It’s June twenty-first, and on this day in 1961… Elvis Presley began a recording session at RCA’s studios in Nashville, laying down tracks that would appear on the *Pot Luck* album. Songs recorded included “Kiss Me Quick,” “That’s Someone You Never Forget,” and “I’m Yours.” The session featured Elvis’s trusted Nashville crew: Scotty Moore, Hank Garland, and Neal Matthews on guitar; Bob Moore on bass; Floyd Cramer and Gordon Stoker on piano; Boots Randolph on saxophone; and vocal backing from the Jordanaires and Millie Kirkham. The recordings captured the smooth, polished pop sound that defined much of Elvis’s early 60s output.

It’s June twentieth, and on this day in 1956… the *Memphis World*, an African-American newspaper, reported that Elvis Presley had quietly defied segregation laws by attending the Fairgrounds amusement park on a night designated for Black patrons only. The move was seen as a sign of solidarity by many in Memphis’s Black community, who already recognized the deep influence of Black artists on Elvis’s music. While some, including Colonel Tom Parker, feared backlash, RCA executive Larry Kanaga dismissed concerns, writing that any negative press would be outweighed by Elvis’s immense talent and the Colonel’s business savvy.

It’s June nineteenth, and on this day in 1959… Vernon Presley returned to Memphis from Germany to handle family business, including renewing the license plates on Elvis’s fleet of luxury cars. But it wasn’t the paperwork that drew attention—it was the mysterious woman on his arm. Dee Stanley, a stylish, blue-eyed blonde unfamiliar to the Memphis press and public, caused quite a stir. Rumors quickly spread, with many wondering whether she was connected to Elvis or Vernon. The truth would emerge later, but on this day, the city buzzed with speculation about the newest figure in the Presley orbit.