Elvis Presley
“The King of Rock and Roll, who fused gospel, blues, and country into a sound that remade American music.”
On July 5, 1954, a young truck driver named Elvis Presley cut a charged, sped-up version of 'That's All Right' at Sam Phillips' Sun Records in Memphis. The single fused blues and country into something new, and within two years Presley would ignite the rock-and-roll revolution.
Tupelo to Memphis
Elvis Aaron Presley was born in a two-room house in Tupelo in 1935, his twin stillborn. The family's move to Memphis immersed him in gospel, blues, and country that shaped his sound.
Birth of a Phenomenon
His 1954 Sun recordings caught fire, and after RCA signed him, Heartbreak Hotel and television appearances made him a national sensation. His hip-swiveling performances scandalized and thrilled.
The King Endures
After army service and Hollywood films, the 1968 Comeback Special and Las Vegas years restored his crown. His death in 1977 at Graceland stunned the world and cemented his legend.
Career Timeline
- 1935Born January 8 in Tupelo, Mississippi
- 1948Family moves to Memphis, Tennessee
- 1954Records That's All Right at Sun Records
- 1955Contract sold to RCA Victor
- 1956Heartbreak Hotel and Ed Sullivan stardom
- 1958Drafted into the U.S. Army
- 1960Returns from Germany to film and records
- 1968Acclaimed '68 Comeback Special revives career
- 1969Begins residency at Las Vegas hotel
- 1973Aloha from Hawaii satellite TV special
- 1977Dies August 16 at Graceland at 42
Biggest Hits
- His twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn 35 minutes before Elvis was born.
- His first 1956 Ed Sullivan appearance drew roughly 60 million viewers.
The Moment You Remember
In a black leather suit before a small studio audience in 1968, a leaner, hungrier Elvis sang as if reclaiming everything he had been, and the comeback special reminded the world why he was crowned in the first place.
Portrait: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, Inc. · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons