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Elvis Presley Biography |
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Certainly one of the most recognizable faces in 20th century American culture, Elvis Aaron Presley is known as "The King" for a good reason. Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935 right in the heart of the Depression-afflicted South. He would soon bring the vivacious sound of Rock 'n' Roll into nearly every household in America. He and his folks had moved to Memphis where Elvis saturated himself with the black culture of the city and the Beale Street scene. Shortly after he graduated high school, he recorded his first single (he had to pay Sun to record it) at Sam Phillips' Sun Studios. Sam, who had worked with mostly black artists at the time, soon put together a band to back up that glorious new voice he heard on that first recording. Scotty Moore and Bill Black (later, D.J. Fontana would join on drums, and they were soon dubbed the Blue Moon Boys), and after some experimentation, they cut a series of singles that remain legendary today. His biggest problem for radio play at the time was that his albums were too black for country radio and too country for black radio. He soon paired with the infamous manager, Colonel Tom Parker, who signed Elvis to a management deal that gave Tom 50% of everything Elvis accumulated while under Tom's managerial supervision. This deal was unheard of in the industry, but a deal was a deal. Tom soon sold Elvis's Sun contract to RCA and was soon dubbed by his fans as "The King of Rock 'N' Roll." After making unbelievable records in the 50's, Elvis began to move into other arenas, namely film. During the 60's Elvis seemed more like a movie star than a singer. He made several hit movies, but regained his stronghold as a musical artist armed with a black leather suit and a host sensational performances during his '68 Comeback Special which aired on NBC-TV. In the 70's he sold out Vegas shows and began to show signs of severe physical destruction. The good ole boy from Mississippi had battled with pill addictions, depression and the overwhelming force of fame and fortune for some time now. In 1977, on August 16th, Elvis was found dead in his estate, Graceland, and a nation of fans began to close in on his Memphis home to mourn the loss of their "King." Recently the 50th anniversary of Elvis' single, "That's Alright Mama," signified what many believe as the birth of Rock 'n' Roll.
Elvis Presley Discography |
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