Elvis Presley's Birthday
Next: January 8, 2027
Happy birthday to the King.
The story
Where it comes from
Elvis Aaron Presley was born shortly before dawn on 8 January 1935, in a two-room house his father had helped to build in Tupelo, Mississippi, and this Story marks his birthday. His family moved to Memphis in 1948, where he soaked up country, gospel and the rhythm and blues of Beale Street. In 1954 he began recording for Sun Records, and by 1956 he was an international sensation, mixing those sounds into a style that changed popular music and earned him the title King of Rock and Roll.
How it's celebrated
Each January, fans from around the world travel to Graceland, his home in Memphis, for a birthday celebration of live music, talks and tributes. On 8 January itself, fans and dignitaries gather on Graceland's front lawn for the Elvis Birthday Proclamation Ceremony, which is also streamed online. Anywhere else, it is a good day to put on a record and sing along.
Did you know
- Elvis was born a twin; his brother, Jesse Garon, was stillborn, and Elvis grew up an only child.
- He later changed the spelling of his middle name from Aaron to Aron, to match his twin's middle name more closely.
- Visitors from all over the world still come to his birthplace in Tupelo, a small 'shotgun' house; Elvis once said it could fit in his living room at Graceland.
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