1953: An 18-year old truck driver ambles into the Memphis Recording Service. He tells the woman on duty that he wants to make a record of his singing for his mother’s birthday. He pays her $3.98 for the privilege. The truck driver is named Elvis Presley and the Memphis Recording Service will soon change its name to Sun Studios.

The woman on duty is Marion Keisker. She tells her boss, Sam Phillips that she liked what she heard and that Phillips ought to consider bringing the young Presley in for further recording.

And that story about his mother’s birthday? Elvis’ mother’s birthday is in April, a long way from July. Elvis would admit years later that he made the record because he wanted to hear what he sounded like.