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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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Visit Bill E. Burk's "Elvis World Online" Email Bill to subscribe to "Elvis World" magazine
Apart from Bill's great ability as a writer, a strength of his books is his ability to obtain interviews and information about Elvis from those who were there at the time. Elvis's school friends, his teachers, his neighbors, his workmates. Book dealers list many of Bill's superb books as collectibles, with prices between US$70.00 and $500.00! The Bill Burk Elvis Booklist
Mini Book Reviews (from "Elvis In Print: The Definitive Reference and Price Guide")
EARLY ELVIS : THE TUPELO YEARS, Bill E. Burk PROPWASH Publishing, USA, 1994, Hardback, 223 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 1879207508, No bibliography, No index. Synopsis: Second book published in Burk’s superb early Elvis trilogy, this release provides a detailed account of Elvis’s first 13 years in Tupelo through interviews with those who knew him. Destroys several myths in the Elvis story and is full of warm, positive stories:
Elvis scholars will love this book and deservedly so - I cannot praise it highly enough. Recommended.
About "Early Elvis: The Tupelo Years": Early Elvis: The Tupelo Years takes the reader back to Elvis' birth in a two-room shotgun house and traces the dreams of this young man who one day would become the personification of the American dream. While living in Tupelo, Elvis hoped to one day be so good as a singer he would some day have his own program on WELO! Little did he know that, within a decade, he would become...ELVIS! EARLY ELVIS: THE HUMES YEARS, Bill E. Burk Red Oak Press, USA, Hardback, 1990, 141 pages, Illustrated, ISBN: 0962560405, No bibliography, No index. Synopsis: The first part of Burk’s famed trilogy on Elvis paints an insider’s view, with emotional recollections of times with Elvis, including Elvis’ childhood friend, Buzzy Forbess, recalling their youth:
Read about one of Elvis’ favorite childhood games, corkball: his crush on Billie Wardlaw and why Elvis received a paddle whacking on his rear end by school principal, Mr Brindley. Vivid, entertaining, full of colorful characters, rare photos and a stunning sketch drawing by Betty Harper of a young Elvis with a mature Lisa Marie. Recommended. EARLY ELVIS : THE SUN YEARS, Bill E. Burk PROPWASH Publishing, USA, 1997, Hardback, 224 pages, Illustrated. ISBN: 1879207516, No bibliography, No index. Synopsis: The eagerly awaited final part of Burk’s illuminating trilogy on the early Elvis. Was to have been published in 1996 but was postponed due to work on another Burk publication: ‘Elvis In Canada’. What can one say except buy this book. As usual, investigative journalist Bill Burk provides many surprises and definitive facts, including demolishing the supposed ‘fact’ that Dewey Phillips was the first radio DJ to playan Elvis record! Also features 32 rare photos.
What others have said about Bill E. Burk Ernst Jorgensen: If you consider yourself a serious student of the life of Elvis Presley, you will need every one of Bill E. Burk's meticulously researched books Alanna Nash: Other Presley biographers may loom larger, but Bill E. Burk is true Dean of Presleyana Dr. John Walker: Deservedly so, two of Bill Burk's Early Elvis trilogy rank in the Top 40 list of Best Elvis Books of All Time, as published in Elvis In Print: The Definitive Reference and Price Guide Mary Hancock Hinds: Bill E. Burk is the definitive Elvis author London Sunday Times: Early Elvis: The Humes Years is one of three books any Elvis fan must read in order to better understand him. Availability of Bill E. Burk books about Elvis Interested readers can contact Bill directly regarding a number of his titles. For out of print titles, ebay, Amazon and B&N are often good sources. Trivia: At one time Bill announced a new book, Elvis: The Pre-Natal Years. His announcement was part disdain for those preying on some fans, and part tongue in cheek. It came in response to ongoing claims Elvis faked his death and requests for Bill to sell books supporting the conspiracy theory. Bill suggested the new book would be written by Jesse Garon Presley. The 'Jesse Garon' concept was later picked up by two novelists: Brian DeVall who authored "Jesse The Post-Death Adventures of Elvis Presley" and Stan Knight who wrote "Elvis Presley's Twin: Jesse Garon". Read EIN's interview with Bill E. Burk |
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: "And don't think for one moment he's just a passing fancy....he's got enough of it to keep him on top for a long time" (R. Fred Arnold, Fury magazine, Aug 1957) 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 Memphis touch football league. In the 1962 final, EPE narrowly 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 offered $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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