73 Years Ago Today: The Shy Memphis Teen Who Became the King

73 years ago today, a quiet and timid teenager walked across the stage to celebrate a life-changing moment.

On June 3, 1953, a tall and slim 18-year-old male overcame bullying, a tremendous lack of confidence, and the doubts of his own music teacher and graduated from L. C. Humes High School (now Humes Preparatory Academy Middle School) in Memphis, Tennessee.

The man's name? Elvis Aaron Presley.

As baffling as it may seem, Elvis was not a child music prodigy. In fact, he didn't have much support within the walls of his high school.

According to Graceland.com, school bullies cut the strings on Elvis' guitar while he was in eighth grade. He was also bullied for his signature long hair. Classmates gave him nicknames like "Squirrel" and "Miss Elvis."

Incredibly, the school's eighth-grade music teacher gave Elvis a "C" and claimed he had no aptitude for singing. Fortunately for Elvis, legendary record producer Sam Phillips couldn't have disagreed more.

Elvis Presley Got His First Big Break on July 18

On July 18, 1953, Elvis Presley paid a visit to Memphis Recording Service (now Sun Studio), where he paid $3.98 to record his first demo. He recorded "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin."

Phillips' assistant, Marion Keisker, was in the studio to record Elvis' two pieces. Impressed by his work, she pushed for Phillips to work with Elvis. That would be Elvis' first big break, eventually launching his career and run as "The King of Rock and Roll."

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 3, 2026, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 3, 2026 at 4:35 PM.