Today in Elvis History

It's January twenty-sixth, and on this day in 1970… Elvis Presley opened a four-week engagement at the International Hotel's showroom in Las Vegas with an invitation-only performance that marked a turning point in his stage career. The star-studded audience included the likes of Fats Domino and Zsa Zsa Gabor, and the reviews were glowing—*The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner* boldly declared, “The new decade will belong to him.”

This performance was historic not only for the crowd it drew but for the debut of Elvis’s now-iconic one-piece jumpsuits, designed by Bill Belew and made by Ice Capades Costumes. The new look offered him more freedom of movement on stage, and he took full advantage of it, weaving karate moves into his performance and setting the tone for the high-energy Vegas shows that would define the 1970s Elvis era.

It's January twenty-fifth, and on this day in 1957... Colonel Tom Parker announced a new deal with MGM for Elvis Presley's third film, tentatively titled *The Rock*. Parker called it “the biggest deal ever made in Hollywood,” though the terms were modest: \$250,000 and fifty percent of the net profits. Behind the scenes, the message to producer Hal Wallis was clear—and the project soon evolved into *Jailhouse Rock*, one of Elvis’s most iconic films.

The movie would go on to produce some rare collector’s items, including a picture sleeve for the fictional Vince Everett single “Treat Me Nice” backed with “Baby I Don’t Care,” released on the made-up Laurel Records label. Only around 100 of those sleeves were ever printed. And in a small but clever detail, a poster on the office wall of Geneva Records in the film bears the image of a fictional singer named Mickey Alba—whose face, upon closer look, is none other than Elvis himself.

It's January twenty-fourth, and on this day in 1965... a rushed and unusual recording session took place in Nashville for the soundtrack to Elvis’s next film, *Harum Scarum*. With his usual band unavailable due to the tight schedule, producer Sam Katzman pulled together a group of Nashville session pros, including Charlie McCoy from the Grand Ole Opry on guitar, Henry Strzelecki on bass, and Kenny Buttrey on drums. To capture the film’s Middle Eastern theme, a flutist and an oboist were added to the mix. Elvis, returning to the studio after an eight-month hiatus, seemed distracted and disinterested. The session wrapped after just four hours, with an exhausted King of Rock 'n' Roll completing 38 drawn-out takes of “Shake That Tambourine.”

It's January 23rd, and on this day in 1976… Elvis Presley returned to Memphis to prepare for one of the most unique recording sessions of his career—this one not in a studio, but inside his own home at Graceland. With RCA setting up a mobile recording truck on the property, Elvis had the furniture cleared from the Jungle Room, the den behind the kitchen, and cables were run in to transform the space into a temporary studio. This marked the beginning of the now-legendary Graceland sessions, which would yield some of the most soulful and personal recordings of his later years.

It's January 23rd, and on this day in 1957… Steve Sholes, the RCA producer who first signed Elvis, had booked a session at Radio Recorders in Hollywood with the goal of getting a hit single from the movie *Loving You*. But Elvis had other ideas. Instead of sticking to the plan, he pivoted and recorded “I Beg of You” and “One Night.” Thanks to Sholes’ trust in Elvis's instincts—letting him control the creative direction—the session produced two standout tracks that captured the raw energy of early Elvis at his finest.

It's January twenty-second, and on this day in 1969… Elvis Presley walked into American Sound Studio in Memphis and laid down one of the most iconic tracks of his career—“Suspicious Minds.” After spending time with singer Roy Hamilton earlier that evening, Elvis resumed recording at 12:30 a.m. and, in just four takes, nailed the version that would become a chart-topping hit and one of his most powerful vocal performances. That same session also saw him record deeply emotional tracks like “Without Love” and “I’ll Hold You in My Heart,” closing out the marathon American Studio sessions with a return-to-form that would define his late-career resurgence.

It's January twenty-first, and on this day in 1963… production officially began on *Fun in Acapulco*, Elvis Presley’s thirteenth film. While the movie was set entirely in sunny Mexico, Elvis never set foot there during filming. All of his scenes—including those meant to take place at hotels and swimming pools—were shot on studio sets at Paramount in Hollywood. Meanwhile, a second unit crew was sent to Acapulco to capture background footage, using stand-ins for Elvis and other key characters.

The film also marked the American movie debut of Ursula Andress, best known for her role in *Dr. No*. Though Elvis was known for dating many of his co-stars, he made no moves toward Andress—she was married to actor John Derek at the time, and Elvis made it clear: he wouldn’t cross that line.

It's January twentieth, and on this day in 1958, principal photography began on Elvis Presley’s second film for Paramount, *King Creole*. While filming on the lot, Elvis met one of his personal heroes, the legendary actor Marlon Brando, in the studio commissary. The meeting between the rising King of Rock and Roll and the brooding icon of method acting was brief but deeply meaningful for Elvis, who had long admired Brando's screen presence and dramatic style.

And on this day in 1969, Elvis returned to American Sound Studio in Memphis to record a song he had initially hesitated to tackle—*In the Ghetto*. With a growing conviction that it could become a hit, he pushed through 23 takes over the course of the night, finally wrapping up at 4 a.m. The socially conscious track would go on to become one of the most iconic songs of his late career.

It's January nineteenth, and on this day in 1959… Elvis Presley, stationed in Germany during his Army service, wrote a heartfelt letter to Colonel Tom Parker requesting that RCA release a recorded message to his fans. In the letter, Elvis said, *“I want to be able to thank them not only for buying my records and for their loyalty to me but also for the help they have given me in deciding the kind of songs to sing.”* He added that even while away from the stage, *“I just wanted to let my fans know how I feel.”* The message was a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse of Elvis’s deep appreciation for the people who lifted him to fame—and a promise that he’d be back, still listening to his audience.

It's January 18th, and on this day in 1964... Elvis Presley made headlines far beyond the world of music when he became the high bidder at an auction for President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s former yacht, the U.S.S. *Potomac*. The sixty-five-foot vessel, which Elvis secured for \$55,000, wasn’t purchased for personal use—but for a cause close to his heart. In a gesture of generosity, Elvis announced he would donate the historic yacht to the March of Dimes, the organization dedicated to fighting polio, the disease that had afflicted F.D.R. himself. Colonel Tom Parker issued a press release calling for the boat to become a National Shrine, symbolizing both Elvis’s patriotism and his commitment to charitable work.

It's January seventeenth, and on this day in 1967, Elvis Presley expanded his fleet—and his generosity—by purchasing a staggering eight vehicles in a single day for use at his newly acquired Circle G Ranch near Walls, Mississippi. The haul included one 1967 Chevy custom El Camino, two Dodges, and five Ford trucks, all intended for family and friends helping out on the property. This came as part of a larger vision Elvis had for building out the ranch into a private getaway and equestrian haven, complete with a riding ring and a growing collection of horses.