Memories

Come On Everybody," put on your "Blue Suede Shoes," as we rock n'roll through the "Memories" of the king. We'll take a ride on the "Mystery Train" as we journey through his movies, recordings, books and memorabila.

Our first stop, a condensed version of how his life made rock n'roll history.

Gladys Love and Vernon Elvis Presley gave birth to twins on January 8, 1935. Jesse Garon and Elvis Aaron Were born on a cold winter day in Tupelo, Mississippi. Jesse, was stillborn. They were so poor that Gladys and Vernon had to put his body in a cardboard box and keep it overnight. The next day they buried him in an unmarked grave in Priceville Cemetery.

When Elvis was only 10 years old he entered The Mississippi-Alabama State Fair and Dairy Show. There he preformed one of his favorite songs, "Old Shep," a tear-jearker about a boy and his dog. Not able to reach the microphone, he had to stand on a chair and sing to the audience unaccompanied. Still, he won second place, $5.00 and free admission on the rides.

For Elvis's 11th birthday his parents bought him his first guitar for $7.75. He had wanted a bicycle but the guitar was all they could afford.

The Presley's moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948 in hopes of finding better jobs. They placed all they owned in the trunk of their 1939 Plymouth. Everything that wouldn't fit went inside a box they tied to the top of the car.

Elvis's first job in Memphis was that of an usher at the Loew's State Cinema in 1952. He made $12.75 a week.

As a teenager in August 1953 he made a recording for his mother. In honor of her birthday he taped a record at the Memphis Recording Service for $4.00. It was a ten-inch acetate recording of "My Happiness." The flip side was the mournful ballad, "That's When Your Heartaches Begin."

At the age of 19 he made his first commerical record for Sun Redcording Studio in Memphis. Then a humid, small, 12 foot by 12 foot studio, where Scotty Moore, Bill Black and Elvis recorded the now all time classic, "That's All Right."

He reached his life long dream of performing on "The Grand Ole Opry" on September 25, 1954.

At the same time, Sun released his second recording, "Good Rockin Tonight." The other side consisted of "I Don't Care If The Sun Don't Shine."

Colonial Tom Parker stepped into the picture in 1955 and chaged the life of Elvis and rock n'roll.

In 1955, Elvis recorded the record that some consider his best work, "Mystery Train." The flip side was, "I Forgot To Remember To Forget."

He made 5 singles for Sun Recording before signing with RCA in November of 1955.

September 3, 1956 he bought his mother the famous pink cadillac, which is on display, along with his car collection and several of his motorcycles at Graceland Mansion.

He released his first record for RCA in 1956. His famous, "Heartbreak Hotel," also became his earliest recording to hit the #1 spot on the billborard charts. The flip side being the ballad, "I Was The One."

Elvis made 31 movies's in his career, the first of which was "Love Me Tender" in 1956. The original title of the movie was "The Reno Brothers." They soon changed the name to capitalize on its rising hit song. He sang 3 other songs in this epic, "We're Gonna Move, " "Let Me," and "Poor Boy."

Inducted into the U.S.Army on March 5, 1958 he left millions of fans in tears. Even more devastating, was when they cut off his hair and sideburns. Pictures of a shorn Elvis dominated the news.

On May 1, 1967 Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas.

On February 1, 1968 Lisa Marie was born. She was their only child.

Elvis and Priscilla divorced after 5 years of marriage.

Live stage performances dominated his career during the seventies. He taped two outstanding documentaries during that time. They both contain many stage scenes with Elvis and his pelvis in action. The first was "Elvis-That's The Way It Is," in 1970, and the second, "Elvis On Tour," in 1972.

In the next few weeks I'll be reviewing his documentaries, movies, books, and recordings. We'll also be checking some of the best places on the net to buy his memorabilia.

So "C'mom Everybody," lets keep the "Memories" of this "Guitar Man" alive, "For Ol'Times Sake."