Elvis Presley died 45 years ago; Discover facts about the singer’s life

Elvis Presley, considered the Rock king , died on August 16, 1977, aged 42. The singer was found dead in the bathroom of the Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, in the United States.

Even today, theories that the star is alive are part of the popular imagination.

Here are some fun facts about the career and life of Elvis Presley one of the most popular musicians of all time, with over a billion records sold worldwide.

Personal life

Birth date: January 8, 1935

Date of death: August 16, 1977

Birthplace: Tupelo, Mississippi

Birth name: Elvis Aaron Presley

Dad: Vernon Presley

Mother: Gladys Presley

Wedding: Priscilla (Beaulieu) Presley (May 1, 1967 to October 9, 1973, divorced)

Sons: Lisa Marie, February 1, 1968

Military service: United States Army, 1958-1960

Other Important Facts from the Life of Elvis Presley

Nominated for 14 Grammy Awards and won three. It also received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Seven of his recordings are in the Grammy Hall of Fame.

He acted in 31 feature films and two documentaries-concert.

Its US sales have earned it gold, platinum, or multiplatinum awards for 150 different albums and singles.

From 1969 to 1977, Elvis made nearly 1,100 concert appearances.

Elvis had 18 number one hits in the US, from “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1956 to “Suspicious Minds” in 1969.

Elvis is the only solo artist to have been inducted into the Rock and Roll, Country and Gospel Halls of Fame.

Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ personal, commercial and financial manager, took care of Elvis’ entire career from start to finish.

Approximately 500,000 people visit Elvis’ home, Graceland, every year. Graceland became a National Historic Landmark in 2006.

Timeline

1953 – Meet producer Sam Phillips.

1954 – Records “That’s All Right”, at Sun Records in Memphis, his first hit.

1956 – Television debut on “Stage Show”.

1956 – Has his first number 1 single with “Heartbreak Hotel”.

September 9, 1956 – Appears on “The Ed Sullivan Show”.

November 15, 1956 – The first movie, “Love Me Tender” is released.

March 1957 – Purchase Graceland for $102,500.

December 20, 1960 – “Flaming Star” is released, Elvis’ only role in a non-musical film.

February 29, 1968 – Wins a Grammy in the gospel genre for Best Holy Performance for “How Great Thou Art”.

December 3, 1968 – The television special “Elvis” airs. It is later called “The ’68 Comeback Special”.

December 21, 1970 – Meets then President of the United States, Richard Nixon, at the White House.

1971 – Receives the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

March 3, 1973 – Wins a Grammy in the gospel genre for Best Inspirational Performance for “He Touched Me”.

1972 – Has his last US Top 10 hit in his lifetime with “Burning Love”.

January 14, 1973 – Elvis’ television special, “Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii – Via Satellite”, is viewed in 40 countries by an estimated one billion people.

March 1, 1975 – Wins a Grammy in the gospel genre for Best Inspirational Performance (Non-Classical) for “How Great Thou Art”.

June 26, 1977 – Performs his last show in Indianapolis.

August 16, 1977 – Dies at age 42.

January 8, 1993 – The US Postal Service releases a postage stamp commemorating Elvis. More than 500 million are printed, three times the normal print run of a commemorative stamp.

2002 – A remix of Elvis’ song “A Little Less Conversation” reaches the Top 10 of music charts around the world.

August 11 to 19, 2007 – First annual Elvis Week. Tens of thousands attend the festivities at Graceland commemorating the 30th anniversary of his death.

November 16, 2018 – US President Donald Trump posthumously awards Elvis the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the country’s highest civilian honor – along with six others, including baseball phenom Babe Ruth and Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.