Elvis Presley needs no introduction—after all, he’s the King of Rock and Roll! His classic songs and movies have stood the test of time, but beyond the smash hit records and films, sequined outfits and unmistakable voice, he’s a man who showed us what it means to keep going when life gives you every reason not to.
Born Elvis Aaron Presley on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, he came into the world under heartbreaking circumstances. His identical twin brother, Jesse Garon, was stillborn just 35 minutes before him—a loss that would shape Elvis’s entire life—including his deeply close bond with his mother, Gladys.
When Elvis was growing up, his family was so poor that they didn’t have enough money to pay their rent. “Don’t you worry none, Baby,” he told his mom. “When I grow up, I’m going to buy you a fine house and pay everything you owe at the grocery store and get two Cadillacs—one for you and Daddy, and one for me.” Years later, Elvis would make good on every single one of those promises.
But what his parents lacked in money, they made up for in love—and in music. From the moment Elvis could walk, he was singing along with his mother to gospel songs at the First Assembly of God church in East Tupelo. In fact, people say his soul-stirring voice was born in that little church.
His life would be forever changed in 1946, when he wanted either a rifle or a bicycle for his 11th birthday. But fate would have other plans: Instead, his mother took him to the Tupelo Hardware Store and bought him a guitar for $7.75. “You could play it when you sing,” she told him. “You know how people love to hear you sing.”
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When Elvis was 13, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where they couldn’t afford a real apartment and ended up settling in a public housing complex called Lauderdale Courts. Things didn’t get any easier during his time at Humes High School: His music teacher even told him he couldn’t sing. But he didn’t let that stop him.
In the summer of 1953, 18-year-old Elvis was working at the Precision Tool Company in Memphis when he summoned up the courage to walk into the Memphis Recording Service. The studio let regular people pay a small fee to record themselves singing—and Elvis told the studio he wanted to record two songs as a birthday gift for his mother. But here’s the thing: His mom’s birthday had not only been months earlier, but the Presley family didn’t even own a record player! The truth is, the shy teenager was secretly hoping he’d be discovered.
Elvis didn’t know it, but the studio’s owner, Sam Phillips, was about to launch Sun Records—the legendary label that would soon discover Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Roy Orbison. But on this particular afternoon, Phillips wasn’t even there. Instead, his assistant Marion Keisker handled the session. She was so blown away that she spent almost a year reminding her boss about this incredible young talent.
Finally, in July 1954, Phillips called him back in. Elvis showed up with two session musicians, and during a break, he started fooling around with a song called “That’s All Right (Mama).” That recording would become Elvis’s first hit. He signed with RCA in 1955 and released “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1956, which went on to become the biggest hit of the year.
But Elvis didn’t just shine on a concert stage, he was also magnetic on the big screen. Elvis starred in 31 movies—including the iconic Jailhouse Rock, Blue Hawaii and Viva Las Vegas with Ann-Margret. He sold more than a billion records worldwide and garnered 14 Grammy nominations—even received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at just 36 years old!
But behind every No. 1 song, sold-out concert and hit movie was a man fighting his own quiet battles. Elvis was just 23 when he lost his beloved mother. At the peak of his fame, he was drafted into the U.S. Army and served two honorable years in Germany, where he refused special treatment.
Elvis Presley left this world far too soon. He was only 42 years old, but the wisdom he shared along the way is timeless. And that’s why he’s today’s quote of the day.
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Quote of the Day by Elvis Presley
“When things go wrong, don’t go with them.”
I love this quote because it’s so succinct, yet it carries so much weight. The “Heartbreak Hotel” singer is acknowledging that life isn’t always perfect and there will be hard times, but he’s not giving advice on how to handle those difficult times. Instead, he’s reminding us that when bad things happen, we have a choice to decide how to react to them. When it’s sink or swim, we have to make the choice to swim—even when it feels like all we want to do is sink.
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Deeper Meaning of Elvis Presley’s Quote—Determination Is a Choice
Even though he’s remembered for bringing joy to millions of people across the globe, Elvis certainly knew all about pain. He lost his beloved mom when he was only 23 years old, in the middle of basic training at Fort Hood. “It broke my heart,” he later said. “She was always my best girl.” Less than a month after her death, he received orders for his two-year Army deployment. Location? Germany. He had just lost the most important person in his world, and was being shipped halfway across the world—nearly 5,000 miles from Graceland.
And when Elvis got back, the music industry had dramatically shifted. The Beatles, Bob Dylan and Motown were dominating the airwaves, and the King of Rock and Roll was being seen in the past tense. In fact, many in the industry had written him off. Things may have been going wrong, but he made the conscious choice not to go with them.
On December 3, 1968, he stunned the country with what became known as his ’68 Comeback Special on NBC. Dressed head to toe in black leather, he sang his classics with the same fire he’d had in 1956—not only reminding viewers of the legend he was, but also capturing 42% of the entire American TV viewing audience.
Photo by Michael Ochs Archives on Getty Images
The King was officially back. Less than a year later, he released his first No. 1 hit in seven years—”Suspicious Minds.” He made history with 1973’s Aloha From Hawaii, the first concert ever broadcast worldwide to more than a billion viewers across 40 countries.
Elvis’s life ultimately ended far too soon—in 1977, he passed away at just 42 years old. His battles weren’t always easy and he didn’t always win them—but every single time he stepped onto a stage or we saw him onscreen, Elvis was living proof of his own powerful words. In the face of deep pain and unimaginable pressure, he taught us that determination is a choice—and we must make the choice to keep going through every hardship.
More Quotes From Elvis Presley
- “You’ve got to follow that dream, wherever that dream may lead.”
- “Truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain’t goin’ away.”
- “There’s no job too immense, when you got confidence.”
- “Don’t criticize what you don’t understand, son. You never walked in that man’s shoes.”
- “You only pass through this life once, you don’t come back for an encore.”
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