Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley, U.S. popular singer, the “King of Rock and Roll.” Presley was raised in Memphis, where he sang Pentecostal church music and listened to black bluesmen and Grand Ole Opry broadcasts. In 1954 he began to record for the producer Sam Phillips, who had been searching for a white singer who sounded like a black man. In 1956, under his new manager, “Colonel” Tom Parker, he released “Heartbreak Hotel,” the first of numerous million-selling hits that included “Hound Dog” and “All Shook Up.” 
In the same year, he appeared in Love Me Tender, the first of 33 mediocre films, and on several TV shows, notably the Ed Sullivan Show. Presley’s intensely charismatic style—including his sexy hip shaking, ducktail haircut, and characteristic sneer—excited young fans, especially females, to wild adulation. After a stint in the army (1958–60) he resumed recording and acting, but his earlier raucous style was moderated. In 1968 he introduced a Las Vegas-based touring act with orchestra and gospel-type choir. Battling public pressures, weight gain, and drug dependence, he underwent a personal decline. His death at age 42, attributed to natural causes, was mourned by hundreds of thousands of fans at Graceland, his Memphis estate, which remains a place of international pilgrimage.
== Early Life ==
Elvis Aron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. (He later changed the spelling of his middle name to the biblical form of Aaron.) Presley was supposed to be a twin, but his brother, Jesse Garon (sometimes spelled Jessie), was stillborn. From very humble beginnings, Presley grew up to become one of the biggest names in rock ’n’ roll.
Raised by loving, working-class parents, Vernon and Gladys, Presley and his family had little money, and they moved from place to place frequently. He was deeply devoted to his parents, especially his mother, and was raised to have a strong faith in God. Presley attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an important influence for him.
Presley received his first guitar as a gift from his mother on his 11th birthday in 1946 and had his first taste of musical success a few years later when he won a talent show at Humes High School in Memphis. After graduating in 1953, he worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. He cut his first demo record at what later became known as Sun Studio that year, and before long, Sam Phillips, the record label owner, decided to take the young performer under his wing. Presley soon began touring and recording, trying to catch his first big break. “That’s All Right” was Presley’s first single in 1954.
== Presley’s Music Career ==
In 1955, Presley began to develop a following with fans being drawn to his unusual musical style, provocative gyrating hips, and good looks. That same year, he signed with RCA Records, a deal worked out by his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Presley was on a roll, scoring his first No. 1 single with “Heartbreak Hotel,” as well as his first No. 1 album, Elvis Presley, and signing a movie contract with Paramount Pictures—all in 1956. Despite the uproar that his sexy dance moves caused, he also became a popular guest on a number of television variety shows. Soon, Presley was everywhere, working as a musician and actor. His first film, Love Me Tender (1956), was a box office hit.
Throughout his amazing career, Presley helped popularize rock ’n’ roll music in America, earning his nickname as the genre’s king. He also won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings. A major musical force, Presley had 18 No. 1 singles, including “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Good Luck Charm,” and “Suspicious Minds,” as well as countless gold and platinum albums. His career launched into superstardom thanks to a September 9, 1956, appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sixty million viewers tuned in to watch Presley, then 21, perform “Don’t Be Cruel” as well as “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender” complete with the hip gyrations many found vulgar. He appeared two more times on the show over the next year, with the third censored from the waist down.
Presley’s 1957 album Elvis’ Christmas Album topped the Billboard charts for four weeks and would go on to sell more than 20 million copies in various editions, becoming the most popular holiday album of all time. Also in 1957, Presley’s song for the film Jailhouse Rock of the same name reached No. 1. Rolling Stone ranked it 216th on its list of the 500 best songs of all time in 2021. Other notable Presley hits include “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “All Shook Up,” “(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”
In 1986, Presley was one of the first performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. But he has been recognized for his contributions to several musical genres, most notably rock, country, and gospel. In 1998, Presley was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame; three years later, he was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Association’s Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
== Military Service and Marriage ==
Elvis and Priscilla Presley were married on May 1, 1967. Even a stint in the U.S. military couldn’t put a damper on Presley’s thriving career. He received his draft notice in 1957 and was inducted into the Army the following March. He eventually served in Germany for about a year and a half. Shortly before Presley left for Europe, his beloved mother, Gladys, died. He was granted a leave and returned to Memphis for the funeral. Deeply saddened by her death, Presley returned to duty. While in Germany, his spirits were lifted slightly when he met a young teenager named Priscilla Beaulieu. The pair fell in love and married on May 1, 1967, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
== Movies and Soundtracks ==
After leaving the Army in 1960, Presley resumed his career and was soon back at the top of the charts with the soundtrack for his film GI Blues. He continued recording music and acting in such films as Blue Hawaii (1961), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), and Viva Las Vegas (1964). Although his films were often hit or miss with both critics and audiences, they brought in a profit, and the soundtracks usually sold well. 
By the late 1960s, however, the enigmatic performer appeared to be losing his box office appeal. Proving he was still The King, he recorded his first TV special in 1968, often referred to as the ’68 Comeback Special. He wowed audiences with his performance, which showcased his talents as a singer and a guitarist.
== Death and Legacy ==
On the morning of August 16, 1977, Presley died of heart failure at the age of 42. It was later ruled that his death was related to his prescription drug abuse. Presley was buried on the Graceland property, near the gravesites of his mother, father, and grandmother Minnie Mae Hood Presley. Presley’s passing brought sadness to many. The FTD flower delivery service reported that more than 3,100 floral arrangements were ordered the day of his death, setting a one-day record in the United States.
An estimated 18,000 people with signs, flowers, and memorabilia lined Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis to catch a glimpse of his funeral procession on August 18. According to The Washington Post, a white Cadillac hearse transported Presley’s body, which laid inside a rose-covered coffin. About 200 family members attended a private ceremony at Graceland. Celebrities and notable figures like John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, Ann-Margret, and Caroline Kennedy were also there.
Presley was survived by his only daughter, Lisa Marie, and four grandchildren, who were all born after his death. Lisa Marie and her first husband, Danny Keough, had two children: daughter Danielle Riley Keough in 1989 and son Benjamin Storm Presley Keough in 1992. Now an actor, Danielle goes by her middle and last names—Riley Keough. She has had credited roles since the 2010s and recently starred in the series Daisy Jones & The Six. In 2008, Lisa Marie and her fourth husband, Michael Lockwood, had twin daughters: Harper Vivienne Anne and Finley Aaron Love.
== Elvis Impersonators ==
Because of the popularity of his music and his status as an iconic celebrity, Presley impersonators and tribute acts remain in high demand. They range from parodists and amateurs to actual part- and full-time professionals. One of the most famous was comedian Andy Kaufman, who made impersonating Presley part of his act in the 1970s.
In 2007, the BBC hosted a televised competition called The World’s Greatest Elvis that featured 30 of the top Presley tribute artists from around the world. Shawn Klush from Pittston, Pennsylvania—known as the “closest thing to the King”— won the title. Since 2007, Memphis has hosted the Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest during an annual Elvis Week celebration. The winner receives a $20,000 prize. On July 12, 2014, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in North Carolina hosted a Guinness World Record for the largest gathering of Elvis impersonators with 895 in attendance.
Category:Musicians
Category:Actors
Category:Male
Category:Caucasian-American