He worked with legendary guitar player Hank Garland from 1957 to 1961.
Held a single day's attendance record for his March 1974 shows at the Houston Astrodome--89,000 fans for two shows.
Held the world indoor attendance record for a concert. At the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit on December 31, 1975, 62,500 fans attended. The show also set a record for the biggest box-office take for a single show: $850,000.
Helped to support an All-Negro Day at the Memphis Zoo in 1956.
His 1960 single "It's Now Or Never" is one of the best selling singles of all time--if not the all-time best selling single--with sales estimated to have been between 25 and 30 million copies.
His 1977 country hit, "Way Down," was the #1 song on Billboard magazine's country singles chart the week of Elvis' death. Nine other songs would go to #1 on Billboard's country charts between 1956 and 1981: "I Forgot to Remember to Forget," "Heartbreak Hotel," "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You," and the two-sided #1 hit "Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel" (all 1956); "All Shook Up," "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" and "Jailhouse Rock" (all 1957); "Moody Blue" (1977); and "Guitar Man" (1981, a remixed version released more than three years after his death). Most of his 1950s #1 country hits were also #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 as well.
His 29¢ commemorative postage stamp issued in 1993, sold more copies than any other postage stamp in U.S. Postal Service history.
His autopsy detected fourteen different drugs in his bloodstream, ten in significant quantity.
His autopsy detected ten different drugs in his bloodstream.
His death on August 16, 1977, was 29 years after baseball athlete and first home-run king, Babe Ruth's death, August 16, 1948 and 21 years after actor, Bela Lugosi, August 16, 1956.
His favorite actors were Marlon Brando and James Dean. In a 1956 interview he said that he considered Dean an acting genius.
His favorite actors were James Dean, John Wayne, Clint Eastwood, Steve McQueen and Marlon Brando. Brando personally strongly disliked Presley.
His favorite class in high school was wood shop.
His favorite sports were raquetball and football.
His funeral procession on August 18, 1977, consisted of 49 cars led by 11 white Cadillacs (Cadillac was his favorite car).
His hair color was blonde until his early teens. As he got older his hair became darker. By the time he had his hair cut for the army at age 22 its natural color was dark chestnut (according to Charlie Hodge, who served with him in the army).
His home Graceland in Memphis is the second most popular private tourist attraction in the United States after the White House, and is estimated to bring in $150 million to the city itself each year.
His last film, Change of Habit (1969), had him as a doctor in an urban clinic, reflecting his attempt to be "relevant" to the social activism of the youth of the '60s.
His live performance of "My Way" done early in his 1977 tour and featured on his October 1977 TV special was a million-selling single following his death.
His mansion, Graceland, is the second most-visited place in United States of America. The first is the White House.