Elvis Presley (1935-1977) was an American singer, musician and actor. He is one of the most important cultural icons of the twentieth century and is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "The King".
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley moved to Memphis, Tennessee with his family at the age of 13. His musical career began there in 1954, when he recorded a song with producer Sam Phillips at Sun Records. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was one of the first to popularize rockabilly, a fusion of country music and rhythm and blues, set to a rhythmic beat. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who managed the singer for more than two decades. Presley's first single for RCA, "Heartbreak Hotel," was released in January 1956 and became a number one hit in the United States. With a series of successful television appearances and chart-topping records, he became the figurehead of the new popular rock and roll sound.
His energetic song interpretations and sexually provocative performance style, combined with a singular blend of influences of all colors during a time of transforming race relations, made him extremely popular
- and controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. In 1958, he was called up for military service. He resumed his recording career two years later, producing some of his most commercially successful work, before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood films and the soundtrack albums that accompanied them, most of which were derided by critics.
In 1968, after a seven-year hiatus, he returned to the stage in a television special Elvis, which led to a long residency of concerts in Las Vegas and a series of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Presley performed the first concert by a solo artist to be broadcast worldwide, Aloha from Hawaii. Years of prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died in 1977 at his Graceland estate at age 42.
Presley is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded music. He enjoyed commercial success in many genres, including pop, country, blues and gospel. He has won three Grammys, received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at the age of 36 and has been inducted into numerous music hall of fame.
