First Elvis Record Sells for £200,000

It was to the start of the most seismic change in modern music and pop culture.

On 18th July 1953, a young Elvis Presley walked into Sun Studio in Memphis, paid $4 for a session and recorded the ballad My Happiness, in order to discover how he sounded on tape. I think we'd all agree that it was quite a good decision.

He went to the home of his friend Ed Leek to listen to it (as he did not own a record player) and left it behind. Now in the possession of Leek's niece, that acetate - the very first Elvis recording - has sold at auction on what would have been Elvis' birthday for the princely (or should that be Kingly) sum of $300,000 (£198,000).

It was bought by an undisclosed buyer at Presley's former home and museum Graceland, where it will presumably go on display. You can have a listen to the song below.

A year after this recording, he was to release his first 'proper' single, That's All Right/Blue Moon of Kentucky - it went pretty well after that for him.

[via Guardian]

(Image: Rex)