Elvis+Presley

Elvis Presley is an international pop icon who earned a great deal of success. Widely known as Elvis, “The King” or “The King of Rock and Roll” Elvis scored many awards, starred in multiple films, and taken high honors in the music industries. Elvis Presley’s career changed the ways of Rock and Roll.

//**Table of Contents:**//
 * 1) Early Life
 * 2) Music Career
 * 3) Filmography
 * 4) Awards
 * 5) Controversy

Born and raised in Tupelo, Mississippi January 8th 1935, Elvis Aaron Presley grew up with a full family consisting of Gladys Presley (Mother) and Vernon Presley (Father). Elvis Presley had an identical twin brother named Jesse Gardon, but was still born so Elvis would grow up as an only child. Attending Humes High School, Elvis Presley started to focus on his personal appearance and stayed up to date with the pop culture of his time. Letting his hair grow out and wearing flashy clothing made him stand out in his town. In order to keep up to date with the pop culture, Elvis listened to the radio, visited record stores, went to night clubs, listened to music at church, etc. First performing at his school’s talent show, Elvis was nervously ready. After singing his song, he got more applause than he expected. His popularity grew rapidly. After graduating High School, Elvis decided to become a singer. Elvis Presley did what he could to get noticed. He stopped by The Memphis Recording Studio, handing in a 2 demos, one titled “My Happiness”. He also sang for Sam Philips, the owner of The Memphis Recording Studio, also known as Sun Records, and then was put into a musical group with two other men, a guitarist and a bassist Elvis’s music career began.
 * //Early Life//**

Elvis’s first hit with Scotty Moore and Bill Black was titled “Blue Moon of Kentucky”. The group went on their first self-driven tour in 1955. Traveling with the group gave Elvis a lot of exposure. Elvis’s new style, different dance moves, great voice, and his good looks made his live appearances and performances exciting, especially for the females. On November 20, 1955, Elvis signemedia type="youtube" key="efL17ekQZ5k" height="236" width="309" align="right"d his first recording contract with RCA Records. His first single with RCA Records, “Heartbreak Hotel” sold over 300,000 copies within the first three weeks, soon after the song became #1 on Billboard’s Pop Singles Chart for eight weeks. “Heartbreak Hotel” became Elvis’s first single to sell over one million copies. Elvis’s first album, self-titled “Elvis”, became #1 for ten weeks, earned 1 million dollars in sales, and became his first gold album. Between March and July, two more #1’s were produced: “Blue Suede Shoes” and “Hound Dog”. Elvis’s album, “Elvis is Back!” was created after his return from serving with the military for roughly two years. “Elvis is Back!” scored #2 on the Billboard’s Pop Chart. Elvis has set the bar for the most records sales for an artist in America: selling more than 150 different albums and singles. More than 149 songs to hit the Billboard’s Hot 100, within these songs, 114 made it in the top forty, and 18 were number one hits.
 * //Music Career//**

Elvis Presley starred in a total of 33 films in his career, “Love Me Tender” being his first. In August 1956, Elvis started filming his very first movie titled “Love Me Tender” which was then released on November 15, 1956. The movie as well as his previous songs, was a hit. Critics’ said the singer’s acting wasn’t bad. In the year of 1957, Elvis starred in two more films, both being a hit: “Loving You” and “Jailhouse Rock”. “King Creole” a song titled film was Elvis’s last film before enlisting into the army. Some say, this was Elvis’s favorite movie to film. Elvis’s last two movies were biographies of his concert life: “Elvis: That’s The Way It Is” and “Elvis On Tour”. Elvis starred in 31 films in total, making him a successful actor as well as a singer. He was the highest paid actor of his time.
 * //Filmography//**[[image:elvis-presley-biography-19.jpg width="234" height="216" align="left" caption="Jailhouse Rock (1957)"]]

The peak of Elvis’s fame was recognized by The Wall Street Journal. Recognizing Elvis for all of his success; making 22 million in sales, having multiple #1’s, a hit movie, a gold album, and many more. The Wall Street Journal named Elvis, “The Primary of The New Youth Culture of America”. They described his style as unique, controversial, white country and gospel, pop music, charisma and talent. Elvis was nominated for 14 Grammys, but only taking home three. Three in the category of gospel for his album, “How Great Thou Art”, “He Touched Me”, and his live performance of “How Great Thou Art”. The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, NARAS, recognized Elvis with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 36. The United States Junior Chamber of Commerce, named Elvis, One of the Outstanding Young Men of the Nation for 1970. In 1986, Elvis was enrolled into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 1992, an Elvis Presley stamp was created.
 * //Awards//**

Elvis Presley’s style was considered controversial because of his dance moves, his looks and his genre of music. Elvis’s dance moves were inspired by the gospel group, The Statesmen. “Big Chief” Wetherington, a member of The Statesmen, started the famous leg twitching, which Elvis made popular. Leg twitching wasn’t the only dance move Elvis made popular. Dance moves including curled in chest, hip thrusts, hips rolls, alternative leg moves, were all popularized by Elvis. His dance shocked many, for at the time, dance moves like this were considered too sexual for TV, yet audiences everywhere loved watching his performances. Elvis was now considered a sex symbol. His good looks, gyrating hips, types of song, and his sense of rebellion enhanced his image.
 * //Controversy//**media type="youtube" key="0rpn_7OMV0c" height="236" width="339" align="right"

The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, was and still is an international pop icon. Elvis was influenced from various artists and he influenced many. His gyrating hips, universal genre of music, and his specific style got him very far into the music industry as well as in the film industry. Scoring over 149 songs on the Billboard’s Hot 100, landing in more than 30 films, and enrolling into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Elvis Presley was a huge pop icon and a great influence to many singers in the near future.
 * //Analysis//**

Contents:
 * 1) Influenced by Gospel
 * 2) Influenced various artists
 * 3) Played a role in the Military
 * 4) Influenced the future

Music was a big part of Elvis’s life. Growing up, he was surrounded by Christian music due to singing at his church choir with his parents, listening to music on the radio, and participating in his school’s talent show. Along with other genres of music, Gospel music influenced Elvis’s life the most, for Gospel was one of the most popular genre of his time. He would go to Quartet conventions, concerts, and late night singings. The Statesmen, a gospel group who was considered as the most successful and influential gospel quartet of the 1950’s, influenced Elvis in ways of making him famous. Elvis was idolized by Jake Hess’s vocals and influenced by Big Chief’s leg shaking, all which made Elvis a controversial figure.
 * 1. Influenced by Gospel**

According to Rolling Stones, “it was Elvis Presley who made Rock n’ Roll the international language of pop.” Some say Elvis Presley revolutionized the music community; influencing many artists, song writers, and directors. Artist including The Beatles, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, Johnny Cash, Elvis Costello, Bruce Springstein, Bob Dylan, and many more. Scott McCreey, an American Idol’s Season 10 Winner, listed Elvis Presley as his influence. In an interview with USA Today, Scott McCreey stated that Elvis Presley was a big influence for him, for he grew up listening to Elvis and attempting to sound like him. “…That maybe where I got my deep voice…” says Scotty. He says his first musical related purchase was most likely associated with Elvis Presley. Performing several Elvis songs on American Idol, including “That’s All Right”, Scotty McCreey pays tribute to his influence. Elvis Presley represents Rock n’ Roll in his own way. Re-creating the music industry, Elvis shaped Rock n Roll to what it is today. The Beatles, who were influenced by Elvis, follow in Elvis’s musical foot steps and became just as famous. The key to Elvis’s success was his rebel attitude and his good looks, which influenced many film producers at the time. The scowl-not-smiling-tough-guy look was influenced by Elvis for he barely took pictures with a smile on. Many actors followed along with this look, due to the great reactions they were receiving from the audience, especially the female audience. Movies such as A Rebel without a Cause were also based off this notorious look. All these influences carried on even to this day.
 * 2. Influenced various artists in the future**

Elvis enrolled into the Military, at the age of 22. He was deported to serve at Fort Hood for basic tank training. After all the prerequisites of war training, Elvis then sailed off to Germany. In Germany, he did regular daily duties of a soldier and did more than necessary to prove that he wasn’t receiving some sort of star training. Elvis served his required 18 months; he immediately went home and began working in the studio. Elvis's role in the military was significant because he showed that even stars, in his time, could be drafted. Acting very maturely, Elvis showed that just because he is famous, he wasn't receiving any star treatment which was important for him and as well as the others.
 * 3. Played a role in the military**

“Elvis the Pelvis” changed the sound of Rock n’ Roll, added some new moves to the dance style of today, made some retro fashion statements which represents Elvis, and a talent that can never be forgotten. His fame created more than just a voice. Elvis impersonators are commonly created and presented all around the world. These impersonators reenact Elvis’s famous dance styles, low voice, and outrages clothing choices. Not only was Elvis successful in the music industry and the film industry but was also successful being an Anti-Drug Spokesperson. Giving awareness of drugs to his audiences and preventing the abuse of drugs. Elvis, the international pop icon, is always around and will always be around. -//**Nick A.**// Works Cited
 * 4. Influenced the future**


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