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In Tupelo, Mississippi, shortly before dawn, in a two-room house built by her husband, Vernon Presley, and her brother-in-law, Gladys Presley gives birth to twin sons. The first, Jessie Garon, is born stillborn. The second, Elvis Aaron, is born alive and healthy. Elvis would be their only child.
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Ten-year-old Elvis stands on a chair at a microphone and sings "Old Shep" in a youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show, held in Tupelo. The talent show is broadcast over WELO Radio. Winning fifth prize, Elvis receives $5.00 in fair ride tickets. This is one of the first public musical performances for Elvis Presley as a child.
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Elvis plays his guitar and sings "Leaf on a Tree" for his Milam Junior High class in Tupelo as a farewell. Elvis and his parents pack their belongings in a trunk, strap it to the roof of their 1939 Plymouth, and move to Memphis, Tennessee, in search of a better life economically. Other members of the Presley and Smith family would follow.
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He began working as a truck driver to pay his way into the Memphis Recording Services studio Reproduced by permission of the Corbis Corporation. Cut his own records. Less than a year later he recorded "That's All Right Mama" for Sun Records. It became his first commercial release, selling twenty thousand copies.
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While at Humes High, Elvis nervously sings with his guitar at a student talent show. Much to his own amazement, he gets more applause than anyone else and wins, then performs an encore. The acceptance feels good.
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Elvis graduates from Humes High School.Elvis works at Parker Machinists Shop right after graduation.
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As "Heartbreak Hotel" makes its climb up the charts on its way to #1, "I Forgot to Remember to Forget" b/w "Mystery Train," Elvis' fifth and last single to be released on the Sun label, hits #1 on Billboard’s national country singles chart. His first #1 hit on a national chart.
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Elvis buys Graceland Mansion for himself, his parents, and his paternal grandmother to live in for $102,500. It will be ready for them to move into on May 16th, 1957. Elvis doesn't spend his first night in Graceland until June 26th, 1957.
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Elvis makes the first of three appearances on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” the top television program of the era. Elvis attracts the highest ratings ever for any television variety show, receiving 80% of the national viewing audience. Character actor Charles Laughton hosts in place of Sullivan, who is recuperating from a car accident.
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Shortly after midnight, Elvis returns to Graceland from a late-night visit to the dentist. Through the early morning of the 16, he takes care of last minute tour details and relaxes with family and staff. He is to fly to Portland, Maine, that night and do a show there on the 17, then continue the scheduled tour. He retires to his master suite at Graceland around 7:00 a.m. to rest for his evening flight. By late morning, Elvis Presley has passed away due to heart failure. It is announced by mid-a
