Wednesday 8 January 2014

Elvis Presley born 8 January 1935

 

Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935–August 16, 1977), was an American singer, musician and actor. He is a cultural icon, often known as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", or simply "The King".

Presley is born to Gladys and Vernon Presley in a two-room cabin on North Saltillo Road in East Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935, and grew up surrounded by gospel music of the Pentecostal church. In 1948 the family moved to Memphis, where he was exposed to blues and jazz on Beale Street. After graduating from high school in 1953, an 18-year-old Presley visited the Memphis Recording Service - also the home of Sun Records - to record his voice. Owner/producer Sam Phillips was struck by the plaintive emotion in Presley’s vocals and subsequently teamed him with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. In July 1954 the trio worked up “That’s All Right” and “Blue Moon of Kentucky” - blues and country songs, respectively - in a crackling, up-tempo style that stands as the blueprint for rock and roll.

After five ground-breaking


singles, Presley’s contract was sold to RCA Records on August 15, 1955: Elvis Presley signs a management contract with “Colonel” Tom Parker, whose other clients included country-music stars Eddy Arnold and Hank Snow. The relationship with Parker will continue till Presley’s death. “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” - his last single for Sun and first for RCA - went to #1 on the country charts. “Heartbreak Hotel,” a haunting ballad, became his first across-the-board hit, holding down the top spot for eight weeks.

On January 28, 1956: Elvis Presley makes his first appearance on network TV as a guest on Stage Show, hosted by jazz bandleaders Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey. Throughout 1956, Presley’s hip-shaking performances on a series of TV variety shows, including Ed Sullivan’s, generated hysteria and controversy. From blistering rockers to aching balladry, Presley captivated and liberated the teenage audience. His historic string of hits in 1956 and ‘57 included “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog,” “Love Me Tender,” “All Shook Up” and “Jailhouse Rock.”

 

 
Presley’s career momentum was interrupted by a two-year Army stint in Germany, where he met his future wife, Priscilla. For much of the Sixties, he occupied himself with movie-making and soundtrack-recording. His albums of sacred songs, such as How Great Thou Art, stand out from this otherwise fallow period. On May 1, 1967: Elvis marries Priscilla Beaulieu, at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. Their daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, is born exactly nine months later, on February 1, 1968.

 Presley’s standing as a rock and roller was rekindled with an electrifying TV special, simply titled Elvis and broadcast on December 3, 1968. He followed this mid-career renaissance with some of the most mature and satisfying work of his career. Recording in Memphis, he cut such classic tracks as “In the Ghetto, “Suspicious Minds” and “Kentucky Rain” with the soulful, down-home musicians at American Studio.


 
If the Fifties were devoted to rock and roll and the Sixties to movies, the Seventies represent the performing chapter in Presley’s career. He toured constantly, performing to capacity crowds around the country until his death. Presley died of a heart attack at Graceland, his Memphis mansion, on August 16, 1977. He was 42 years old.
(info from www.rockhall.com/inductee/elvis-presley )

1 comment:

boppinbob said...

For Elvis Presley 50 greatest hits go here:

http://www.4shared.com/zip/xprHbyk6/ELVIS_PRESLEY_-_50_Greatest_Hi.html

01 THAT’S ALL RIGHT
02 MYSTERY TRAIN
03 HEARTBREAK HOTEL
04 BLUE SUEDE SHOES
05 LAWDY, MISS CLAWDY
06 HOUND DOG
07 DON’T BE CRUEL
08 LOVE ME TENDER
09 TOO MUCH
10 ALL SHOOK UP
11 TEDDY BEAR
12 PARTY
13 LOVING YOU
14 JAILHOUSE ROCK
15 DON’T
16 TROUBLE
17 WEAR MY RING AROUND YOUR NECK
18 KING CREOLE
19 HARD HEADED WOMAN
20 ONE NIGHT
21 A FOOL SUCH AS I
22 A BIG HUNK O’ LOVE
23 STUCK ON YOU
24 THE GIRL OF MY BEST FRIEND
25 IT’S NOW OR NEVER
26 ARE YOU LONESOME TONIGHT ?
27 WOODEN HEART
28 SURRENDER
29 (MARIE’S THE NAME) HIS LATEST FLAME
30 CAN’T HELP FALLING IN LOVE
31 GOOD LUCK CHARM
32 SHE’S NOT YOU
33 RETURN TO SENDER
34 (YOU’RE THE) DEVIL IN DISGUISE
35 VIVA LAS VEGAS
36 CRYING IN THE CHAPEL
37 LOVE LETTERS
38 GUITAR MAN
39 IF I CAN DREAM
40 IN THE GHETTO
41 SUSPICIOUS MINDS
42 DON’T CRY DADDY
43 THE WONDER OF YOU
44 I JUST CAN’T HELP BELIEVIN’
45 AN AMERICAN TRILOGY
46 BURNING LOVE
47 ALWAYS ON MY MIND
48 SUSPICION
49 MOODY BLUE
50 WAY DOWN