1935 – Elvis Presley born in Tupelo, Mississipi

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, Elvis Aaron Presley, was born to Vernon Elvis and Gladys Love Presley in a two room house built by Vernon. He was preceded into the world by his stillborn brother, Jesse Garon Presley, some 35 minutes earlier.

Presley is one of the best known and most popular rock stars of all time, acheiving a level of fame and success in his 42 years that remains the yardstick by which all celebrities must still be measured, and if you don’t already know who he was… well, you were probaby born after 1977.

Also, although Guiness doesn’t keep records on it, he is also probably the most-frequently impersonated human being of all time.

Referenced in:

Tupelo – Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds

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1935 – Kate ‘Ma’ Barker is killed in a shootout with the FBI

The Barker-Karpis gang was, in its time, one of the most feared and deadly gangs of criminals in the United States of America. Between 1910 and 1935, they committed a number of robberies and were implicated in a dozen murders.

Ma Barker and her son Fred were shot to death by the FBI at a rented house in Lake Weir, Florida. Later evidence strongly suggests that Ma Barker, although often covering for her four son’s criminal endevaours, was not the criminal mastermind or teacher she has often been portrayed as. John Ford would understand why.

Referenced in:
Ma Baker – Boney M

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