The neon lights of Las Vegas witnessed a very strange night long before the world truly understood the magic of Elvis Presley. In the spring of 1956 a young and energetic singer stepped onto the stage at the New Frontier hotel. He was ready to show everyone his unique style but the crowd was not quite prepared for what they were about to see. It was a fascinating moment where a future superstar met a completely silent room.
A quiet and confused crowd sat staring as he tried to bring his upbeat energy to the famous gambling city. He was billed as an atomic powered singer but the older audience just did not understand his fast music or his wild moves. Back in the South and Midwest teenagers were already going crazy for him and screaming at his shows. But in Las Vegas the people just sat perfectly still with stone faces treating his performance like a strange joke.
Even with the tough crowd the young star did not let the cold response ruin his big trip. Elvis actually loved the city and told reporters that he wanted to come back as soon as he could. While he was hanging around town he went to see another band called Freddie Bell and the Bellboys playing a catchy song called Hound Dog. He loved the tune so much that he decided to take it and turn it into a massive worldwide hit.
A seven year movie deal with a big studio proved that his quiet nights in Vegas were actually a hidden success. The film executives saw his star potential and signed him before he even released his first movie. By the time summer arrived his catchy songs were completely taking over the radio stations across the country. The entire nation was suddenly talking about Elvis Presley and the very unique way he moved his body to the music.
Elvis Presley – 23 APRILE 1956 – Frontier Hotel ~ Las Vegas, Nevada
Just a few months later the entire country tuned in to watch him make television history on the Ed Sullivan Show. On a Sunday night in September a record breaking sixty million people sat glued to their living room screens. Ed Sullivan was hurt in a car crash so actor Charles Laughton introduced the young singer to the massive crowd. When Elvis finally started singing the studio audience went absolutely wild and let out loud screams every single time he moved.
The television cameras tried to hide his dancing hips but the excitement in the room was completely unstoppable. He sang hit songs like Dont Be Cruel and his new favorite tune Hound Dog while wearing a big plaid jacket. Even when the camera only showed him from the chest up the teenage girls in the crowd screamed at every little facial expression he made. It was a clear sign that older generations could no longer stop his music from taking over the world.
Elvis Presley on the Ed Sullivan Show (First appearance)
Those few short months in 1956 completely changed the way people listened to music forever. Elvis went from playing to quiet gamblers in a casino to having the biggest television audience in history. He proved that true talent and self belief can win over any tough crowd no matter how cold they might seem at first. Decades later those famous early performances still show exactly how a shy country boy changed popular culture for good.