December 11th in Elvis History

It's December eleventh, and on this day in 1956… Elvis Presley ran out of gas in his brand-new Cadillac Seville and was quickly mobbed by fans. That same day, Louisiana Governor Earl K. Long awarded Elvis the honorary title of Louisiana Colonel—the same symbolic rank held by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. It was a moment that blended Presley’s growing national fame with Southern recognition, cementing his rising status not just as a performer, but as a cultural figure of honor in the region that launched his career.