Monday’s trivia question was:
What rock and roll legend, despite selling more than a billion albums, has only won three Grammys, all for gospel albums?
And the answer is …
Elvis Presley, of course.
The official Elvis Presley website says this of his overall record sales:
“It is estimated that Elvis Presley has sold over one billion record units worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history. In America alone, Elvis has had 150 different albums and singles that have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with more certifications expected as research into his past record sales continues and as current sales go on. Research is also underway to document his record sales achievements in other countries. It is estimated that 40% of Elvis’ total record sales have been outside the United States.”
That’s A LOT of records!
Over his decades-long career, Elvis received a total of 14 Grammy nominations. He won three times: in 1967 for the album How Great Thou Art , in 1972 for the inspirational album He Touched Me and in 1974 for his live Memphis concert recording of the song “How Great Thou Art.”
For an artist who helped usher in rock and roll, Elvis always had one foot in the gospel genre, influenced by the music he heard in church and the all-night gospel sings he frequently attended, as well as the black R&B sounds he absorbed on Memphis’ historic Beale Street.
To learn more about the legendary King of Rock and Roll, visit the official Elvis Presley website.