Elvis Presley birth anniversary: Lesser-known facts about King of Rock & Roll
Elvis' twin
Elvis had a twin who unfortunately didn't make it through the complicated birth. The King was born on January 8, 1935, in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi.
First song
Elvis recorded his first track on an acetate record, at Sam Phillips’ Memphis Recording Service, as a gift for his mother. He paid $4 to have the song tracked.
Shoe polish as hair dye
In the initial phase of his career, Elvis used shoe polish on his hair to make it black and shiny. He did so to hide his natural sandy blond hair colour.
Never wrote a song
The Memphis music legend reportedly recorded more than 600 songs in his music career but never wrote a song in his life. It seems that he was a great singer but didn't have any interest in songwriting.
Served in military
At the height of his fame, Elvis served two years in the military and fought for his country. During the Cold War, the US instituted a peacetime draft as the Soviet threat was growing rapidly. When Elvis’ number was called, he reported for duty despite being famous and rich.
Priscilla
After seven years of courtship, Elvis and Priscilla tied the knot on May 1, 1967. They welcomed their daughter Lisa Marie on February 1, 1968. But soon after her birth, Elvis became distant from his wife and the couple parted ways in 1972.
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