No matter how many years pass since the King of Rock ’n’ Roll’s death, we will continue talking about his music, his life and his huge influence on music and culture worldwide. In honour of what was supposed to be Elvis Presley’s 83rd birthday, let's raise a toast to the King as we bring you 5 things you didn't know about Elvis Presley.
1. Elvis Had a Twin Brother
On 8th January, 1935 Elvis’ mother gave birth to twin boys, but sadly one of them was stillborn. Elvis’ parents named his stillborn brother Jesse Garon Presley and gave Elvis the middle name Aron, so that they would always remember their other son. Even though years later Elvis changed his middle name to Aaron, he always carried the memory of his brother, which turned him into a very spiritual person. According to some stories from his childhood, Elvis used to talk to his twin brother in his room at night.
2. He Survived a Tornado
In 1936, young Elvis Presley was only 15 months old when he survived a tornado in his hometown of Tupelo, Mississippi. The tornado killed 216 people and at the time was one of the deadliest tornadoes to ever hit the US. Despite the devastation it caused to the town and its residents, Elvis' family home and birthplace remained unaffected. Today, the home still stands in its original condition other than a replaced ceiling and roof, which were altered due to age, not because of the tornado.
3. He Never Performed Outside of North America
Even though Elvis sold millions of records worldwide and performed in hundreds of concerts in the US and a few in Canada, he didn’t have a single performance outside of North America. The reason behind this was due to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who was born in the Netherlands as Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk. Reportedly he had control over Elvis’ schedule and the reason he didn’t plan any international tour dates was that he resided in the US illegally and was frightened to leave the country, fearing he wouldn’t be able to go back.
4. He Paid Over $16,000 for a Sandwich
It’s not a secret that our beloved King had a weakness for greasy, fatty food (but let’s face it, who doesn’t?!). Perhaps the most famous food craving the King ever had was one night in 1976 when he flew to Denver from Graceland just for a sandwich. Yes, you got it right. Reportedly Elvis started craving a sandwich he had once eaten in Denver called Fool’s Gold Loaf and shortly after he and his entourage hopped on his private jet, and flew all the way there. The sandwich, which contained a whopping 8,000 calories cost around €40 at the time (around €157 today), but this little food trip cost Elvis $16,000. That’s what we call being devoted to junk food.
5. He Inspired, and was Inspired by, the Comic Book World
It’s a commonly known fact that to a large extent, the King drew inspiration for his iconic looks from the comic character Captain Marvel Jr., but it's little known that Elvis Presley had, and still has, an influence on this genre. For example, in Marvel’s futuristic comic 'Fantastic Four 2099', a religious group of people called the Elvingelicans worship the King of Rock ’n’ Roll and await his return. Similarly, in a different comic series, 'Nextwave: Agents of H.A.T.E.', evil Elvis-like drones, unsurprisingly called E.L.V.I.S. appear. Throughout the years various comic book writers have paid their respects to Elvis Presley by quoting him in comics such as 'Teen Titans' or drawing inspiration for characters for him, such as Marvel’s Ghost Rider.
Here on Catawiki, you can find Elvis Presley records and different memorabilia items in our weekly Music auctions. Take a look for yourself to celebrate and commemorate the King. Perhaps you're a huge Elvis collector and would love to make some money selling your items? Register as a seller and offer them up for auction at Catawiki.
You might also like these articles: