The "The King of Rock and Roll" Story

Ladies and Gentle, "Elvis has left the building!"

It was an ordinary day.  Wondering why I didn't pick up tickets for "The Elvis Birthday Bash" which will be appearing at the American Music Theatre soon.  After all, Elvis was one of my big rock and roll heroes back in the 50s, 60s and 70s.  I can still remember the day that Elvis died in 1977.  Carol and I and our three children were at Sea Isle City, NJ for a week of summer fun during the second week of August.  On August 16th I went to the store and picked up a newspaper and there on the front page was a big photo of Elvis Presley with the headline "Elvis is found dead."  At first I thought it was just a joke, but after reading a little of the article, I realized that he had really died of a suspected drug overdose.  I can still remember seeing Elvis on the Ed Sullivan Show on my birthday, September 9th.  I was only 12 years old at the time and my mom and dad weren't sure they wanted me to see Elvis singing on TV, but they only filmed him from the waist up during the telecast and many were disappointed.  A long time has passed since his death in '77 in Memphis, Tennessee, but I still listen to his Cd's when driving in the car.  Some of the best music ever produced in music history.  His backup group, the Jordanaires, were also one of my favorites.  I have seen quite a few Elvis impersonators and some have been almost as good, but none ever totally recaptured his style and smoooooth voice.  Just disappointed that I will miss the show with two different impersonators, one for his younger years and one as the older Elvis.  If you were an Elvis fan, you may know some of answers to the following questions I have for you.  See how well you do.  The answers are at the end, so don't scroll too far down or you will will be disappointed.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

1. When and where was Elvis born?
2. What is his middle name?
3. What non-musical event happened to Elvis in 1958?
4. Where did Elvis meet, marry and divorce his wife Priscilla?
5. Elvis met what President in the White House and what did he receive from him?
6. What was his first single and how high did it go on the Billboard charts?  
7. What is the only other country where Elvis performed in concert?
8. What was his biggest selling single.
9. Besides maybe your parents, who said, "Elvis was unfit for family viewing"?
10. How many No. 1 Billboard hits did he have.
11. Who said, "Before Elvis, there was nothing."
12. Who said, "Elvis is the greatest cultural force in the 20th century"?

Well, now time for the answers.  Hope you knew a few of the answers.  If not, you probably weren't born when Elvis was a star or you didn't appreciate GOOD MUSIC!

Answers:

1. January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi.
2.  Aron, also spelled Aaron.
3. Drafted into the Army.
4. Sept. 13 while serving in the Army in Germany.  She was 14.  They were married May 1, 1967 in Las Vegas and divorced in 1973.
5. Richard Nixon gave him a Dangerous Drugs badge.
6. Heartbreak Hotel in January 1956 and made #1.
7. Canada.
8. "It's Now or Never!"
9. Ed Sullivan
10. 38
11. John Lennon
12. Leonard Bernstein