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75 things you didn't know about Elvis

The King turns 75 today

The MusicRadar Team, Fri 8 Jan 2010, 5:10 pm GMT

Elvis presley comeback special

All hail The King © Michael Ochs Archives/Corbis

On 8 January 1935 The King Of Rock 'N' Roll was born. Musician, actor, sex symbol and cultural icon, Elvis Presley may have died tragically young at 42-years-old, but his legend is still as strong and alive as it was 75 years ago.

Today, MusicRadar is bowing a head to The King with a fitting factathon: 75 things you didn't know about Elvis. But wait, hold your darn horses all the way back to Graceland. Why have we only listed 74?

The competition

We need you to tell us the rarest, juiciest and downright eye-brow raising fact(s) you know about Elvis Presley. We'll populate the number 75 spot with the craziest quote and, best of all, the winning fact-finder will receive a special Elvis 75 US box set (plus four UK box sets for the runners up).

Elvis 75

So, sit back, pull down your golden shades and Take Care Of Business by reading on and letting us know what we missed. Scroll through to the end for details on how to enter…

75 things you didn't know about Elvis

1. The King Of Rock 'n' Roll's full name is Elvis Aaron Presley, although for many years Elvis assumed his middle name was spelt Aron (that's what it says on his birth certificate, after all).

2. It wasn't until Elvis sought to officially change it to the more traditional spelling that he learnt that, despite the document, state records did indeed already have him registered as Elvis Aaron.

3. When Elvis was at Humes High School, he was on the boxing team. His favourite class was wood shop.

4. Elvis's first guitar cost $7.75 (plus 2% sales tax) from his home town's Tupelo Hardware Company. His mother, Gladys, helped him buy it for his 11th birthday.

Elvis guitar

Elvis's first guitar © Tupelo Hardware Company

5. On Thursday 7th January, the first of 14 six-foot public art replicas of Elvis's first acoustic will go on display outside the store as part of the 75th birthday celebrations.

6. Apparently, though, Elvis would have preferred a 22. cal rifle.

7. The gun obsession did continue, however. Elvis had a collection of 40 weapons (including sub-machine guns) and was honoured with a Smith & Wesson signature revolver (the TCB Tribute) in 2007.

Elvis presley tcb tribute revolver

Elvis Presley TCB Tribute Revolver

8. As a youngster, Elvis idolized gospel group The Statesmen. According to Elvis's back-up singer Joe Moscheo, Elvis's dance moves were inspired by James 'Big Chief' Wetherington (The Statesmen's bass singer), who was famous for his leg twitching.

9. Splash it all over! Elvis's favourite aftershave was Brut.

10. Elvis's first recording at Sun Records was self-funded in August 1953. He cut a two-sided acetate: My Happiness and That's When Your Heartaches Begin.

Next: 11-20

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