May 16th: Mystery Hospitalization

It's May 16th, and on this day in 1954, Elvis Presley attended the annual Cotton Festival in Memphis. Two years before he would become a headliner at the event, he was in the audience, watching the performance of Eddy Arnold, who had once been managed by Colonel Tom Parker. The Jordanaires, who would go on to become a crucial part of Elvis's sound, were backing Arnold during the show. After the performance, Elvis made his way backstage, where he famously told the group, ""If I ever cut a record, I want you guys singing background with me."" This moment would foreshadow the collaboration that would shape Elvis's musical career.In 1956, Elvis gave two performances at the Robinson Memorial Auditorium in Little Rock, Arkansas. During an interview between shows, he mentioned that his favorite song was ""I Was The One"" from his first RCA session.In 1957, Elvis was released from the hospital after an unspecified health issue.In 1967, Elvis visited the Memphian Theater to watch Peter Sellers' film *A Shot In The Dark*.And in 1971, while recording his upcoming Christmas album in Nashville, Elvis and his band jammed during a break, playing Bob Dylan's ""Don't Think Twice, It's All Right"" for over 11 minutes. Elvis lost interest in the Christmas album afterward, and the band recorded three instrumental tracks instead.