Podcast: Today In Elvis History

  • March 14th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 14th in Elvis History
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    It’s March fourteenth, and on this day in 1955… Elvis Presley, his manager Bob Neal, and the band arrived in New York City hoping to audition for the CBS television show *Arthur Godfrey’s Talent Scouts*. Traveling all the way from Memphis by train, they joined the long line of uninvited hopefuls braving the bitter cold for a shot at stardom. The odds were steep—“walk-ins” often stretched around the block, waiting hours just for a chance to be seen. Despite the effort and anticipation, Elvis never made it onto the show. After just one day in New York, he and the group headed back home, the opportunity missed—but far greater fame still ahead.

  • March 13th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 13th in Elvis History
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    It’s March 13th, and on this day in 1956, RCA released *Elvis Presley*, the debut album that would rewrite music history. The LP rocketed onto Billboard’s Best-Selling Pop Albums chart at number 11 and reached number one in just six weeks, holding the top spot for 10 straight weeks. It remained on the chart for 49 weeks total and made history as the first album ever to sell one million copies. The record would later earn RIAA certification on November 1, 1966, cementing Elvis’s place as the King of Rock and Roll.

  • March 12th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 12th in Elvis History
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    It’s March 12, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley and his parents, Vernon and Gladys, officially became homeowners when they purchased a house from the Welsh Plywood Corporation for $29,250. This marked a major milestone for the Presley family, signaling Elvis’s rapid rise from modest beginnings to national fame. The property would become their first real home after years of renting—and just a year later, they would move into the mansion that would define Elvis’s legacy: Graceland.

  • March 11th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 11th in Elvis History
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    It’s March eleventh, and on this day in 1964… Elvis Presley insisted on doing his own stunts while filming *Roustabout*—and it backfired. During a fight scene, Elvis was accidentally injured and required stitches above his eye. Fortunately, the production didn’t miss a beat, since the movie had already shot a motorcycle crash sequence. The visible cut was simply chalked up to the scripted accident. Elvis may have taken a hit, but the show went on—with a little help from movie magic.

  • March 9th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 9th in Elvis History
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    It’s March ninth, and on this day in 1967… Elvis Presley suffered a serious fall in the bathroom of his Rocca Place home in Bel Air, California. While preparing for the start of filming *Clambake*, Elvis reportedly tripped over an electrical cord and struck his head on the edge of the bathtub, where he lay unconscious for several hours before being discovered. A doctor later determined he had a slight concussion and ordered rest.

    But the fallout wasn’t just medical—it was personal and political. Colonel Tom Parker seized the opportunity to reassert control. Deeply uneasy with Elvis’s growing fascination with spiritualism and religion, the Colonel promptly fired Larry Geller—Elvis’s hairdresser and spiritual advisor. Marty Lacker was also removed from his role as foreman of the entourage and replaced by Joe Esposito, who was instructed to take orders directly from Parker. To complete the purge, the Colonel even ordered Elvis’s collection of mystical and spiritual books to be destroyed.

  • March 8th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 8th in Elvis History
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    It’s March eighth, and on this day in 1967… Elvis and Priscilla were vacationing in Palm Springs when they decided to go house hunting. They settled on a Spanish-style estate in the Movie Colony neighborhood, once owned by Marjorie McDonald, heiress to the McDonald’s burger fortune. The 15-room home featured vaulted ceilings, nine bathrooms, maid’s quarters, a pool, and a twelve-person Jacuzzi—set among lava rocks and palm trees. Elvis paid $85,000 for the three-bedroom home, and after extensive renovations that added another bedroom and seven more baths, the total cost ballooned to $250,000.

  • March 7th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 7th in Elvis History
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    It’s March seventh, and on this day in 1960… Elvis Presley returned to Memphis after completing his service in the U.S. Army. He arrived by train at 7:45 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm, where fans greeted him with excitement and cheers. After heading home to Graceland, Elvis held a press conference in his father Vernon’s office, telling reporters he was glad to be back. That evening, he was joined by his longtime girlfriend Anita Wood, marking a warm and celebratory return to civilian life for the newly discharged Sergeant Presley.

  • March 6th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 6th in Elvis History
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    It’s March sixth, and on this day in 1964… Elvis Presley added a new crown jewel to his growing fleet of cars—a Rolls Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine. Painted midnight blue and outfitted with a gray cloth interior, the luxurious British-made ride was customized to Elvis’s specifications before being shipped to the U.S. It came complete with a 6.2-liter V-8 engine, automatic transmission, two cut-glass decanters, and silver-rimmed crystal glasses. The King used the Rolls as his preferred car until 1968, when he generously donated it to a charity auction.

  • March 5th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 5th in Elvis History
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    It’s March fifth, and on this day in 1960… Elvis Presley was officially discharged from the United States Army. At 9:15 a.m., he received his mustering-out check for $109.54 and an honorable discharge, concluding two years of military service that had taken him from Fort Hood to Friedberg, Germany. From there, Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker traveled by limousine to New Jersey, where they were joined by Lamar Fike and Rex Mansfield. That same evening, they headed to Washington, D.C., marking the King’s symbolic return to civilian life and the beginning of a new chapter in his career.

  • March 4th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    March 4th in Elvis History
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    It’s March fourth, and on this day in 1956… *Billboard* magazine declared that “Presley [is] Hot as a Pistol on Victor.” The article spotlighted Elvis as the RCA label’s hottest artist of the week, with a staggering six singles in the company’s top twenty-five sellers. At the top of the list: “Heartbreak Hotel” at number one, followed by “I Was the One,” “Mystery Train,” and “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” at numbers two, three, and four respectively. “Baby Let’s Play House” landed at number fourteen, “That’s All Right” came in at twenty-one, and “Milk Cow Blues Boogie” rounded out the group at number twenty-three. The young country warbler from Memphis was now rewriting the rules of the music business.