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Every music legend has an exact starting point that changes the world forever. For the greatest entertainer in history that magical journey began inside a tiny brick building in Memphis Tennessee. Before the wild fame and the screaming crowds he was just a regular boy with a huge dream and a cheap guitar. That simple dream eventually led him to a small corner on Sam Phillips Avenue where musical magic was about to happen.
In 1953 an eighteen year old boy walked right through the doors of Sun Studio just to record a sweet song for his mother. He only paid four dollars to step up to the microphone and sing his heart out that day. The studio owner Sam Phillips was actually not very impressed with his voice at first. However the young singer kept working hard and soon created a brand new sound that would become known as rock and roll.
His incredible rise to local fame exploded when a wild radio host named Dewey Phillips played his first record on the air. The local radio station received so many excited phone calls that he ended up playing That is All Right thirteen different times in just three hours. As his wealth quickly grew he purchased a massive Memphis home called Graceland in 1957 for over one hundred thousand dollars. He even bought a huge private airplane and named it after his beautiful daughter Lisa Marie.
Even with all his massive wealth the famous singer never lost his deep love for his simple hometown roots. His absolute favorite place to eat was the historic Arcade restaurant which still stands as the oldest cafe in Memphis. He would often gather his close friends at his favorite booth late at night to eat delicious fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches. He also loved gazing into the windows of the Lansky Brothers clothing store on Beale Street before he could finally afford their flashy outfits.
Exploring Memphis, Tennessee: Sun Studio, Elvis’s Graceland & The Soul of American Music
Just a few short years after starting in that tiny Memphis studio he officially became an unstoppable national television star. In October 1956 he stepped onto the massive stage of The Ed Sullivan Show to perform for millions of excited people. Before launching into his wild performance he playfully joked with the live crowd that he was about to sing a very sad song. He then started belting out his massive hit Hound Dog while the young fans in the audience screamed as loud as they physically could.
The wild and magnetic energy he brought to that television stage proved that he was completely untouchable in the entertainment industry. After finishing his amazing performance he politely thanked the screaming crowd and shared some highly exciting news. He proudly told the massive audience that his brand new movie would be released on Thanksgiving Day.
Elvis Presley “Hound Dog” (October 28, 1956) on The Ed Sullivan Show
The incredible journey from a four dollar recording session to dominating national television proves the power of his talent. He managed to capture the heart of the entire world without ever losing his deep connection to his Memphis roots.
