Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley is an American hero who was born on Jan. 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi. His full name is Elvis Aaron Presley, and he grew up dirt poor with his mom in a two room house. This is one of the challenges he had to endure. Elvis lived with his mom and his dad Vernon, but his dad was in jail for a little bit when Elvis was just a child. Elvis first began to sing gospel music as a teenager at his mom's Pentecostal church. He also sang at Reverend H.W. Brewster's black Memphis church and in some blues clubs. That is probably what led him to bridge the gap between white and black music. After seeing his audition video, Sam Phillips, put Elvis in a band with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. They sang blues, country, Tin Pan Alley Ballads, and gospel hymns. This was the making of legend that is Elvis.

The band first took off when they got blues singer Arthur (Big Boy) Crudup. Elvis's band sold five singles in 1955. The released "Mystery Train" in August. Some people call it the best record that Elvis ever had. Many southerners were attracted to follow his records because of this song. This was just the beginning of the massive group of people Elvis inspired through his music. The way he inspired them was by sharing there sorrows with his blues and by mixing black and white music showing them that they have something similar with blacks rather than being completely separate. They began to play at roadhouse clubs and on the nationally aired Louisiana Hayride. Parker (Elvis's new agent) sold Elvis's song catalog and recording contract over to New York companies like RCA Victor and Hill and Range. Elvis then recorded at RCA in Nashville. This helped get his inspirational music out to the whole nation rather than just the south. Elvis then began to become a national sensation with songs such as "Heartbreak Hotel," and "Don't Be Cruel." From then on he dominated the best seller charts from 1956-1958. This is the era of Elvis's most inspirational music. Thousands of musicians were inspired because of Elvis such as John Lennon, Bruce Springsteen, Carl Perkins, and Prince. They were inspired by the new type of music and rock and roll that they were inspired to play music of their own.  In1958 Elvis was then drafted and served as a soldier in Germany from 1958 to 1960. He chose to be a soldier rather than being part of the Special Services Entertainment division which is admirable. By doing this Elvis shows loyalty to his country and courage by actually fighting rather than finding his way out of it.

When Elvis returned from Germany in 1960, many people expected him to fade away. But he just picked up where he left off, inspiring and entertaining the millions that followed him. He continued his movies which pretty much ruined him as an artist. Elvis wasn't just the person everybody liked, he also had some haters. Elvis was blamed for juvenile delinquents, racists hated him for mixing black and white music, and preachers and pundits declared him an anathema. Elvis really wasn't a hero anymore. He was just an entertainer. People no longer saw Elvis as unpredictable anymore, he was a mass entertainer and was in the blues section now since the Beatles and Rolling Stones took over the rock category. His best work in the 60's was connected to his movies or singles like "Viva Las Vegas." Elvis really wasn't a hero anymore. He was just an entertainer. Elvis inspired the Rolling Stones and John Lennon of the Beatles when he was in his prime.

As time went on he started to fade away and would keep doing specials or concerts to get his fans back, but he would never have the same group he had in1956-1958. He got married to Priscilla in 1967 and had a daughter, Lisa Marie, in 1973. He spent most of his last years at Graceland (his house in Memphis) where he stuffed himself with greasy foods, and Elvis later died of a heart attack on Aug 18, 1977, mostly because of drug abuse. He was 42 when he died. When Elvis died though everyone remembered the courage and loyalty he had when he served his nation as a soldier, and the amazing inspiration he caused through his music.