Elvis Presley is truly one of the most notable music icons in the industry. Fame and success were definitely not just handed to him and he really had to work hard before he actually started getting rewarded for his effort. After becoming a huge star and earning a million-dollar net worth, things went downhill after his marriage with Priscilla Presley ended. Years of unhealthy lifestyle and vices became factors leading up to his death in 1977. Let's take a look at some things you may or may not have known about the life of the King of Rock and Roll.
A King Is Born
The simple town of Tupelo in Mississippi is where legend Elvis Presley was born in back in 1935. Vernon Elvis and Gladys Love Presley were his parents who raised him in a modest environment. The property they lived in was referred to as a "shotgun house" and Elvis' father was even the one who built it. Elvis had a very nice relationship with both his parents but he was definitely a "mama's boy". He was supposed to have a twin brother. But unfortunately, his twin was stillborn.
Distant Relatives with Lincoln
There are a lot of aspects about Elvis Presley that are not really known by many because he's always been a mysterious person. One thing worth talking about is the fact that Elvis actually shares the same DNA with former US President Abraham Lincoln. They are connected through a common ancestor named Isaiah Harrison who is known for being the great-grandfather of Lincoln. In more technical terms, both of them are "third cousins five times removed".
Elvis the Loner
Yes, Elvis Presley was very famous when he was pursuing music. But back when he was still a young boy, he wasn't really considered to be one of the cool kids. Elvis started out with guitar lessons taught by his uncles and their church's pastor. This later led to him bringing his guitar every day to school. However, other students always teased him because he loved country music. Because of this, he did not really have any friends.
The Unexpected Present
Like a lot of young kids, Elvis Presley wanted to receive a bike during his 11th birthday. His parents knew about this. But when his birthday came, his parents ended up gifting him his very first guitar. He learned to love it and it really came in handy when he decided to get guitar lessons. We wonder if Elvis Presley would have loved music the same way if he was never really gifted a guitar back then.
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Going Through Puberty
When Elvis Presley was already a teenager, he still had a lack of confidence and people at his school would tease him for being a "mama's boy". Everything changed during his junior year because this was when he flaunted his sideburns and had cool styled hair. He also dreamed of owning clothes from the Lanksy Bros. Lucky for him, his dream came to life during his senior year. He definitely bloomed into a head-turner.
When did he discover his love for music? Read on to find out!
The Singing Contest that Changed Everything
Some of you might think that ever since he was a little boy, Elvis Presley already knew he wanted to get his earnings by working as a singer. The truth is, he only discovered his love for his craft when teachers at his school got him to join a singing contest. He did not win the contest but this truly started his long journey with music. We're sure these teachers who encouraged him back then were so proud when they saw how successful Elvis became.
Being Told He Can't Sing
Elvis Presley also had humble beginnings when it came to how he performed musically. Back when he was still an 8th-grade student, he actually got a C in music class. His music teacher even told him that he couldn't sing. The next day, he sang and played the guitar to show her that she is wrong. By this time, Presley was already a hard worker in his craft because he consistently attended guitar and music lessons.
The Big Break
Once Presley finished high school back in 1953, he instantly started trying to make it big with his music. After years of hard work and a lot of rejection, his big break finally came in 1956 when he was able to release his first album. Released under RCA records, that first self-titled album of his became such a huge hit. He was praised for how well he played around with the country and rock 'n' roll genre.
Elvis in the Army? We got more details about it. Read on!
Joining the Army
By the late 1950s, Elvis Presley was already successful in his singing career and he has managed to pursue acting as well. Despite his fame and success, Presley still made a choice to join the United States Army in 1958. He was a Private and people said that Elvis always wanted everyone in the Army to treat him like he was just an ordinary person. Whatever money he earned from the Army was all donated to charity.
Gone Too Soon
Losing a parent will always be hard for anybody no matter what age they are already in. Elvis loved his mother so much and always had somewhat of a special bond with her. His mother battled hepatitis when Elvis was in the Army and he was actually granted an emergency leave so that he can visit her in the hospital. Sadly, his mother's condition worsened and heart failure placed an end to her life at 46 years old. Elvis was left in deep sorrow.
Elvis' Haters
Anyone who is blessed with a massive amount of fame definitely doesn't have it easy. Their every move is watched by everyone and people often tend to judge the celebrity right away. For Elvis' case, he did get some so-called haters because of his dance moves that were seen as provocative to some at that time. His overall image and fashion was truly a breath of fresh air and a lot of conservative people just couldn't be okay with it.
Up Next: The start of his love story with Priscilla Presley!
Finding Love
Despite serving in the Army and losing his mother, Presley still didn't forget to pursue his music and have a social life. At one of the parties he attended when he was in Germany, he met Priscilla Beaulieu who was 14 years old at that time. They started dating and he eventually proposed to her. They tied the knot in 1967 and had their wedding at Las Vegas' Aladdin Hotel. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was born a year later.
Dating Natalie Wood
Before Elvis got married to Priscilla, he already had dated some known women. One of his former relationships that the public knew about was with the late actress Natalie Wood. Although the two had something going on between them, it didn't really lead up to an engagement or anything. They actually broke up once Elvis tried introducing Natalie to his relatives. Elvis' mother allegedly referred to Natalie as someone who was always jealous.
Up Next: Who was actress Ann-Margret in The King's life?
Who Was Ann-Margret in His Life?
We can't just look at Elvis Presley as the King of Rock and Roll because he also managed to impress us with his acting portfolio. Back in the 1960s, he stared in Viva Las Vegas and people loved his on-screen chemistry with actress Ann-Margret. Even after they were done with filming, people speculated that there was really something going on between the two in real life. Elvis already had something going on with Priscilla at this time and she reportedly was really scared that he would leave her for the actress.
Marriage Falling Apart
Elvis and Priscilla Presley were admired by many as such a cute and perfect couple. But like a lot of relationships in Hollywood, there was always something happening behind closed doors. Their relationship was actually starting to struggle because of Elvis' hectic schedule. It was said that there was a time when he wouldn't come home for days and both of them started having affairs with other people. Their marriage was turning out to be something toxic.
More about Elvis' famous outfits on the next page!
The Famous Outfits
Aside from his music, the one thing that set Elvis Presley aside from anyone else was his choice in clothes. The eye-catching diamond-studded suits he wore on stage became his trademark and people loved it. Wearing these suits were not an easy job because some of them were actually really heavy. When he was starting to decline in his performance, his exhaustion on stage was really obvious and his 28-pound suits might have been a key factor on why.
Costume with Lasers?
Elvis Presley always knew how to please the crowd and his performances were always remembered by many. Elvis always wanted to top his last performance and he really wanted to give the people something new each time. Before he passed away, he apparently wanted to make a white costume that was able to shoot laser beams. Sadly, this idea of his never came to life but we're sure this would have been an amazing thing to see live.
Was he a good or bad influence on his fans? Read on!
The Rock 'N' Roll Lifestyle
When Elvis Presley first performed in Las Vegas, people laughed about the clothes he was wearing and would always be weirded out by his moves. The lifestyle in Las Vegas was truly filled with glamour but Elvis still managed to get people to fall in love with his rock 'n' roll image and lifestyle. People started going for a rocker lifestyle. But this was somehow not really good because this lifestyle meant a lot of drinking and vices.
Was there a meaning behind Elvis wearing a cross? Read on to find out!
Was He a Christian?
Because Elvis Presley came from the south, a lot of people assumed that he was actually a practicing Christian. This was due to how he chose to express himself through his eye-catching fashion choices. Elvis was always seen sporting a cross or the Star of David around his neck and not everyone really liked it given the fact that he had fans from other religions. Elvis never really wanted to focus on the technical side of religions and belief but he surely knew he wanted to end up in Heaven.
What was his diet when he was on tour? The next page tells it all!
The Elvis Diet
During the height of his career, Elvis Presley really wanted to look his best when he stepped on stage. The diet he followed was quite crazy because he would fast while also making sure he plays a lot of racquetball. There was also a time he only ate bananas and drank soda for weeks just so he can look slim on stage. Sadly, he did not keep his figure and he later reached more than 200 pounds on the weighing scale.
Elvis Didn't Like The Beatles?
Ever since Elvis Presley got famous with his own unique style and individuality, a lot of up-and-coming artists were inspired by him. One of the successful bands that actually view Elvis as an inspiration is The Beatles. During the time that the band was a huge hit and making a lot of money, Elvis reportedly didn't really like them because of their alleged "anti-American" values and he just thought they were not the best influence on the youth.
Black Belt Holder
Before Elvis Presley lost track of his life, he was actually in very good shape and really took care of his fitness. One of the things that kept him fit was his passion for Karate. He first got introduced to it when he joined the Army. Then he just kept continuing pursuing it until he reportedly reached a black belt status. This became a serious passion in his life and he even later had his own training center which he named The Tennessee Karate Institute.
How was Elvis as a friend? Click Next to find out!
Elvis the Generous Friend
Despite everything said about Elvis' rocker lifestyle, it's still known that he always loved his friends. He always knew how to show appreciation to the people who make time for him. He went to Las Vegas back in 1973 to meet with music arranger John Paul Jones and talk about his collaboration with Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant. He and Jones must have had such a good talk during their meeting because Elvis actually left his $5,000-worth watch to him and exchanged it with the Mickey Mouse watch the English musician had.
When did their marriage come to an official end? Read on to find out!
Calling It Quits
Because Elvis and Priscilla were clearly not happy anymore, they decided to get a divorce. They parted ways after five years together but they only became officially divorced in October 1973. Priscilla truly got a lot out of the divorce settlement but both of them shared custody of their daughter, Lisa Marie. Despite everything that was happening, the two always maintained their friendship and never held a grudge against one another.
Not the Same Anymore
Despite becoming a newly single man, Elvis still was blessed with a ton of earnings in his singing and acting career. He went on tour and was getting cast in more shows. But something was just different with him because the quality of his performances was not as good anymore. Some say that mental health problems could have been a contributing factor in why he wasn't performing well. Nonetheless, people still loved seeing him perform.
Up Next: The time where Elvis started to let go of his physical appearance!
From Hot to Not
His failed marriage with Priscilla Presley did not only scar Elvis mentally but he also started to suffer physically. He wasn't really cautious about his health and his bad eating habits later led to him gaining so much weight. When he decided to go on tour in 1974, this just left him exhausted and he was clearly not himself anymore. All his bandmates were worried about him because they couldn't even recognize the person he has turned into.
The Worst Album in His Career
All the vices Elvis was doing left him very much away from his A-game, but this did not stop him from releasing albums. Back in 1974, the album called Having Fun With Elvis on Stage was released and it was not like his other projects because this one did not really contain any songs. The album was basically the recordings of the different banter and jokes Elvis said in his concerts. Even if he earned money from it, the album is referred to as the worst album he ever released.
The Time He Was in a Semi-Comatose State
Once Elvis felt that his life was falling apart, he developed a prescription drug addiction. Reports say that he just loved taking barbiturates and this brought him close to a number of near-death experiences. Elvis was semi-comatose at a hospital back in 1973 because of the dangerous amounts of pethidine he took. You think he would just disappear from the limelight because of everything that was happening but no, he still continued going on tour.
Here's how Elvis' life just kept falling apart. Read on!
A Torrent Of Trouble
One of the next women that Elvis dated after he parted ways with Priscilla was Linda Thompson. Linda was somehow involved in the same industry as Elvis because she earned money through songwriting. Sadly, their relationship only lasted until 1976. To top it all off, Elvis was also stressed because David Briggs, who is his piano player, decided to quit. All these bad things happening really caused him to eat his feelings away.
Elvis' Wild Side
Elvis Presley definitely knew that girls were going crazy over him and he later thought that he could actually get away with a lot of things. Singer Petula Clark once revealed that Elvis actually invited her to partake in an intimate group session with Karen Carpenter. The two girls were very young at that time and of course, they did not say yes to his invite. Clark says that she never had an affair with Elvis but they were flirty with each other.
What does Cybill Shepherd have to say about Elvis? Read on!
Dating Cybill Shepherd
Cybill Shepherd is the actress and singer who was linked to Elvis Presley back in the 1970s. Cybill, who was also a pageant queen at some point, shared that she taught Elvis a lot of techniques for intimacy in the bedroom. When asked about how Elvis was, she said that he was very kind, funny, and simply brilliant. What broke them up was the fact that Elvis was getting hooked on drugs too much that it really turned Shepherd off.
The End of an Icon
Elvis Presley clearly needed help with a lot of aspects in his life but sadly, he never got the right help he needed. He just continued to use prescription drugs and even faced a number of health problems like high blood pressure, liver damage, and glaucoma. Elvis went overboard in 1977 and his girlfriend at that time, Ginger Alden, found him in an unconscious state in his bathroom. Nothing could have been done to save him and he was later pronounced dead.
Want more info about why he really died? Click Next!
A Trip to the Dentist Caused His Death?
A heart attack was ruled to be the main cause of Elvis Presley's death but a lot of people don't believe this. He actually went to his dentist the night before he passed away and his dentist prescribed him codeine because of his toothache. He reportedly had a mild allergy because of this and an autopsy report showed that the codeine levels in his body were so high at the time of his death. His death was clearly linked to his prescription drugs addiction.
The Woman He Spent His Last Years With
Out of all the women whom Elvis Presley has dated in his entire life, actress Ginger Alden was actually the one who he was dating at the time he died. Elvis proposed to Alden after months of dating but a wedding between the two never happened. Alden also became scarred for life because she was the one who found Elvis when he collapsed in his bathroom in 1977. We're sure the day of his death was one of the saddest days of her life.
What did his daughter pursue? Read on to find out!
Getting to Know Lisa Marie
Lisa Marie Presley definitely had a very comfortable and lavish lifestyle growing up thanks to her father's fame and fortune. After Elvis and Priscilla got a divorce, she still remained a good relationship with both of them. It was also nice that her parents remained friends because this gave Lisa a lot of relief and happiness. When Lisa grew older, she did justice to her last name and pursued a singing career as well.
Lisa & The King of Pop
Having such a famous father in the industry, Lisa Marie Presley must have been very impressed and attracted to guys who had the same profession as her father. Lisa actually got married to the late King of Pop, Michael Jackson, back in the 1990s. The two secretly tied the knot in 1994 but their marriage only lasted for about two years. She and Jackson never had kids together and they both went on and married other people.
His Successful Granddaughter
Elvis' daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, has fallen in love a number of times and have gone through four marriages already. From her first marriage with Danny Keough, she has a beautiful daughter named Riley Keough. Riley did not pursue music like her ancestors but she did earn a ton of money when she entered the acting industry. Some of her popular roles were in The Girlfriend Experience and Magic Mike. She has three upcoming projects that are in post-production.
This grandchild of Elvis hasn't pursued an entertainment career yet. Visit the next page to know more about him!
The Other Grandchild
The other child Lisa Marie Presley had with her ex-husband Danny Keough is Benjamin Keough. Unlike other members of his family, Benjamin chose to live a quiet life and is not really a public personality as of today. There are some claims saying that Benjamin actually has a nice voice but we just don't know when he plans to make a career out of it to help him grow his net worth.
Elvis did have a man-cave and the next page has more details about it!
Elvis' Secret Man-Cave
In Elvis' lavish property which is called Graceland, he reportedly has a secret man-cave that no one is allowed to enter. Only a very few people have ever seen the room. After he passed away, the room remains untouched and the family plans to keep it like that forever. One of the people who has reportedly seen the room is actor Nicolas Cage. This was because Lisa Marie Presley toured Cage around the house when they were still married.
Up Next: Read about his famous Graceland!
House Turned Landmark
With all the sold-out shows and roles he was booking, Elvis Presley was truly blessed with a lavish and comfortable lifestyle. One of the things he spent his fortune on was a nice Memphis property he called Graceland. When he passed away, the house became a public attraction. The people who come to Memphis to visit the house surpass 600,000 in a year. Since 2006, it's been declared as a National Historic Landmark already.