Top 10 Incredible Facts about Elvis Presley

By Powell F. Krueger – Wikimedia

Top 10 Incredible Facts about Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was known as the King of Rock n Roll and he is one of the most celebrated musicians. He transformed American pop music by fusing country, gospel and R&B styles.

Presley was not just a musician but also an actor. He had a signature move while on stage that involved twirling his hips earning him the name Elvis the Pelvis.

Elvis Presley was one of a kind performer who would do an all-white suit while on stage. His influence in the entertainment industry remains visible more than 44 years after his death.

Here are the top 10 fascinating facts about Elvis Presley.

1. Elvis Presley had a twin

By CBS – Wikimedia

Elvis had an identical twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley, who was 30 minutes older than him. Unfortunately, his brother was stillborn.

His parents buried him in a cemetery near their home in Mississippi. Elvis frequently spoke of his twin throughout his life. His mother often said that Presley had the energy of two people.

2. Elvis’ first studio recording was dedicated to his mother

Elvis grew up as an only child. He was really close to his mother that in 1953, Presley gifted his first album to his mother.

He dedicated the songs “My Happiness” and “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” to his mother.

3. Elvis Presley only performed in America

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His music went beyond the American borders and was loved by many. Although Presley had a global audience, he never had a world tour as many may presume.

Presley never performed outside of the Northern American continent. He made appearances in the United States and Canada.

His reason for not performing in other countries is believed to have been because of the immigration status of his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.

4. Elvis had a close relationship with his mother

It may not come as a surprise since he was an only child. Elvis and his mother were so close that they shared a secret language.

The two used their coded language well into their adulthood. They had secret words for ice cream and milk.

Elvis also had a pet name for his mother, he called her Satnin. When he started acting, his first movie was Love Me Tender.

The second movie that he filmed was Loving You which featured his parents. After his mother passed on, Elvis never watched the movie again.

His first studio album was dedicated to his mother as a birthday gift.

5. Elvis Presley served in the military

By Associated Press/Standard- Wikimedia

During the Cold War, the United States introduced a peacetime draft. This was done in order to have a constant number of troops in the face of the Soviet threat.

In 1958, Elvis’ number was called and he was drafted as a private at Fort Chaffee. His arrival at the station attracted a lot of media attention.

He was accompanied by photographers into the fort. Presley announced that he looked forward to carrying out his duty and did not want to be treated any different because of his celebrity status.

Elvis had a two-week break in June and spent that time in the studio. He recorded five songs in Nashville. Two months later, he was granted emergency leave to go visit his ailing mother.

Unfortunately, she died of heart failure and this was very devastating to Elvis who never recovered from this loss.

6. He lived the American dream

Elvis did not grow up in a well-to-do family. He rose from abject poverty to become a very successful artist.

Presley has the best-selling solo music career of all time. His success was in many genres such as pop, country, R&B, adult contemporary, and gospel.

He won three Grammy Awards, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36. Presley has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

There are several records under his name such as the RIAA certified gold and platinum albums and the most albums charted on the Billboard 200.

7. He was a karate kid

Presley went to Germany during his time as a military officer. During his time there, Presley took Karate lessons which remained to be his passion for life.

He earned his seventh-degree black belt in 1972. Presley used these skills to choreograph combat scenes in his movies and on-stage during concerts.

8. Elvis bought his first house at 22

In 1957, Elvis spent $102,500 for his house in Memphis. He lived there for two decades.

The mansion, fondly referred to as Graceland, was named after his mother.

This house was built in 1939 by Thomas Moore and his wife Ruth. It was on 14-acre land.

This mansion is now a museum dedicated to his legacy. There are several personal effects and memorabilia that he used while alive.

The jungle room where he held his final recording sessions is the most visited section in the house.

9. Elvis featured in 30 movies

By Thomas R Machnitzki – Wikimedia

After launching his acting career, Elvis featured in more than 30 movies. Some of the popular movies were Jailhouse Rock; G.I. Blues; and Girls, Girls, Girls.

His performances were always disregarded by movie critics. This did not however stop him; he was able to attract a huge fan base that filled movie theatres.

The fans also flocked to record stores that sold the soundtracks that accompanied his movies. All his movies made huge profits.  

10. Elvis was a shy boy growing up

For someone who went to awe millions of people all over the world with his music and acting skills, it is hard to believe that Presley was shy growing up.

This was largely contributed by the fact that he got bullied in school. Other children took him to be spoilt and a mama’s boy.

His guitar kept him company in school, he took it with him every day. Presley would sing country songs during lunch hour.

When he was in first grade, Presley was entered into a singing contest for a local fair by his teacher. She was impressed by his rendition of the song Old Shep.

Presley took fifth place.