Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley
“Elvis Aaron Presley” was born January 8th,1935 in Tupelo Mississippi. He had a twin brother named “Jessie” who was still-born at birth. The “King” would sometimes talk to him in pensive moments. The “King” made rock-n-roll a household word. The “King” was discovered by Sam Phillips of “Sun Recording Studios” in Memphis. While songs like “That’s All right Mama” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky” from the “Sun Sessions” put him on the map it was his onstage persona coupled with his wild gyrations that made fans swoon at his feet. The “Kings” music was a hybrid of black blues and country music that would later be coined as “rockabilly”. The “King” was managed by Colonel “Tom Parker”, a former circus sideshow barker with an eye for a quick buck. Legend has it that he told the “King”…”Son , right now you got a million dollars worth of talent, sign with me and you’ll have a million dollars”. “The Colonel” managed the “King” till the day he died , finely crafting his career which aside from overseeing record contracts included movies, merchandising and concert appearances. In 1956 Sam Phillips sold Elvis’s contract to RCA for $50,000. The hits kept coming but lacked the rawness and energy of the earlier Sun Sessions. Within a year Elvis was rock’s first Superstar Mega-teen Idol. In 1958 Elvis was drafted into the Army and served two years. When he got out he immersed himself into B-movie roles and the accompanying music was generally poor but he still was a top draw. As the sixties waned on America turned to the Beatles and the Stones, and “The King”‘s movies saw increasingly smaller audiences. “The King” went back to his roots and concentrated on the music. In December of 1968 The “Elvis Christmas Special” aired which revitalized his career. He followed this with the release of “In The Ghetto” which reached #3 in 1969, “Suspicious Minds” #1, 1970 (His last number 1) and “Burning Love” in 1972. He took over Las Vegas and filmed two documentaries “Elvis On Tour” and “Elvis: Now”. The “King” kept up a frantic touring schedule and gave everything he had to his fans,and eventually his life. On the morning of August 16th 1977, the “King” was found dead on the bathroom floor at “Graceland” by his girlfriend “Ginger Alden”. After years of alleged prescription drug abuse the King was gone at the age of 42. His doctor was subsequently tried for manslaughter but was later acquitted. There are those today who believe the “King” is alive and well and living at Graceland.