1956 Elvis Presley handwritten signed letter to a fan. ...

Description

1956 Elvis Presley handwritten signed letter to a fan. 1956 Elvis Presley handwritten signed letter to a fan. 1-page, 6.25 x 9 in., on "Elvis Presley Fan Club National Headquarters" (Memphis, TN) stamped stationery, dated January 18, 1956, with the original hand-addressed, stamped and canceled transmittal envelope, addressed to "Miss Caroline Jeannette Helms, 2211 South Market Street, Chattanooga 8, Tennessee," stamped with "Elvis Presley Fan Club National Headquarters, 160 Union, Memphis, Tenn." at the upper left-hand corner. Letter exhibits minor soiling and original folds. Housed in a custom leather and cloth slipcase. Elvis Presley has handwritten in blue pen, in full: "January 18, 1956 / Hello Caroline / Thanks loads for your flattering letter. I've just come back from cutting my next record in Nashville. It will be released Jan 30th after my first appearance on Jackie Gleason's TV show - the 28th. I'll probably sing one side of the new release then. I don't think Bob [Bob Neal of the William Morris Agency] has me booked for Grand Ole Opry for a long time yet. If you'll send 25c I'll be glad to autograph and mail you a picture as soon as a fresh supply arrives. Have lots of mail to answer so - bye for now - Elvis Presley" On January 10-11, 1956, just a week before this letter was written, Presley had recorded his first RCA sessions in Nashville, Tennessee. His first cut was a cover of Ray Charles' "I Got a Woman". Second cut was his new song, "Heartbreak Hotel", which was released January 30, 1956, following its first performance during Presley's U.S. network TV debut on January 28th. William Morris Agency, booked Presley into the first of 6 weekly guest slots (for $1,250.00 each) on Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey-hosted "Stage Show", which aired live from New York on CBS. He performed "Heartbreak Hotel" and a cover of Carl Perkins' "Blue Suede Shoes". Recording sessions continued after his TV appearance (ending February 1st); Presley recorded his own version of "Blue Suede Shoes", plus even more tracks for his debut album. There were also cover versions of Little Richard's "Tutti Frutti" and The Drifters' "Money Honey". The song "Heartbreak Hotel", written by Mae Boren Axton (mother of Hoyt Axton), debuted on the U.S. charts in March, 1956; topping the charts for 8 weeks, and becoming Presley's first million-seller.

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