Presley, Elvis (1935-1977), was one of the first American stars of rock music and perhaps the greatest. His popularity continued after his death, rising to almost legendary status.
Elvis Aron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on Jan. 8, 1935. During his childhood in Tupelo, he was exposed to the music that shaped his singing style—gospel, country music, and rhythm and blues. When he was 13 years old, he moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee. In 1953, when Presley was 18 and working in a machine shop, he made his first record by paying the Memphis Recording Service to record two songs. The owner, Sam Phillips, took an interest in his singing and called him back the following year to record for Sun Records, which Phillips also owned. The 1954 recording, “That’s All Right, Mama,” became a local hit.
Presley’s records sold so well that he attracted the interest of national music companies, especially RCA. Encouraged by Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager, RCA bought the singer’s contract from Sun Records. Using the enormous resources of RCA, Parker made Presley a national phenomenon. On Sept. 9, 1956, a record number of people watched Presley sing on the Ed Sullivan television variety show. Presley’s early hits for RCA included “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956), “Don’t Be Cruel” (1956), “Love Me Tender” (1956), “All Shook Up” (1957), “Teddy Bear” (1957), “Loving You” (1957), “Jailhouse Rock” (1957), and “It’s Now or Never” (1960). Presley also launched a motion-picture career, beginning with Love Me Tender (1956). He made 32 other films.
Presley was particularly popular with teenagers, who loved his style as well as his music. In particular, they reacted to his sexiness, especially the suggestive way he swiveled his hips as he sang. However, his style also aroused a storm of criticism. Some towns banned his live concerts, and a few performers refused to appear on the same stage with him.
In 1958, Presley was inducted into the United States Army. He spent two years in the Army, primarily in Germany. There he met 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu. They were married in 1967 and had a daughter, Lisa Marie (1968-2023). They were divorced in 1973. After his discharge from the military, Presley resumed his motion-picture career and gave up making live appearances. In 1968, believing that the music business was passing him by, he prepared a comeback on television. The program, his first live performance in almost eight years, was so popular that Presley resumed touring. He also recorded such hit songs as “In the Ghetto” (1969) and “Suspicious Minds” (1969). His audience broadened to include older fans in addition to teenagers. Loading the player...
Elvis Presley reports for military service
Presley had made an unsuccessful appearance at a Las Vegas hotel in 1956. He returned to the city in 1969, where he was an enormous success. Until his death, he was the most popular entertainer in Las Vegas.
After his death, Presley became an even more celebrated figure. The devotion of his fans became almost religious in its intensity. Graceland became a major international tourist attraction. Thousands of his fans from around the world make a pilgrimage to Graceland every year, especially on the anniversary of Presley’s death on Aug. 16, 1977. Presley was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986.
