Podcast: Today In Elvis History

  • April 25th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 25th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 25th, and on this day in 1955, Elvis began a five-day tour with artists from TNT Records, performing at the M-B Corral in Wichita Falls, Texas. After his set, he traveled to Seymour for a second performance but ran out of gas and money, arriving just before midnight. Despite the delay, dedicated fans waited, and Elvis delivered an impromptu show, initiated humorously by Scotty Moore pretending to wind him up like a toy.

    Also on this day in 1977, Elvis performed at the Civic Center in Saginaw, Michigan. This concert, recorded by producer Felton Jarvis, featured a rendition of “If You Love Me (Let Me Know)” that would later be included in his final album, *Moody Blue*. It marked one of Elvis’s last performances, showcasing his enduring talent even in his later years.

  • April 24th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 24th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 24th, and on this day in 1957, Elvis’s gospel favorite, “Peace in the Valley,” reached number 39 on the record singles chart. Released earlier that month, the four-track EP sold over 400,000 copies, marking a pivotal moment in Elvis’s career. The success of this gospel track signaled a shift in public perception, as the audience began to see Elvis not just as a rock ‘n’ roll star, but as an artist with a deep spiritual side. This was the beginning of Elvis’s long-standing affection for gospel music, which he often cited as his favorite form of musical expression.

  • April 15th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 15th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 15th, and on this day in 1965, *Girl Happy*, Elvis Presley’s seventeenth film, opened at five hundred theaters and drive-ins nationwide, breaking box-office records in many locations. Over the Easter weekend, the film grossed $178,500 in Detroit alone. In Los Angeles, it was shown simultaneously in fifty-eight theaters. Within the first ten days of release, *Variety* reported that the film earned $3.65 million. Reviews were glowing, with *Hollywood Reporter* noting that the movie would do “the customary brisk Presley business,” and *Variety* calling it another “winner” for Elvis, the kind of “pleasant fare” his fans had come to expect.

  • April 14th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 14th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 14th, and on this day in 1956, Elvis Presley was in Amarillo, Texas, performing two shows at the Municipal Auditorium. Shortly after midnight, Elvis and his band boarded a twin-engine plane to head for Nashville, where a recording session awaited. However, the flight took a dramatic turn when the pilot got lost and the plane began running low on fuel. In a tense moment, the pilot had to make an emergency stop at an airstrip in El Dorado, Arkansas, to refuel. But just as the plane was about to leave, disaster nearly struck—Elvis was almost taken on a terrifying ride when the pilot forgot to switch the plane’s fuel system from the empty tank to the full one.

    This incident left a lasting impact on Elvis, sparking a deep-seated fear of flying that would stay with him for years. In fact, Elvis made a promise to his mother to avoid flying, and he would later favor travel by train or motor home instead. This event marked a pivotal moment in his personal life, shaping his future preferences for travel and introducing a sense of vulnerability amidst his rise to superstardom.

  • April 13th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 13th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 13th, and on this day in 1956, Elvis performed two shows at the Municipal Auditorium in Amarillo, Texas, at 7:00 and 9:00 p.m. After these performances, Elvis and his band chartered a flight to Nashville for a last-minute recording session. However, the flight encountered multiple issues, leading Elvis to remark, “Man, I don’t know if I’ll ever fly again.”

    Also on this day in 1963, *Billboard* reviewed the album *It Happened at the World’s Fair*, saying it “should be a blockbuster.” All ten songs from the movie appear on the soundtrack album, which reaches number 4 on *Billboard*’s top LPs chart and stays on the chart for 26 weeks. The film itself, which includes scenes shot at the Seattle World’s Fair, grossed $2.25 million in 1963, ranking 55th on *Variety*’s list of top-grossing films.

  • April 11th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 11th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 11th, and on this day in 1962, *Follow That Dream* premiered in Ocala, Florida. The film, Elvis’s ninth, was based on the 1957 novel *Pioneer, Go Home* by Richard Powell. The premiere took place in the very town where much of the film was shot. The movie also has an interesting connection to future stars—Joanna Moore, who portrayed Alicia Claypool, is the mother of Tatum O’Neal, the 1973 Academy Award winner for Best Supporting Actress. Even more intriguing, the location shots were filmed near the home of an eleven-year-old Tom Petty. Fourteen years later, Petty would go on to form the legendary rock band Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

    Also on this day in 1956, Elvis performed at the Coliseum in El Paso, Texas, and in 1972, he took the stage at the Civic Center in Roanoke, Virginia, further solidifying his reputation as a touring legend.

  • April 10th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 10th in Elvis History
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    It’s April tenth, and on this day in 1957, actress Yvonne Lime arrived in Memphis to visit Elvis Presley. The two had met the previous year on the set of *Loving You* and had occasionally dated in Hollywood. During her visit, Elvis was dealing with a skin rash, so their first evening together was a quiet one, spent on the patio of his home on Audubon Drive—where he still lived while renovations were underway at Graceland.

  • April 9th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 9th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 9th, and on this day in 1953, Elvis Presley made his debut on a big stage at the Humes High School “Annual Minstrel Show.” Encouraged by his teacher, Mrs. Scrivener, Elvis performed in front of a packed crowd at the Humes Auditorium. Despite being billed as “Elvis Prestley, guitarist,” Elvis took to the stage and sang “Take Them Cold Icy Fingers Off of Me,” a 1950 country hit by Pee Wee King. His performance received an enthusiastic response, earning him the honor of the only encore of the night, where he sang “Till I Waltz Again with You.” This marked the first of many memorable performances for Elvis, with 1,500 students, faculty, and parents witnessing a glimpse of the legend he was to become.

  • April 8th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 8th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 8th, and on this day in 1973, Elvis Presley flew to San Francisco to attend the California Karate Championships at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium. Elvis, a black belt in karate under his instructor Ed Parker, was expected to perform a demonstration of brick-breaking before the championship matches. However, a publicity stunt that featured Elvis’s name prominently on the event’s marquee and in promotions led to a conflict with his contract at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. The hotel had restrictions on Elvis making personal appearances within 300 miles of the venue in the 30 days prior to his scheduled performances. As a result, Elvis was prohibited from participating in the demonstration. Disappointed fans, who had gathered to see Elvis in action, instead saw him in the audience, a silent observer of the competition.

  • April 7th in Elvis History

    Today in Elvis History
    Today in Elvis History
    April 7th in Elvis History
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    It’s April 7th, and on this day in 1962, Elvis Presley arrived in Hawaii to begin shooting his eleventh film, *Girls! Girls! Girls!*. Upon his arrival at the airport, Elvis was mobbed by several thousand fans. In the chaos, he lost his diamond ring, tie clip, and watch. The film, which would feature a number of iconic Hawaiian locations, was shot at places like the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor, the Bumble Bee Tuna Company’s canning plant at Kewalo Basin, and the picturesque village of Miloli’i, which was renamed “Paradise Cove” for the movie. The film also marked the singing role debut of actress and Playboy Playmate of the Month, Stella Stephens, who appeared alongside Elvis.