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Elvis' #1 Pop Singles on Cashbox, USA: Heartbreak Hotel (1956) Don't Be Cruel (1956) Hound Dog (1956) Love Me Tender (1956) Too Much (1957) All Shook Up (1957) Teddy Bear (1957) Jailhouse Rock (1957) Don't (1958) Stuck On You (1960) It's Now Or Never (1960) Are You Lonesome Tonight? (1960) Surrender (1961) Good Luck Charm (1962) Return To Sender (1962) In The Ghetto (1969) Suspicious Minds (1969) Burning Love (1972) (The Cashbox chart is now defunct) Elvis Facts: Elvis was 5' 11" tall
Elvis' natural hair color was dark blond
Elvis' blood type was O Positive
Elvis' shoe size was 11D
One of Elvis'( maternal) ancestors, Morning White Dove (born 1800, died 1835), was a full-blooded Cherokee Indian
Elvis' uncle, Noah Presley, became Mayor of East Tupelo on January 7, 1936
The Presley family moved to Memphis on November 6, 1948
Elvis was issued a Social Security card in September 1950 with the # 409-52-2002
In 1954 some of the shows played by Elvis & The Blue Moon Boys were at the Overton Park Shell; the Bel-Air Club; Sleepy-Eyed John's Eagle's Nest Club and the Louisiana Hayride
Elvis' first manager was Scotty Moore, then Bob Neal, before signing with Colonel Tom Parker
The first DJ to play an Elvis record was Fred Cook (WREC), not Dewey Phillips (WHBQ). However, Dewey had the distinction of being the first DJ to play an Elvis record in its entirety
Elvis once dated famous stripper, Tempest Storm
Elvis was filmed from the waist up only during his 3rd and final appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show
In the 50s Elvis was friendly with rising stars, Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner and Ty (Bronco Lane) Hardin
Gladys Presley was 46 years old when she died, not 42, as many books suggest
The Roustabout album sold 450,000 copies on its initial release, 150,000 copies more than any of the preceding three soundtrack LPs. It was Elvis' last "soundtrack" album to reach #1 on the major album charts in the US
Elvis received $1m for filming Harum Scarum (aka Harum Holiday). The film grossed around $2m in the US
Elvis and Priscilla married on May 1, 1967
They were officially divorced on October 9, 1973
Elvis earns nearly $3.5m in 1968 and pays just over $1.4m in income tax
Elvis' return to live performing in Las Vegas on July 31, 1969 was in front of an "by invitation only" audience. Stars in attendance included Wayne Newton, Petula Clark, Shirley Bassey, Burt Bacharach and Angie Dickinson
On January 9, 1971, the national Junior Chamber of Commerce (Jaycees) announced Elvis as one of "The Top Ten Young Men of the Year". Elvis spoke at the official awards ceremony on January 16
"Elvis: Aloha From Hawai" made entertainment history on January 14, 1973, when it was beamed around the world by satellite. In the Philippines it drew 91% of the audience, in Hong Kong 70%. The viewing audience was estimated at more than 1 billion
For his 4 week Hilton Vegas season in August 1973 Elvis received $610,000 Sales of Elvis' 1973 album, Raised On Rock, were less than 200,000 units on its initial release
Elvis paid $2,959,000 in income tax in 1973
In December 1976 Elvis was sworn in as a special deputy sheriff of Shelby County (Memphis) by Sheriff Gene Barksdale
Elvis' final live concert was in Indianapolis on June 26, 1977 When Elvis died, he and his father Vernon, were embroiled in an FBI investigation called Operation Fountain Pen More than 1,500 books have been published about The King in more than 30 languages
At Dec 2005 Elvis' biggest selling album in the US is the budget priced, Elvis' Christmas Album, with accredited sales of 9 million units (fingers crossed it reaches 10 million to give Elvis his first "Diamond" award)
By early2006, Sony BMG's "collectors label", Follow That Dream, had released more than 50 Elvis CDs
During the 1980s, tour guides at Graceland stated that Elvis' biggest selling album (globally) was Moody Blue, with sales exceeding 14 million
While Sony BMG estimates Elvis' global sales exceed 1 billion, the company is unable to substantiate this figure. Accredited sales worldwide are estimated to be less than 400 million
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Aurum Press Ltd, England & Australia, 2005 (USA release in Spring 2006), Softcover, ISBN: 1845131282 Reviewed by Nigel Patterson
Praise for "Elvis and the Memphis Mafia": "You don't need to be an Elvis fan to be awed by this book. It is so detailed, gossipy, far-ranging and coherent that it becomes a clear window on an entire era. The book's genius is in the volume of fresh and flowing information...Nash is one of the finest, most perceptive chroniclers and appraisers of pop music in America." (Billboard)
There is also great poignancy and sincerity in Elvis and the Memphis Mafia, and the reader's emotions will often flow from joy to laughter to anger and sadness. Such is the wonderful and illuminating way in which Alanna Nash has captured and presented her potent narrative.
Because of the enormity of its subject matter it is not easy to distil its essential narrative. To illlustrate this point a very, very small number of its fascinating subjects include:
The re-issue lacks the photo spread included in the original hardcover release, while a 25 page Index adds value to our reading. Verdict: Elvis and the Memphis Mafia thoroughly deserves its reputation as one of the best ever books written about The King. This book was the #1 Elvis book release in 2005 and should be an essential inclusion in all fan's Elvis libraries. Highly recommended. Click to comment on this review (reader feedback published below)
Availability: Elvis and the Memphis Mafia is available from leading bookstores in the UK and Australia. It can also be bought from online bookstores including amazon.com
"Bright lights city moved their soul.... They strode into town With a swagger and ready fist, Protecting the people's King Good ole boys, one and all, Flashy badges and an orgy of excess, Their life was for living Hard, fast and fun, Fighters and lovers With a "downhome" cheeky grin, If you were looking for TROUBLE You'd come to the right place... Be prepared... As they'd "scatter" you all over the place"
(from "The Ballad of the Memphis Mafia", anonymous, 2003) Reader feedback on EIN's review Ida, USA: Hi, I read your review before but did not want to comment until I red the actual book, which I think is very well designed, but I still do not want to make any further comments and be blamed for not being fair. It is hard to judge people without thinking, it is one thing to hear about a story and another actually being there in the same steps they were. Also I agree with the fact that Elvis was such an insecure human being, and he never took actual control of his life and his career, and did not have around himself the right people to council him, guide him and help him make the right decisions to the point of not really knowing what was happening in the entertainment world, so sad when you think that he spend the last years of his life in pain and suffering, pushing himself to the edge when the people around himself watch his self destruction. Extremely sad to know that some of them where around him for his money and not because they have any kind of fillings for him, starting with Ginger who was found to sell her story for money to the Enquirer, and this I do not doubt because she was the only one upstairs and the one that saw him death first that could provide that information first hand. The will that was never found ignoring his last wishes. So much can be said and I have to say that this book is full of so many sad things that happened and the thought that there was nobody that could try to save him even from himself. All those guys put up with a lot, but at the end they were just expectators of all the destruction. I could undertand why to this day they still have nightmares and could not help but to think about it. I hope that they could find peace some day. And then Priscilla came in the picture after his death to become the head of this all Estate, running this Estate ignoring the wishes of Elvis that said to help the ones in need and acting as she was his widow. I will say no more about her, I never have any good thoughts about her. Good review, and thanks for letting me comment on this. Mandy, England: I agree with your review. Elvis & the MM is my fave Elvis book. It made me feel as though I was there with Elvis, experiencing parts of his life and his ups and downs. Maybe they'll publish a 2nd volume. Jeff, USA: These guys sponged off Elvis for years, bad mouthed him for a buck and I bet none of them have done a decent's day's work in their lives. They can gloss the story all they want but the truth was there at the time. Elvis was his own person but god these guys should have done more to save him.
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Quote: "Elvis Presley is the supreme socio-cultural icon in the history of pop culture" (Dr. Gary Enders) Quote: " Elvis is the 'glue' which holds our society together....which subconciously gives our world meaning" (Anonymous) Quote: "Eventually everybody has to die, except Elvis" (humorist Dave Barry) Quote: "He is the "Big Bang", and the universe he detonated is still expanding, the pieces are still flying" (Greil Marcus, "Dead Elvis") Quote: "I think Elvis Presley will never be solved" (Nick Tosches) Quote: "He was the most popular man that ever walked on this planet since Christ himself was here" (Carl Perkins) Quote: "When I first heard Elvis' voice I just knew I wasn't going to work for anybody...hearing him for the first time was like busting out of jail" (Bob Dylan) Quote: "When we were kids growing up in Liverpool, all we ever wanted was to be Elvis Presley" (Sir Paul McCartney) Quote: "You can't say enough good things about Elvis. He was one of a kind" (Johnny Cash) Quote: "It isn't enough to say that Elvis is kind to his parents, sends money home, and is the same unspoiled kid he was before all the commotion began. That still isn't a free ticket to behave like a sex maniac in public" (Eddie Condon, Cosmopolitan) Elvis records reaching #2 & #3 on the Cashbox Pop Singles chart: #2: A Fool Such As I (1959) #2: A Big Hunk Of Love (1959) #3: Hard Headed Woman (1958) #3: One Night (1958) #3: (You're The Devil) In Disguise (1963) Elvis Facts: Tickets for Elvis' show on March 29, 1957 in St. Louis cost $2.00 to $2.50
While in Germany Elvis was hospitalised with tonsillitis in October 1959
Despite being an illegal immigrant, photographic evidence shows Colonel Tom Parker traveled to Canada with Elvis in 1957
Elvis strongly believed there weren't enough good songs in King Creole to justify releasing a soundtrack album. RCA initially agreed, releasing two very successful EPs from the movie. A soundtrack LP eventually followed
During the 1960s Elvis had his own football team, Elvis Presley Enterprises, which played in the Menphis touch football league. In the 1962 final, EPE narrowlt lost to Delta Automatic Transmission. 6-13.
In Clambake, (Elvis) Scott Hayward's driving licence shows February 23, 1940...taking 5 years off Elvis' real age
In the 1970s Elvis was ofered $5m to stage a concert in front of the Pyramids in Egypt. When the Colonel declined the offer, Saudi billionaires raised the offer to $10m
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