Elvis Silver Coin Rock & Roll Pop Retro 50s 60s 70s Music Film Star Actor Image
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1609981 | Type: Music |
| Surname Initial: P | Sub-Type: Elvis |
| Certification: Pre-Printed | Object: Signed Coin |
| Country/Region of Manufacture: United States | Options: Retired Players |
Elvis PresleyCoin
Uncirculated Commemoration Coin
Depicts the Elvis with his autograph and the words "The King of Rock and Roll"
The Back of the coins shows Elvis dacning on stage with a microphone. It also has some music and the words "Elvis Presley" and the year he was born 1935 and the year he died 1977
The coin is 40mm in diameter, weighs about 1 oz
Comes in air-tight acrylic coin holder
In Excellent Condition
Would make an Excellent Gift or Collect...able Keepsake Souvenir of The King of Rock and Roll
To see my other Coins Check out my other items!
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The incredible Elvis life story began when Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.
Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.
In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.
He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges, his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.
His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.
If you enjoyed this Elvis biography, check out our fun, interactive walk through Elvis’ life story with the 75 years of Elvis Timeline, developed for Elvis’ 75th Birthday Celebration.
It is estimated that Elvis Presley has sold over one billion record units worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history. In America alone, more than 150 Elvis Presley singles and albums have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
It is estimated that 40% of Elvis' total record sales have been outside the United States. Elvis Presley’s trophy room at Graceland is filled with gold and platinum records and awards of all kinds from around the world. Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and The Netherlands.
No fewer than 149 top Elvis songs appeared on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart in America. Of these, 114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one. Elvis Presley singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one. He has also had over 90 charted albums with ten of them reaching number one. These figures are only for the pop charts and only in America. He was also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and the chart success of top Elvis songs in other countries was substantial.
In 1956, Elvis made his television debut with six appearances on "Stage Show, " two appearances on "The Milton Berle Show, " appearances on "The Steve Allen Show, " and two appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The third time America saw Elvis on Ed Sullivan in January of 1957, Ed Sullivan surprised Elvis by telling him on camera that his show had never had a better experience with a name act, and said “I wanted to say to Elvis and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy.” It was this very same appearance by Elvis on Ed Sullivan that he was shown on camera from the waist up only, one of early television history’s most memorable moments.
Starting with Elvis’ first movie, “Love Me Tender, ” Elvis starred in 31 feature films as an actor and two theatrically released concert documentary films, all of which enjoyed financial success. For a number of years he was one of Hollywood’s top box office draws and one of its highest-paid actors. Elvis’ first movie was followed by his two most critically acclaimed films, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957) and "King Creole" (1958), which have become classics of their era.
Elvis Presley’s three network television specials - "Elvis" (1968), "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite" (1973), and "Elvis in Concert" (1977) - stand among the most highly rated specials of their time. His 1968 special, "Elvis, " is one of the most critically acclaimed music specials of all time. The 1973 Elvis TV special, "Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite, " was seen in 40 countries by 1 billion to 1.5 billion people and made television history. It was seen on television in more American homes than man’s first walk on the moon.
Why does the Graceland Mansion tour not include the upstairs area (Elvis’ bedroom, bath, office and wardrobe room, Lisa Marie’s nursery, etc.)?
Tours of the upstairs have not been available up to now and won't be in the foreseeable future. The part of Graceland we show the world on our tour is the part that Elvis showed anyone who visited him at Graceland. The upstairs was his private area. When Graceland opened, Priscilla and Lisa felt that the upstairs should remain private, that letting everyone go up there would be disrespectful and inappropriate - something the rest of our management wholeheartedly agrees with.
Along with these personal feelings is the matter of logistics. With our volume of visitorship we would be required to put in an extra staircase as an exit, we'd have to do some remodeling upstairs as the hallway connecting the rooms is not large enough to accommodate crowds. This would radically alter the house and no one wants to do that. The issue of privacy and respect is also the reason that we do not publish photographs of the upstairs area. However, we do bring items from upstairs into our exhibits.
Elvis' middle name, is it Aron or Aaron?
Either spelling is right and either spelling is wrong. But, how can that be? Elvis was named after his father, Vernon Elvis Presley, and Mr. Presley's good friend in Tupelo, Aaron Kennedy. Aron was the spelling the Presleys chose, apparently to make it similar to the middle name of Elvis' stillborn identical twin, Jesse Garon Presley. Jesse was apparently named after Vernon's father, Jessie Presley, although the spelling was slightly different. Toward the end of his life, Elvis sought to change the spelling of his middle name to the traditional and biblical Aaron. In the process, he learned that official state records had inexplicably listed it as Aaron and not Aron as on his original birth records. Knowing Elvis' plans for his middle name, Aaron is the spelling his father chose for Elvis' tombstone and it's the spelling his estate has designated as the official spelling when the middle name is used today.
Similarly, there is some slight confusion regarding the spelling of Jesse Garon's name. Most reliable resources have the spelling as Jesse. However, near the graves of Elvis, his parents and his grandmother at Graceland is a marker the family placed in memory of Elvis' twin, but the spelling is Jessie for reasons we have yet to determine. Jesse Garon's actual grave site is in Tupelo, Mississippi, where it has always been, but it remains unmarked by a tombstone. Lack of money in the family's early years was likely the reason. Then, once Elvis became wealthy and famous, the grave, which is in a public cemetery, remained unmarked most likely in the interest of privacy.
Because of the spelling on the marker at Graceland, we tend to use the spelling Jessie to avoid confusion.
Who owns Elvis Presley's music?
RCA Records owned all of Elvis' recordings. The RCA Records Label was bought by BMG in the 1980s and in 2004 BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment to become Sony BMG. Sony BMG owns Elvis' recordings and they continue to use the RCA Records label for issuing Elvis releases. They also have a special Elvis collectors label, Follow That Dream Records. The various composers/publishers own the songs themselves. People get confused about the ownership of the recordings with that of the songs. Also, they get confused about a deal Elvis and his manager made with RCA in 1973. Here is our attempt to sort it all out for you:
THE RECORDINGS
Elvis began his recording career with Sun Records in Memphis in the summer of 1954. Sun Records owner/producer Sam Phillips sold Elvis' recording contract and the catalog of Elvis' Sun recordings to RCA in the fall of 1955. Elvis began recording for RCA in January 1956 and continued under contract with RCA for the rest of his life. Elvis never had ownership in his Sun or RCA recordings. Elvis received an artist's royalty on record sales, per the terms of his contracts with the record company. That's typically how it's done.
THE MARCH 1973 DEAL
In March 1973, Elvis and and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, went to the record company proposing that Elvis get a large lump sum payment in lieu of all his future artist's royalties for ongoing sales of anything he had recorded up to that time. The deal was made. RCA paid $5.4 million, which Elvis and the Colonel split 50-50. That meant Elvis no longer got (EPE today does not get) his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal. However, Elvis did continue (EPE today continues) to get his artist's royalties on sales of recordings created after the March 1973 deal. Some people misunderstand and think that Elvis had a share in the ownership of his recordings and that this is what he sold to RCA. He did not.
MUSIC PUBLISHING
Totally separate from the ownership of Elvis' recordings is the ownership of the songs themselves. Elvis recorded over 700 songs. Elvis, through his own publishing companies (Elvis Presley Music, Gladys Music, Whitehaven Music and Elvis Music, Inc.) was part owner (typically half or third) of a great many of the songs he recorded and even some songs he did not record. Hill & Range Music, owned by brothers Julian and Jean Aberbach, was his publishing partner for the most part. Typically, in the deals made with the publishing companies, the composers retain a share. The publishing companies manage the material. Elvis did not sell his publishing interests. EPE still holds those interests and they are one of our major assets.
Thus, the 1973 deal regarding Elvis's artist's royalties had no effect on his publisher's royalties. Elvis continued to get (EPE still gets) his publisher's royalties on sales of recordings of songs he had publishing interest in, no matter what date they were recorded. Elvis also recorded many songs that he did not have publishing interest in. Once in a while, per the contracts signed in Elvis's lifetime, his publishing interests expire on some songs.
LEARN MORE
For the person who wants lots of detail, Peter Guralnick's books "Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love" explain the evolution of Elvis' recording and publishing deals rather well. These two books, together with Ernst Jorgensen's "Elvis Presley, A Life in Music, The Complete Recording Sessions, " are recommended reading for the person who wants to dive off into the details and complexities of these topics.
Is there a lot of unreleased Elvis performance and movie footage?
The Concert Era 1968-77
The only time there was a film crew around to do any official quality shooting of Elvis' concerts was when there was a specific, official project underway - such as a concert film or an Elvis TV special. Otherwise, the only footage of Elvis' shows is the stuff fans captured on home movie cameras they snuck into the arenas (bad picture, bad sound if any), and we know of little to no TV news coverage of the concerts of this era. EPE continually looks for good footage of this type in anticipation of using some of it in future documentary programming and other projects.
TV & Concert Appearances & Films as an Actor - 1950s/60s
While footage from the 1968-77 concert era is what we're asked about most, a closely related topic is the status of footage from Elvis' 1950s/1960s TV appearances and concerts and his films as an actor. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. does not own any of this. The film companies own the films, various companies own the TV appearances, and there was no official shooting of Elvis' 1950s concerts other than newsreels which are owned by various entities. Then, of course, fan home movies of early concerts surface from time to time as well.
What is the status of Elvis' record sales and gold & platinum record award certifications?
It is estimated that Elvis has sold over one billion records worldwide, more than anyone else in the history of the record business. It is estimated that 60% of these sales have been in the United States and 40% in other countries. Not all of Elvis' record sales have been documented, so the one-billion figure is a good faith estimate among the Elvis-knowledgeable. Not all of Elvis' record sales have been recognized with gold or platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) or by the appropriate bodies in foreign countries. Still, Elvis has more RIAA certifications than anyone else and his international success is generally regarded as astounding. The subject of record sales and gold/platinum awards is endlessly complex. Here, we attempt to give a basic explanation to respond to the constant flow of inquiries we get about this topic.
American Sales & Gold/Platinum Awards
In August 1992, BMG/RCA Records and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) posthumously awarded Elvis 110 gold, platinum and multi-platinum singles and albums, the largest presentation of gold and platinum record awards in history. The idea was to present all at once Elvis' entire American record sales achievement from the start of his career to the present day - recognizing again all the certifications that had ever been made up to that time, recognizing sales during Elvis' lifetime that had not been properly certified, and recognizing sales since his death that had not yet been certified. It was determined that Elvis had, by that date, 110 different albums and singles that had earned gold, platinum or multi-platinum status. One award was presented for each of the 110 titles, with an indication on the award whether title was gold or platinum or how many times platinum. RCA also presented a 9-foot glass sculpture proclaiming Elvis the greatest recording artist of all time. Since then, research has continued into Elvis' past sales and his ongoing sales continue to be documented and certified. Existing gold and platinum award-winners continue to be upgraded as appropriate (upgrades do not change the total number of titles) and new first-time gold and platinum certifications continue to be awarded.
Elvis' RIAA gold and platinum certifications are designated using today's requirements for certification: gold single or album - 500, 000 copies sold; platinum single or album - 1 million copies sold. In the era when singles were big sellers, the standard was 1 million copies for a gold single; 2 million copies for platinum single. In the old days, a gold album was awarded for a million dollars in sales, but the current requirements for a gold or platinum album have been the same for many years. Platinum status was created in the 1970s. BackgroundThe RIAA is the official body to which record companies report record sales figures and request the awarding of gold and platinum records to their artists for American sales achievements. The RIAA came into existence in 1958. Elvis had many gold records before that time that were awarded in-house from his record company, RCA. However, RCA, for the most part, did not request retroactive RIAA certification of these pre-RIAA record sales achievements. Also, over the years, they did not often request additional certification when the records went gold again, or request retroactive platinum certifications when the platinum status was created in the 1970's.
Therefore, in Elvis' lifetime he did not get all of the gold and platinum certifications he was due and in the years following his death the award certifications became even more badly outdated. Some time after BMG bought RCA Records, the new administration decided to go back and make it right. But, pre-computer-age files on Elvis’ sales were mis-filed, incomplete, lost, and scattered.
It happened that in 1990 Graceland had acquired the lifetime collection of files, photography, and memorabilia of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ long-time career manager. Colonel’s files were more complete and were well-organized. In early 1992, RCA and Graceland worked together to bring auditors from the RIAA to Graceland to go through Colonel’s files. The auditors were able to locate sales figures to prompt an amazing number of certifications for the August 1992 presentation previously described. Since then, RCA Records has continued working on retroactive certifications and certification of ongoing American sales. They are also working on the even more difficult task of documenting Elvis' past and ongoing international sales.
International Sales & Gold/Platinum Awards
It is estimated that 40% of Elvis' record sales have been outside the U.S. But, exact sales figures for all the countries around the world are even harder to come by than the American sales figures. Dramatic evidence of the beginning of this effort was during August 1997, when they made a very special presentation at Graceland. BMG/RCA had invited all non-U.S. factions of their company to provide gold and platinum discs for all Elvis' documented sales achievements in their countries. Over 100 awards were presented in the ceremony, with a large centerpiece plaque from the parent company heralding their estimation that Elvis had sold over 400 million records outside the U.S. But, most of the individual awards presented had no statistical value, as most of the foreign branches of BMG/RCA decided to create 20th Anniversary tributes instead. It will take some time for actual sales figures to be researched and documented and for the appropriate awards update to be presented. If and when that day comes, it will be a little bit more confusing than the American awards because, with the varying sizes of the foreign countries and their record-buying populations, the sales requirements for gold and platinum status vary from country to country.
Elvis Discography/Sessionography
A detailed history of all Elvis' recording sessions, his record releases and related topics is found in the outstanding book "Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, The Complete Recordings Sessions, " by Ernst Jorgensen.
Will there ever be a video/DVD release of out-takes from Elvis' movies?
We do not own Elvis' movies and do not decide what is released from them. The various movie companies do. We have always liked the idea of a collection of Elvis movie out-takes being released or a collection of his best musical performances in movies. Whichever movie company or companies wanted to do something like that with their Elvis footage would need our approval to do a new project beyond the parameters of their original contract with Elvis. They would get our full cooperation and we have certainly made the suggestion when we've had the opportunity. It would be wonderful for the fans and wonderful new attention for Elvis' film career.
However, while Elvis is our number one priority and he is his fans' number one priority, that's not necessarily the case with the film companies. They have hundreds of different films in their catalogs to deal with. The out-take footage you hope to see might not even exist. Years ago, before Hollywood became as archival and preservation-oriented as it is now, it was common for footage left over after a film's final edit to be thrown away. Part of the reason was the high cost of film storage space. To do the research and digging to find out what Elvis movie out-takes might exist from decades ago would require a huge commitment of time, effort and financing. The film companies would have to be confident that they could recoup their investment through sales. They would most likely feel that a film like this would be of interest mostly to serious Elvis fans and not mass amounts of the general public. Also, there's the possibility that all the time, effort and financing to do the research would be spent only to find that there was little or no existing footage to work with. Of course, there are many other reasons that the film companies do or don't do something. This is just our effort to offer some insight into some of them. Also to help clarify that Graceland/EPE is not the reason this material, if it exists, isn't in release.
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This coin is silver plated
Uncirculated Commemoration Coin
Depicts the Elvis with his autograph and the words "The King of Rock and Roll"
The Back of the coins shows Elvis dacning on stage with a microphone. It also has some music and the words "Elvis Presley" and the year he was born 1935 and the year he died 1977
The coin is 40mm in diameter, weighs about 1 oz
Comes in air-tight acrylic coin holder
In Excellent Condition
Would make an Excellent Gift or Collect...able Keepsake Souvenir of The King of Rock and Roll
To see my other Coins Check out my other items!
Bid with Confidence - Check My 100% Positive Feedback from almost 1, 000 Satisfied CustomersI have over 4 years of Ebay Selling Experience - So Why Not Treat Yourself?
I have got married recently and need to raise funds to meet the costs also we are planning to move into a house together
I always combined postage on multiple items so why not > Check out my other items!
All Payment Methods in All Major Currencies Accepted. All Items Sent out within 24 hours of Receiving Payment. Overseas Bidders Please Note Surface Mail Delivery Times > Western Europe takes up to 2 weeks, Eastern Europe up to 5 weeks, North America up to 6 weeks, South America, Africa and Asia up to 8 weeks and Australasia up to 12 weeksFor that Interesting Conversational Piece, A Birthday Present, Christmas Gift, A Comical Item to Cheer Someone Up or That Unique Perfect Gift for the Person Who has Everything....You Know Where to Look for a Bargain!Please Take a Moment Click Here to Check Out My Other items*** Please Do Not Click Here ***Click Here to Add me to Your List of Favourite SellersIf You Have any Questions Please Email Me at [email protected] and I Will Reply ASAPThanks for Looking and Best of Luck with the Bidding!! The Countries I Send to Include Afghanistan * Albania * Algeria * American Samoa (US) * Andorra * Angola * Anguilla (GB) * Antigua and Barbuda * Argentina * Armenia * Aruba (NL) * Australia * Austria * Azerbaijan * Bahamas * Bahrain * Bangladesh * Barbados * Belarus * Belgium * Belize * Benin * Bermuda (GB) * Bhutan * Bolivia * Bonaire (NL) * Bosnia and Herzegovina * Botswana * Bouvet Island (NO) * Brazil * British Indian Ocean Territory (GB) * British Virgin Islands (GB) * Brunei * Bulgaria * Burkina Faso * Burundi * Cambodia * Cameroon * Canada * Cape Verde * Cayman Islands (GB) * Central African Republic * Chad * Chile * China * Christmas Island (AU) * Cocos Islands (AU) * Colombia * Comoros * Congo * Democratic Republic of the Congo * Cook Islands (NZ) * Coral Sea Islands Territory (AU) * Costa Rica * Croatia * Cuba * Curaçao (NL) * Cyprus * Czech Republic * Denmark * Djibouti * Dominica * Dominican Republic * East Timor * Ecuador * Egypt * El Salvador * Equatorial Guinea * Eritrea * Estonia * Ethiopia * Falkland Islands (GB) * Faroe Islands (DK) * Fiji Islands * Finland * France * French Guiana (FR) * French Polynesia (FR) * French Southern Lands (FR) * Gabon * Gambia * Georgia * Germany * Ghana * Gibraltar (GB) * Greece * Greenland (DK) * Grenada * Guadeloupe (FR) * Guam (US) * Guatemala * Guernsey (GB) * Guinea * Guinea-Bissau * Guyana * Haiti * Heard and McDonald Islands (AU) * Honduras * Hong Kong (CN) * Hungary * Iceland * India * Indonesia * Iran * Iraq * Ireland * Isle of Man (GB) * Israel * Italy * Ivory Coast * Jamaica * Jan Mayen (NO) * Japan * Jersey (GB) * Jordan * Kazakhstan * Kenya * Kiribati * Kosovo * Kuwait * Kyrgyzstan * Laos * Latvia * Lebanon * Lesotho * Liberia * Libya * Liechtenstein * Lithuania * Luxembourg * Macau (CN) * Macedonia * Madagascar * Malawi * Malaysia * Maldives * Mali * Malta * Marshall Islands * Martinique (FR) * Mauritania * Mauritius * Mayotte (FR) * Mexico * Micronesia * Moldova * Monaco * Mongolia * Montenegro * Montserrat (GB) * Morocco * Mozambique * Myanmar * Namibia * Nauru * Navassa (US) * Nepal * Netherlands * New Caledonia (FR) * New Zealand * Nicaragua * Niger * Nigeria * Niue (NZ) * Norfolk Island (AU) * North Korea * Northern Cyprus * Northern Mariana Islands (US) * Norway * Oman * Pakistan * Palau * Palestinian Authority * Panama * Papua New Guinea * Paraguay * Peru * Philippines * Pitcairn Island (GB) * Poland * Portugal * Puerto Rico (US) * Qatar * Reunion (FR) * Romania * Russia * Rwanda * Saba (NL) * Saint Barthelemy (FR) * Saint Helena (GB) * Saint Kitts and Nevis * Saint Lucia * Saint Martin (FR) * Saint Pierre and Miquelon (FR) * Saint Vincent and the Grenadines * Samoa * San Marino * Sao Tome and Principe * Saudi Arabia * Senegal * Serbia * Seychelles * Sierra Leone * Singapore * Sint Eustatius (NL) * Sint Maarten (NL) * Slovakia * Slovenia * Solomon Islands * Somalia * South Africa * South Georgia (GB) * South Korea * South Sudan * Spain * Sri Lanka * Sudan * Suriname * Svalbard (NO) * Swaziland * Sweden * Switzerland * Syria * Taiwan * Tajikistan * Tanzania * Thailand * Togo * Tokelau (NZ) * Tonga * Trinidad and Tobago * Tunisia * Turkey * Turkmenistan * Turks and Caicos Islands (GB) * Tuvalu * U.S. Minor Pacific Islands (US) * U.S. Virgin Islands (US) * Uganda * Ukraine * United Arab Emirates * United Kingdom * United States * Uruguay * Uzbekistan * Vanuatu * Vatican City * Venezuela * Vietnam * Wallis and Futuna (FR) * Yemen * Zambia * Zimbabwe
The incredible Elvis life story began when Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.
Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.
In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in a whole new era of American music and popular culture.
He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas. Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or multi-platinum awards. Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations (3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award which he received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges, his celebrity status might have afforded him, he honorably served his country in the U.S. Army.
His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth century popular culture. Elvis died at his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.
If you enjoyed this Elvis biography, check out our fun, interactive walk through Elvis’ life story with the 75 years of Elvis Timeline, developed for Elvis’ 75th Birthday Celebration.
It is estimated that Elvis Presley has sold over one billion record units worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history. In America alone, more than 150 Elvis Presley singles and albums have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
It is estimated that 40% of Elvis' total record sales have been outside the United States. Elvis Presley’s trophy room at Graceland is filled with gold and platinum records and awards of all kinds from around the world. Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan, Australia, South Africa, United Kingdom, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and The Netherlands.
No fewer than 149 top Elvis songs appeared on Billboard’s Hot 100 Pop Chart in America. Of these, 114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one. Elvis Presley singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one. He has also had over 90 charted albums with ten of them reaching number one. These figures are only for the pop charts and only in America. He was also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and the chart success of top Elvis songs in other countries was substantial.
In 1956, Elvis made his television debut with six appearances on "Stage Show, " two appearances on "The Milton Berle Show, " appearances on "The Steve Allen Show, " and two appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." The third time America saw Elvis on Ed Sullivan in January of 1957, Ed Sullivan surprised Elvis by telling him on camera that his show had never had a better experience with a name act, and said “I wanted to say to Elvis and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy.” It was this very same appearance by Elvis on Ed Sullivan that he was shown on camera from the waist up only, one of early television history’s most memorable moments.
Starting with Elvis’ first movie, “Love Me Tender, ” Elvis starred in 31 feature films as an actor and two theatrically released concert documentary films, all of which enjoyed financial success. For a number of years he was one of Hollywood’s top box office draws and one of its highest-paid actors. Elvis’ first movie was followed by his two most critically acclaimed films, "Jailhouse Rock" (1957) and "King Creole" (1958), which have become classics of their era.
Elvis Presley’s three network television specials - "Elvis" (1968), "Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite" (1973), and "Elvis in Concert" (1977) - stand among the most highly rated specials of their time. His 1968 special, "Elvis, " is one of the most critically acclaimed music specials of all time. The 1973 Elvis TV special, "Elvis - Aloha from Hawaii, via Satellite, " was seen in 40 countries by 1 billion to 1.5 billion people and made television history. It was seen on television in more American homes than man’s first walk on the moon.
Why does the Graceland Mansion tour not include the upstairs area (Elvis’ bedroom, bath, office and wardrobe room, Lisa Marie’s nursery, etc.)?
Tours of the upstairs have not been available up to now and won't be in the foreseeable future. The part of Graceland we show the world on our tour is the part that Elvis showed anyone who visited him at Graceland. The upstairs was his private area. When Graceland opened, Priscilla and Lisa felt that the upstairs should remain private, that letting everyone go up there would be disrespectful and inappropriate - something the rest of our management wholeheartedly agrees with.
Along with these personal feelings is the matter of logistics. With our volume of visitorship we would be required to put in an extra staircase as an exit, we'd have to do some remodeling upstairs as the hallway connecting the rooms is not large enough to accommodate crowds. This would radically alter the house and no one wants to do that. The issue of privacy and respect is also the reason that we do not publish photographs of the upstairs area. However, we do bring items from upstairs into our exhibits.
Elvis' middle name, is it Aron or Aaron?
Either spelling is right and either spelling is wrong. But, how can that be? Elvis was named after his father, Vernon Elvis Presley, and Mr. Presley's good friend in Tupelo, Aaron Kennedy. Aron was the spelling the Presleys chose, apparently to make it similar to the middle name of Elvis' stillborn identical twin, Jesse Garon Presley. Jesse was apparently named after Vernon's father, Jessie Presley, although the spelling was slightly different. Toward the end of his life, Elvis sought to change the spelling of his middle name to the traditional and biblical Aaron. In the process, he learned that official state records had inexplicably listed it as Aaron and not Aron as on his original birth records. Knowing Elvis' plans for his middle name, Aaron is the spelling his father chose for Elvis' tombstone and it's the spelling his estate has designated as the official spelling when the middle name is used today.
Similarly, there is some slight confusion regarding the spelling of Jesse Garon's name. Most reliable resources have the spelling as Jesse. However, near the graves of Elvis, his parents and his grandmother at Graceland is a marker the family placed in memory of Elvis' twin, but the spelling is Jessie for reasons we have yet to determine. Jesse Garon's actual grave site is in Tupelo, Mississippi, where it has always been, but it remains unmarked by a tombstone. Lack of money in the family's early years was likely the reason. Then, once Elvis became wealthy and famous, the grave, which is in a public cemetery, remained unmarked most likely in the interest of privacy.
Because of the spelling on the marker at Graceland, we tend to use the spelling Jessie to avoid confusion.
Who owns Elvis Presley's music?
RCA Records owned all of Elvis' recordings. The RCA Records Label was bought by BMG in the 1980s and in 2004 BMG merged with Sony Music Entertainment to become Sony BMG. Sony BMG owns Elvis' recordings and they continue to use the RCA Records label for issuing Elvis releases. They also have a special Elvis collectors label, Follow That Dream Records. The various composers/publishers own the songs themselves. People get confused about the ownership of the recordings with that of the songs. Also, they get confused about a deal Elvis and his manager made with RCA in 1973. Here is our attempt to sort it all out for you:
THE RECORDINGS
Elvis began his recording career with Sun Records in Memphis in the summer of 1954. Sun Records owner/producer Sam Phillips sold Elvis' recording contract and the catalog of Elvis' Sun recordings to RCA in the fall of 1955. Elvis began recording for RCA in January 1956 and continued under contract with RCA for the rest of his life. Elvis never had ownership in his Sun or RCA recordings. Elvis received an artist's royalty on record sales, per the terms of his contracts with the record company. That's typically how it's done.
THE MARCH 1973 DEAL
In March 1973, Elvis and and his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, went to the record company proposing that Elvis get a large lump sum payment in lieu of all his future artist's royalties for ongoing sales of anything he had recorded up to that time. The deal was made. RCA paid $5.4 million, which Elvis and the Colonel split 50-50. That meant Elvis no longer got (EPE today does not get) his artist's royalties for the ongoing sales of any recordings created before the March 1973 deal. However, Elvis did continue (EPE today continues) to get his artist's royalties on sales of recordings created after the March 1973 deal. Some people misunderstand and think that Elvis had a share in the ownership of his recordings and that this is what he sold to RCA. He did not.
MUSIC PUBLISHING
Totally separate from the ownership of Elvis' recordings is the ownership of the songs themselves. Elvis recorded over 700 songs. Elvis, through his own publishing companies (Elvis Presley Music, Gladys Music, Whitehaven Music and Elvis Music, Inc.) was part owner (typically half or third) of a great many of the songs he recorded and even some songs he did not record. Hill & Range Music, owned by brothers Julian and Jean Aberbach, was his publishing partner for the most part. Typically, in the deals made with the publishing companies, the composers retain a share. The publishing companies manage the material. Elvis did not sell his publishing interests. EPE still holds those interests and they are one of our major assets.
Thus, the 1973 deal regarding Elvis's artist's royalties had no effect on his publisher's royalties. Elvis continued to get (EPE still gets) his publisher's royalties on sales of recordings of songs he had publishing interest in, no matter what date they were recorded. Elvis also recorded many songs that he did not have publishing interest in. Once in a while, per the contracts signed in Elvis's lifetime, his publishing interests expire on some songs.
LEARN MORE
For the person who wants lots of detail, Peter Guralnick's books "Last Train to Memphis" and "Careless Love" explain the evolution of Elvis' recording and publishing deals rather well. These two books, together with Ernst Jorgensen's "Elvis Presley, A Life in Music, The Complete Recording Sessions, " are recommended reading for the person who wants to dive off into the details and complexities of these topics.
Is there a lot of unreleased Elvis performance and movie footage?
The Concert Era 1968-77
The only time there was a film crew around to do any official quality shooting of Elvis' concerts was when there was a specific, official project underway - such as a concert film or an Elvis TV special. Otherwise, the only footage of Elvis' shows is the stuff fans captured on home movie cameras they snuck into the arenas (bad picture, bad sound if any), and we know of little to no TV news coverage of the concerts of this era. EPE continually looks for good footage of this type in anticipation of using some of it in future documentary programming and other projects.
TV & Concert Appearances & Films as an Actor - 1950s/60s
While footage from the 1968-77 concert era is what we're asked about most, a closely related topic is the status of footage from Elvis' 1950s/1960s TV appearances and concerts and his films as an actor. Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc. does not own any of this. The film companies own the films, various companies own the TV appearances, and there was no official shooting of Elvis' 1950s concerts other than newsreels which are owned by various entities. Then, of course, fan home movies of early concerts surface from time to time as well.
What is the status of Elvis' record sales and gold & platinum record award certifications?
It is estimated that Elvis has sold over one billion records worldwide, more than anyone else in the history of the record business. It is estimated that 60% of these sales have been in the United States and 40% in other countries. Not all of Elvis' record sales have been documented, so the one-billion figure is a good faith estimate among the Elvis-knowledgeable. Not all of Elvis' record sales have been recognized with gold or platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) or by the appropriate bodies in foreign countries. Still, Elvis has more RIAA certifications than anyone else and his international success is generally regarded as astounding. The subject of record sales and gold/platinum awards is endlessly complex. Here, we attempt to give a basic explanation to respond to the constant flow of inquiries we get about this topic.
American Sales & Gold/Platinum Awards
In August 1992, BMG/RCA Records and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) posthumously awarded Elvis 110 gold, platinum and multi-platinum singles and albums, the largest presentation of gold and platinum record awards in history. The idea was to present all at once Elvis' entire American record sales achievement from the start of his career to the present day - recognizing again all the certifications that had ever been made up to that time, recognizing sales during Elvis' lifetime that had not been properly certified, and recognizing sales since his death that had not yet been certified. It was determined that Elvis had, by that date, 110 different albums and singles that had earned gold, platinum or multi-platinum status. One award was presented for each of the 110 titles, with an indication on the award whether title was gold or platinum or how many times platinum. RCA also presented a 9-foot glass sculpture proclaiming Elvis the greatest recording artist of all time. Since then, research has continued into Elvis' past sales and his ongoing sales continue to be documented and certified. Existing gold and platinum award-winners continue to be upgraded as appropriate (upgrades do not change the total number of titles) and new first-time gold and platinum certifications continue to be awarded.
Elvis' RIAA gold and platinum certifications are designated using today's requirements for certification: gold single or album - 500, 000 copies sold; platinum single or album - 1 million copies sold. In the era when singles were big sellers, the standard was 1 million copies for a gold single; 2 million copies for platinum single. In the old days, a gold album was awarded for a million dollars in sales, but the current requirements for a gold or platinum album have been the same for many years. Platinum status was created in the 1970s. BackgroundThe RIAA is the official body to which record companies report record sales figures and request the awarding of gold and platinum records to their artists for American sales achievements. The RIAA came into existence in 1958. Elvis had many gold records before that time that were awarded in-house from his record company, RCA. However, RCA, for the most part, did not request retroactive RIAA certification of these pre-RIAA record sales achievements. Also, over the years, they did not often request additional certification when the records went gold again, or request retroactive platinum certifications when the platinum status was created in the 1970's.
Therefore, in Elvis' lifetime he did not get all of the gold and platinum certifications he was due and in the years following his death the award certifications became even more badly outdated. Some time after BMG bought RCA Records, the new administration decided to go back and make it right. But, pre-computer-age files on Elvis’ sales were mis-filed, incomplete, lost, and scattered.
It happened that in 1990 Graceland had acquired the lifetime collection of files, photography, and memorabilia of Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ long-time career manager. Colonel’s files were more complete and were well-organized. In early 1992, RCA and Graceland worked together to bring auditors from the RIAA to Graceland to go through Colonel’s files. The auditors were able to locate sales figures to prompt an amazing number of certifications for the August 1992 presentation previously described. Since then, RCA Records has continued working on retroactive certifications and certification of ongoing American sales. They are also working on the even more difficult task of documenting Elvis' past and ongoing international sales.
International Sales & Gold/Platinum Awards
It is estimated that 40% of Elvis' record sales have been outside the U.S. But, exact sales figures for all the countries around the world are even harder to come by than the American sales figures. Dramatic evidence of the beginning of this effort was during August 1997, when they made a very special presentation at Graceland. BMG/RCA had invited all non-U.S. factions of their company to provide gold and platinum discs for all Elvis' documented sales achievements in their countries. Over 100 awards were presented in the ceremony, with a large centerpiece plaque from the parent company heralding their estimation that Elvis had sold over 400 million records outside the U.S. But, most of the individual awards presented had no statistical value, as most of the foreign branches of BMG/RCA decided to create 20th Anniversary tributes instead. It will take some time for actual sales figures to be researched and documented and for the appropriate awards update to be presented. If and when that day comes, it will be a little bit more confusing than the American awards because, with the varying sizes of the foreign countries and their record-buying populations, the sales requirements for gold and platinum status vary from country to country.
Elvis Discography/Sessionography
A detailed history of all Elvis' recording sessions, his record releases and related topics is found in the outstanding book "Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, The Complete Recordings Sessions, " by Ernst Jorgensen.
Will there ever be a video/DVD release of out-takes from Elvis' movies?
We do not own Elvis' movies and do not decide what is released from them. The various movie companies do. We have always liked the idea of a collection of Elvis movie out-takes being released or a collection of his best musical performances in movies. Whichever movie company or companies wanted to do something like that with their Elvis footage would need our approval to do a new project beyond the parameters of their original contract with Elvis. They would get our full cooperation and we have certainly made the suggestion when we've had the opportunity. It would be wonderful for the fans and wonderful new attention for Elvis' film career.
However, while Elvis is our number one priority and he is his fans' number one priority, that's not necessarily the case with the film companies. They have hundreds of different films in their catalogs to deal with. The out-take footage you hope to see might not even exist. Years ago, before Hollywood became as archival and preservation-oriented as it is now, it was common for footage left over after a film's final edit to be thrown away. Part of the reason was the high cost of film storage space. To do the research and digging to find out what Elvis movie out-takes might exist from decades ago would require a huge commitment of time, effort and financing. The film companies would have to be confident that they could recoup their investment through sales. They would most likely feel that a film like this would be of interest mostly to serious Elvis fans and not mass amounts of the general public. Also, there's the possibility that all the time, effort and financing to do the research would be spent only to find that there was little or no existing footage to work with. Of course, there are many other reasons that the film companies do or don't do something. This is just our effort to offer some insight into some of them. Also to help clarify that Graceland/EPE is not the reason this material, if it exists, isn't in release.
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