Las Vegas NV
2007

The King of rock and roll is most widely recognized for his time spent performing in Las Vegas, but imagine a time when he was new to sin city. In 1956, a fresh faced Elvis Presley made his debut alongside Freddy Martin and comedian Sheckly Greene, for what was supposed to be a two week residency at the New Frontier Hotel. Presley had just released his first album Elvis Presley, and was quickly gaining popularity with a young audience.

In 1969 after the release of “Blue Suede Shoes”, the singer was invited to return to the Las Vegas Strip. Booked for a month long residency at the International Hotel, he made more than $1 million in four weeks, quickly becoming one of the hottest attractions in the city.

Presley remained a Vegas staple until his death in 1977, and still remains an important part of the city’s culture.

https://nevadamagazine.com/issue/february-1995/6994/

https://www.biography.com/musicians/elvis-presley-las-vegas

Elvis and Las Vegas: How the King Made Sin City His Home

On April 23, 1956, Elvis Presley made his Las Vegas debut as the closing act of a show at the New Frontier hotel and casino. Billed as "The Atomic Powered Singer," the rising star had just delivered his first national No. 1 single, "Heartbreak Hotel," and was coming off a series of tours that had whizzed him through crowds of fawning, frenzied teenagers in the South and Midwest. Taking the stage with guitarist Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black and drummer D.J. Fontana, Elvis strutted and gyrated his way through his recent hit and three other songs. He received the equivalent of crickets chirping from a stone-faced audience. Things would eventually get better for the King in Vegas. But at that moment, it was a stark reminder that the world at large was still adjusting to his transformative presence.