Remembering Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley fans will be gathering at Graceland to honor the late rock 'n' roll icon's 79th birthday.

 

 

Television personality Wink Martindale, a friend of Presley's, is expected to attend Wednesday's celebration at Graceland, the singer's longtime Memphis home. The event will feature a cake cutting and the singing of "Happy Birthday" by 16-year-old David Thibault (TEE'-bo) of Quebec, Canada.

 

Presley was born in Tupelo, Miss., on Jan. 8, 1935, and moved to Memphis with his parents at age 13. He was 42 when he died Aug. 16, 1977.

 

 

 

Presley recorded his first song "That's All Right" at Sun Studio in 1954. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the recording and the first radio airplay of the single by disc jockey Dewey Phillips on the "Red, Hot, and Blue" show. (The Associated Press)

 

 

 

Career Milestones:

 

Most No. 1 hits

Elvis had 18 No. 1 hits, a record until the Beatles totaled 20 from 1964 through 1970.

 

Of the soloists who had at least one No. 1 hit during that span, Stevie Wonder tops the list with eight. He had his first chart topper with “Fingertips Part 2” in 1963. That’s less than half as many as Elvis had.

 

No singer, who had his/her first No. 1 hit prior to 1960, had five.

 

Most weeks at No. 1

Elvis’ 18 No. 1 hits combined to remain in the top spot for a record 79 weeks.

 

Of the singers from 1955 through 1963, Stevie Wonder is second with 18 weeks at No. 1. That’s less than 25 percent of Elvis’ record.

 

Longest running No. 1 hits

“Hound Dog” and “Don’t Be Cruel” remained at the top of the charts for 11 weeks, a record for that era.

 

Three songs from that period lasted for eight weeks: “Singing the Blues” by Guy Mitchell in 1956, “Mack the Knife” by Bobby Darin in 1959 and “Theme from A Summer Place” by the Percy Faith Orchestra in 1961.

 

Mariah Carey and Boyz II Men combined to have the longest running No. 1 hit when “One Sweet Day” stayed at the top for a record 16 weeks spanning 1995 and 1996.

 

Three other songs remained at No. 1 for 14 weeks: “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston spanning 1992 and 1993, “I’ll Make Love to You” by Boyz II Men in 1994 and “Macarena” by Los Del Rio in 1996.

 

Most Top 40 hits

114 Top 40 hits.

 

Elton John is second with 59, slightly more than half of Elvis’ total. The Beatles were third with 52.

 

Of the singers from 1955 through 1963, Stevie Wonder had 46 Top 40 hits, one more than Aretha Franklin. Pat Boone had 38, Fats Domino 37 and Ricky Nelson and Connie Francis 35 each.

 

Most Top 10 hits

38 Top 10 hits, four more than the Beatles. Madonna is a surprising third with 32 and Stevie Wonder fourth with 28.

 

Ricky Nelson and Pat Boone were in 15th and 17th place, respectively, with 19 and 18 Top 10 hits. (Via)