Podcast: Today In Elvis History

  • June 10th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 10th in Elvis History
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    It’s June tenth, and on this day in 1965… *The New York Times* reported that Elvis Presley’s gospel single “Crying in the Chapel” had reached number one on the British Hit Parade. The achievement marked the first time Elvis topped the Beatles in the U.K., and it was his first British number one hit in three years. The quiet, spiritual ballad struck a chord with international audiences and proved that even at the height of Beatlemania, the King still had the power to rule the charts across the Atlantic.

  • May 2nd in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    May 2nd in Elvis History
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    It's May 2nd, and on this day in 1960, Elvis Presley began principal photography for his fifth film, *G.I. Blues*, at Paramount Studios in Hollywood. The movie, set in post-World War II Germany, featured Elvis alongside South African actress Juliet Prowse, who became his love interest both on and off the screen. During production, Elvis was seen sneaking dates with Juliet, while also courting two other costars, Judy Rawlins and Sandra Ferra. Tensions ran high when Frank Sinatra, who was dating Prowse, visited the set, adding a touch of Hollywood drama to the production. *G.I. Blues* would go on to be a major success, further cementing Elvis's Hollywood legacy.

  • March 15th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 15th in Elvis History
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    It's March fifteenth, and on this day in 1965, Elvis Presley began filming *Harum Scarum* and, during this period, became deeply involved with the Self-Realization Fellowship—an interfaith spiritual organization founded by Indian yogi Paramahansa Yogananda. Elvis frequently visited the Fellowship’s Lake Shrine Retreat in Pacific Palisades and formed a lasting spiritual connection with Sri Daya Mata, one of Yogananda’s foremost disciples. This relationship left a meaningful and enduring impact on Elvis's inner life for years to come.

  • June 9th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 9th in Elvis History
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    It’s June ninth, and on this day in 1972… Elvis Presley held a press conference at the New York Hilton, kicking off one of the most iconic moments of his career. Just hours later, he took the stage at Madison Square Garden, becoming the first performer to sell out the legendary venue for four consecutive shows. Each night grossed over seventy thousand dollars, and RCA was there to capture it—releasing the album *Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden*. The audience was packed not just with fans, but with music legends like John Lennon, George Harrison, Bob Dylan, David Bowie, and Art Garfunkel, all turning out to witness the King electrify New York.

  • June 8th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 8th in Elvis History
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    It’s June eighth, and on this day in 1971… Elvis Presley was honored by his hometown in a lasting way. The Memphis County Commission, with support from Mayor Henry Loeb, officially renamed a portion of Highway 51 South as “Elvis Presley Boulevard.” This stretch of road, which runs from South Parkway to the Mississippi state line, includes the address of Graceland itself. Though there were initial plans to rename the entire length of Bellevue Avenue, opposition from the prominent Bellevue Baptist Church scaled the change back. Still, the renaming marked a rare moment of civic recognition during Elvis’s lifetime—and forever tied the King to the streets of Memphis.

  • June 7th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 7th in Elvis History
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    It’s June seventh, and on this day in 1957… Elvis Presley was making his way home to Memphis by train after filming in Hollywood when he tried to contact his former girlfriend June Juanico—only to find out she had married someone else just days earlier. Distraught, Elvis got off the train in Lafayette, Louisiana, and rented a Cadillac to drive the rest of the way home alone. He arrived at Graceland around midnight, greeted by his parents and seeing, for the first time, the renovations that had transformed the mansion since he last left. It was an emotional homecoming marked by personal heartbreak and a glimpse of the life he was building as America’s rising superstar.

  • June 6th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 6th in Elvis History
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    It’s June sixth, and on this day in 1968… Elvis Presley was in Los Angeles, deep in rehearsals for his upcoming television special at the offices of Binder-Howe Productions, when the news came that Senator Robert F. Kennedy had died from an assassination attempt the day before. The tragedy deeply affected Elvis, and director Steve Binder recognized an opportunity to reflect that emotion in the show. Binder asked songwriter Earl Brown to write a new closing number that would express Elvis’s grief, hope, and belief in a better world. The result was “If I Can Dream,” a powerful anthem that Elvis agreed to perform—delivering one of the most moving and iconic moments of his entire career.

  • June 5th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 5th in Elvis History
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    It’s June fifth, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley shocked the nation with his appearance on *The Milton Berle Show*, broadcast live from NBC Studios in Los Angeles. After being introduced by Berle and receiving a special Billboard award for “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis performed “I Want You, I Need You, I Love You” and then launched into a now-legendary performance of “Hound Dog.” The slow, suggestive delivery—with no guitar to hold—provoked outrage from television critics and cemented Elvis’s image as a dangerous new force in American pop culture. The moment would go down as one of the most controversial and iconic performances of his career.

  • June 4th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 4th in Elvis History
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    It’s June fourth, and on this day in 1960, Elvis Presley was visited on the set of *G.I. Blues* by three Scandinavian princesses. The royal encounter was a highlight during filming, and that evening, Elvis and his entourage continued the glamour by hitting several nightclubs. The visit added a touch of international royalty to the early days of Elvis’s post-army film career.

  • June 3rd in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    June 3rd in Elvis History
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    It’s June third, and on this day in 1953, Elvis Presley received his high school diploma at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis. Dressed in a dark suit and tie, the future King of Rock and Roll graduated from Humes High School, less than a year before he would walk into the Memphis Recording Service to make a record “for his mother”—a step that would change music history forever.