A History of Elvis Presley in Nashville

Elvis Presley died on August 16, 1977, and to honor his legacy, Graceland throws a week-long event, the largest Elvis celebration in the world. While Graceland, Presley’s Memphis home, is a Tennessee landmark, the King of Rock and Roll also frequented Music City. My dad met him once at a friend’s Christmas party! Presley was his friend’s cousin, and he gifted his friend a pair of red cowboy boots.

Obviously, Presley’s Nashville history extends far beyond a pair of red cowboy boots. Here’s more about Presley in Nashville, and how you can celebrate Elvis Week.

🎵 Elvis Presley Records in Nashville

While Presley recorded his earliest albums at Sun Records in Memphis, RCA bought his contract in 1955, and he began recording in Nashville, including “Heartbreak Hotel” during his first session. Because of Presley’s success, RCA was able to build RCA Studio B, which opened in 1957. Presley would record more than 200 songs there. According to local guitarist Jerry Kennedy, who recorded with Presley, “He loved staying up all night. That’s when he did his best work. We would show up at 6 p.m. and not get finished until 5 or 6 o’clock the next morning.”

In the summer of 1970, Presley recorded dozens of songs with the Nashville Cats, a group of Nashville’s top musicians, in marathon sessions that sometimes lasted five days straight. He recorded his last RCA albums in 1971.

🎤 Presley’s Nashville Performances

Presley performed for the Grand Ole Opry at the Ryman Auditorium in 1954. He wasn’t a big hit with the country music audience, and was never invited back. He performed twice in 1973 at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, and was much better received. Then in 1975, he performed four times at Middle Tennessee State University’s Murphy Center. The tickets — only $5-10 — sold out in a day.

🏙️ How To Celebrate Elvis in Nashville