BIOGRAPHY:
*He was a cultural icon, sometimes referred to as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll"
*He began his career in 1953, breaking the establishment by mixing "black" and "white" sounds
*To date, he has been inducted into four music halls of fame
* In polls and surveys, he is recognized as one of the most important popular music artists and influential Americans
Died: August 16, 1977 (aged 42) Memphis, Tennessee
He was a cultural icon, sometimes referred to as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll" or "The King." He began his career in 1953, mixing "black" and "white" sounds. It made him popular and controversial as did his uninhibited stage and television performances. He recorded songs in the rock and roll genre, with tracks like "Hound Dog" and "Jailhouse Rock" and also recorded songs in the gospel, blues, country, ballads and pop genres. To date, he has been inducted into four music halls of fame. In the 1960s, Presley made the majority of his 31 movies, most of which were successful musicals. Those films include: Blue Hawaii, Fun in Acapulco, Viva Las Vegas, Tickle Me, Easy Come, Easy Go, Live a Little, Love a Little and The Trouble With Girls. In 1968, he returned to live music in a television special, and performed across the U.S., notably in Las Vegas. His live version of "How Great Thou Art" won him three Grammy awards in 1974, as well as the single and for the album "He Touched Me "(1972). He had fourteen nominations during his career. Elvis's mother, Gladys was regarded as the dominant member of the small family. His dad,Vernon moved from one odd job to the next, showing little ambition.The family often relied on help from neighbors and government food assistance. In 1938, they lost their home after Vernon was found guilty of altering a check written by the landowner. He was jailed for eight months, and Gladys and Elvis moved in with relatives. At the age of ten, he received a guitar for his birthday and by the time he turned twelve, he was playing and singing on radio station WELO Mississippi Slim's show in Tupelo. A recording of That's All Right", got the attention of a local Memphis DJ who played it repeatedly and gave Elvis his first recognition. Eventually ,Col. Tom Parker became Elvis's longtime manager and personal power broker and made many major decisions on Elvis' behalf including who he would have personal relationships with. Elvis was married one time, to the former Priscilla Beaulieu, from 1967-73; Priscilla Presley later appeared in the TV soap Dallas and the Naked Gun film series. Elvis's daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, was married to pop star Michael Jackson from 1994-1996, and then briefly to Nicolas Cage in 2002. Presley's rise to national attention in 1956 transformed the field of popular music and had a huge effect on the broader scope of popular culture. He became the catalyst for the cultural revolution that was rock and roll. With its racially mixed origins—repeatedly affirmed by Presley—rock and roll's popularity in mainstream American culture facilitated a new acceptance and appreciation of black culture. His September 9, 1956 appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show (with Presley shown only from the waist up to hide his swivelling hips according to the censors) turned him into one of the era's biggest stars. He remains one of the best-selling and most influential artists in the history of music. Health problems, drug addiction and other factors led to his death at age 42. He was an identical twin; but his brother was stillborn. Presley's name, image, and voice are instantly recognizable around the globe, which has inspired a legion of impersonators. In polls and surveys, he is recognized as one of the most important popular music artists and influential Americans.