Travel With the King

From Tupelo to Memphis and from Hollywood to Vegas, take a musical journey with the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley.

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Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in this humble 2-room house in Tupelo, MS, on January 8, 1935.

Elvis moved to Memphis, TN, with his family at the age of 13. In August 1953, he strolled into the legendary Sun Records office hoping to be discovered. Owner Sam Phillips quickly recognized his potential.

Sam Phillips paired Elvis with guitarist Winfield "Scotty" Moore and bass player Bill Black. At Sun, the trio pioneered the 'rockabilly' sound -- a fusion of country music with rhythm-and-blues that was speeded up, or "rocked."

By 1956, Elvis was an international sensation, with 7 #1 singles and a controversial gyrating performance style. In this July 1956 TV appearance on "The Steve Allen Show," Allen made Elvis sing "Hound Dog" to a basset hound wearing a top hat and bow tie.

In 1957, Elvis made his third movie appearance in the musical "Jailhouse Rock," based on his #1 single of the same name. Elvis would go on to star in over 30 Hollywood movies.

On March 24, 1958, Elvis was drafted into the US Army, bringing his recording and acting career to a screeching halt. While stationed in Friedberg, Germany, he met his future wife, Priscilla Beaulieu.

Elvis and Priscilla were married on May 1, 1967, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas, NV.

In 1970, Elvis began a record-breaking 5-year stint performing at the International Hotel (now the Las Vegas Hilton) in Las Vegas. That year, he also scored his first #1 hit in 7 years with "Suspicious Minds."

On December 21, 1970, Elvis made a bizarre visit to the White House to meet with President Richard M. Nixon. While there, he expressed his patriotism and his contempt for the hippie drug culture, accused The Beatles of fomenting anti-Americanism, and asked Nixon for a Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs badge.

On January 14, 1973, Presley performed in a groundbreaking TV special, "Aloha from Hawaii" -- the first global concert satellite broadcast, reaching approximately 1.5 billion viewers. The accompanying double album became Elvis' last #1 hit in his lifetime.

Elvis appears on a large video screen at Radio City Music Hall during a sound check for a "virtual concert." A live orchestra and members of Presley's original band performed on stage with vintage video of the King for 3 sold-out performances in March 1998.

Fans visit the grave of Elvis Presley during his 75th birthday celebration in the meditation garden at Graceland in Memphis, TN, on January 8, 2010.

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Travel With the King

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