Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in the town of Tupelo in Mississippi. As a member of the Pentecostal church in his hometown, he was exposed early on to gospel music. He also listened to country, western and blues music. When he was a teenager, Elvis learned to play the guitar on his own.
After high school, Elvis worked as a truck driver. He began his foray into music in 1953 by recording several songs in a Memphis, Tennessee recording studio as a gift to his mother. The studio manager liked his style and Elvis was offered a contract by Sam Phillips, the owner of the studio. Phillips was also running his own record label called Sun Records.
In 1955, Elvis transferred to RCA, one of the largest record labels at the time. It was in RCA where Elvis met fellow musicians Scotty Moore (guitars) and Bill Black (bass). With RCA, Elvis recorded some of his most popular songs, five of which reached the top spot in one year alone. These include 1956's 'Heartbreak Hotel', 'Hound Dog' and 'Love Me Tender'. It was also during this time that Elvis' signature moves drove the crowds crazy and made him popular and controversial at the same time.
Gone to the movies
Elvis made a total of 33 films, beginning in 1956. Many of those films were named after his songs. He then left entertainment for two years when he joined the U.S. Army in 1958. He was discharged in 1960. He returned to make several more films, all of which were musicals, including 1964's 'Viva Las Vegas'.
At long last love?
In 1967, Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he met when she was just a teenager. They had one daughter, Lisa Marie, who later on became a musician herself. The Presley's' marriage didn't last and they separated when Lisa Marie was still a young girl.
The end of a musician and the beginning of a legend
Elvis continued to perform from the 60s till the 70s, becoming one of the most popular performers in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, his health began to deteriorate during this time and he became drug-dependent. He died of a drug overdose on August 16, 1977 at his Graceland estate. In his lifetime, Elvis sold over a billion records and received countless awards, including 3 Grammy nominations and the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award when he was only 36. Today, Elvis is a rock and roll legend with more than 600 fan clubs worldwide. Thirty years after his death, his influence continues.
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