Oh boy – music would look a whole lot different today if it wasn’t for the man himself – Elvis Presley. The King of Rock n’ Roll is aptly named because he helped to bring the genre to the masses. With his unique style and undeniable charm, Elvis was the man who all people either wanted to be or be with. But there are so many interesting facts you might not know about the enigmatic music legend. Here are some of them.
It All Started on the Radio
Elvis began his music career in 1954 when a local radio DJ played his version of “That’s All Right,” the first single released by Presley. The song was played on-air through his producer, Sam Phillips, and propelled his career.
Elvis Knew Karate?
Elvis Presley was into karate and was a 7th-degree black belt. His interest in martial arts took shape when he was trained in the Army in 1958 and learned the fighting style of Chito-Ryu under his instructor Hank Slemansky.
He Was a Germaphobe
Presley was born with sandy-colored hair and started dying his hair black when he was a teenager. He was also a germaphobe and sipped his glasses from the part above the handle as he believed that no one would have drunk from that part.
His First Song
Elvis recorded his first song “My Happiness” aged 18 years for $4 in Memphis as his birthday gift for his mother, but she never heard it as the Presleys didn’t own a record player. He changed song lyrics during his performances to amuse himself.
He Didn’t Know How to Play the Guitar
Elvis could not actually play the guitar although he was often seen walking around with one and strumming it in his performances. The guitar was only used as a prop to make him look better and musically competent.
200 Cadillacs!
The King of Rock n’ Roll had a fascination for Cadillacs and owned 200 of them. His fleet of Cadillacs was later given away to friends and family. He liked to dress up as a police officer and would pull people, usually women over to give them his autograph.