ELVIS PRESLEY BIOGRAPHY

BIRTH: January 8, 1935,

Tupelo, Mississippi

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DEATH: August 16, 1977,

Memphis, Tennessee

Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor.He is called the King of Rock and Roll”. In 1986, he was one of the first people to be inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Elvis Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys on 8th January, 1935. He was born at Tupelo, Mississippi. He was born with a twin but his brother was a stillborn. His mother bought him his first guitar at the age of eleven. His uncles gave him guitar lessons. When Elvis was thirteen years old, their family moved to

Memphis, Tennessee. He studied at Humes High School. Presley won a talent show in his school. He graduated in the year 1953.

Country singers like Ted Daffan, Ernest Tubb, Jake Hess were an inspiration for Presley. In 1953, he recorded at Sun Recording Studio. Sun’s boss Sam Phillips made him record again on 5th July, 1954. Presley sang Arthur Crudup’s “That’s All Right” with local musicians- Scotty Moore playing the guitar and Bill Black as the bassist. This song aired three days later and gained quite some popularity. They started doing concerts from then on.

Elvis Presley got his record deal with RCA in 1955 with the help of his manager Colonel Tom Parker. On 23rd March of the next year, his self-titled album was released. His first hit “Heartbreak Heart” was from this album. This song topped the pop charts for seven weeks. In 1956, Elvis also signed a movie contract with Paramount Pictures. His film Love Me Tender was released in the same year; it was a box office hit.

Elvis Presley was inducted to the Army in 1958. He was stationed at Germany. He gave his services to the army for two years and retired from the Third Armored Division with the rank of sergeant.

Presley’s comeback album, ‘Elvis is Back came out in April 1960. The next album, “Something for Everybody’ was released in 1961. Presley starred in Norman Taurog’s musical comedy G.I. Blues in 1960. He also gave the soundtrack for this movie. Next he starred in Blue Hawaii(1961), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962) and Viva Las Vegas (1964). On 3rd December, 1968, Elvis Presley appeared in his first TV special which was referred to as his “68 Comeback Special”. His album ‘From Elvis in Memphis came out the next year. His number one hit single “Suspicious Minds” was from this album.

His 1970 single “The Wonder of You’ topped the UK and US charts. He has had three television specials, Elvis, Elvis: Aloha from Hawaii and Elvis in Concert. His health began to deteriorate in 1973 while he continued to manage his hectic touring schedule.

Elvis has sold millions of records all over the world. He has been nominated for fourteen Grammy Awards and won three times. ‘How Great Thou Art’ (1967), ‘He touched Me’ (1972) and his Memphis concert of the song “How Great Thou Art” all received Grammy Awards.

He was awarded with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1971. Elvis Presley’s recordings are also included in the NARAS Hall of Fame. He was named as one of the ‘Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation’ by the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce. Elvis Presley was inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Presley is also inducted at the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2001), the Rockabilly Hall of Fame (2007), the Memphis Music Hall of Fame (2012) and the Country Music Hall of Fame (1998).

He was awarded the American Music Awards Award of Merit in 1987.