Elvis Aaron Presley, 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 150 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. Elvis died at
his Memphis home, Graceland, on August 16, 1977.
