Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most influential stars of the 20th century, he was successful in many genres of music, is a three time Grammy award winner, as well as an accomplished actor. On top of all of that Elvis was also a soldier in the United States military, serving for two years 1958-1960 before being honorable discharged. While there is no doubt about whether Elvis was an important figure in the 20th century there is a debate going on as to whom exactly Elvis Presley was, was he just a man or was he some sort of messiah. There are certainly people who will argue that Elvis was more than just a man often ascribing divine like aspects to his life from his birth to his death. To this day Elvis Presley remains an enigmatic figure, …show more content…
All of these questions and more are debated amongst the many Elvis followers, who have went from just fans to disciples of sorts. There are two pieces of work the book chapter “Believing in Elvis: Popular Piety in Material Culture” from Practicing Religion in the Age of Media and the film Elvis and the Presleytarians, each piece highlights the many aspects of the phenomenon surrounding the figure of Elvis Presley. One thing to notice is that every year on the anniversary of his death (August 16) there is a pilgrimage of Elvis fans to the Graceland estate located in Memphis Tennessee. While there fans and mourners alike come to celebrate the life of Elvis Presley, and lament his death. Some fans will simply lay flowers at his grave, while others will come dressed as “the king” and serenade his graveside with renditions of his many musical songs. Some come to celebrate the life and music of a popular singer, others come to celebrate/mourn the passing of their chosen …show more content…
One thing that both pieces point out is the fanatical devotion that some fans have placed on Elvis. This devotion in spite of his death, or more likely because of his death. The film pointed out that Elvis himself would not want to be worshiped like so many seem to do today. But maybe that’s the very reason people idolize him, pointing to his humility as the very reason that he is “special.” The fact that he has been “sighted” countless times after his death, only adds to the belief by some that he is of the divine, while others maintain that he simply faked his death to retire in peace. Both reasons are unproven and unsubstantiated, but even if one could prove that Elvis was really dead (which has already been done) some would still persist to believe that he was holy; the same would hold true for any religious figure out there. Faith is not something that is entirely based in fact, but the belief that what one has faith in is real, which makes it real and true to them. The Church of Elvis which both pieces bring up is the perfect example of this, some who believe in the Elvis church argue that the belief in Elvis is no different than other faith based systems. It was interesting to see in both pieces how some members of the church are fanatical followers, while others are more realistic in their belief in
I have listened to country music since I was a little, as did my husband. For him, it's a reminder of a simpler time, helping his father farm, plowing fields into the night. For me, it's a reminiscence of sunning myself in my backyard over summer vacation. The twangy sounds of the guitars and the fiddles always seemed to make me feel at home. For me, country music is a way of life, therefore the reasons I will use in an attempt to persuade you that country music is better than other music include its deep history in America, the quality and content of the music and its relatability.
All-in-all Elvis’s career was long and productive. He has sold more records then anyone else ever has. He had many gold and multi-platinum records. Starred in many movies and made a lot of television appearances. Elvis has made his imprint on the American history in many ways. He will always be remembered as “The King”. Almost everyone in the Rock And Roll industry owe their careers to Elvis Aaron Pressley.
Some people may call him “The King”, Elvis Presley is a well-known musician who stepped out of the norm and created a different kind of music. Presley combined pop, country, gospel, and black R&B to create his musical style. Presley caught everyone’s attention with his dance moves and musical talent. Elvis Presley led the way for many musicians, and has impacted the lives of many people.
There is no doubt that Elvis Presley’s impact on American society has revolutionized the world of music and movies, which eventually earned him the name . From truck driver to Rock and Roll icon, Presley’s charismatic attitude and dance moves became forever remembered in American history. His record-breaking career set a higher bar to many more musicians. Talented in both vocals and acting, his image alone speaks for its self.
Unfortunately, to much of the public, Elvis is more icon than artist. Innumerable bad Hollywood movies, increasingly caricatured records and mannerisms, and a personal life that became steadily more sheltered from real-world concerns (and steadily more bizarre) gave his story a somewhat mythic status. By the time of his death, he'd become more a symbol of gross Americana than of cultural innovation. The continued speculation about his incredible career has sustained interest in his life, and supported a large tourist/entertainment industry, that may last indefinitely, even if the fascination is fueled more by his celebrity than his music.
Is Johnny Cash immortal? We can answer this question by saying that Johnny Cash is immortal indeed. However, this is depends on his performance and people who mimic his performance. Johnny Cash made himself a legendary by beliving in himself first and by practicing what he love until he became what he dreamed to be. Johnny Cash, in my opinion, is the greatest country performer in the United States because no one until today can sing like him or write like his amazing songs. He was unique and skillful. He was born on February 26, 1932, in Kingsland, Arkansas. He passed away on September 12, 2003. He used to wear black because he liked
Many of us have a dream in life to be remembered by all for something great. It’s a lofty goal that only few have, or ever will achieve. Elvis Presley was one of the few people in our American history that achieved this status. Known as “The King of Rock and Roll”, his achievements have influenced our country like none of its precedents. This paper will explain Elvis Presley’s life, his death, and his profound influence after life.
I think classic rock is the best because it is true classic music. It is what started all rock of today. Classic rock is better than most rock days because it sounded way better back when the classic rock bands were popular. Today the “classic rock” is not as good as it was. Bands like Nirvana, The Beach Boys, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Queen, Pink Floyd, etc, are the bands that started it all.
...covered that his death was directly related to his incessant prescription drug use. Elvis Presley was buried on the Graceland property, near the grave sites of his beloved mother, Gladys, his father, Vernon, and grandmother Minnie Mae Hood Presley. Throughout his amazing career, Elvis, proved his musical dexterity. He popularized rock 'n' roll music in America. He won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings. He had a total of eighteen Number one hit singles, including "Don't Be Cruel," "Good Luck Charm" and "Suspicious Minds," as well as countless gold and platinum albums. He also happened to be one of the first performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Then, in 1998, Presley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Three years later, he was graciously inducted into the Gospel Music Association's Gospel Music Hall of Fame too.
Over 40,000,000 viewers tuned in to hear his R&B meets rock and roll song with his hip thrusts and pelvis shakes and the people lost it. You were either with him or against him, the teenage girls went wild over his moves while the church and elders thought he was everything they feared of the future, sexual, wild and rebellious. In the world facing such bigger issues with the cold war going on and the rise of communism it was easy to listen to Presley’s happy-go-lucky rock music and find an escape from the harsh realities of the world. It goes along with the normalcy bias that society ignores bigger issues in light that they rather not accept the fact that it is happening and deal with
Rodman, Gilbert B. Elvis after Elvis: The Posthumous Career of a Living Legend. London: Routledge, 1996. Print.
The power of television is strong and inevitable. Television has the ability to draw people in and view the world through a perspective one would think unimaginable. After the second world war ended in 1945, electronic sales boomed and more families started to gather around the tv at night to view widely famous television shows. Specifically, The Ed Sullivan Show was known for its plethora of celebrities and up and coming entertainers. The shows popularity was able to take a small town artist and make he or she into an enormous success, specifically, Elvis Presley who was, “something new under the Sun” (Altschuler 30). Teenagers, however, viewed the television as an escape and a look into the unknown and intriguing world of African American culture. Through the extreme recognition of The Ed Sullivan Show, the power of mass media and the fascination with African American culture, Elvis Presley’s success skyrocketed and made him one of the most famous performers of all time whose fame became an inspiration for many.
Randy Travis fans have been looking for updates on the country star, but there hasn't been a lot coming out lately. Now Randy's fans are finally hearing how he is doing after having a stroke three years ago. Taste of Country shared that Randy Travis went to a funeral on February 3 and the country singer actually performed while he was there as well. This is said to be Randy Travis' first public appearance since he had his stroke back in July of 2013. A lot of people thought that Randy might not make it and nobody really knew if he would ever perform again.
Elvis Presley was a well-known man and loved by many people. Based on http://www.brainpickings.org/2013/04/11/elvis-presley-teens-consumer-culture/Elvis Just like Muddy Waters, Presley timing was perfect as well. He came into and era (1950s) where the devastations of the great depression and world wars were over. People were now starting to have some freedom and enjoy the thing they loved which was listening to music and living life to the fullest. The social change that the 50s brought reflected music significantly, and Elvis Presley arose.. Kids were now starting to rebel against their parents and they had a lot of extra money to spend on records because of prosperity. During the Wars, money was limited and kids and adults had to work extra hard and save for survival purposes, but once the war-ended money could be used for pleasure reasons rather than just for survival. In addition, in the 50s our country had it’s own war, and I’m not talking about the World Wars, but yet human inequality. The civil rights movement was one of the biggest social changes in history and was a time where a lot of great artist prevailed and made songs on the issue. Elvis Presley showed just how social changes could influence or reflect the history of rock “n” roll. Presley started a culture, his hairstyle, the way he dressed all became part of the youth around the country. As I said our country was fighting its own war with segregation, Elvis music help bring people together. His music not on appealed white crowds, but black crowds listened to him as well. He brought people together through music, and proved to the world that he could be successful. He was one of the artist that mastered crossover, bringing every color to liking his music. Based on Larson fourth edition pg 38, it says that his record sales boomed, and then rock “n”
...f fans worldwide mourned over his death, as record sales increased dramatically. New generations of fans began to like his music, even years after his death. Lennon was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame during 1987, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994 (John Lennon Biography).