Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, to the parents of Vernon and Gladys Presley in Tupelo, Mississippi. His mother gave birth to he and his twin brother Jessie Garon, who was still born, this causing Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948, where he attended elementary school and graduated in 1953 from Humes High School in Memphis, Tennessee. Growing up, his family didn’t have a lot of money, so they moved frequently. Elvis was a devoted son to both of his working class parents, but especially his mother. This resulted in him being raised to have a strong faith in God, and attend church regularly. Elvis went to the Assembly of God church with his parents; this is where gospel music came into play as an influence in his life. For his 11th birthday in 1946 his mother got him a guitar, a few years later he won a talent show at his high school in Memphis. In 1953 when Elvis was a senior in high school, he went to prom with Regis Wilson, who he was involved with at the time. She bought a pink dress and pink shoes to wear to the dance. She had her hair done at the beauty college across the hotel where the prom was being held. Elvis wore a dark blue suit with dark blue …show more content…
His unique style caused a whole new era of American music and pop culture (Elvis Fan Club). Elvis found success on television as well on records. He began appearing on a variety of television programs in 1956, appearing on Stage Show for 6 weeks. As he progressed as a musician and entertainer, his confidence increased as well, causing his television performance to increase in success. However, one of his most popular performances was seen on The Steve Allen Show. Elvis performed his song, Hound Dog, which resulted in an uproar across America. The performance was considered to be so provocative that it caused a nationwide scandal (Famous
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.
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.
Elvis Presley was able to capture the essence of African American rhythm and blues yet modify them in a way to appeal to a large white audience, however he added a lot of sexual hip gyrations which drove young fans wild and gained parents disapproval (Charlton). When he performed on Ed Sullivan the 60 million people who tuned in that night saw those, now famous, dance moves which resulted in CBS only filming him from the waist up in his next two appearances (Ed Sullivan). Overall Presley established the foundation of rock and roll but the Beatles took it to the next level. Debuting in 1964 on Ed Sullivan, The Beatles broke the stereotypical rock and roll image by dressing in suits with mop-top haircuts, and writing songs not just to dance to but that also had personal and relevant meaning (Sneed). With an audience of 73 million The Beatles impact was nothing less than huge (Ed Sullivan). The Rolling Stones, were the next British band to invade American however they were quite different than their predecessor. They exposed the rebellious side of rock and roll by representing a "bad boy" image and using rhythm and blues, American country music, soul music, and reggae elements in their songs (Charlton). The Ed Sullivan Show helped launch and continue the success of these performers and
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.
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.
Elvis Presley changed the music world as they knew it back in the 50’s he came out with a wild new style unlike any other. Even to this day if you hear Elvis’ name you automatically think of his signature style or as the king of rock and roll. Hound Dog was controversial for it’s time and made extra controversial by Elvis’ moves and how the ladies would swoon and storm the stage to see him. Presley was so ahead of his time that most adults didn’t because of his so-called vulgar ways but the younger generation went crazy for Elvis and his new style of blues meets country hence creating rock and becoming the king.
Elvis did more to break down the racial barriers separating the whites and blacks in this country than most people will ever realize. That is one reason there was so much resistance to his music in the 50's and 60's and why it remains so popular today. This is not an overstatement. Presley brought music that had previously been played and enjoyed by minorities to the forefront. When people discovered they had music in common, they could talk about that subject and enjoy it together. Then conversations were started on other interests and a
Elvis on the other hand was born into a poor family. His father was a tobacco picker, who was once imprisoned for cashing a fake check. His mother made sure that he was well exposed to gospel music and religion. He performed the ballad “Old Shep” in which he won the singing contest when he was only 10 years old, and on his 11th birthday, they bought him a guitar as his present. With the guitar, he was able to play two songs as a gift to his mother. With his hard work, he was able to come up with “Love Me Tender”, which was his first movie and from there, his fame begun (Clayton 23). Elvis rose from nothing, from a poor family to being a successful star and the king of rock and roll, which lead to his downfall.
The 1950s had many types popular music with Rock n' Roll being the most influential on the nations youth. Elvis Presley was the greatest Rock n' Roll star and was a symbol of youth rebellion. He was an American singer, actor, and best known as the king of rock n' roll. His successful performances in a variety a genres made him the most popular performer of his day and one of the most influential figures in pop-culture history. "Elvis Presley's 1956 appearance on TV's Ed Sullivan Show touched off a frenzy of teen adulation - and a flood of letters from parents scandalized by his 'gyrations'" (Norton, Mary Beth. Chapter 25: America at Midcentury 1945-1960. In A People & A Nation, p. 767). Other famous and influential singers were Bill
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.
Johnny Cash was widely regarded as the most influential songwriter of the 20th century, known as “The Man in Black,” was admired for his emotional honesty of balladry, anarchy of rock ‘n’ roll, and love struck country music. He was one of the country’s biggest stars in the 1950’s and 60’s with 100 hit singles orchestrated. Cash was born and raised in Kingsland, Arkansas where both his parents were landowners. Poverty did not stop Cash; he wrote songs since the age of twelve and preformed on KLCN radio station in Blytheville, Arkansas, 1950. Nine years later, Cash got signed by Colombia Records and made his first hit single, “Don’t Take Your Guns To Towns,” where it reached the country’s top chart. Cash also overlooked the death of his brother to influence himself and become the legend he is known today. Johnny Cash’s fame reached a point in which the obstacles became too difficult to handle causing his downfall, but various events allowed his life to get back on track.
Johnny Cash was born and raised in Arkansas. He was the son of a poor Southern Baptist sharecropper who moved his family to new farms when Johnny was only three (“Johnny
Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. Elvis parents were Vernon and Gladys Presley. When Elvis and Priscilla started dating they were 10 years apart, Elvis was 24 and Priscilla was 14 years old. After eight-year courtship, Priscilla and Elvis got married on May 1, 1967. More than 600 songs
To begin with, Martin Luther King Jr. was born in Atlanta, Georgia on January 15, 1929.2 His father, Martin Luther King Sr. who was a pastor, and his mother Alberta, who was a schoolteacher who raised both King and his two siblings.3 King was very religious because the three generations of men, starting with his great-grandfather, were all preachers. His younger brother and uncle were also preachers. Religion had a big influence on his life. King grew up in a neighborhood of average citizens. No great wealth or possessions, leaders, or anyone of great stature. His best friends were religious, attended Sunday school together and church which King was considered their second home.
Elvis soon after joined the army in the March of 1958 and fought in Germany, and when his mother passed away, he attended her funeral but left to finish his duty as a soldier in Germany where he met his wife to be, Priscilla Beaulieu. They got married in 1967 after he left the Army in 1960 and reestablished his career of being one of the top musicians of his time. Also, in his time of getting back on top, he acted in many other movies and even started his own TV show called “68 Comeback,” in 1968 when he realized that his career was going