Elvis Presley

Artist Image: Elvis Presley
Attribution
Image Credit: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. Reproduction Number: LC-USZ6-2067 Location: NYWTS -- BIOG (The Library of Congress retrieved 3d02067r.jpg from Jailhouse Rock.), Public domain

Biography

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as "the King of Rock and Roll", or simply, "the King". Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, as a twinless twin, and when he was 13 years old, he and his family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee. His music career began there in 1954, when he recorded a song with producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was an early popularizer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who managed the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", was released in January 1956 and became a number-one hit in the United States. He was regarded as the leading figure of rock and roll after a series of successful network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines that coincided with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, made him enormously popular—and controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. In 1958, he was drafted into military service. He resumed his recording career two years later, producing some of his most commercially successful work before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and their accompanying soundtrack albums, most of which were critically derided. In 1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed televised comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley was featured in the first globally broadcast concert via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii. Several years of prescription drug abuse severely damaged his health, and he died in 1977 at the age of 42. Presley is one of the most celebrated and influential musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, blues and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music, with estimated record sales of around 600 million units worldwide. He won three Grammys, also receiving the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple music halls of fame.

Details

Item Name Item Details
Year Formed 1935
Number of Albums 64
Record Label RCA
Website www.elvis.com
Wikipedia Elvis Presley on Wikipedia
Social Networks

Trivia

What year did he go to Sun recording studio to record a song for his mother?

1953

...ns and styled hair. This image would later become an Elvis trademark. In 1953 , he went to Sun recording studio to record a song for his mother, but al...
When did Elvis take a job as a truck driver?

April 1954

...o anything; he was also turned down for auditions to other groups. In April 1954 , he took a job as a truck driver. However, later on in the year, the ...
Who invited Elvis to come in for a recording session?

Sam Phillips

...pril 1954, he took a job as a truck driver. However, later on in the year, the Sun boss Sam Phillips invited Elvis to come in for a recording session....
Where did Presley grow up?

Tupelo

...Presley grew up dirtpoor in Tupelo , moved to Memphis as a teenager, and, with his family, was off welfare only a few weeks when producer Sam Phillips ...
Where did he move when he was a teenager?

Memphis

...Presley grew up dirtpoor in Tupelo, moved to Memphis as a teenager, and, with his family, was off welfare only a few weeks when producer Sam Phillips ...
What local blues label responded to Presley's audition tape with a phone call?

Sun Records

...amily, was off welfare only a few weeks when producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records , a local blues label, responded to his audition tape with a phone ca...
Who were the members of Presley's band?

Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore, and bassist Bill Black

...rding sessions ensued with a band consisting of Presley, guitarist Scotty Moore, and bassist Bill Black . Their repertoire consisted of the kind of mat...
What church did he attend?

Pentecostal

...y knew some of this music from the radio, some of it from his parents Pentecostal church and the group sings he attended at the Rev. Brewsters Black M...
What club did Presley frequent as a teenager?

Beale Street blues clubs

...e Rev. Brewsters Black Memphis church, and some of it from the Beale Street blues clubs he began frequenting as a teenager. They arrived at a startlin...
What was the name of Presley's synthesis of blues music called?

rockabilly

... a teenager. They arrived at a startling synthesis, eventually dubbed rockabilly , retaining many of the originals blues inflections but with Presleys ...
How many singles did Presley release on Sun?

five

...m striking a much more supple groove. This sound was the hallmark of the five singles Presley released on Sun over the next year. Parker arranged for ...
What was he able to shape in the last few decades of the 20th century?

sound and attitudes

...olved. He undeniably kickstarted the rock & roll era, shaping the sound and attitudes of the last few decades of the 20th century in the process, but ...
What genres of music did he delve into in Memphis?

blues, country, bluegrass, and gospel

...ant melting pot of Southern popular music in the form of blues, country, bluegrass, and gospel . After graduating from high school, he became a truck d...
What did Presley become after high school?

truck driver

...luegrass, and gospel. After graduating from high school, he became a truck driver , rarely if ever singing in public. In mid1954, Phillips, looking for...
Who was Preley's bandmate?

Scotty Moore

... for a white singer with a Black feel, teamed Presley with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. Almost by accident, apparently, the trio hit...
In what year did Phillips team Presley with Scotty Moore?

1954

...chool, he became a truck driver, rarely if ever singing in public. In mid 1954 , Phillips, looking for a white singer with a Black feel, teamed Presley ...
What was Presley's first single?

That's All Right Mama

...tly, the trio hit upon a version of an Arthur Crudup blues tune, That's All Right Mama , which became Presley's first single. Presley's five Sun single...
Who was the bassist for the song That's All Right Mama?

Bill Black

... a Black feel, teamed Presley with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black . Almost by accident, apparently, the trio hit upon a version of an Ar...
Blue Moon of Kentucky, Good Rockin' Tonight, and Mystery Train remain what?

core early rock classics

...ecorded. That's All Right Mama, Blue Moon of Kentucky, Good Rockin' Tonight, Baby Let's Play House, and Mystery Train remain core early rock classics ....
What is the name of Elvis Presley's twin brother?

Jesse Garon Presley

...r singer of the entire early rock 'n' roll era. His twin brother, Jesse Garon Presley , died shortly after birth. His father worked as a carpenter, far...
How long was Elvis presley the leading American singer?

two decades

...esley, the King of Rock 'n' Roll, was the leading American singer for two decades and the most popular singer of the entire early rock 'n' roll era. H...
Presley's father worked as a carpenter, farmer, and what else to support his family?

factory worker

... shortly after birth. His father worked as a carpenter, farmer, and factory worker to support the family but was not successful in any of his jobs. Ra...
Presley was raised in a poor and what environment?

religious

...family but was not successful in any of his jobs. Raised in a poor and religious environment, Elvis grew especially close to his mother. Elvis's singi...
Elvis's singing ability was discovered when he was what age?

elementary school student

... mother. Elvis's singing ability was discovered when he was an elementary school student in Tupelo, and he first started singing with the choir of his...
How old was Elvis when he learned to play?

twelve

...h. He received his first guitar as a birthday present when he was about twelve and taught himself how to play, although he could not read music. He we...
What school did Elvis graduate from?

L. C. Humes High School

...ed when Elvis was thirteen. In 1953, after Elvis graduated from L. C. Humes High School in Memphis, he began working as a truck driver to pay his way ...
Where was Elvis Aaron Presley born?

Tupelo, Mississippi

...esley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a tworoom house in Tupelo, Mississippi , on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillbo...
What is Elvis Aaron's twin brother's name?

Jessie Garon

... house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon , was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. Elvis and...
When did Elvis and his parents move to Memphis?

1948

... as an only child. Elvis and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948 , and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953. Elvis' musica...
Where did Elvis graduate from in 1953?

Humes High School

...nts moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953. Elvis' musical influences were the pop and country...
What genre of music did Elvis hear in church?

gospel

...vis' musical influences were the pop and country music of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the allnight gospel sings he frequently...
What street did Elvis absorb black R&B as a teenager?

Beale Street

...gs he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic Beale Street as a Memphis teenager. In 1954, Elvis began his singing career with ...
What was the name of the decade in which he had a song at No. 1?

1950s

...gettable they have stood the test of time, especially his singles of the 1950s , a decade in which he had a song at No. A testament to his incredible b...
How many records did he sell in the entire decade of the 1950s?

twice as many

...t to his incredible breakthrough is the fact that he managed to sell twice as many records in the entire decade of the 1950s with only these two years...
What was the name of Elvis' current girlfriend?

Regis Wilson

..., he attended the senior prom with the current girl he was courting, Regis Wilson . After graduating from high school in Memphis, Elvis took odd jobs w...
What company did Elvis work for after graduating from high school?

Crown Electric Company

...dd jobs working as a movie theater usher and a truck driver for Crown Electric Company . He began singing locally as The Hillbilly Cat, then signed wit...
Elvis began singing locally as what name?

The Hillbilly Cat

...uck driver for Crown Electric Company. He began singing locally as The Hillbilly Cat , then signed with a local recording company, and then with RCA in...
When did Elvis sign with RCA?

1955

...ly Cat, then signed with a local recording company, and then with RCA in 1955 . Elvis did much to establish early rock and roll music. He began his car...
Elvis' rockabilly was a fusion of country music and what other genre?

rhythm and blues

... a performer of rockabilly, an uptempo fusion of country music and rhythm and blues , with a strong backbeat. His novel versions of existing songs, mix...
Who did Elvis work with in 1955?

RCA

... Hillbilly Cat, then signed with a local recording company, and then with RCA in 1955. Elvis did much to establish early rock and roll music. He began...
What genre of music did Presley record?

rock and roll

...nhibited stage and television performances. He recorded songs in the rock and roll genre, with tracks like Jailhouse Rock and Hound Dog later embodyin...
What was the name of a song Presley recorded in the rock and roll genre?

Jailhouse Rock

...ces. He recorded songs in the rock and roll genre, with tracks like Jailhouse Rock and Hound Dog later embodying the style. Presley had a versatile vo...
What was the name of the company that bought his record contract in 1955?

RCA Victor

...ds label in Memphis. In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to RCA Victor . With a sound and style that uniquely combined his diverse musical in...
How many films did Elvis Presley star in?

33

...ic and popular culture. Here are a few Elvis Presley facts: he starred in 33 successful films, made history with his television appearances and specia...
What was the cause of Presley's death?

heart failure

...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 ...
Where was Presley buried?

Graceland property

...s related to his prescription drug use. Presley was buried on the Graceland property , near the gravesites of his mother, Gladys, father Vernon and gra...
Presley was buried near the graves of his mother, Gladys, father Vernon and what grandmother?

Minnie Mae Hood Presley

...gravesites of his mother, Gladys, father Vernon and grandmother Minnie Mae Hood Presley . Throughout his amazing career, Presley helped popularize rock...
How many Grammy Awards did Presley win for his gospel recordings?

three

...r, Presley helped popularize rock 'n' roll music in America. He also won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings. A major musical force, Presley...
How many No. 1 singles was Presley a major musical force?

18

...ammy 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 M...
In what year was Presley inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame?

1998

...ons to several musical genres, most notably rock, country and gospel. In 1998 , Presley was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame; ...
Where did Presley relocate to when he was 13 years old?

Memphis, Tennessee

...oversy. Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and relocated to Memphis, Tennessee , with his family when he was 13 years old. His music career began...
What is rockabilly?

an uptempo, backbeat driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues

...ll Black, was a pioneer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat driven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues . In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined...
Who was the drummer for Presley's classic quartet in 1955?

D. J. Fontana

...riven fusion of country music and rhythm and blues. In 1955, drummer D. J. Fontana joined to complete the lineup of Presley's classic quartet and RCA ...
Who managed Presley for more than two decades?

Colonel Tom Parker

...uartet and RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker , who would manage him for more than two decades. Presley's first ...
What was Presley's first RCA Victor single?

Heartbreak Hotel

... him for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA Victor single, Heartbreak Hotel , was released in January 1956 and became a numberone hit in the Un...
When was Heartbreak Hotel released?

January 1956

...Presley's first RCA Victor single, Heartbreak Hotel, was released in January 1956 and became a numberone hit in the United States. Within a year, RCA ...
How many Presley singles would RCA sell within a year?

ten million

...tbreak Hotel, was released in January 1956 and became a numberone hit in the United States. Within a year, RCA would sell ten million Presley singles....