Elvis: a household name for several decades now, and a beloved rock ‘n roll icon who rose to fame in the 1950’s until his death in 1977 – He is a rock ‘n roll legend that has forever left his mark in history. Also known as “The King of Rock and Roll”, Elvis shook things up in his time period, as he was both idolized by fans and controversial to the older generation. Literally tens of thousands of impersonators keep his memory alive and he is still adored by millions of fans around the world today.
You’ve heard of “The King”, but do you know these 19 mysterious facts about his life and career?
1. Elvis Got His First Guitar as a Birthday Present – But Didn’t Want It
It was clear from early on that Elvis had a beautiful singing voice. He grew up attending church with his parents, hearing hymns and gospel music every Sunday. After hearing him sing “Old Shep” by country music artist Red Foley, his fourth grade teacher recognized his talent and encouraged him to enter a contest at a local fair in Mississippi – he got fifth place.
His proud parents decided to surprise Elvis with a guitar for his tenth birthday, which was a few months after the contest. But Elvis was disappointed because he was hoping to get a gun or a bicycle. However, after getting lessons, Elvis quickly fell in love with playing his guitar, and the rest is history.
2. He Was a Loner at School
From all his popularity as an adult, it’s a surprising fact that Elvis was actually very much a loner at school. Obsessed with music, Elvis would bring his guitar to school to practice playing and singing whenever possible. This gave him a poor reputation at school, as many kids teased him for playing “hillbilly” music.
Elvis didn’t let those kids discourage him from chasing his dreams. At age 12, he got his first opportunity to play live on the radio at a local radio station in Tupelo, his hometown. This was his first taste of performing for a larger audience, the first of many such experiences.
3. His Hair Wasn’t Naturally Black
A big part of Elvis’ signature image is his smooth, polished black hair. What many people don’t know? He was originally a blonde.
Feeling that blonde was a little too angelic, Elvis wanted to give himself a more “bad-boy” look. He decided to dye his hair black to fit the image he wanted to portray. He started dying his hair even as a kid, using black shoe polish to get the job done when he didn’t have the money for hair dye.
Can you picture Elvis as a blonde? That black hair is a huge part of the Elvis we know and love.
4. Elvis Served as a Regular Soldier in the Army
When Elvis Presley turned 21, he became eligible to be drafted in the military. At this time, he was at a peak in his career and was the biggest name in the US entertainment industry. Because of his stardom, he was given the offer to join Special Services, which would involve performing for troops to entertain and raise morale. As tempting as that offer was, Elvis decided to turn down special treatment and serve as any normal person would, as a regular soldier.
He was inducted into the US Army in 1958 and served for two years, being promoted to sergeant. He gained respect and even more popularity through his service in the Army, which boosted his career even further.
5. He Met Priscilla When She Was Only 14 Years Old
During his time in the military, Elvis was stationed in West Germany. It was during his service that he met his future wife, Priscilla, at a party when she was only fourteen years old. They hit it off immediately and became inseparable.
They had a long-distance relationship when Elvis moved back to the United States after completing his service in the Army. Priscilla visited him until she finally moved to Memphis, Tennessee to be with her one true love. Although Elvis was a ladies’ man, he chose Priscilla to be his wife. After a seven year long relationship, Elvis and Priscilla got married in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Even though the marriage ended six years later in divorce, Elvis never remarried, and maintained a close friendship with his ex-wife.
6. Elvis Only Saw Priscilla With Makeup On
Even after the couple got married, Priscilla never let Elvis see her without any makeup on. Priscilla revealed in a recent interview that Elvis liked girls with a lot of makeup, so she always had at least a little bit on at all times. Another interesting quirk is that The King avoided seeing his wife get dressed, in order to keep the mystery alive. He enjoyed seeing the finished product of hair, clothes, and makeup.
A little bit quirky? That’s not the only odd trait of Elvis Presley. You’re about to discover a few more interesting quirks about the king of rock and roll.
7. He Adopted a Monkey
It doesn’t get more eccentric than this. A lover of animals, the king of rock and roll actually adopted a chimpanzee named Scatter. Scatter was a cute, but very active little monkey, who apparently got into a lot of trouble.
Friends of Elvis retold stories about Scatter, how he would run wild around at parties in the Graceland mansion and get into mischief. He became Graceland’s mascot, in a way, and was adored by many of Elvis’ friends, but not all. One funny story about Scatter is that he developed a naughty habit of going up girl’s skirts, and one time got punched in the jaw for it by a very shocked lady!
8. Elvis Was a Germaphobe
Priscilla divulged recently that ever since his childhood, Elvis has had a fear of germs. That’s right, Elvis was a germaphobe. Not what you would expect from a rock ‘n roll icon who was surrounded by people most of the time!
During an interview on the WGN Morning News show, Priscilla revealed one of Elvis’ germaphobic tendencies, “When he drank his coffee, he would always drink it close to the handle and not anywhere else, because everywhere else other people would drink. And he was religious about it.”
Think that’s strange? Read on to find out about one of The King’s most wild obsessions.
9. Elvis Was Obsessed With Guns
Ever since his childhood, Elvis Presley had an affinity for firearms. Throughout his adult life, he gathered quite an impressive collection, including 37 handguns, a large amount (but unknown number) of rifles, and at least one machine gun. He always carried at least one handgun on him at all times, especially in the peak of his fame, in order to protect himself.
One anecdote that Priscilla has shared in interviews is when Elvis literally shot a hole in his TV at his Graceland home, just because he didn’t like the program. The TV was quickly replaced, and no one questioned the incident. It was just Elvis being Elvis.
10. Elvis’ Entourage Was Known As The “Memphis Mafia”
In a documentary called “The Elvis Mob”, seven guys from Elvis’ inner circle told all about their glory days with The King. When a newspaper article referred to Elvis’ entourage as the “Memphis Mafia”, the name stuck, and it became their identity during their time working for the King of Rock and Roll.
The boys all came from Memphis, and were both friends and employees of Elvis. Sonny West was a street fighter, and worked as Elvis’ bodyguard. Larry Geller was the King’s hairdresser. Joe Esposito actually left his wife to be with Elvis. His entourage was glued to his side, travelling the world with Elvis, sharing in his fame, and even sharing in his addiction to prescription drugs, which would later lead to his demise.
11. Elvis Requested a Meeting With President Nixon – And Got It
This iconic photo of Elvis Presley’s meeting with President Nixon from 1970 is the most popular and desired document from the US National Archives – more than even the Declaration of Independence, or a photo of Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. But what happened in this meeting?
Elvis was a man who went after whatever he wanted. Well, suddenly he had a strong desire to meet President Nixon. What does he do? He walks up the White House gates with a handwritten letter, asking if the President could make time to meet with him, right then and there! Amazingly, Nixon agreed and the two met for half an hour.
12. Nixon Bizarrely Granted Elvis a Badge
Why the sudden desire to meet the President of the United States? In his six page letter to President Nixon, Elvis stated his wishes to help serve his country against “drug abuse” and “Communist brainwashing techniques”. Ironic, given the circumstance of his addiction to prescription drugs.
He stated in his letter that being made a “Federal Agent at Large” would allow him to do the most good for his country. He wanted a badge from the Bureau of Narcotics, giving him “federal credentials”. Priscilla wrote in her book, Elvis and Me, “With the badge, he [believed he] could legally enter any country both wearing guns and carrying any drugs he wished.”
Well, The King gets what he wants! Nixon gave him a badge and Elvis was over the moon with excitement.
13. The King Was Extravagantly Generous
Many fans know about Elvis’ generous heart, and how much he loved to give gifts to his friends, family, and fans. He never forgot his humble beginnings and wanted to use his wealth to make others happy. This would result in extravagant gift giving – something the King is remembered by.
The gifts he gave to family and friends were not gifts that normal people give to one another. His gifts included motorcycles, horses, cars, expensive jewellery, and even houses. Not to mention his generous financial gifts to charities, which amounted to hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. He also loved to give anonymously, even to strangers. Sharing his wealth is something that gave Elvis Presley tremendous joy.
14. He Had an Unconventional Favorite Sandwich
Elvis had a favorite sandwich, and an unconventional one at that. He discovered it at a restaurant in Denver, CO and it was love at first bite. What was it? A peanut butter, bacon, and banana sandwich. Costing $50, this monster of a sandwich was prepared with a whole jar of peanut butter, jar of grape jelly, and a pound of bacon – all inside an entire loaf of bread.
When his friends from Colorado came to visit him in Memphis, they began reminiscing about this sandwich that Elvis was so crazy about. The King decided he had to have it again. So he and his friends jumped in Elvis’ private jet for a midnight snack in Denver, CO. The restaurant brought 20 sandwiches straight to his jet for the King and his friends to enjoy.
15. Elvis Never Performed Overseas
Elvis’ fame was monumental – not only in the United States, but all over the world. Even though Elvis had fans in almost every continent, he never went on tour overseas to perform for them. What’s the reason for that?
There are a couple of theories as to why Elvis didn’t tour overseas. The official reason from Elvis’ manager, Colonel Tom Parker, was that he didn’t feel comfortable with the risks associated with foreign travel, wanting to ensure The King’s safety first and foremost. He also claimed that the venues in other countries weren’t good enough to host The King of Rock and Roll.
However, years after Elvis’ death, another story leaked out about the Colonel that would explain everything.
16. Elvis’ Manager, The Colonel, Was an Illegal Alien
Elvis’ manager, known as “The Colonel”, claimed to have the name Thomas Andrew Parker and to have been born in Huntingdon, West Virginia. The problem? There is no record of his birth to confirm this information. This left many people suspicious of Elvis’ manager.
When a family member recognized his photograph in a magazine, the truth finally came out. Sitting all the way in a hair salon in the Netherlands, The Colonel’s sister recognized her brother who had been missing for quite a long time.
His real name? Andreas van Kuijk, born in the Netherlands, illegally entering the United States via Canada. The fact that Andreas was an illegal alien was the real reason Elvis never toured overseas.
17. Monogamy Was Not in the Cards for Elvis Presley
Given the amount of love songs, it’s clear that Elvis was a hopeless romantic. But for Elvis, his romantic relationships could not be limited to just one woman. The first woman to realize this was Priscilla Presley.
When Priscilla and The King were dating, she knew of his promiscuity and tendency to have multiple flings. Maybe she thought getting married would change that. While his love ran deep for Priscilla, he couldn’t stop himself from engaging with other women.
Eventually, Priscilla couldn’t handle the pain of the infidelity any longer and filed for divorce six years after they were married. The two remained close friends for the rest of Elvis’ life.
18. Having a Baby Changed Everything for Elvis and Priscilla
Having a baby changes everything in the life of a parent. You’re never the same again once you experience the unconditional love you feel for your child. However, when it comes to marriage, a child can often unite or divide you as a couple.
Unfortunately for Elvis and Priscilla, the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Lisa Marie, changed their marriage for the worse. In the mind of Elvis, Priscilla was his girl, and they took care of each other. A baby in the picture changed that dynamic completely. Priscilla was not a young girl anymore – she was now a mother, and needed to care for her child as well. This new dynamic, mixed with poor communication, is what led to their divorce.
19. Contrary to Popular Belief, Elvis Didn’t Hate the Beatles.
The rumour that Elvis disliked the Beatles came all the way from that bizarre meeting with President Nixon on December 21, 1970. Elvis told Nixon that the Beatles were “anti-American” and had an agenda to spread an anti-American bias throughout England. Harsh.
Elvis’ friend Jerry Schilling (and member of the “Memphis Mafia”) speculates that Elvis made these statements to Nixon in order to sound patriotic, and to talk his way into getting his narcotics badge.
The truth? Elvis couldn’t have respected the Beatles more, and actually loved their music. He especially appreciated the freedom they had as artists to make music on their terms. The Beatles had a mutual respect for Elvis, who inspired their music on many levels.
