From the moment he touched his first guitar and made his first record, Elvis knew that he would change the music movement.
Elvis Presley—originally Elvis Aron Presley—was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. He originally had a twin, but his brother Jesse Garon Presley died of stillbirth. Raised by loving, working-class parents that had little money, he constantly had to move from place to place. He was taught to have faith in God and to attend church every Sunday. Gospel music was what later influenced his passion. On his eleventh birthday in 1946, he received his first guitar as a gift from his mother, and a few years later he won his first talent show at Humes High School in Memphis, Tennessee.
After his graduation in 1953, he made his first demo record at what would later be known as Sun Studios and was taken under record label owner Sam Philips’ wing. Presley then began touring and recording in search of his first big break, which he found in 1954 when he made his first single “That’s All Right.” In 1955, he began gaining a fan base due to his unique musical style and looks. The next year, he signed with RCA Records and made his first major hit single and album, “Heartbreak Hotel.” He also signed a movie contract that same year with Paramount Pictures Studios. His growing fame led him to guest star in many TV shows.
Presley’s growing fame seemed unstoppable, until the U.S. military intervened. . In 1957, he received a draft notice from the Army. When in service he was stationed in Germany, but before leaving, his mother Gladys died due to heart failure. The Army granted him leave to attend his mother’s funeral in Memphis. Saddened by the loss, all he could do was return to duty.
During his tour in Germany, he met Priscilla Beaulieu, and eight years later they got married in Las Vegas, Nevada; they then had a daughter in the following year.
Sadly, on the 16th of August, 1977, he died of a heart attack in a bathroom due to drug abuse. His mark on the genre of Rock and Roll (which he helped pioneer) was one only a King could create, and for his accomplishments he is enshrined in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
