On the brink of becoming an artistic phenomenon: The incendiary deejay who broke Elvis Presley north of the Mason-Dixon Line

Sporting unusual curly hair, Elvis Presley innocently looks at the camera as he gets a first taste of autograph mania in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 20, 1955. Presley was in town to film several songs for lost documentary “The Pied Piper of Cleveland,” financed by deejay Bill Randle. Photography by Tommy Edwards / Courtesy of Chris Kennedy / appears in “1950s Radio in Color”

On July 5, 1954, Elvis Presley, chock full of nerves and not exactly sure of what would transpire, ventured inside Sun Studio for his first official recording session with producer Sam Phillips, guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.