Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in a small two-room shotgun shack in East Tupelo, Mississippi. Elvis’s parents Gladys and Vernon Presley had a very strong bond with Elvis, but Elvis loved his mother the most. Elvis showed his interest in music at a very young age, when he two years old he would walk down the aisle of the church and try to sing with the choir. But it didn’t stop there, at school his teacher Mrs. Oleta Grimes would catch young Elvis singing and then later took him to his principle to enter him in in contest that would be held on Children’s Day at the Mississippi Alabama Fair on Tupelo fair grounds. Presley would take fifth place in the contest, winning $5 in rides. This first opportunity to show is talent happened on October 3, 1945.
Presley would get his first guitar on his 11th birthday. An older friend, Frank Smith would teach and push Elvis to learn how to play. Elvis would start playing play during church services. In high school he brought his guitar everyday and played country and gospel music for his friends during lunch. His friends knew he was crazy about music because how passionate he was expressing it, he played everyday during lunch. Music meant more to Elvis than just music. Presley already was known for his fun colorful personality, with his greased back hair. But is music personality did not start until he was in a blues band with Arthur Crudup’s song “That’s Ali Right Mama”. That song was the start of Elvis’s career.
Elvis went into business with Colonel Tom Parker in 1955 and by 1965 he became the manager of Elvis Presley Enterprises (EPE). Colonel Tom Parker who was a country music hustler, worked with and made stars of Hank Snow and Eddy Arnold. Parker arranged Elvis’s songs to be sold in New York in big popular enterprises. The sun record company earned $35,000 off the songs Elvis recorded. That was only the start of the Colonel and Elvis’s relationship. Presley started to recording music at RCA’s studios located in Nashville Tennessee, where he began to create a national sensation with his series of hits: “Love Me Tender”, “Don’t Be Cruel”, “All Shook Up”, and “Heartbreak Hotel”. By 1956 to 1958, he had completely took control of the pop music charts and guided the age of rock and roll, which opened the doors for white and black rock artist. Presley became the teen idol of his decade, he was greeted everywhere by large screaming young women. Many parents, religious leaders, and teachers started to complain about the way he sand and wiggled on the stage. Elvis was soon drafted to the U.S. Army in 1958 and was in the army through 1960, When he was enlisted he was well-known name in the world of entertainment.
While in the Army his mother Gladys passed away. Her death was caused by a heart attack. After her death it became a devastating blow to young Elvis. It changed him as a person, but he always appreciated who she was and what she game him throughout his life. Nobody was more important to him than his mother. He once told her that he would buy her a pink Cadillac and they would soon live to be wealthy and before you knew it, he bought her that pink Cadillac. He wanted to give his mother everything she deserved.
Elvis inspired thousands of musicians such as: Bob Dylan, Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and John Lennon. Not only did he inspired many musicians but also his audience. Springsteen once said, “It was like he whispered his dream in all of our ears and then we dreamed it.” He adored many people all over the world, and even those who despised him couldn’t ignore him. Elvis was known for playing black folk music, Presley didn’t see color in people, he didn’t care what they’re skin color was. Many found it weird that he mixed black music with white. Elvis may have affected lots of people in a positive way but people also think he affected society in a negative way. He was blamed for all teenage trouble makers and juvenile delinquency. But he was a polite and soft spoken man. Society had trouble changing and evolving back then.
Elvis was not only known for his music but also his movies. Elvis stared in many movie such as: ‘Viva Las Vegas’, ‘G.I. Blues’, ‘Blue Hawaii’, ‘Jailhouse Rock’, Flaming Star’ and many others. Elvis lost his massive audience, he had became a predictable mass entertainer, he was no longer of interest to the rock audience. In 1968 his movie grosses and record sales dropped. In December his Christmas TV special aired, he then on the special restored his credibility of rock and roll. In 1969 he released a single ‘Suspicious Minds’ , it became the number one hit. Presley began began doing concerts again, winning his large audience of rock fans again. He began tours winning more and more fans.
Through out his music career he inspired many and changed the view on music. He became the king of rock music. Even though he never wrote any of his own songs, the songs he sang became more meaningful and powerful with the way he used his voice. Elvis was a caring man he gave money, presents, and donations to people in need. Elvis was at his home in Graceland where he passed away on August 16, 1977; the cause was late found out to be cardiac arrhythmia. As the news spread to the public of Elvis’s death, fans from all over the country came to Memphis, swarming outside the gates of his home of Graceland. Eventually there were over 50,000 people outside the gates of Graceland, and the floral shops around Memphis sold out of flowers. Presley was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery, in mausoleum which was not far from where his mother was buried. After that when August came around, fans would make there way back to Graceland to honor him which soon would become known as Elvis Week, an annual celebration to show their devotion to Elvis.
Elvis inspired many and continues to inspire many even with him gone. His music changed the world and he as a person changed society.
