Celebrating the King of Rock & Roll: 5 Fun Facts about Elvis Presley

In honor of the “King of Rock and Roll” the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa is throwing an Elvis Presley themed 80th birthday celebration from January 8 to January 11.

Born on January 8, 1935, the legendary icon made his footprint on music, setting the bar high for the rock and roll genre. His impact was so great that it still garners musician’s attention, some of which impersonate his hit singles.

Tribute artist Chris MacDonald will perform on the Hard Rock Cafe stage for a “Memories of Elvis in Concert Rockin’ Birthday Bash” on January 9.

MacDonald’s show will include costume changes and songs representing the different stages of Elvis’s career including the 1950’s, movies, his 1968 comeback and the 1970’s White Fringe Vegas Concerts. MacDonald has the honor of being the only tribute artist hired by Elvis Presley Enterprises to perform at Graceland’s Heartbreak Hotel.

In addition, tribute artist Brandon Cody Wise will take the Hard Rock Cafe stage for a tribute to Elvis on January 10.

Don’t miss the $75,000 Viva Elvis Hot seat, where 100 random players will win $250 in Free Play each day, from 10am to 10pm. Play with your Wild Card and you could be one of the lucky winners.

Bonus: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa will offer Elvis’ favorites on the menu from January 8-10. Stay tuned for our Foodie Friday blog coming up this week to find out all of the Elvis themed cuisine featured in the Hard Rock Cafe.

Check out these five fun facts about the 1950s heartthrob.

  1. Elvis starred in 33 successful films and also was featured in a commercial for Southern Made Doughnuts in 1954. His line was, “You get ’em piping hot after 4 a.m.”
  2. Elvis was 22 years old when he purchased his mansion “Graceland,” which he lived in for two decades.
  3. Elvis served in the United States Army and was honorably discharged in 1960, achieving the rank of sergeant.
  4. Elvis has sold more than one billion albums globally, far exceeding any other artist and earning him gold, platinum and multi-platinum awards.
  5. Elvis became the youngest recipient of a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at 36 years old.

Photo courtesy of Getty Images