When someone thinks of Elvis Presley, they may think of the line “I’m all shook up,” his signature white flamboyant jumpsuit, or his stereotypical movies. However, Elvis was so much more than a singer, he was an influencer and an inspiration that paved the way for a new era of music as well as an age of acceptance. He can be considered one of the greatest musicians of all time not only because he won countless awards and honors, but because he also helped to merge African and Caucasian America, represented the American dream, and inspired many other successful musicians. One way to represent success is through numbers, and those numbers can lead to awards. Elvis’ excessive popularity resulted in countless awards and honors in not only his …show more content…
“[He h]ad a major impact not just on the future Beatles but virtually all popular music performers with his frank sexuality and his clear debt to the influence of ‘black’ music.” (Burrows, 7) This began with his upbringing in Memphis Tennessee where he was mostly spent his time in the African american part of the town. His is believed to be what inspired him to become “a white man with the Negro sound and the Negro feel.” (“Elvis Presley Biography”) Early on in his career, it was discovered that he could perform blues songs while also keeping his southern roots. This unique blend of styles along with Elvis’ popularity became a catalyst for a musical revolution. Black music needed to be introduced by a white artist to a large audience, and Elvis was the one who could do it (McKeen). He had the charisma, the charm, the look, the …show more content…
For example, “ [The Beatles] wanted to cash in on some of the astonishing effect that Elvis had on girls.” (Partridge, 56) This means that Elvis affected the way The Beatles dressed, danced, acted around their fans, as well as sang their songs. Therefore, some of The Beatles image can be credited to Elvis himself. Elvis Presley had such a grand influence on a variety of subjects, so he should definitely be considered one of the greatest musicians of all time. His enormous amount of awards and records set him above all others. Not only that, but he also began to close the gap between two segregated sections of America, a gap that is still not completely sealed. He inspired many other influential artists, while continuing to inspire others around the world today. All of these factors considered, Elvis Presley is, and always be, an important and inspiring figure in history. He is not known as “The King” for
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
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.
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.
Elvis Presley may be the single most important figure in American 20th century popular music. Not necessarily the best and certainly not the most consistent. But no one could argue with the fact that he was the musician most responsible for popularizing rock & roll on an international level. Viewed in cold sales figures, his impact was phenomenal. Dozens upon dozens of international smashes from the mid-'50s to the mid-'70s, as well as the steady sales of his catalog and reissues since his death in 1977, may make him the single highest-selling performer in history.
On January 8th, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, the “King of Rock and Roll” was born. His name was Elvis Presley. He was the son of Vernon Presley who was a truck driver, and his mother was Gladys, a sewing machine operator. He had a twin brother named Jesse, but he was still born, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. His father was hardly around, and he was imprisoned for three years for forgery. Surrounding him as a child though, was the gospel music of the Pentecost church, where his love for music first took roots in his heart. In the fifth grade his teacher Oletta Grimes asked Elvis to participate in the talent contest on Children’s Day at the Mississippi – Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. At age ten, he donned his cowboy hat and slipped into a cowboy suit to sing in the talent show, but he was in need of a chair in order to reach the microphone. He sang his personal rendition of Red Foley’s “Old Shep”; it won him a second prize and a free ticket for all the numerous rides in the park. His following Birthday, he received his first guitar from the Tupelo Hardware Store and took lessons from his dad’s brother. In 1948 his family picked up their life and moved to Memphis, Tennessee. It was there that he was exposed to the rhythmic sound of the blues, as well as Jazz on Beale Street, where he grew up...
From 1953 to 1977, Elvis Presley was known as “The King of Rock n’ Roll.” From his singing career to his acting career, he was an influence to many people. He comes from a working class family who has little money. He was second in the Forbes list of top-earning dead musicians behind Michael Jackson. Rumor has it, that Elvis was kicked off the high school football team because he refused to cut his long hair off. It was always in the way of his sight so his coach told him if he wanted to continue playing, he had to cut it off.
In the 1950’s, segregation was a popular lifestyle within the United States. Segregation was the separation between the blacks and whites. Most black people were discriminated against just by the color of their skin, but with the help of Elvis Presley’s music he helped break those barriers between the white and black communities. Presley exposed the new generation of white Americans to the culture of African Americans. Demonstrating in which the ways they were treated and especially the difference in the style of music they listen to. African American music was how they communicated which each other because only the blacks could understand the meaning behind each melody sung. With this, Elvis Presley made an entirely new generation with his music and pelvic thrusting dance moves. Presley was considered one of the most significant figures of Rock and roll changing the entertainment industry completely, making Elvis Presley the American Dream.
Louis Armstrong created a huge cultural shift that swept over America and changed music forever. It allowed for African-Americans to be a part of the music industry, and even contributed to women’s acceptance in music as well. African- Americans are now a vast majority of our musicians and artists, and are just as appreciated and idolized as white musicians. Louis Armstrong’s love for music and jazz still thrives today among his fans and fans of jazz in general. He is well-known and well-respected, and will never be forgotten in the music industry. Louis Armstrong changed music for the better, and will always be the king of jazz.
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... ...
The King of Rock “N” Roll was a tremendously talented artist. Elvis recorded over 30 motion pictures, and over 30 record albums. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and even had a postal stamp released in the United States after him. Later after his death, he was also inducted into the Gospel Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame. Graceland would later become a National Historic Landmark. Presley won three Grammys as well as several other awards throughout his lifetime.
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 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”
... gospel singer, had he lived for six more months. Presley also revealed his spirituality through racial reconciliation. His appreciation for black and white southern gospel music was evident, and he even showcased black performers as his backup singers. In a concert song entitled “An American Trilogy,” Presley challenged southerners to transcend sentiments rooted in racism that dated back to the Civil war. Presley’s spirituality can be seen as a white working-class southern spirituality. Overall, Presley’s southern spirituality drastically influenced his music and his career embodied the southern movement toward using modern entertainment to reach all with the age-old message of the gospel.