ELVIS PRESLEY BIOGRAPHY

ELVIS PRESLEY BIOGRAPHY

ELVIS IN LOVE

Find out about The King's love life Thursday 16 August at 9pm

Elvis Presley epitomised the beginnings of ‘youth’ culture that swept the western world throughout the 50’s and 60’s. He was a white southern boy singing county and blues laced with gospel, while swinging his hips in a provocative manner that made him both a teenage idol and target for outraged adults.

The son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, Elvis grew up an only child in Mississippi Alabama. Entering a local talent show dressed as a cowboy proved to be the catalyst to a musical career that was to make him a worldwide idol in later years.

After a move to Memphis with the family and graduating from L.C. Humes High School, Elvis took up a job driving trucks for the Crown Electric Company.

It was during this time that he started to wear his trademark slicked back barnet – a popular fashion with truck drivers of the time – and visited the Memphis Recording Studio where for four dollars anyone could record a ten inch acetate.

Elvis recorded ‘My Happiness’ and ‘That’s When Your Heartache Begins’

That summer of '53 he also recorded ‘Casual Love Affair’ and ‘I’ll Never Stand In Your Way’, prompting Sam Phillips, the studio owner, to comment that he found “a white man with the Negro sound and the Negro feel”

Soon Elvis was collaborating with lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black to record ballads ‘I Love You Because’, ‘Blue Moon of Kentucky’ and ‘That’s All Right’

In July 1954, Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips played the latter on the WHBQ radio station where it became Elvis’ first local hit. The rest, as they say, is history.

Scotty Moore became Elvis’ manager and Elvis soon embarked on several radio interviews, leading to a debut TV appearance in 1955 on a local broadcast.

After a change of management, when Bob Neal replaced Phillips, the young Elvis headed for New York where he auditioned – unsuccessfully - for a television programme. However, on 13 May 1955, his performance in Jacksonville, swinging those hips and singing ‘Baby Let’s Play House’, almost started a riot. Together with ‘I’m Left, Your Right, She’s Gone’, the tracks became instant hits on the national Country & Western chart.

That same year Elvis signed with RCA. Neal negotiated a $35,000 contract, out of which the singer received a $5,000 advance. With his earnings, Elvis bought her a pink Cadillac. The boy from a humble and impoverished upbringing was heading towards stardom. January 1956 saw Elvis make his first national TV debut on 'Stage Show', followed by six more appearances. He then furthered his exposure to millions of Americans by singing on the Steve Allen and Ed Sullivan shows. Ironically, his first engagement in Las Vegas’ New Frontier Hotel had to be cancelled due to poor public response.

However, all that was to change when Elvis signed up for his first movie role in ‘Love Me Tender’, which was the perfect showcase for his singing talents. The film recouped its budget in three days of release. That same year, Elvis released the singles ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, ‘I Was the One’, ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘I Want You’, ‘I Need You, I Love You’, ‘Hound Dog’, ‘My Baby Left Me’, ‘Anyway You Want Me’, ‘Love Me Tender’, ‘Don't Be Cruel’, ‘Love Me’ and ‘When My Blue Moon Turns To Gold’.