| In the humblest of circumstances, was born
to Vernon and Gladys Presley in a two-room house in Tupelo,
Mississippi on January 8, 1935. His twin brother, Jessie Garon,
was stillborn, leaving Elvis to grow up as an only child. He and his parents
moved to Memphis, Tennessee in 1948, and Elvis graduated from Humes
High School there in 1953.
Elvis’ musical influences were the pop and country music
of the time, the gospel music he heard in church and at the all-night gospel
sings he frequently attended, and the black R&B he absorbed on historic
Beale Street as a Memphis teenager.
In 1954, he began his singing career
with the legendary Sun Records label in Memphis.
In late 1955, his recording contract was sold to
RCA Victor. By 1956, he was an international
sensation. With a sound and style that uniquely combined
his diverse musical influences and blurred and challenged
the social and racial barriers of the time, he ushered in
a whole new era of American music and popular culture.
He starred in 33 successful films, made history with his
television appearances and specials, and knew great acclaim through his
many, often record-breaking, live concert performances on tour and in Las
Vegas.
Globally, he has sold over one billion records, more than
any other artist. His American sales have earned him gold, platinum or
multi-platinum awards for 131 different albums and singles, far more than
any other artist.
Among his many awards and accolades were 14 Grammy nominations
(3 wins) from the National Academy of Recording Arts &
Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, which he
received at age 36, and his being named One of the Ten Outstanding
Young Men of the Nation for 1970 by the United States
Jaycees. Without any of the special privileges his celebrity
status might have afforded him, he honorably served his
country in the U.S. Army.
His talent, good looks, sensuality, charisma, and good
humor endeared him to millions, as did the humility and human kindness
he demonstrated throughout his life. Known the world over by his first
name, he is regarded as one of the most important figures of twentieth
century popular culture.
Historic Television Guest Appearances
In 1956, Elvis made his network television
debut with the first of his six appearances on Stage Show,
a weekly variety program hosted by Tommy and Jimmy
Dorsey. He followed these with two appearances on The
Milton Berle Show, the second of which included a performance
of Hound Dog that was so provocative (for that time, anyway)
that it caused a national scandal. Elvis next appeared on
The Steve Allen Show, with Allen mocking the sensation
of the Berle appearance by having Elvis dress in a tuxedo,
eliminate his usual physical gyrations, and sing 'Hound
Dog' to a Basset Hound. Ed Sullivan had once said he would
never have the controversial singer on his top-rated show,
but that was before the week that Elvis’ appearance on Steve
Allen had surpassed Sullivan’s ratings. Sullivan paid Elvis
$50,000 to make three appearances on his show, which was,
at the time, more money than any performer had ever been
paid to appear on a network variety program. When Elvis
made his third Sullivan appearance in January of 1957,
Ed Sullivan surprised Elvis by telling him on camera that
his show had never had a better experience with a name act,
and said “I wanted to say to Elvis and the country that
this is a real decent, fine boy.” It was on this very
same Sullivan appearance that Elvis was shown on camera
from the waist up only, one of early television history’s
most memorable moments. Elvis’ next network television appearance
was in 1960, when Frank Sinatra gave his variety
show a “Welcome Home, Elvis” theme to herald Elvis’ return
from the army. Elvis was paid $125,000 to appear - again,
making history.
International Acclaim
Elvis Presley’s trophy room at Graceland is filled with
gold and platinum records and awards of all kinds from around the world.
Some of the countries represented are: Norway, Yugoslavia, Japan, Australia,
South Africa, England, Sweden, Germany, France, Canada, Belgium, and the
Netherlands. It's interesting to note that, except for a handful of movie
soundtrack songs, Elvis did not record in other languages, and, except
for five shows in three Canadian cities in 1957, he did not perform
in concert outside the United States. Still, his recordings and films enjoyed,
and continue to enjoy, popularity all over the globe, and he is known throughout
the world by his first name.
His Last Days with Us
June 26, 1977
A concert at Indianapolis, Indiana’s Market Square Arena.
This will turn out to be his very last concert performance.
June 27- August 15, 1977
Elvis relaxes in Memphis and prepares for the next leg
of touring for 1977.
August 16, 1977
Shortly after midnight Elvis returns to his Memphis home,
Graceland, from a late-night visit to the dentist. Through the early morning
of the 16th he takes care of last minute tour details and relaxes with
family and staff. He is to fly to Portland, Maine that night and do a show
there on the 17th, then continue the scheduled tour. He retires to his
master suite at Graceland around 7:00 AM to rest for his evening flight.
By late morning, Elvis Presley is dead of heart failure. It is announced
by mid-afternoon. In a matter of hours the shock registers around the world.
Record Chart Statistics
These are impresive ones. Click
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