Born in Tupelo, Mississippi
, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee
, with his family at the age of 13. He began his career there in 1954 when Sun Records
owner Sam Phillips
, eager to bring the sound of African American music
to a wider audience, saw in Presley the means to realize his ambition.
1954 Elvis Presley records That's All Right, his first single to be released.
1954 Elvis Presley made his radio debut when WHBQ Memphis played his first recording for Sun Records, "That's All Right."
1956 Elvis Presley introduces his new single, "Hound Dog", on ''The Milton Berle Show'', scandalizing the audience with his suggestive hip movements.
1956 Elvis Presley appears on ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' for the first time.
1958 Entertainer Elvis Presley is conscripted into the U.S. Army.
1982 Priscilla Presley opens Graceland to the public; the bathroom where Elvis Presley died five years earlier is kept off-limits.
1986 The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducts its first members: Little Richard, Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Jerry Lee Lewis and Elvis Presley.
The first time that I appeared on stage, it scared me to death. I really didn't know what all the yelling was about. I didn't realize that my body was moving. It's a natural thing to me. So to the manager backstage I said, 'What'd I do? What'd I do?' And he said, 'Whatever it is, go back and do it again.'
Man, I was tame compared to what they do now. Are you kidding? I didn't do anything but just jiggle.
The image is one thing and the human being is another...it's very hard to live up to an image.
A live concert to me is exciting because of all the electricity that is generated in the crowd and on stage. It's my favorite part of the business — live concerts.
Thank you, Thank you very much.