Today in Elvis History

It's March seventh, and on this day in 1960... Elvis Presley returned to Memphis after completing his service in the U.S. Army. He arrived by train at 7:45 a.m. in the middle of a snowstorm, where fans greeted him with excitement and cheers. After heading home to Graceland, Elvis held a press conference in his father Vernon's office, telling reporters he was glad to be back. That evening, he was joined by his longtime girlfriend Anita Wood, marking a warm and celebratory return to civilian life for the newly discharged Sergeant Presley.

It’s March sixth, and on this day in 1964… Elvis Presley added a new crown jewel to his growing fleet of cars—a Rolls Royce Phantom V Touring Limousine. Painted midnight blue and outfitted with a gray cloth interior, the luxurious British-made ride was customized to Elvis’s specifications before being shipped to the U.S. It came complete with a 6.2-liter V-8 engine, automatic transmission, two cut-glass decanters, and silver-rimmed crystal glasses. The King used the Rolls as his preferred car until 1968, when he generously donated it to a charity auction.

It's March fifth, and on this day in 1960… Elvis Presley was officially discharged from the United States Army. At 9:15 a.m., he received his mustering-out check for \$109.54 and an honorable discharge, concluding two years of military service that had taken him from Fort Hood to Friedberg, Germany. From there, Elvis and Colonel Tom Parker traveled by limousine to New Jersey, where they were joined by Lamar Fike and Rex Mansfield. That same evening, they headed to Washington, D.C., marking the King's symbolic return to civilian life and the beginning of a new chapter in his career.

It's March fourth, and on this day in 1956... *Billboard* magazine declared that “Presley \[is] Hot as a Pistol on Victor.” The article spotlighted Elvis as the RCA label’s hottest artist of the week, with a staggering six singles in the company’s top twenty-five sellers. At the top of the list: “Heartbreak Hotel” at number one, followed by “I Was the One,” “Mystery Train,” and “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” at numbers two, three, and four respectively. “Baby Let’s Play House” landed at number fourteen, “That’s All Right” came in at twenty-one, and “Milk Cow Blues Boogie” rounded out the group at number twenty-three. The young country warbler from Memphis was now rewriting the rules of the music business.

It's March third, and on this day in 1959… Elvis Presley, while stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army, took a break from military life and traveled to Munich with his buddies Red West and Lamar Fike. Their destination? A visit with 18-year-old German actress Vera Tschechowa, whom Elvis had met earlier that year during a publicity shoot for the March of Dimes. In a classic Elvis move, he bought out every ticket to the small theater where Vera was performing—despite not speaking a word of German—and sat through the play with Red and Lamar. That night, the group went out to dinner with Vera and her circle of theatrical friends, then capped the evening with a visit to the Moulin Rouge—Munich's answer to a striptease club.

It's March second, and on this day in 1960… at the Rhine-Main Air Base in Germany, a teenage Priscilla Beaulieu was blocked by military police from saying a final goodbye to Elvis Presley as he departed for the United States. A photograph of the moment was later titled *The Girl He Left Behind*, capturing the bittersweet farewell between the future King and the young woman who would one day become his wife.

And on this day in 1956… Colonel Tom Parker informed his attorney that Elvis’s manager, Bob Neal, no longer had any business involvement with Elvis—a bold claim, considering Neal still held a valid contract. Behind the scenes, Parker had secured Vernon and Gladys Presley’s signatures, agreeing to pay Neal his 15 percent commission in addition to Parker’s own 25 percent share. The maneuver sparked years of tension and legal confusion. Even country legend Hank Snow and his business partner tried to buy Elvis’s contract, but those deals fell through, fueling controversy that would simmer for decades.

It's March first, and on this day in 1960… the U.S. Army held a press conference in Friedberg, Germany, just before Elvis Presley’s discharge. Over a hundred reporters and photographers crowded into the enlisted men’s club to witness the moment. Elvis's commanding officer presented him with a certificate of merit for his “cheerfulness and drive and continually outstanding leadership ability.” But the emotional high point came when Elvis spotted a familiar face in the crowd—Captain Marion MacInness, formerly Marion Keisker of Sun Records, the very woman who first recorded Elvis back in 1953. Seeing her for the first time since his enlistment, Elvis grinned and said, “I don’t know whether to kiss you or salute.” Her reply: “In that order.”

It's February twenty-ninth, and on this day in 1968... Elvis Presley won his very first Grammy Award. But it wasn’t for rock and roll, or even one of his chart-topping hits. Instead, the honor came in the category of “Best Sacred Performance” for his 1967 gospel album *How Great Thou Art*.

The award was announced during simultaneous Grammy dinners held in New York, Los Angeles, and other cities. Elvis didn’t attend any of them. But the win marked a significant milestone: after years of commercial success, it was his spiritual music that finally earned him recognition from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.

It's February 28, and on this day in 1970… Elvis Presley performed not one, but two shows at the Houston Astrodome as part of the Annual Texas Livestock Show. The evening performance drew a staggering 43,614 people—setting a new record for indoor rodeo attendance. The crowd’s enthusiasm echoed through the massive dome as the King brought rock and roll swagger to cowboy country. Meanwhile, Priscilla flew in for the following day’s show, as rumors of trouble in their marriage swirled in the press.

It's February 27, and on this day in 1970... Elvis Presley held a midday press conference at the Astroworld Hotel in Houston, where he reflected on his early career, laughing that his Sun recordings now sounded “funny” to him. Later that day, he took the stage not once, but twice at the Houston Astrodome as part of the Annual Texas Livestock Show. For his grand entrance, Elvis rode in on an open jeep. After the first show, he was reportedly discouraged, criticizing the poor sound and saying, “I guess I just can’t bring it in like I used to.” But by the evening performance—attended by a staggering 36,299 fans—he was back in command. The Los Angeles Times hailed his show as “masterful.”