Elvis Aaron Presley, born on January 8, 1938 in Tupelo, Mississippi, had an intriguing family background and early musical beginnings. He sang in the Assembly of God choir and discovered his talent at a young age while also self-teaching guitar. Tragically, Elvis’s parents Gladys and Vernon lost their son Jesse Garon at birth. Despite growing up impoverished, the entire Presley family held strong religious beliefs and embraced African-American church songs.
In high school, Elvis was introverted and frequently engaged in fights. However, he achieved victory in a talent show during his senior year which garnered significant attention for him. Consequently, Elvis began receiving invitations to parties where he willingly entertained listeners by singing songs.
Elvis started his career as a truck driver, earning $1.25 per hour after graduating. Instead of saving much money, he gave most of it to his parents. The pinnacle of his life was marked by the success of his 33 movies, beginning with Love Me Tender. Additionally, Elvis served in the United States Army from 1958 to 1960 and released his final successful single in 1969.
In 1973, Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii was broadcasted to an audience of over a billion people. Shortly after their daughter Lisa Marie was born, Elvis married Priscilla but they eventually divorced after six years. Throughout his life, both before and after achieving success, Elvis held various jobs.
Besides working as a truck driver and serving in the army, he pursued studies in electrician training in 1953 prior to starting his singing career. He recorded numerous popular songs including “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Hound Dog,” “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear,” and “All Shook Up.”
Elvis had a diverse career, performing in various locations and touring as the Hillbilly Cat. He even made an appearance on a radio station in Shreveport, Louisiana. Furthermore, he released his first record with Sun Records.
Remarkably, his captivating pelvic movements on Talk of the Town and Stage Show earned him the reputation of being known from the waist up. In addition to his music career, Elvis also ventured into acting and starred in numerous movies and TV shows such as Stage Show with Jackie Gleason and Talk of the Town with Ed Sullivan.
Unfortunately, Elvis battled drug abuse, initially starting with smoking. During this period, he resided in Graceland and struggled with weight issues. Tragically, Elvis Aaron Presley passed away at 42 years old due to a heart attack on August 16, 1977.
Nevertheless, his impact on the world was immense. He achieved more golden records than any other solo artist or group in history. Many fans still affectionately refer to him as the “King of Rock and Roll,” deeply mourning his loss.
