66 Years Ago Today: Lew Allen Invited to Photograph Elvis Presley at the Cleveland Arena

23 Nov 2022

On this day in 1956, 17-year-old photography enthusiast by the name of Lew Allen was invited to shoot Elvis Presley at the Cleveland Arena for his high school newspaper. A labour strike at the three major newspapers in Cleveland meant that Lew Allen was the only photographer at the show. 

'Looking back, I realised that I had witnessed and captured the birth of rock 'n' roll.' - Lew Allen

The signed limited edition, Elvis & the Birth of Rock - The Photography of Lew Allen, catalogues Allen's serendipitous images of Elvis interspersed with now-legendary acts, such as Buddy Holly, The Everly Brothers, Bobby Darin, Frankie Avalon, and many more from this concert and two shows in Rochester, New York in 1958.