Elvis Presley is called “The King of Rock & Roll” by millions of people around the world.
Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His family was poor and very religious. As a young boy, he sang in the local church choir and learned to play the guitar.
The Presley family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948. After graduating from high school, Elvis worked as a truck driver. In 1953, he made a record for his mother at a local recording studio. His record impressed the studio owner, who also owned a small record company. In 1954, Elvis made his first single record, and it was a big hit with local people. He did a singing tour of the South and then started recording for RCA Records.
Presley’s musical style was influenced by African-American music. The way he dressed and his movements on stage were unique at the time. All of this made him a new and exciting performer.
In 1956, Presley appeared on a national American television show called Talk of the Town. His hip movements on stage scandalized many people, which made him even more popular with teenagers. For the next 16 years, he made many million-selling records. He also starred in over 30 movies. His music and movies were listened to and seen by his fans around the world.
In 1973, he gave up making movies and touring to be a nightclub performer. Large crowds attended his performances. He was also divorced from his wife, Priscilla, that year. Following his divorce, he became more and more reclusive. He gained a great deal of weight and he abused prescription drugs. He was found dead in Graceland, his Memphis mansion, on August 16, 1977. He was 42 years old.
Today, his music is still popular and thousands of people visit Graceland each year.
