called 'Flaming Star.' ‘Flaming Star' is a Western that's more serious than many of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s other movies. Elvis revealed he was a fan of Eden's husband. Eden was surprised by this.
Elvis Presley‘s Graceland estate attracts over half a million visitors each year. The stately residence is a mecca for Presley fans worldwide. While touring the home fans can see how Presley lived, view his private plane the Lisa Marie, and his gravesite. Graceland is also where Elvis was found dead in his bathroom in Aug. …
Elvis Presley's office and bedroom are on the top floor of Graceland. No one can go up there, and Elvis' daughter Lisa-Marie left everything as it was the day he died.
Paul Simon wrote and performed vocals on Simon & Garfunkel's "Bridge Over Troubled Water." Elvis Presley's cover of the song blew Simon away. Simon & Garfunkel's version of the song was a single but Elvis' cover was not.
Elvis Presley's friend Marty Lacker felt the King of Rock 'n' Roll made great music at American Sun Studios. Lacker felt Elvis' rendition of Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" was lacking. Elvis' rendition of the song was not a single.
Elvis Presley really liked the song "Don't Cry Daddy." Future country star Ronnie Milsap performed vocals on the song. "Don't Cry Daddy" became a hit in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Priscilla Presley said Elvis Presley liked watching up-and-coming artists perform in Las Vegas. Elvis liked Tom Jones, The Righteous Brothers, Roy Orbison, Ike & Tina Tuner, and others . He wasn't a fan of Mel Tormé, Robert Goulet, and Elliot Gould.
Priscilla Presley said Elvis Presley recorded "In the Ghetto," "Kentucky Rain," and "Suspicious Minds" after filming his ''68 Comeback Special.' She liked these songs. "In the Ghetto" was an international hit.
Barbara Eden of 'I Dream of Jeannie' co-starred in the Elvis Presley movie 'Flaming Star.' Eden liked Elvis, but she felt the movie underperformed because Elvis didn't sing in it. Elvis sang two songs in the film and one of them was a minor hit.
