There may be no bigger cultural icon in history than Elvis Presley. Fusing blues, country, and Gospel, and hailed as the “King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis Aaron Presley shocked parents and threw girls into hysterics with his swiveling hips and trademark howl that yielded the timeless number one hits “Heartbreak Hotel” (1956), “Hound Dog” (1956), “All Shook Up” (1957), and “Jailhouse Rock,” (1967).
Born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935 and later moving to Memphis with his family, Presley got his start under the guidance of Sam Philips and his Sun Records label in 1954 and released, amongst others, the singles “That’s Alright” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky” before moving to RCA in 1956. What followed was a whirlwind career of sold out concerts, number one hits, a 33 Hollywood film career that included “G.I Blues” (1956) and “Blue Hawaii” (1961), and a stint in the Army. Presley spent the later part of his career performing long-term engagements at the International hotel in Las Vegas before his untimely death at the age of 42 at his Graceland home in Memphis on August 16, 1977.
Although his only three Grammy wins were for his Gospel recordings, “How Great Thou Art” (1967), “He Touched Me” (1972), and his live Memphis concert recording of the song “How Great Thou Art” (1974), he is known as one of the inventors of rock and roll, and his influence is evident in everyone from The Beatles to Al Green. Presley was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 1971 when he was 36-years-old. He was the consummate artist, performer, sex symbol, and entertainer.
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