|
|
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
|
Elvis Week Update #6 (12 August 2006): SHARON PARKER'S Meet-Up crammed Marlowe's to the rafters. The late Bill Black's 2 children (now grown) were there and spoke (and spoke and spoke). Patsy Andersen dropped in with her client, Jerry Presley. As we've said, it's a FUN event, but tonight the fans were a little bit rude -- talking over the speakers' on the microphone . . . to the point no one could hear anything. DROVE BY GRACELAND TONIGHT after the Parker event. Scores of fans were there for the free walk-up to Meditation Gardens at night. ELVIS WEEK EVENTS on the web. The hostess is Lacy Winters. (Source: Bill E. Burk)
Elvis Week Update #5 (11 August 2006): Congratulations to Irv Cass who has been chosen by Elvis Presley Enterprises to be one of 3 headliners in their first Tribute Artist Showcase! This show will be held today, Friday, August 11th, 2006, at the Marriott East in Memphis, TN. Irv Cass has been a Tribute Artist for over 10 years and, in that time, has performed all over the world. He worked with "Legends in Concert" and was the featured ETA in the award-winning documentary "Almost Elvis." This fine film by John Paget of Blue Suede Films is shown regularly on Television and is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Irv is the 1999 Images of the King World Champion and serves as Vice President of the Elvis Entertainers Network in charge of Public Relations. This Fall, Irv will be joining Cher as they raise funds to buy equipment for our troops in Iraq. The fundraiser, to be held in New York City, will be sent by closed-circuit TV to Iraq. Please join Irv along with Shawn Klush and Donny Edwards in showing Elvis Presley Enterprises that ETA's honor Elvis and help keep his image alive.
(Source: Charmaine Voisine)
Elvis Week Update #4 (10 Aug 2006): Some 300 people(*) attended the week's opening ceremony today at the EP Birthplace in Tupelo, MS. Of this number, 70 were from Todd Slaughter's OEPFC-Great Britain; and 11 from Brazil (Marcello's annual group). Fans came down from Memphis and (*) a lot of locals from Tupelo just dropped by to see what was going on. Festivities were held at the Family Life Center behind the church across the street from the EP Birthplace. Guy Harris and James Osbourn (Mississippi Slim's brother) told of their early Elvis experiences; there was gospel and country music.
Tupelo's temperature was at 101F today (as our last EW update warned).
The EP Museum room inside the Birthplace shop building will be closed in early October for changes. Memphian Scott Blake's Design 500 will re-do the Museum room and change the motif to where not only will Elvis items be on display, but a lot of exhibits will be introduced to show the influences of early rural Tupelo had on Elvis' life 1935-48.
The museum will probably have an unofficial opening around 11 or 12 December, but an official opening on 8 January 2007.
Our EW scouts were a bit disappointed in the Elvis exhibit at the Lee County Library, saying there were report cards from 3rd and 4th grade; a school program from the 6th grade in which Elvis took part in a school play; and lots of 78 RPM record jackets.
Our EW scouts then dropped by the EP Heights Memorial Wall on which Elvis fans are being hawked to pay $150 to have their name inscribed on the wall.
Their review of this project: "A total joke!"
And finally, Paul MacLeod's tacky house, Graceland Too, in Holly Springs, MS, which last year was bathed in PeptoBismol Pink paint, is back to being white now. But Paul was not at home when our scouts dropped by. (Some people just get lucky!) Today's (Thursday) highlight will be the "Sharon Parker Elvis meet-up at Marlowe's", which has jammed every inch of the restaurant the past two years. EW will be there with door prizes. (News, Source: Bill E. Burk) Elvis Week 2006 Update #3 (9 August 2006): Muvico Theaters and Peabody Place present Memories of the King in Concert on 12 August from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Peabody Place Entertainment and Retail Center, 150 Peabody Place, Memphis, TN. The concert pays tribute to Elvis Presley and will include three segments presenting music from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. Call 901-248-0101 for more information. (Source: Charmaine Voisine)
Elvis Week 2006 Update #1 (7 August 2006): Bill Burk tells us fans should bring their drink bottles. Temps in Memphis around 100 degrees F. Temps in Tupelo over 100 until Friday when they are expected to drop to a "coolish 97". Bill also says " WHILE IN Tupelo during August, drop by the Lee County Library (over near Milam Jr. High). They have a month-long Elvis exhibit there and we've been told it has some wonderful one-of-a-kind Elvis things on display." (News, Source: Bill E. Burk, 7 Aug 2006) |
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
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
