THE PRODIGAL SON COMES HOME September 26 is proclaimed Elvis Presley Day in Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis’s parents join him in his return to the city of his birth, which now sees him arrive as a star. He performed two shows at the…
LOVE ME TENDER: ELVIS DEBUTS ON THE BIG SCREEN Despite having already signed an agreement with Paramount Pictures producer Hal B. Wallis, on August 1, 1956, Elvis began filming (it would finish at the beginning of October) of his first…
THE MILTON BERLE SHOW AND THE HOUND DOG PERFORMANCE CONTROVERSY On July 5, 1956, Elvis appears again on “The Milton Berle Show,” this time in the studio where the show usually takes place. With the backing of The Jordanaires, Scotty Moore…
FIRST PERFORMANCES IN LAS VEGAS On April 3, 1956, Elvis appears on “The Milton Berle Show” on NBC. This special broadcast of the program takes place on the deck of the aircraft carrier USS Hancock. It is the first of two performances…
CAMERA TEST FOR THE RAINMAKER On February 1, 1956, as “Heartbreak Hotel” makes its way up the charts on its way to #1, the single “I Forgot To Remember To Forget“/ “Mystery Train“, representing his fifth and final single under…
FIRST SUCCESSES “HEARTBREAK HOTEL, ITS FIRST GREAT CLASSIC” With the signing of Elvis’ contract with RCA, the company quickly began preparing for Elvis’s first recording session. RCA had the songs he had acquired from the SUN label, which he would…
NOVEMBER 21, 1955 “Signing of the Contract between Elvis and RCA VICTOR” Finally, on August 15, Elvis signs a management contract with Hank Snow Atractions, which is owned equally by Hank Snow and Colonel Tom Parker. Bob Neal continues to…
ELVIS ON TOUR “NEW APPEARANCES ON THE SOUTHERN CIRCUITS” Elvis, Scotty and Bill continue their performance schedule, this time, alongside country stars including Hayride artists. Colonel Parker was already involved in these tours which included the presence of Hank Snow. Meanwhile,…
NEW CONTRACTS AND NEW MANAGERS ** COLONEL TOM PARKER ENTERS THE SCENE ** On January 1, 1955, Elvis signs a contract with Bob Neal, who becomes his manager. A publicity photo is taken of the signing of the contract, in…
Elvis performs at the great festivals of the South – First appearances at “Lousiana Hayride” – Elvis appears for the first time at the Grand Ole Opry on October 2, 1954, not with much luck. They perform the B-side of their…
ELVIS WORKS AT CROWN ELECTRIC, WHILE THE GROUP PLAYS IN SMALL CLUBS. Sam Phillips, gives DJ Dewey Phillips of WHBQ radio located at the Chisca Hotel in Memphis, an acetate of Elvis’s new song. The Dewey Phillips show plays the…
THAT’S ALL RIGHT MAMA, JULY 5, 1954.. EVERYTHING WOULD CHANGE. Elvis meets up with Scotty Moore and Bill Black, but nothing really important comes up until July 5, when after a tedious session, in which they play ballad after ballad,…
