Elvis' first original record to auction for $91,000 at Whyte's

Whyte's has announced that, on March 24, it will hold Ireland's first ever dedicated pop and rock auction in Dublin, highlighted by Elvis Presley's first original record.

The demo acetate record of That's All Right is expected to sell for $65,000-91,000. It is the only known promo copy of Elvis' first commercial record, as well as the unique example played publicly by radio DJ Dewey Phillips in 1954.

That's All Right was first recorded by Presley on July 5, 1954, after he was asked to return to the studio following an earlier session as an unknown. According to Scotty Moore, bassist Bill Black remarked after recording the song: "Damn. Get that on the radio and they'll run us out of town."

Elvis' first original record
'Damn. Get that on the radio and they'll run us out of town.'



Black was right and this single-sided demo was then passed to Dewey Phillips by the studio manager to air on his popular show, Red, Hot & Blue.

The song was an immediate hit and That's All Right was reportedly played over 14 times that night, with more than 40 telephone calls received by the station. Elvis was on the road to becoming a star, and That's All Right was released on July 19 with Blue Moon of Kentucky as the B-side.

The record sold around 20,000 copies on its release, making its way to the top of the local charts and inadvertently starting rock and roll.

The promo acetate is stamped with Elvis' surname spelt Pressley and the names of his band members, Scotty and Bill on the Memphis Recording Service Label. It was last sold at auction at Bonhams in 1998, where it was acquired for £18,000 ($27,000) by the present owner.

Following his meteoric rise to fame, Elvis was inducted into the US Army in March 1958. Paul Fraser Collectibles has two fantastic signed photographs of Elvis from his time in the forces as well as authentic strands of his hair from that haircut.

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