Elvis Presley: Biography and His Impact on Music
Elvis Presley is undeniably one of the most iconic and influential music artists of all time. As a poor kid in a poor family, he had a love for music that propelled him to stardom, making major contributions to gospel, country, and rock and roll. To explore Elvis Presley's biography, this essay will focus on the life of the "King of Rock and Roll," discussing his humble beginnings, his journey to stardom, and the immense impact he had on the music industry, influencing countless musicians and leaving an indelible mark on American culture. Almost everyone admired Presley, even the Beatles. John Lennon once said, "Without Elvis, there would be no Beatles." In his lifetime, he won many awards and entered 3 music halls of fame, the most of any artist.
Elvis Aron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi to Vernon and Gladys Presley. Elvis had a twin brother, Jesse Presley, but unfortunately, Jesse was stillborn. As a result, Gladys protected Elvis with her life. As a child, Elvis’s family was very poor. They lived in a small house that Vernon built with his own hands. Although they were poor, the family was very religious. They went to Catholic church every day. Gladys had a strong faith in God, and she raised her son to love God too. In church, Elvis found his love for Gospel music. He was given his first guitar at age 11, and that was what started his love for music. Elvis’s family moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948 to start a new life. They lived in a small ranch house until Elvis later bought Graceland. Elvis graduated L. C. Humes High School in 1953.
After graduating from high school, Elvis worked as a truck driver in Memphis to earn money for his family. In 1953, the Elvis recorded with the famous Sun Records. He recorded his first song That’s All Right Mama, but it wasn’t that big of a hit. He recorded his first single in 1954. In 1955, Elvis recorded Mystery Train, which was a huge hit and top on country charts. Between 1953 and 1955, Elvis recorded a total of 24 songs for Sun Records Studios. Some examples of these songs are Blue Moon, My Happiness, and Baby Let’s Play House. But he became really popular when he recorded Heartbreak Hotel.
In 1956, Elvis released his song Heartbreak Hotel. It was his first No. 1 song. He also released his first album called Elvis Presley. The same year, he also signed a movie contract with Paramount Pictures. In the years following that, Elvis made many movies, some were huge hits and others not so much. Some examples of his 36 movies are Love Me Tender, 1956, GI Blues, 1960, Blue Hawaii, 1961, and Girls! Girls! Girls!, 1962. Elvis Presley also appeared on TV shows, such as the Ed Sullivan show. In 1958, the same year that Elvis’s mother died, he was drafted into the military. Elvis was stationed in West Germany, where he met his future wife, Priscilla Beaulieu. Elvis never saw battle during his draft period, and he left the army in 1960 and continued his life of luxury back at home. In the late 1960s, Elvis’s popularity started to decrease. So, in 1968, Elvis decided to record his first TV special known as the “68 Comeback” He amazed his audience in the performance and his popularity rose back up again. But despite being so popular, Elvis wanted a family of his own.
On May 1st, 1967, Elvis Presley married Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he met in Germany while serving in the army. They married in Las Vegas, Nevada, and went on a honeymoon at Palm Springs before going back to Memphis. Elvis and Priscilla had one daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, who was born on February 1st, 1968. During these few years, Elvis was very happy. Unfortunately, in 1973, Elvis and Priscilla’s happiness ended. Elvis filed a divorce because the constant traveling was a problem for Priscilla. In 2015, Priscilla said this to the Huffington Post: “It was difficult, especially at a young age, being a new wife and automatically being a new mother and being in rock and roll. The three really don’t mix,” she said. “I wanted to be a mom and yet, I traveled a lot and Elvis wanted me to be with him. It was a tug of war of trying to make it all work. ”
Elvis’s health started declining in the late 1960s. He started eating a lot of greasy foods and gained a lot of weight. He went to a lot of parties, and the parties usually had a lot of alcohol, so Elvis often overdrank. In the 1970s, Elvis also lived nocturnally and took a lot of drugs. Elvis performed concerts during the day and partied and hung out with friends in the night. As a result, Elvis did not get a lot of sleep, and he took drugs like amphetamines and sedatives to keep him awake. Despite these health problems, Elvis kept performing. Elvis’s last concert was on June 26, 1977. Elvis died on August 16, 1977, in his home in Tennessee. His cause of death was heart failure, and it was likely caused by the drugs he took and his eating habits. He was buried in Graceland in the Meditation Garden next to his mansion.
Elvis Presley was, and still is a huge impact on music history. He made major contributions to country music, gospel music, and most of all, rock and roll. He won many awards, such as NME Award for Favorite US Male Singer, NME Award for World Male Singer, and three Grammy awards. In 1986, Elvis was one of the first inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Later, he was inducted in the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1998. Three years later, in 2001, he was inducted in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. Elvis is also one of the most top-selling artists, with 18 No. 1 hits and 38 Top 10 hits. Elvis has also sold more than 1 billion records since he started recording. Elvis is still remembered today. People watch his movies and many documentaries such as Elvis Presley: The Searcher was filmed to remember his life. Elvis Presley is still one of the most popular artists in the world. Elvis Presley made huge contributions to music. He impacted gospel, country, and rock and roll music. Today, Elvis Presley is popular all around the world, and his albums and records are still selling. He is one of the greatest singers and performers in the world. He and his songs really changed how we look at the mid-late 1900s. During his life, he won many awards and inspired many other artists. Today, Elvis is buried at Graceland Mansion, Memphis, Tennessee, where many people tour and learn about Elvis Presley’s life.
