Elvis Presley was an American singer and actor who rose to fame during the mid-20th century. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of all time, having had a profound impact on popular culture around the world. Elvis' ethnicity was predominantly Scottish, with some German and English ancestry thrown into the mix. His father's side of the family were from Scotland and Germany, while his mother's side were mostly from England. According to some genealogical records, Elvis also had Irish roots on both sides of his family tree. He was born in Tupelo, Mississippi but spent most of his childhood in Memphis Tennessee where he went to school and found success in music. With regards to race or ethnicity however , Elvis identified himself as white/Caucasian throughout his career - this was typical for many Americans at that time due to racial segregation laws which still existed in parts of America before they were abolished by President Lyndon Johnson in 1964