Rare images of the King

Elvis Presley, the undisputed King of Rock 'n' Roll, died 33 years ago on Aug. 16, 1977. The newly released book "Elvis Presley's Memphis," presented by Elvis Presley Enterprises and The Commercial Appeal, features vintage and rarely seen photographs of the King and the city he loved. This slideshow highlights 21 photos and captions from the book. The images were culled from the archives of Graceland and The Commercial Appeal, Memphis' 169-year-old newspaper.

This photo shows Elvis on Aug. 5, 1955 at his second appearance at the Overton Park Shell in Memphis, Tenn.

Taking a break from fans, Elvis relaxed with family on the patio of his home at 1034 Audubon Drive in Memphis. Elvis paid $40,000 for the four-bedroom, ranch-style house in 1956, a year before he puchased Graceland. On the same day this photograph was taken -- July 4, 1956 -- Elvis also played a benefit concert at Russwood Park in Memphis.

Elvis in the front yard of his home at 1034 Audubon Drive in May 1956. When this photo was taken, Elvis had just returned from touring; the band's instruments were still packed on the roof of his car. His famous pink Cadillac can be seen over his right shoulder.

Elvis pictured backstage at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis on Feb. 6, 1955. Between shows, Col. Tom Parker met with Sam Phillips of Sun Studio, Elvis and Bob Neal, Elvis' manager at the time, to begin negotiations for Parker to represent Elvis.

Elvis danced with Barbara Hearn in the living room of his house at 1034 Audubon Drive on July 4, 1956. Hearn, Elvis' former girlfriend, later recalled that Elvis' bedroom was pink with twin beds. "It looked like a teenage girl's room," Hearn said in "Elvis Presley's Memphis." "His mother just bought what she thought was pretty, and he loved it too. If she did it, he loved it."

Legendary disc jockey Dewey Phillips joined Elvis on stage at Ellis Auditorium on Feb. 6, 1955. When Phillips first played Elvis' song "That's All Right" on the radio, the phone lines jammed with callers wanting to hear more.

Elvis performed at Ellis Auditorium on May 15, 1956, as the headliner for the Memphis Cotton Carnival. The demand to see Elvis was so great that both sides of the auditorium, North and South Halls, were opened to accommodate the overflow.

As the fast-talking host of "Red Hot and Blue" on WHBQ raido throughout the 1950s, Dewey Phillips was considered by many to have been the greatest deejay of the era. His eclectic show -- which mixed blues, country, R&B and dance records seamlessly -- helped prepare Southern audiences for the coming wave of rock 'n' roll. Phillips died on Sept. 28, 1968 at age 42.

The raised right hand of Elvis Presley meant the singing idol was officially in the U.S. Army. Administering the oath at the Memphis induction center was Maj. Elbert P. Turner. By midnight March 24, 1958, Elvis and 20 other inductees from Memphis were lining up for their first formation at Fort Chaffee, Ark.

Some 200 fans waited at Union Station to welcome Elvis home from his stint in the U.S. Army on March 7, 1960. He was wearing a non-issue dress blue Army uniform made in Germany. Elvis was discharged with the rank of sergeant, but the tailor had mistakenly given him the stripes of staff sergeant. The formal white shirt was a gift from Frank Sinatra delivered by his daughter, Nancy, on Elvis' first day back in the States.

A fan shows off her dress at Elvis Presley's concert at Ellis Auditorium on May 15, 1956. More than 7,000 people jammed the auditorium to stomp, shudder, shriek and sigh as a young Elvis writhed his way through a rock 'n' roll repertoire.

Elvis Presley in an undated photograph at Ellis Auditorium in Memphis, probably 1956-1957. He appears to be wearing the same shoes, socks and ring he wore the night of his May 15, 1956 concert.

Elvis fingered an electric bass inside Graceland in this photograph published on March 7, 1965 in the first issue of Mid-South, the Sunday magazine of The Commercial Appeal.

Elvis was always eager to help charities. Over the years he worked with many organizations, including the American Cancer Society, Salvation Army, Memphis Union Mission, Muscular Dystrophy, St. Jude and the March of Dimes.

Elvis pictured in 1957 with one of his Cadillacs.

Elvis outside Jim's Barber Shop on South Main Street in Memphis in 1956. On March 8, 1960, Elvis was quoted as saying, "Somebody asked me this morning what I missed about Memphis and I said everything."

By the fall of 1955, Elvis had toured the South, including Texas and Florida, performed at the Grand Ole Opry and on "Louisiana Hayride," and recorded all of his Sun Studio songs.

Main Street was the busiest street in Memphis back in 1951. All the major department stores -- Goldsmith's, Bry's, Lowenstein's and Grant's -- were located there, along with the Chisca, Claridge and Gayoso hotels. Elvis worked as an usher at the Loew's State Theater on the right in 1950.

The Memphian theater, built in 1939, was located at 51 S. Cooper in Midtown and became Elvis' favorite place to screen movies. It was not uncommon for him, when he was home from tours, to spend virtually every night at the Memphian.

The Presley family -- Vernon, Gladys and son Elvis -- strapped their few belongings on top of a 1939 Plymouth and drove from Tupelo to Memphis in 1948. This photograph shows an aerial view of downtown Memphis in 1948.

Elvis performed at Russwood Park on July 4, 1956. Photographer Robert W. Dye had access most fans would have died for, watching the show on stage 10 feet from Elvis. Asked once about how he got to be on stage, Dye answered, "It was the only safe place to be. Those girls in the audience would mob you."