Sun
Records
In the summer of 1953 he paid $4 to record the first of two double-sided
demo acetates at Sun Studios as a gift to his mother, singing "My
Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin",
popular ballads of the time.
Sun Records founder Sam Phillips and assistant Marion Keisker heard
the discs and, recognizing Presley's nascent talent, called him
in June 1954 to fill in for a missing ballad singer. Although the
session did not prove fruitful, Sam put Elvis together with local
musicians Scotty Moore and Bill Black to see what might develop.
During a rehearsal break on July 5, 1954, Elvis started fooling
around with a song called "That's All Right" and Sam hit
the record button, thinking Elvis may have found his niche. The
resulting single, backed with Elvis' hopped-up version of the country
song "Blue Moon Of Kentucky", was a huge local hit in
Memphis after WHBQ aired it two days later, and regular touring
started to expand his fame beyond Tennessee.
Elvis recorded five singles while at Sun, all credited to Elvis
Presley - The Hillbilly Cat:
"That's All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky - released
on July 19, 1954
"Good Rockin' Tonight" / "I Don't Care if the Sun
Don't Shine" - released on September 25, 1954
"Milkcow Blues Boogie" / "You're A Heartbreaker"
- released on December 28, 1954
"Baby Let's Play House" / "I'm Left, You're Right,
She's Gone" - released April 10, 1955
"Mystery Train" / "I Forgot To Remember To Forget"
- Released on August 6, 1955
Most of these were covers of rhythm and blues or country and western
hits.
These singles garnered Elvis increasing attention both for his music
and for the rioting girls that were becoming a staple of his live
performances. The last of the Sun singles, "I Forgot To Remember
To Forget" b/w "Mystery Train", went to #1 on the
Country music Singles chart. During this period Elvis toured incessantly
throughout the south and southwest, also appearing 50 times on the
regional show Louisiana Hayride (his first appearance was on March
3, 1955). Hayride founder and producer Horace Logan had shrewdly
signed Elvis to weekly appearances after noting the audience reaction
to the then-unknown singer. It was during Elvis' last appearance
on the Hayride that Logan announced, "Elvis has left the building",
desperate to quell the screaming teenagers trying to reach Elvis
as he exited the stage. The phrase has been popularized and is commonly
used in joking reference to many, often unimportant, events being
over as if they were as popular as an Elvis concert.
RCA
Signing
Elvis signed with RCA Records on November 21, 1955. On January 27,
1956 the single "Heartbreak Hotel" / "I Was the One"
was released. It was the sixth single of his career. Unlike the
previous singles, this one did chart, reaching #1 in April 1956.
Over the next twenty-one years, until his death in 1977, Elvis had
146 Hot 100 hits, 112 top 40 hits, 72 top 20 hits and 40 top 10
hits; all of these are the most anyone has yet achieved. "Don't
Be Cruel" and "Hounddog" topped the pop, black and
country charts in 1956—he is probably the only person to have singles
reach the top of all three charts. A string of hit records followed
as the public's desire for his product seemed insatiable.
Television
On January 28, 1956 Presley made his national television debut by
appearing on The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show. Now recording for RCA,
and under the management of (honorary) Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis
entered the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time on February
22 with "Heartbreak Hotel" and on April 21 that year the
same song hit number one. His June 5, 1956 introduction of his next
single, "Hound Dog", on The Milton Berle Show, scandalized
the audience with his suggestive hip movements. After a string of
other TV appearances, he made his first appearance on the top-rated
Ed Sullivan Show on September 9, earning the show a record 52–60
million viewers (82.6% of viewership that night). Presley had dyed
his sandy blond hair jet black by the time of his second Sullivan
performance on October 28 of the same year. On his third and final
Sullivan appearance (January 6, 1957) Sullivan bowed to pressure
from moralists and ordered Presley to be filmed only from the waist
up due to his customary suggestive hip movements.
Military
On
January 20, 1958 Presley received a draft notice for a 2-year tour
with the United States Army. He served in Germany, where he drove
a jeep for Sgt. Ira Jones, and was honorably discharged on March
5, 1960. Many have since wondered why an only child – by then the
sole support of his parents and grandmother – was drafted during
peacetime, since his services were clearly not critical for the
defense of his country. It has long been suspected that Elvis' draft
notice was either politically instigated to shunt his "dangerous",
"race-mixing" influence, or quietly encouraged by his
manager in order to keep the increasingly world-wise Southern lad
under his thumb.
Motion pictures
Beginning with Love Me Tender (opened on November 15, 1956), Presley
starred in 31 motion pictures, having signed to multiple long-term
contracts on the advice of his manager. These were usually musicals
based around Presley performances, and marked the beginning of his
transition from rebellious rock and roller to all-round family entertainer.
Elvis was praised by all his directors, including the highly respected
Michael Curtiz, as unfailingly polite and extremely hardworking.
The movies Jailhouse Rock (1957), King Creole (1958), and Flaming
Star (1960) are widely regarded as his best among film critics.
Among fans, Blue Hawaii (1961) and Viva Las Vegas (1964) are highly
praised.
Return
to recording and live shows
The 1960s saw the quality of Presley's recorded output drop, although
he was still capable of creating records equal to his best and did
so on the infrequent occasions where he was presented with decent
material at his movie recording sessions. With this drop-off, and
in the face of the social upheaval of the 60s and the British Invasion
spearheaded by The Beatles, Presley's star faded slightly before
a triumphant TV comeback special on NBC (aired on December 3, 1968)
that saw him return to his rock and roll roots. His 1969 return
to live performances, first in Las Vegas and then across the country,
was noted for the constant stream of sold-out shows, with many setting
attendance records in the venues where he performed.
His most successful concert was the Elvis Aloha Concert in Hawaii,
which was broadcast worldwide via satellite in January 1973. It
was a milestone for Presley's career and his biggest audience to
date.
Gospel
music
Presley
was deeply religious, raised in the Pentecostal faith. He recorded
several gospel albums. His three Grammy awards are all for gospel
music. In his later years, his live stage performances almost always
included a rendition of "How Great Thou Art."
Relationships
From
the beginning of his career, Elvis was a sex symbol who sent legions
of women swooning. He had a string of girlfriends, before and after
he became famous including including celebrities such as Mamie Van
Doren, Natalie Wood, Tuesday Weld, Cybill Shepherd, Barbra Streisand,
and Ann-Margret.
On May 1, 1967 he married Priscilla Anne Beaulieu at the Aladdin
Hotel in Las Vegas. Priscilla had been the step-daughter of Presley's
commanding officer in Germany during his Army stint. Incredibly,
Elvis managed to talk Priscilla's mother and step-father into allowing
the underaged girl to live with him at Graceland. In her autobiography,
Priscilla recounted how Elvis would stay up all night and sleep
most of the day; if he wanted to go out, he'd rent out the venue
so no fans would bother him. Although he would spend hours alone
with her in her bedroom, Priscilla wrote that Elvis never made any
advances toward her. Indeed, their wedding night was the first -
and only - time they were intimate; their daughter, Lisa Marie,
was born exactly nine months later on February 1, 1968. After their
divorce in 1973, Lisa lived with Priscilla.
Over the years, various women have claimed to have had Elvis's "love
child." No hard evidence has ever surfaced that he fathered
anyone besides Lisa. However, in Elvis: The Hollywood Years, a new
biography by David Bret, claims he was gay. Bret says Colonel Tom
Parker "held secret information about a homosexual affair between
Elvis and actor Nick Adams over his head like a sword. He made it
clear that... if Elvis didn't toe the line, he'd let it get out.
At that time, it could well have ruined his career. That is why
Parker had so much control over him." Many journalists' attempts
to "out" Elvis in the past were thwarted by his manager.
1969
onward
After
seven years off the top of the charts, Presley's song "Suspicious
Minds" hit No. 1 on the Billboard music charts on November
1, 1969. This was the last time any song by Presley hit #1 while
he was still alive, although "Burning Love" got as high
as #2 in in September 1972. The mid-1970s saw Elvis becoming increasingly
isolated, battling an addiction to prescription drugs and the resulting
toll on his appearance and performances. Elvis made his last live
concert appearance in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Market Square
Arena on June 26, 1977.
Death and burial
He died at his palatial home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee in
1977 and is now buried on its grounds. Originally buried at Forest
Hill Cemetery, his tomb was eventually moved to Graceland after
an attempted theft of his body. Numerous examinations of his death
by medical personnel have not resulted in a final public cause of
death; causes most often cited are polypharmacy (drug mixing) or
heart disease exacerbated by his drug use. There is also a rumor
that he died on the toilet. According to popular legend, however,
Elvis did not die in 1977, and may continue to be alive (see Elvis
sightings).
His
international influence
Elvis
Presley spawned rock and roll interest in Europe; his name was even
known by people behind the then-Iron Curtain. In France, singer
Johnny Hallyday copied Presley in the French language, becoming
a huge star in that country. Presley paved the way for other American
rockers whose records sold in Europe and who began to tour there.
Teenagers around the world began copying his "ducktail"
hair style, and the demand for transistor radios exploded so much
so that Sony went from a small Japanese telecommunications company
making radios to a giant global conglomerate. And, through his new
look with black slacks and loose open-necked shirts, he created
a huge demand for new lines of clothing. Presley's influence created
a generation of teenagers who, for the first time, became an economic
powerhouse through their spending capacity. Also, there are a number
of Elvis impersonators worldwide.
Enduring legacy
Now, more than 25 years after his death, Presley remains a foremost
pop icon of the 20th century. His image, especially his trademark
forelock, is instantly recognizable. He is still the gold standard
against which modern notions of fame are measured. At least one
modern recording artist, Elvis Costello, borrowed Presley's first
name to help his fledgling career.
But all too often Elvis Presley's kitsch appeal and the industry
which has grown up around it, chronicling his dietary and chemical
predilections and the trappings of his celebrity, have tended to
obscure the vibrant and vital music he made as a young man, the
vocally-influential recordings of his later career, and the lasting
influence both he and his music had on American popular culture.
Connected with this is a continuing urban myth that Elvis is still
alive. "Elvis sightings", in which Presley is reported
to have been located (frequently in mundane and out-of-the-way places,
such as a supermarket in South Dakota), are common events, and one
of the staples of supermarket tabloids.
However, interest in his music returned during the buildup to the
2002 World Cup, when Nike used a remixed version of his "A
Little Less Conversation" as the background music to a series
of TV commercials featuring international soccer stars. The remix
hit Number 1 in over 20 countries, including the United States.
At about the same time, a compilation of Presley's US Number 1 hits,
ELV1S 30 #1 Hits, was being prepared for release. "A Little
Less Conversation" (remix version) was quickly added as the
album's 31st track just before its release in October 2002. Nearly
50 years after Presley made his first hit record and 25 years after
his death, ELV1S 30 #1 Hits reached number 1 on the charts.
Among his many accomplishments, Elvis Presley is only one of two
singers (Roy Orbison being the other) to ever have two Top 5 albums
on the charts simultaneously. He has been inducted into the Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame (1986), the Country Music Hall of Fame (1998),
and the Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2001). In 1993, Presley's image
appeared on a United States postage stamp.
Note: The Presley family, including Elvis, spelled his middle name
"Aron" throughout his life, although Elvis is said to
have considered changing it to "Aaron". His birth certificate
and tombstone both read "Aaron".
Musical
milestones
During
his lifetime, Elvis Presley:
recorded 112 singles that hit the Top 40 of the Billboard pop charts.
had 18 number 1 Billboard hits, including four singles in 1956 that
occupied the top of the charts for a cumulative total of 25 weeks.
The total (18) is surpassed only by The Beatles, who had 20 number
1 hits.
had 38 Top 10 Billboard hits. This total is currently unchallenged;
the closest competitor, Madonna, has 35. (The Beatles had 34 Top
10 hits during their career.)
Until the record was broken by Boyz II Men's "End of the Road"
in November 1992, Elvis Presley's double-side "Don't Be Cruel/Hound
Dog" was the undisputed champion of singles in terms of weeks
spent at number one. The record spent 11 weeks at the top starting
on August 18, 1956.
These are other records set by Presley's recordings:
From March 1956 to November 1959, every week there was at least
one Elvis song on the singles chart.
From 1956 to 1962 Elvis set the record with 24 consecutive top 5
hit singles (singles listed with B-side songs and original U.S.A.
release dates):
"Heartbreak Hotel" / "I Was the One" -
released 1/27/56
"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You" / "My
Baby Left Me" - 5/4/56
"Don't Be Cruel" / "Hound Dog" - 7/13/56
"Love Me Tender" / "Any Way You Want Me"
- 9/28/56
"Too Much" / "Playing For Keeps" - 1/4/57
"All Shook Up" / "That's When Your Heartaches
Begin" - 3/22/57
"Teddy Bear" / "Loving You" - 6/11/57
"Jailhouse Rock" / "Treat Me Nice" - 9/24/57
"Don't" / "I Beg Of You" - 1/7/58
Elvis also charted 9 consecutive #1 singles:
"Wear My Ring Around Your Neck" / "Doncha'
Think It's Time" - 4/1/58 (the first single to debut on the
chart in the top 10)
"Hard Headed Woman" / "Don't Ask Me Why"
- 6/10/58
"One Night" / "I Got Stung" - 10/21/58
"A Fool Such As I" / "I Need Your Love Tonight"
- 3/10/59
"A Big Hunk O' Love" / "My Wish Came True"
- 6/23/59
"Stuck On You" / "Fame And Fortune" -
3/23/60
"It's Now Or Never" / "A Mess Of Blues"
- 7/5/60
"Are You Lonesome Tonight" / "I Gotta Know"
- 11/1/60
"Surrender" / "Lonely Man" - 2/7/61
"I Feel So Bad" / "Wild In The Country"
- 5/2/61
"His Latest Flame" / "Little Sister" -
8/8/61
"Can't Help Falling In Love" / "Rock-A-Hula
Baby" - 11/22/61
"Good Luck Charm" / "Anything That's Part Of
You" - 2/27/62
"She's Not You" / "Just Tell Her Jim Said Hello"
- 7/14/62
"Return To Sender" / "Where Do You Come From"
- 10/2/62
All the above 24 singles also sold over 1 million copies each as
well. That is another record yet to be broken.
Since 1962, the closest anyone has come to matching this was Madonna
in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with 19 consecutive top 5 hits.
Discography
Elvis
Presley had 11 albums top the Billboard pop album charts:
Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
Elvis' Christmas Album (1957)
Loving You (1957)
G.I. Blues (1960)
Blue Hawaii (1960)
Something for Everybody (1961)
Roustabout (1965)
Elvis sings the Wonderful World of Christmas (1972)
Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite (1973)
Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits (2002)
According to Allmusic.com, his best albums include:
Elvis Presley (1956)
Elvis (1956)
From Elvis in Memphis (1969)
The Sun Sessions (1976)
The Top Ten Hits (1987)
The Million Dollar Quartet (1990)
The King of Rock n' Roll: The Complete 50's Masters (1992)
From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential 60's Masters (1993)
Walk a Mile in my Shoes: The Essential 70's Masters (1995)
Sunrise (1999)
Elv1s: 30 #1 Hits (2002)
2nd to None (2003)
Selected
songs
"A
Big Hunk o' Love"
"(Now and Then There's) A Fool Such As I"
"A Little Less Conversation"
"All Shook Up"
"Always On My Mind"
"Are You Lonesome Tonight?"
"An American Trilogy"
"Blue Suede Shoes"
"Burning Love"
"Can't Help Falling In Love"
"Crying In The Chapel"
"(You're The) Devil In Disguise"
"Don't"
"Don't Be Cruel"
"Good Luck Charm"
"Hard Headed Woman"
"Heartbreak Hotel"
"(Marie's The Name) His Latest Flame"
"Hound Dog"
"I'm Yours"
"In The Ghetto"
"It Hurts Me"
"It's Now Or Never"
"I Want You, I Need You, I Love You"
"Jailhouse Rock"
"Kentucky Rain"
"Love Me Tender"
"Mean Woman Blues"
"Moody Blue"
"My Way"
"One Night"
"Promised Land"
"Return To Sender"
"She's Not You"
"Stuck On You"
"Suspicious Minds"
"Surrender"
"(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear"
"Too Much"
"Trouble"
"Way Down"
"The Wonder of You"
"Wooden Heart"
"You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin'"
"You Don't Have To Say You Love Me"
"Young and Beautiful"
Trivia
Elvis Presley made only one television commercial, an ad for Southern
Maid Doughnuts that ran in 1954.
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