Background information Birth name Elvis Aaron Presley Born January 8, 1935 Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.

Died August 16, 1977 (aged 42) Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. Genres Rock and roll, pop, rockabilly, country, blues, gospel, R&B Occupations Musician, actor Instruments Vocals, guitar, piano Years active 195377 Labels Sun, RCA Victor Associated acts The Blue Moon Boys, The Elvis Aaron Presleya (January 8, 1935 August 16, 1977) was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King". Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee, with his family at the age of 13. He began his career there in 1954 when Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, eager to bring the sound of African-American music to a wider audience, saw in Presley the means to realize his ambition. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was one of the originators of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for over two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", released in January 1956, was a number one hit. He became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll with a series of network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs, many from African American sources, and his uninhibited performance style made him enormously popularand controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Conscripted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He staged few concerts, however, and, guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums,
Jordanaires, The Imperials Website

Prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at the age of 42. Presley is regarded as one of the most important figures of 20th-century popular culture. He had a versatile voice and unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music.[1][2][3][4] Nominated for 14 competitive Grammys, he won three, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36. He has been inducted into four music halls of fame.
The others would centrally define the evolving sound of rock and roll: "Blue Suede Shoes""an improvement over Perkins' in almost every way", according to critic Robert Hilburnand three R&B numbers that had been part of Presley's stage repertoire for some time, covers of Little Richard, Ray Charles, and The Drifters. As described by Hilburn, these "were the most revealing of all. Unlike many white artists ... who watered down the gritty edges of the original R&B versions of songs in the '50s, Presley reshaped them. He not only injected the tunes with his own vocal character but also made guitar, not piano, the lead instrument in all three cases."[83] It became the first rock and roll album to top the Billboard chart, a position it held for 10 weeks.[79] While Presley was not an innovative instrumentalist like Moore or contemporary African American rockers Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry, cultural historian Gilbert B. Rodman argues that the album's cover image, "of Elvis having the time of his life on stage with a guitar in his hands played a crucial role in positioning the guitar...as the instrument that best captured the style and spirit of this new music."[84]

Milton Berle Show and "Hound Dog" Presley made the first of two appearances on NBC's Milton Berle Show on April 3. His performance, on the deck of the USS Hancock in San Diego, prompted cheers and screams from an audience of sailors and their dates.[85] A few days later, a flight taking Presley and his band to Nashville for a recording session left all three badly shaken when an engine died and the plane almost went down over Arkansas.[86] Twelve weeks after its

original release, "Heartbreak Hotel" became Presley's first number one pop hit. In late April, Presley began a two-week residency at the New Frontier Hotel and Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. The shows were poorly received by the conservative, middle-aged hotel guests"like a jug of corn liquor at a champagne party", wrote a critic for Newsweek.[87] Amid his Vegas tenure, Presley, who had serious acting ambitions, signed a sevenyear contract with Paramount Pictures.[88] He began a tour of the Midwest in mid-May, taking in 15 cities in as many days.[89] He had attended several shows by Freddie Bell and the Bellboys in Vegas, and was struck by their cover of "Hound Dog", a hit in 1952 for blues singer Big Mama Thornton. It became the new closing number of his act.[90] After a show in La Crosse, Wisconsin, an urgent message on the letterhead of the local Catholic diocese's newspaper was sent to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. It warned that "Presley is a definite danger to the security of the United States. ... [His] actions and motions were such as to rouse the sexual passions of teenaged youth. ... After the show, more than 1,000 teenagers tried to gang into Presley's room at the auditorium. ... Indications of the harm Presley did just in La Crosse were the two high school girls ... whose abdomen and thigh had Presley's autograph."[91] The second Milton Berle Show appearance came on June 5 at NBC's Hollywood studio, amid another hectic tour. Berle persuaded the singer to leave his guitar backstage, advising, "Let 'em see you, son."[92] During the performance, Presley abruptly halted an uptempo rendition of "Hound Dog" with a wave of his arm and launched into a slow, grinding version accentuated with energetic, exaggerated body movements.[92] Presley's gyrations created a storm of controversy.[93] Television critics were outraged: Jack Gould of The New York Times wrote, "Mr. Presley has no discernible singing ability. ... His phrasing, if it can be called that, consists of the stereotyped variations that go with a beginner's aria in a bathtub. ... His one specialty is an accented movement of the body ... primarily identified with the repertoire of the blond bombshells of the burlesque runway."[94] Ben Gross of the New York Daily News opined that popular music "has reached its lowest depths in the 'grunt and groin' antics of one Elvis Presley. ... Elvis, who rotates his pelvis ... gave an exhibition that was suggestive and vulgar, tinged with the kind of animalism that should be confined to dives and bordellos".[95] Ed Sullivan, whose own variety show was the nation's most popular, declared him "unfit for family viewing".[96] To Presley's displeasure, he soon found himself being referred to as "Elvis the Pelvis", which he called "one of the most childish expressions I ever heard, comin' from an adult."[97]
The next day, Presley recorded "Hound Dog", along with "Any Way You Want Me" and "Don't Be Cruel". The Jordanaires sang harmony, as they had on The Steve Allen Show; they would work with Presley through the 1960s. A few days later, the singer made an outdoor concert appearance in Memphis at which he announced, "You know, those people in New York are not gonna change me none. I'm gonna show you what the real Elvis is like tonight."[101] In August, a judge in Jacksonville, Florida, ordered Presley to tame his act. Throughout the following performance, he largely kept still, except for wiggling his little finger suggestively in mockery of the order.[102] The single pairing "Don't Be Cruel" with "Hound Dog" ruled the top of the charts for 11 weeksa mark that would not be surpassed for 36 years.[1

Presley's rise to national attention in 1956 transformed the field of popular music and had a huge effect on the broader scope of popular culture.[4] As the catalyst for the cultural revolution that was rock and roll, he was central not only to defining it as a musical genre but in making it a touchstone of youth culture and rebellious attitude.[338] With its racially mixed originsrepeatedly affirmed by Presleyrock and roll's occupation of a central position in mainstream American culture facilitated a new acceptance and appreciation of black culture.[339] In this regard, Little Richard said of Presley, "He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn't let black music through. He opened the door for black music."[340] Al Green agreed: "He broke the ice for all of us."[341] Presley also heralded the vastly expanded reach of celebrity in the era of mass communication: at the age of 21, within a year of his first appearance on American network television, he was one of the most famous people in the world.[342]

Stamp depicting Presley issued by the German post office in 1988 Presley's name, image, and voice are instantly recognizable around the globe.[343] He has inspired a legion of impersonators.[344] In polls and surveys, he is recognized as one of the most important popular music artists and influential Americans.f "Elvis Presley is the greatest cultural force in the twentieth century", said composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein. "He introduced the beat to everything and he changed everythingmusic, language, clothes. It's a whole new social revolutionthe sixties came from it."[345] Bob Dylan described the sensation of first hearing Presley as "like busting out of jail".
Elvis Presley is a supreme figure in American life, one whose presence, no matter how banal or predictable, brooks no real comparisons. ... The cultural range of his music has expanded to the point where it includes not only the hits of the day, but also patriotic recitals, pure country gospel, and really dirty blues. ... Elvis has emerged as a great artist, a great rocker, a great purveyor of schlock, a great heart throb, a great bore, a great symbol of potency, a great ham, a great nice n August of 1955, Colonel Tom Parker replaces Bob Neal as Elvis' manager. By November of 1955, Elvis has signed the now famous RCA contract. The price is an unprecedented $40,000, with a $5,000 bonus for Elvis. RCA soon re-releases the five Sun singles on the RCA label.
In January of 1956 Elvis is paired with the Jordanaires, who would remain his main back-up group until the late 60s.

January 27, 1956. Heartbreak Hotel is released. (I Was the One on the flip). It sells 300,000 copies in the first week and will ultimately be Elvis' first Gold Record by selling over a million. Between January 28 and March 24 of 1956 Elvis will make 6 appearances on the Jackie Gleason-produced Stage Show, starring Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey on CBS. On March 13 of that same year, Elvis Presley, his first album is released by RCA. Selling over a million, it will become his first Gold Album. April of 1956. Elvis appears with Milton Berle. He sings Heartbreak Hotel and Blue Suede Shoes. April 1956, he signs a seven-year movie contract with Hal Wallis and Paramount Pictures. June 5, 1956. This is the highly controversial and very sexy performance of Hound Dog on Milton Berle. Also, I Want You, I Need You, I Love You. In July he does a parody of that sketch on Steve Allen's show by singing to a real Bassett hound. Elvis' ain't happy about it - but he does it. His success on Berle and Allen prompt the previously reluctant Ed Sullivan to sign a three appearance deal for $50,000 - an unheard of amount back then. August 10 and 11 1956. Elvis appears at the Florida Theatre in Jacksonville, FL. Juvenile Court Judge Marion Gooding attended the first concert to see if all the fuss was warranted. After watching Elvis' jiggle, he asked that the show be toned down. So Elvis only wiggled his little finger as a mild protest.

September 9, 1956 - the first Sullivan show. Charles Laughton subs for an ailing Sullivan. Presley sings Don't Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Ready Teddy, and Hound Dog. October 28th is the second show and the songs are Don't Be Cruel, Love Me Tender, Love Me and Hound Dog. November 16, 1956. Elvis' first movie, Love Me Tender premieres. January 6, 1957. The "waist up only" Sullivan show. He does a medley, plus Don't Be Cruel, Too Much, When My Blue Moon Turns to Gold and then closes with Peace in the Valley. January 1957.Elvis begins filming his second movie, Loving You. Actress Jana Lund will give Elvis his first screen kiss in this movie which will produce the hit, Teddy Bear. Graceland is purchased in March of 1957. Jailhouse Rock begins filming in May of 1957. Elvis' draft notice arrives December of 1957.
In the early part of 1958 Elvis works on his fourth motion picture, King Creole.

March 1958. Elvis Presley is inducted into the U.S. Army at the Memphis Draft Board and is assigned serial number 53310761. Pvt. Presley goes to Fort Hood, Texas for basic training and is stationed there for six months. Gladys Presley dies on August 14 of 1958 of acute hepatitis. Elvis is able to get back to see her before she dies. In September of 1958, Elvis boards the USS. Randall and sails to Germany, arriving on October 1. He will be stationed in Friedberg for 18 months, maintaining an off-base residence in Bad Nauheim. Elvis first meets Priscilla Beaulieu (05/24/45) in November of 1959. She is the only child of a Navy pilot, Jack Wagner, who was killed in a plane crash when Priscilla was an infant. Her mother Ann had remarried to Captain Joseph Beaulieu. person, and, yes, a great American.[347] In late April 1960, Elvis begins work on his first post-army movie, his fifth film, GI Blues for Paramount, the first of nine to be produced (not consecutively) by Hal Wallis. The soundtrack album will be Elvis' most successful in terms of time on the Billboard charts. Elvis will remain in Hawaii thru mid-April filming Blue Hawaii. When the soundtrack album debuts in October of 1961, it sells so well that it becomes second only to GI Blues as the biggest album of Elvis career on the Billboard charts. Late March to late April of 1962 finds Elvis working on Girls! Girls! Girls!, and late August and September bring filming on It Happened at the Worlds Fair. Late March to late April of 1962 finds Elvis working on Girls! Girls! Girls!, and late August and September bAugust 27, 1965. A big day. The Beatles visit with Elvis for several hours at his home in California and have an informal jam session.ring filming on It Happened at the Worlds Fair.

Elvis Presley
At first glance Elvis Presley was a plain ol' country boy, soft spoken and shy. Yet, Elvis had a special talent, he was a white man that could sing like a black performer. He rose to stardom in the early 1950's with songs like "That's All Right" and "Hound Dog". In fact, many of Elvis Presley's early hits were blues songs or based on the blues.

Yet within a few years, Elvis Presley was writing and singing pop music, appearing in movie musicals and recording Christmas albums. Did Elvis abandon the blues? Not really. Like many great blues musicians of that era including B.B. King, Elvis viewed himself as an entertainer. In his early movies, Elvis was portrayed as a rock n' roll singer trying to make it in show business. In later movies, Elvis played different roles as he moved away from the blues and rock n' roll that launched his career.

The Beatles
In the late 1950's, early 1960's the Beatles were just another English skiffle band that played folk music, rock n roll and the blues. These bands took a simple approach to music and played on semi-professional and even home-made instruments. For example, Ringo Starr's drum rolls, Paul McCartney's Hofner Bass and John Lennon's harmonica and George Harrison's solos.

Like Elvis Presley, blues and rock n' roll helped launched the Beatles' and they recorded rock n' roll songs like "Roll Over Bethoven" by Chuck Berry and "Tutti Fruiti" by Little Richard. They also recorded "Matchbox", a classic blues song by Blind Lemon Jefferson. In another Elvis Presley move, the Beatles began to make movies. Faced with writing songs to match the mood and plot of "A Hard Days Night" and "Help", John Lennon and Paul McCartney wrote songs in many new styles in the best tradition of Tin Pan Alley. And then along came Mary... a few tabs of LSD and suddenly the movies were playing the Beatles' heads. The result was a kaleidoscope of pop, acid rock, country, swing - When I'm 64 - and classical style - Eleanor Rigby..

"Hound Dog" & "Don't Be Cruel": Elvis's Biggest Two-Sided Hit

The term double-sided hit has no meaning in the current digital music age. It was a phenomenon of the vinyl record era of the past century, when an artists single record release actually was a double release. A recording was pressed on each side of a vinyl disc. One side was usually designated the A side and other the B or flip side. Considered the most commercially viable of the two, the A side received a greater advertising push and more radio airplay than the B side. Occasionally, though, the flip side would turn out to be the record-buying publics favorite of the two cuts. On rare occasions, both sides separately rose high on the charts, creating a double-sided hit. The most successful two-sided hit on Billboards Top/Hot 100 chart was Elvis Presleys Hound Dog/Dont Be Cruel. One side reached #1 on the chart, the other #2. The two titles spent a combined 55 weeks in the Top 100 in 1956-1957. No other artist in the rock era, not even The Beatles, had a double-sided hit that could challenge the cumulative chart performance of Hound Dog and Dont Be Cruel. The history of Presleys phenomenal dual record began on July 2, 1956, when Elvis entered RCAs studios in New York City to record two songs for his next single release. Accompanying Presley were the Jordanaires and musicians Scotty Moore (guitar), Bill Black (bass), D. J. Fontana (drums), and Shorty Long (piano). Going in, Hound Dog was the only title on the schedule. Elviss controversial performances of the song on the June 5th Milton

Bearle Show and the July 1st Steve Allen Show had created a public demand for its release on record. Photographer sat in on historic "Hound Dog" recording session Photographer Alfred Wertheimer, who was in the studio that day, detailed the session in his 1979 photo-journal, Elvis 56: In the Beginning. According to Wertheimer, after about two hours and 30 takes of Hound Dog, the musicians listened to playbacks of the takes that were candidates for the "Hound Dog" master. The engineer racked take twenty-eight, remembered Wertheimer. Elvis left his chair and crouched on the floor, as if listening in a different position was like looking at a subject from a different angle. Again he went into deep concentration, absorbed and motionless At the end of the song, he slowly rose from his crouch and turned to us with a wide grin, and said, This is the one. (In Elvis Presley: A Life in Music, author Ernst Jorgensen lists take 31 as the Hound Dog master.) Then Elvis listened to some acetates in search of a song to pair with Hound Dog on the RCA single release. After listening to Dont Be Cruel twice, Elvis said, Thats the one I want to try. Wertheimer described how the arrangement was worked up in the studio. Strumming his guitar with the sheet music still held in his hand, [Elvis] quickly found the melody. By the time everyone gathered around the piano, he had already memorized the lyrics. Elvis played his version on the keyboard to Shorty, who noted the changes on the sheet music, while the musicians played it for themselves and the Jordanaires harmonized a bebop. Scotty Moore came up with a guitar opening, and in twenty minutes they were ready for a couple of rehearsal takes. When the tape machine went on for real, it only took six takes before everyone knew they had it, according to Wertheimer, but Elvis still wanted to try a couple more. (Jorgensen claims it took more than two dozen takes, with number 28 finally being chosen as the master.)
The colossal success of Hound Dog / Dont Be Cruel surely brought a smile to the face of everyone who had a piece of the action on those recordings. (Elvis is reported to have made $202,500 on his Dont Be Cruel recording in the first year alone.) During his career, Presley had 50 two-sided hits on Billboards Top/Hot 100 chart. None of the other 49 even came close to the back-to-back chart success of Hound Dog and Dont Be Cruel. It was then, and will remain, the biggest double-sided hit single record in the history of recorded music. Alan Hanson

Elvis' performances on TV and his recordings made him wildly popular, as he redefined American music. At the same time, his artistry caused feelings of fear and loathing among some people. His records were burned and he was denounced from the pulpit. He whttp://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pictures/1956_june_30.htmlas accused of being immoral.
http://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pictures/1956_june_30.html 30

June. Richmond, VA. Mosque Theater (Two

shows 5pm and 8pm) Elvis' performances that evening left the audiences in a frenzy. Photo at right, Elvis, on his knee in front of the foot lights, sings to his 3000 mostly teenage female fans, who were delighted by his presence and his music. He left them in tears of joy. Mosque Theater, Richmond, Va. June 30, 1956 (This photo has been chosen for the cover of the Elvis 1956 Book

Overview of Elvis Presley's Achievements Record Sales It is estimated that Elvis Presley has sold over one billion record units worldwide, more than anyone in record industry history. In America alone, Elvis has had 141 different albums and singles that have been certified gold, platinum or multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), with more certifications expected as research into his past record sales continues and as current sales go on. Research is also underway to document his record sales achievements in other countries. It is estimated that 40% of Elvis' total record sales have been outside the United States. International Acclaim Elvis Presley's trophy room at Graceland is filled with gold and platinum records and awards of all kinds from around the world. Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan, Australia, South Africa, England, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and the Netherlands. It is interesting to note that, except for a handful of movie soundtrack songs, Elvis did not record in other languages, and, except for five shows in three Canadian cities in 1957, he did not perform in concert outside the United States. Still, his recordings and films enjoyed, and continue to enjoy, popularity all over the globe, and he is known throughout the world by his first name. Record Chart Statistics Elvis Presley has had no less than 149 songs to appear on Billboard's Hot 100 Pop Chart in America. Of these, 114 were in the top forty, 40 were in the top ten, and 18 went to number one. His number one singles spent a total of 80 weeks at number one. He has also had over 90 charted albums with ten of them reaching number one. These figures are only for the pop charts, and only in America. He was also a leading artist in the American country, R&B, and gospel fields, and his chart success in other countries was substantial. Historic Television Guest Appearances In 1956, Elvis made his network television debut with the first of his six appearances on Stage Show, a weekly variety program hosted by Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. He followed these with two appearances on The Milton Berle Show, the second of which included a performance of Hound Dog that was so provocative (for that time, anyway) that it caused a national scandal. Elvis next appeared on The Steve Allen Show, with Allen mocking the sensation of the Berle appearance by having Elvis dress in a tuxedo, eliminate his usual physical gyrations, and sing 'Hound Dog' to a Basset Hound. Charitable Endeavors Elvis Presley was famous for giving away Cadillacs, cash and jewelry, often on the spur of the moment. But, the true depth and breadth of his generosity and community involvement is not so widely known. In 1961, Elvis gave a benefit concert at Bloch Arena in Hawaii that raised over $65,000 toward the building of the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor. The resulting publicity gave new life to the fund-raising effort, Generations of Fans Currently, there are over 625 active Elvis Presley fan clubs worldwide. Elvis' popularity is at an all-time high, and his legacy continues to reach new audiences. Half of Graceland's visitorship is age 35 and under. which had, by then, lost its momentum. The memorial opened a year later.

Ed Sullivan had once said he would never have the controversial singer on his top-rated show, but that was before the week that Elvis' appearance on Steve Allen had surpassed Sullivan's ratings. Sullivan paid Elvis $50,000 to make three appearances on his show, which was, at the time, more money than any performer had ever been paid to appear on a network variety program. When Elvis made his third Sullivan appearance in January of 1957, Ed Sullivan surprised Elvis by telling him on camera that his show had never had a better experience with a name act, and said 'I wanted to say to Elvis and the country that this is a real decent, fine boy'. It was on this very same Sullivan appearance that Elvis was shown on camera from the waist up only, one of early television history's most memorable moments. Elvis' next network television appearance was in 1960, when Frank Sinatra gave his variety show a 'Welcome Home, Elvis' theme to herald Elvis' return from the army. Elvis was paid $125,000 to appear - again, making history. Elvis Presley - Ed Sullivan Show

Biography for
Elvis Presley More at IMDbPro
ad feedback Date of Birth 8 January 1935, Tupelo, Mississippi, USA Date of Death 16 August 1977, Memphis, Tennessee, USA (cardiac arrhythmia) Birth Name Elvis Aron Presley Nickname The Pelvis The King The King Of Rock 'n' Roll Height 6' (1.83 m) Mini Biography

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on Tuesday, January 8, 1935 in East Tupelo, Mississippi. In September 1948 when Elvis was 13, he and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee. After graduating from Humes High School in Memphis, Elvis took odd 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 with a local recording company, then in 1955 with RCA. He did much to establish early rock and roll music, bringing black blues singing into the white,

teenage mainstream. Teenage girls became hysterical over his blatantly sexual gyrations, particularly the one that got him nicknamed "Elvis the Pelvis" (TV cameras were not permitted to film below his waist). At the time of his death, he had sold more than 600-million singles and albums. In 1956 following his 6 TV appearances on The Dorsey Brothers'" Stage Show" , Elvis was cast in his first acting role in a supporting part in Love Me Tender (1956), the first of 33 movies he starred in. Critics blasted most of his films, but they did very well at the box-office earning upwards of $150 million total. In 1958, Elvis was drafted into the military where he relocated to Bad Nauheim, Germany. There he met and quickly fell in love with 14-year old army damsel, Priscilla Ann Wagner (later known as Priscilla Presley). Elvis's military service and the "British invasion" of the 1960s reduced his concerts, though not his movie/recording income. Through the 1960s, Elvis settled in Hollywood where he starred in over 20 movies, acting alongside some of the most well known character actors in Hollywood. He finally married Priscilla after years of living together, and in 1968 they had a daughter, Lisa Marie Presley Lockwood on Thursday, February 1st, 1968. Elvis made a comeback in the 1970s with live concert appearances starting in early 1970 in Las Vegas with over 57 sold-out shows. Elvis toured throughout the USA appearing on-stage in over 500 live appearances, many of them sold out shows. Sadly, his marriage ended in divorce, and the stress of constantly traveling as well as his increasing weight gain and dependence upon stimulants and depressants took their toll. Elvis Presley died on Tuesday, August 16, 1977 at his mansion in Graceland, near Memphis at age 42. Since his death, his Memphis home Graceland has become a shrine for millions of followers worldwide. Elvis impersonators and purported sightings have become stock subjects for humorists.
IMDb Mini Biography By: Ed Stephan <stephan@cc.wwu.edu> Mini Biography

Elvis Presley began his career as first performer of rockabilly, an up-tempo fusion of country and rhythm and blues with a strong back beat. His novel versions of existing songs, mixing 'black' and 'white' sounds, made him popular - and controversial - as did his uninhibited stage and television performances. 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 voice and had unusually wide success encompassing other genres, including gospel, blues, ballads and pop. To date, he is the only performer to have been inducted into three separate music 'Halls of Fame'. In the 1960s, Presley made the majority of his thirty-three movies - mainly poorly reviewed musicals. 1970 saw a critically-acclaimed return to live music, followed by performances in Las Vegas and across the U.S. Throughout his career, he set records for concert attendance, television ratings and recordings sales. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in the history of popular music. His death, at the age of 42, shocked his fans worldwide.
Spouse Priscilla Presley (1 May 1967 - 9 October 1973) (divorced) 1 child Trade Mark The famous left-sided grin

The movement of the pelvis that gave him the nickname, "Elvis, the pelvis", which he disliked so much Longer and slightly deeper sideburns White sequined jumpsuits with rhinestones

Onstage karate moves Peanut Butter and banana sandwiches (with bacon) Trademark Phrase: "Thank ya', Thank ya' Very Much!" Southern accent Black hair often greased back Husky voice

American rock singer Elvis Presley (1935 1977) serenades a basset hound in a top hat with the song, Hound Dog on the set of The Steve Allen Show, July 1956. (Photo by NBC Television/Getty Images) Elvis plays around with a prop knife during the filming of 'Love Me Tender'. From the book, Inside Love Me Tend