On this day in 1954, a young Elvis Presley appeared at the Hillbilly Hoedown, which was held at the Overton Park Band Shell in Memphis, Tennessee. Other notables on the same bill were Slim Whitman and Sonny Harvelle. When it came time for Elvis to perform, he was so nervous that he stood up on the balls of his feet. That stance coupled with him shaking his legs inside his baggy pants to the beat of the music got the crowd so excited they began yelling at him. This wild gyrating got the crowd so stirred up that it became his trademark in live performances from that point on.
Notable Musicians Born on July 30:
1936, George “Buddy” Guy, American blues guitarist.
1941, Paul Anka.
1945, David Sanborn, saxophone.
1946, Jeffrey Hammond Hammond, bass, Jethro Tull.
1958, Kate Bush, UK singer, songwriter.
1980, Seth Avett, lead singer and founding member of the folk-rock band The Avett Brothers.
