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How Elvis Presley Impacted the Music Industry
Elvis Presley effect on society
Elvis impact on pop culture
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Elvis Presley was rock & roll’s first real star, not to mention one of the most important cultural forces in history, a hip-shaking symbol of liberation for the staid America of the 1950s. With a sound rooted in rock ability and rhythm-and-blues, a daringly sexual performing style, and a magnetic charm, the pioneer rock ’n’ roller became an idol for an entire generation of music enthusiasts. Admired as one of the most successful recording artists of all time, American singer and guitarist Elvis Presley exploded onto the music scene in the mid-1950s. Elvis was a very inspirational star that changed the music scene. (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now, www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/32/elvis-presley-the-early-years) …show more content…
It turned out to be a lucky move for an ambitious and musical young man. At Hume’s High newcomer, Elvis reinvented himself, or he was just being a teenager of the 1950s. Elvis set himself apart with a unique style, and shopped for his clothes on Beale Street. Memphis was a huge part that shaped Elvis into the person he was. He began to take more guitar lessons, and tagged along with his teacher to play in his band. He got a girlfriend, and he worked odd jobs after school. Jerry Schilling, a friend of the teen-age Elvis, describes him as a “voracious reader,” “very spiritual,” and “a lovable rebel.” (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now, …show more content…
He crawled his way to the top of the country charts with “Mystery Train”, and he soon released his first number one song “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1956. By 1956, Elvis was an international sensation. His songs soon reached the top of the country charts, and he held his place for twenty-seven weeks. Elvis had the most records to make the rating charts and was the top recording artist for two straight decades, the 1950s and the 1960s. Because of how he incorporated the blues into rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis was soon dubbed as the “King of Rock ‘N’ Roll”. (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now,
When a person thinks of rock music in the 50s, they usually think of Elvis Presley, “the King of rock and roll”. However, he seems to exhibit a more stereotypical American approach to music. As Americans, we like everything that entertains us to be bigger and better than before. Presley certainly delivers this idea through his outfit,
Elvis Presley is also known as the “King of Rock and Roll” is the most influential Rock and Roll artist of all time. “Elvis Presley life story began when Elvis Aaron Presley was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon, was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes High School there in 1953.” (Elvis Presley Biography)
Elvis started his singing career early. In 1945 his voice was first recognized when he got second place in a talent contest. In 1948 Elvis, Vernon, and Gladys moved to Memphis Tennessee. Five years after they moved to Memphis, Elvis graduated from Humes High School. Elvis had many plans made for his life.
At the age of nineteen years old Presley began his music performing at the “Hillbilly Cat.” After being discovered Presley signed with Sun Records in Memphis, Tennessee in 1954. Then his contract was sold in 1955 to RCA Victor. His musical influences were a mix of multiple genres. He was influenced by gospel threw church; black R&B threw Beale Street in Memphis. He combined all the genres to create the early rock n roll that would arouse many people around the world.
Like Martin Luther King Jr. said, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” In the 1950’s the South was heavily racially segregated. Elvis Presley unintentionally put himself in the position to become a valuable instrument in the battle against segregation. “Without casting himself as a fighter for racial equality, Elvis became a subversive standard bearer for cultural desegregation at a time when the codified racism of the South was under increasing pressure.” How did an uneducated white hillbilly from the south influence both black and white teenagers against segregation? It was quite simple, for Elvis Presley had a unique talent of combining traditional black music; such as the blues and jazz, with the traditional white music; like country and white gospel. This unique style of blending different types of music, gave Elvis the edge on the musical racial barriers America was facing; and open the path for both sides to enjoy the music together and therefore desegregated.
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.
After being released from the military King had plans of leaving plantation life for the big city. He tried to convince members of small gospel groups he sung with to join him but realized if he was going to make it big he'd have to do it on his own. He eventually left Mississippi and hitchhiked to Memphis with $2.50 in his pocket. When King arrived in Memphis in 1946 he stayed with his cousin Bukka White who was a well known blues-man.
Music has continued to change throughout each decade, but the 1960s was the most influential decade in the history of music. Starting in the early 1950s, rock music was first introduced. Major record labels were releasing new “cover songs” which were originally made by black artist, but now by white artist (Rock and Roll). These cover songs changed a few lyrics from the original songs to avoid copyright issues and to also make the song more appropriate for the white listeners. The biggest star of the 1950s was Elvis Presley, who was known as the “King of rock n’ roll”.
Through Elvis Presley, rock ‘n’ roll changed the face of American music, and influenced a whole generation’s political philosophy. Composer Leonard Berstein once said, “He introduced the beat to everything and changed everything-music, language, clothes; it’s a whole new social revolution-the 60s come from it” (Wattenberg 6B). To his credit, Elvis embraced rhythm and blues not as a from to be imitated, but as a form to honored and interprete... ...
Elvis Aaron Presley was raised by his mother Gladys, to have a strong faith in God. And while he was still very young, Presley, attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an enormous influence on him. His musical talents and instrumental prowess soon began to impress his parents, peers and even his teachers at Humes High School in Memphis, that he earned his first guitar at the early age of ten. After graduating in 1953, Presley decided to get his hands on some paying jobs. He worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. He recorded his first demo record at what later became known as Sun Studio that same year, his persistence paid off when, Sam Phillips, the record label owner, decided to take him under his wing. Presley soon began touring and recording, trying to catch his first big break. Then, his First Single called "That's All Right" was recorded in 1954.
Elvis was born in 1935 in Mississippi, he was supposed to be a twin but his brother was stillborn. He grew up an only child. In 1948 the Presleys moved to Memphis, where in his high school days would hang around Beale Street where B.B. King was known to perform at, drawn into the music style of the blues. After graduating in 1953, he planned out his normal life of becoming a truck driver, and in his spare time recorded a couple songs at a recording service Sam Phillips started up that anyone could record a song for four dollars. Upon going back to the studio he met Sam Phillips who
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”
Born in Tupelo, Miss. in 1935, one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century began his life in a humble setting. After a poverty-stricken childhood, this young man became a truck driver in Tennessee. Realizing he had tremendous musical talent, the musician visited Nashville and was able to secure a performance at the Grand Ole Opry in 1954. At the close of the performance, the manager, Jim Denny, fired him saying, "You ain't going nowhere, son. You ought to go back to driving a truck." But did this young man give in? Did he listen to the professionals? No, he tried again and again until he found a venue for his music. Once he found his break the rest is history, today we remember Elvis as one of America's greatest musicians.
Elvis Presley was born on January eighth, nineteen thirty-five, in Tuppenny, Mississippi to 18-year-old Vernon Elvis Presley and 22-year-old Gladys Love Presley. Presley’s brother, Jesse Garon Presley, was Presley’s identical twin at birth, but was stillborn thirty-five minutes before Presley(Adam, Elvis Encyclopedia). “Two things that were clearly separate could be brought together, and when they were, something better could result(Mckeen, 20-29).”