Showing posts with label Elvis Presley. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elvis Presley. Show all posts

July 5 - Elvis's First Single!

   Posted on July 5, 2022     


This is an update of my post published on July 5, 2011:




On this day in 1954, Elvis Presley recorded his first single, “That's All Right,” in Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee. The song was written and originally performed by Arthur Cruddup; Elvis's version sold around 20,000 copies and reached number 4 on local Memphis charts.

Actually, Elvis wasn't really supposed to record this song at all. He was supposed to be resting between recordings of other songs, but he started fooling around, singing a sped-up version of Cruddup's song. Two musicians who had been playing upright bass and guitar joined in. The three musicians were having so much fun with their impromptu song that the producer, a guy named Sam Phillips, asked them to start again so they could record it. It was produced as a “live” recording, with all the parts performed at once and recorded as a single track; Phillips chose not to add in any percussion or other instruments.

Phillips managed to get the song on the radio just two days later, and Elvis's rise to stardom began...



Celebrate by listening to some Elvis!

You can listen to "That's All Right" here or later tunes, such as Jailhouse Rock or Hound Dog.

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June 3 - Tonsillitis for Musicians Day

   Posted on June 3, 2022     


This is an update of my post published on June 3, 2011:



On this date in 1959, Elvis Presley was stricken with tonsillitis. He was serving in the U.S. army at the time, and he was taken to the base hospital, where he remained for about six days while Army personnel searched for a doctor to take his tonsils out.

But...um...operate on ELVIS Presley's THROAT? No doctor wanted risk operating on such a famous throat, so the infection just ran its course, and Elvis kept his tonsils. 

Probably for the best, I feel.


On this date in 1964, tonsillitis-for-musicians disaster struck again. This time, it was Ringo Starr, the drummer for the Beatles. The day before a big tour, Starr collapsed at an early-morning photo shoot. He had a high fever, and when he got to the hospital, the doctors ordered complete rest.


Now, did you know that touring with a rock-and-roll band isn't particularly restful? It certainly doesn't qualify as “complete rest.” So a session drummer named Jimmie Nicol stepped in and was part of the Beatles for 12 days, touring Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, and Australia. Finally, on June 11, Ringo was discharged from the hospital and rejoined the group in Australia on June 15.

(By the way, Ringo had his tonsils removed in December of that year, on a break from touring.)

What are tonsils?

Tonsils are part of the lymphatic system and presumably help fight off infections. However, when tonsils are inflamed, they can be enlarged so much that they make it hard to breathe or swallow. This is why tonsils are sometimes removed. Also, when people have frequent recurring tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils), their tonsils can be removed. This surgery is a lot less common nowadays than in the 1950s and 1960s!

While recovering from a tonsillectomy, it's really painful to swallow, and patients often eat a whole lot of popsicles and ice cream to make their throats feel better.







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January 8 - The King's Birthday in the U.S.A.

    Posted on January 8, 2022


This is an update of my post published on January 8, 2011:




I know what you're thinking—the United States doesn't HAVE a king!

But today is Elvis Presley's birthday, and he has been so often called “the King of Rock and Roll” that many people have shortened the label to “the King.”



Born on this day in 1935 in Mississippi, Presley began his career in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1954 with Sun Records. By 1956, he was already popular and controversial, with a number one hit (“Heartbreak Hotel”) and a movie (Love Me Tender).



Did you know...?

  • Elvis Presley served in the U.S. Army for two years. Even though he was already famous, he urged the military to treat him like every other soldier, and he was generous with money, donating his Army pay to charity and buying TV sets for the base and extra sets of fatigues for his entire outfit.


  • While in the Army, Elvis was introduced to amphetamines (bummer), karate (cool), and future wife Priscilla Beaulieu (interesting, since she was only 14 years old then!).


  • Elvis is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music.

  • He was nominated for 14 Grammys and won 3, plus a Lifetime Achievement Award.


  • He has been inducted into four music halls of fame.

  • Conductor Leonard Bernstein said about Elvis, “He introduced the beat to everything and he changed everything—music, language, clothes.




Check out this Graceland tour video for kids!  There is a video meant for kids that will play automatically with a bit of virtual tour of Graceland! 








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