Elvis Presley

Blues, Celebrity

1935 – 1977

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Who was Elvis Presley?

Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer, musician and actor. 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, and at the age of 13, he moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee. His music career began there in 1954, when he started to work with Sam Phillips, the owner of 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 was to manage the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first RCA single, "Heartbreak Hotel", released in January 1956, was a number-one hit in the US. He became the leading figure of rock and roll after a series of 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.

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Born
Jan 8, 1935
Tupelo
Also known as
  • Elvis
  • Elvis Aron Presley
  • The King of Rock 'n' Roll
  • Elvis Aaron Presley
  • King of Rock and Roll
  • The Pelvis
  • Elvis, the pelvis
  • The King
  • The King of Rock and Roll
Parents
Siblings
Spouses
Children
Ethnicity
  • Scottish American
  • Scotch-Irish American
  • Romani people
Nationality
  • United States of America
Profession
Education
  • Humes High School
    ( - 1953/06)
Lived in
  • Memphis
  • Tupelo
Died
Aug 16, 1977
Memphis
Resting place
Graceland

Submitted
on July 23, 2013

Citation

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"Elvis Presley." Biographies.net. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.biographies.net/people/en/elvis_presley>.

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