coming up to 45 years since we lost The King
Elvis Aaron Presley died August 16th, 1977
His singing career began in 1954.
Elvis Aron Presley was born in 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi to Gladys and Vernon Presley.
He had an identical twin brother named Jesse Garon Presley, who was stillborn.
At 11 years old, he received his first guitar for his birthday.
In 1953, Presley graduated from Humes High School in Memphis, Tennessee.
Elvis caught the attention of Sun Studio owner Sam Phillips, who cut the young singer's first single "That's All Right."
Elvis' contract with Sun Studio was bought out by major record label RCA Records for $35,000.
RCA also bought the rights to Presley's previously recorded songs.
After signing with RCA, Presley's career took an upward turn.
His new single "Heartbreak Hotel" climbed the charts and quickly took over the top spot.
Presley's debut on national television was on The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show in 1956.
Presley snagged himself a three-year contract with Paramount Pictures in 1956.
He made his on-screen debut in Love Me Tender.
Presley returned to his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee in 1957 and purchased his now famous mansion, Graceland.
One of Presley's most famous songs was "Jailhouse Rock," which he recorded for the 1957 film of the same title.
Presley was drafted into the military and served two years in the Korean War, as a private in 1958.
While living on the German army base, Presley met Priscilla Beaulieu, who was living there with her parents. The two began a relationship, despite their 10-year age difference.
Two years after his discharge from the US Army, Elvis invited Priscilla to join him in the United States. Now 17 years old, her parents allowed her to visit the star multiple times before the teenager moved to Memphis in 1963 to finish high school and live with the rock star at Graceland.
Presley costarred in Viva Las Vegas with Ann-Margret in 1963, and the two began a year-long affair. The Hollywood leading lady claimed that the relationship ended in 1964, when Presley believed she leaked to the tabloids that they were secretly engaged.
Viva Las Vegas ended up being the rock star's highest-grossing film, while the soundtrack was a hit too, beating out Beatlemania’s "A Hard Day's Night." Presley also managed to negotiate a contract with MGM where he earned $1 million per film in 1964.
After proposing in December of 1966, Elvis and Priscilla were married in a Las Vegas ceremony on May 1, 1967.
The couple, who had been living together for five years, claim they were not intimate with one another until their wedding night.
Nine months after their Las Vegas nuptials, Elvis and Priscilla welcomed their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, on February 1, 1968.
1969's Change of Habit ended up being the last film he starred in before his passing almost a decade later.
Elvis and Priscilla separated on February 23, 1972 and finalized their divorce on October 9, 1973, after reaching a shared custody plan for their daughter, Lisa Marie.
Presley met model Linda Thompson while he was separated from Priscilla in 1972. The two started dating soon after and were together for four years.
Thompson called it quits in 1976, citing his unhealthy relationship with prescription drugs as part of the reason why.
In November 1973, Presley was hospitalized for pneumonia, pleurisy, hepatitis, and an enlarged colon. The rock star's many ailments were the result of his drug dependency. After his hospitalization, he continued to perform until he had to be hospitalized once again.
Presley arrives in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1973 for his internationally televised concert Aloha From Hawaii. The concert was broadcasted via live satellite, which was very savvy for the time and was a huge success.
The King's last concert was in June 1977. Presley performed for a crowd in Indianapolis, Indiana, after which he went home to Graceland.
Presley was found dead in 1977, after suffering heart failure at the age of 42. His untimely death was linked to his years of prescription drug use.
In 1982, Priscilla Presley continued The King's legacy by opening Graceland to the public. The decision took his fortune from $1 million at the time of his death to $100 million by 1993.
In 2019, Forbes called him one of the top-earning dead celebrities and estimated his estate, to which his daughter is the sole heir, with a value of $39 million.
2022 will see a new Film Tribute to The King
- end c/p
https://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au...ov-11-1970.jpg
Elvis' death could have been avoided.
His handler(s) and Colonel Tom Parker had him doped up constantly. The doctor that prescribed all the barbiturate's should have been jailed.
But that's Hollywood at it's finest and the dollar at work :eek:
When I was young, my Aunt went to Hawaii to see his Honolulu appearance in 1973.
Afterwards, she would tell me every detail 100 times over and I listened eagerly every time.
I have not yet seen the new film just released recently, but it is in our VOD library (or maybe the ppv channels).
I have read reviews thou and seems just like his Hollywood life, in that they are covering up the facts about his addictions to prescription drugs which came thnx to the Hollywood life.
