Elvis Presley is arguably one of the biggest names in showbiz and had a decades-long career, but there was one place in particular that he never performed
Elvis Presley never performed in the UK.
The legendary rock ‘n’ roll icon, who ruled the charts from the 1950s until his death in 1977 with hits like Jailhouse Rock, Hound Dog and Always on My Mind, never performed a single concert in the UK despite having a massive fan base.
The charismatic singer achieved global success selling an estimated 500 million records worldwide and his fame also extended to the silver screen, starring in 31 feature films and two concert documentary films.
Despite becoming one of Hollywood’s highest-paid actors, Elvis was sadly unable to fulfil his desire to visit and tour Europe. Reports suggest that he was barred from touring the UK due to his manager, Colonel Tom Parker.
Born in the Netherlands, Parker arrived in the US illegally and feared that if he left the country, even for Elvis’ worldwide tour, he would not be allowed back into the US.
Despite Elvis’ eagerness to tour Europe, Colonel Parker, born Andreas Cornelis van Kuijk, allegedly persuaded the Love Me Tender star that travelling abroad posed a security risk and encouraged him to focus on Las Vegas instead, reports the Express.
Having started his career in carnivals, Parker transitioned into music promotion in 1938 and collaborated with singers like Gene Austin, Eddy Arnold, Hank Snow and Tommy Sand before crossing paths with Elvis.
At the height of his fame Elvis was drafted into the United States Army and served as a regular soldier, which reportedly marked his only visit to Europe. He was stationed in Germany for overseas duty and rather than leveraging his celebrity status to evade service, he fulfilled his duties as an active soldier.
During his military stint, Elvis even climbed the ranks and was promoted to Sergeant before receiving an honourable discharge on 5 March 1969. Besides residing in Germany, there are accounts suggesting that the King made a single trip to the UK while stopping at Scotland’s Prestwick airport en route back to Germany.
There are also unverified tales that British legend Tommy Steele entertained Elvis during a visit to London in 1958 and showed him landmarks, including the Houses of Parliament.
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