How Did Elvis Presley Impact On Society

Elvis Presley was rock & roll’s first real star, not to mention one of the most important cultural forces in history, a hip-shaking symbol of liberation for the staid America of the 1950s. With a sound rooted in rock ability and rhythm-and-blues, a daringly sexual performing style, and a magnetic charm, the pioneer rock ’n’ roller became an idol for an entire generation of music enthusiasts. Admired as one of the most successful recording artists of all time, American singer and guitarist Elvis Presley exploded onto the music scene in the mid-1950s. Elvis was a very inspirational star that changed the music scene. (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now, www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/32/elvis-presley-the-early-years)

Elvis came from very humble beginnings, and he worked his way into being one of the most influential singers of his time. Elvis was born on January 8, 1935 to Gladys and Vernon Presley, in East Tupelo, Mississippi also known as one of the roughest towns in north Mississippi. Times were hard when Elvis entered this world. He was born in the midst of the Great Depression where being poor was not unlikely. What was unusual about his birth was that he was a twin although his brother, Jesse Garon, did not survive. Elvis was born in a shotgun house built by his father, uncle, and grandfather that is visited by many today. Little do people know, Elvis lived in many houses throughout Tupelo, and moved around a lot. (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now, www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/32/elvis-presley-the-early-years)
In 1941, Elvis started school at East Tupelo Consolidated School on Lake Street. He was walked to school every day by his mother, and was termed as “average and sweet”. He soon received his first guitar lesson from his Pastor, Frank Smith, and he took more of these lessons than he did those at school. Oleta Grimes, one of his teachers, was impressed by Elvis’s musical talent and took him to the principal, who entered Elvis, age ten, in a radio talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair. He climbed onstage and sang “Old Shep” in front of several hundred people, and received the fifth prize. Soon enough he begin to take his guitar everywhere, and he would sing with his friends and play music. (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now, www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/32/elvis-presley-the-early-years)
In the fall of 1948, the Presley family was on the move again, and this time they decided to leave Tupelo and go north, to the city of Memphis, Tennessee.

It turned out to be a lucky move for an ambitious and musical young man. At Hume’s High newcomer, Elvis reinvented himself, or he was just being a teenager of the 1950s. Elvis set himself apart with a unique style, and shopped for his clothes on Beale Street. Memphis was a huge part that shaped Elvis into the person he was. He began to take more guitar lessons, and tagged along with his teacher to play in his band. He got a girlfriend, and he worked odd jobs after school. Jerry Schilling, a friend of the teen-age Elvis, describes him as a “voracious reader,” “very spiritual,” and “a lovable rebel.” (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now,

www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/32/elvis-presley-the-early-years)
In 1954, Elvis began his legendary singing career with Sun Label Records.

He crawled his way to the top of the country charts with “Mystery Train”, and he soon released his first number one song “Heartbreak Hotel” in 1956. By 1956, Elvis was an international sensation. His songs soon reached the top of the country charts, and he held his place for twenty-seven weeks. Elvis had the most records to make the rating charts and was the top recording artist for two straight decades, the 1950s and the 1960s. Because of how he incorporated the blues into rock ‘n’ roll, Elvis was soon dubbed as the “King of Rock ‘N’ Roll”. (Wilson, Christine. “Elvis Presley: The Early Years.” Elvis Presley: The Early Years | Mississippi History Now,

www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/articles/32/elvis-presley-the-early-years)
In 1958, Elvis was drafted into the United States Army, and served as one of the most well-known names in the industry of entertainment. During his service, many things changed for Elvis Presley. Short before he was stationed in Germany, his beloved mother passed away. Gladys Presley died of a heart attack at age forty-six, and this affected Elvis deeply. During his time in Germany, Elvis met his wife, Priscilla Beaulieu. Before they married, Priscilla moved to his new mansion in Memphis where she finished school. In 1957, Priscilla and Elvis married. In 1968, she bore him his first and only child, Lisa Marie Presley. (“Elvis Presley Biography.” Graceland, www.graceland.com/elvis/biography.aspx.)
Although Elvis’ had major success in the music industry, it led to the downfall of his personal life. Soon his touring and his drug abuse affected his marriage. Priscilla and Elvis grew very distant which led to both of them having affairs. Short of five years after marriage, in 1973, Priscilla and Elvis divorced. Elvis soon became dependent on drugs, and he began to have a weight problem among many more. During the year of his divorce, Elvis overdosed twice on barbiturates. According to his doctor, George C. Nichopoulos, Presley "felt that by getting drugs from a doctor, he wasn't the common everyday junkie getting something off the street”. Elvis’ health began to decline, and he became more dependent on drugs. (Bronzer, S. “Elvis Presley.” Presley, Elvis (1935 - 1977) - Credo Reference, search.credoreference.com/content/topic/presley_elvis_aaronaron_1935_1977)
Ignoring his drug abuse and declining health, Elvis continued to go on many tours. He toured around the country, and he performed non-stop. Throughout this time, Presley starred in many successful films. He also had many top records, and they were heard all around the world. In 1973, he had 168 concerts, and the following year he undertook another busy schedule. Although his health was deteriorating, Elvis stayed committed to most touring commitments. During these tours, Elvis still abused drugs. During one show, Guitarist John Wilkinson said, “… It was obvious he was drugged. It was obvious there was something terribly wrong with his body. It was so bad the words to the songs were barely intelligible. ... I remember crying. He could barely get through the introductions." Journalist Tony Scherman writes that by early 1977, "Presley had become a grotesque caricature of his sleek, energetic former self. Hugely overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopia he daily ingested, he was barely able to pull himself through his abbreviated concerts.” June of 1977, Presley’s last single during his lifetime, “Way Down”, was issued. During his busy schedule, Elvis suffered from glaucoma, high blood pressure, liver damage, and an enlarged colon which was caused by drug abuse, and it soon lead to his death. (Gordon, Robert. “Elvis Presley Biography.” Encyclopedia of World Biography, www.notablebiographies.com/Pe-Pu/Presley-Elvis.html.)
In August of 1977, Presley was scheduled to fly out of Memphis to begin another tour. Around two o’clock, his finance, Ginger Alden, found Elvis dead on the bathroom floor. There were many attempts to revive him, but he was officially pronounced death at 3:30pm at age 42. Jerry Francisco, a medical examiner, announced that “drugs played no part in Presley’s death”, and Elvis died of a cardiac arrest. Elvis’ death deeply affected many people, and it especially broke his fan’s hearts. His funeral was August 18 in Graceland, and thousands of people showed up. At his open casket, over 100,000 people showed up to mourn his death. About 80,000 people were lined up from the cemetery he was buried in. Elvis was buried at Forest Hill Cemetery next to his mother, but there was attempts of people trying to steal his body. In late October, Elvis and his mother were reburied in Graceland’s Mediation Garden. (“Elvis Presley.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Apr. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley.)
Elvis was the first ever inductee into three music halls of fame. He was also a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Country Hall of Fame. Elvis was one of the most popular singers of his time, and was a very inspirational person to many. He came from a small town in Mississippi, and he became one of the most known names in the country. Elvis is still remembered today, and his music and films are still known. He worked his way to stardom and fame, and was known as one of the most influential people on style and music of his time. He is still celebrated as a legend as much in death as he was in life. Elvis shaped the music his time, and he was one of the biggest stars. (“Elvis Presley.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 17 Apr. 2018, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elvis_Presley.)