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.
Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page worked as a session musician before his career really took off. He played on one of the biggest pop songs of the British Invasion.
"Weird Al" Yankovic once recorded a parody of Elvis Presley's doo-wop songs. It was once censored on a television show. The censorship made the song seem more risque than it actually was. Fourteen years after he recorded it, Yankovic cited the Elvis spoof as his favorite of his own songs.
Elvis Presley fans are all shook up over Austin Butler's "eerie" transformation into the King of Rock and Roll in the as yet untitled new film by Baz Luhrmann.
The Beatles' George Harrison heard one of Elvis Presley's songs while riding his bike. George said the song provided hope to the people of Great Britain and said listening to it was a spiritual experience. The song became popular in the United States and the United Kingdom.
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.
