Elvis Presley was an American songwriter, composer, performer, and actor whose real name was Elvis Aaron Presley. Holding the title of the best-selling recording artist of all time, Elvis Presley became universally known as the King of Rock and Roll. Throughout his career, he won three Grammy Awards, earned three platinum records, thirty-five gold records, and appeared in thirty-three films. With album sales exceeding one billion copies worldwide, his unique style, electrifying stage presence, and powerful voice captivated millions, revolutionized popular music, and established a lasting musical school that influenced generations to come.

Born on 8 January 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, Elvis Presley was the son of truck driver Vernon Presley and sewing machine operator Gladys Love Smith. He was born in a modest two-room house as one of a pair of twins; his twin brother Jessie Garon Presley was stillborn, leading his parents to devote all their love and attention to Elvis. Despite his father's withdrawn personality and his mother’s lively and courageous nature, Elvis grew up in a loving household. Later accounts from neighbors would recall that Gladys adored her son from the day he was born.

In 1938, Vernon Presley was imprisoned on charges of fraud, plunging the family into severe financial hardship. At just three years old, Elvis lived with his mother in eastern Tupelo near the poverty line, moving in with relatives. In 1941, he began his formal education and, although socially withdrawn, was a well-liked student among his teachers.

After his father’s release in 1943, Vernon moved to Memphis, Tennessee, to find work, visiting his family on weekends. As an adolescent, Elvis was shy, deeply attached to his mother, and often mocked by classmates for his quiet demeanor. His first romantic experience came at the age of nineteen.

In 1946, when his mother purchased a guitar instead of the bicycle Elvis had wanted for his birthday, she unknowingly set her son on the path to musical immortality. Though he barely touched the instrument at first, Elvis gave his earliest public performance in 1948, singing *Leaf on a Tree* to bid farewell to his classmates before moving permanently to Memphis.

Life in Memphis was difficult. The Presley family lived in poor neighborhoods and frequently attended the Pentecostal Church. Thirteen-year-old Elvis was deeply influenced by gospel choirs and the city’s blues traditions. He attended Humes High School, worked part-time at Loew’s State Theatre, and continued to develop his distinctive appearance, including his long hair and sideburns.

After graduating in 1953, Elvis worked at Parker Machinists Shop and later as a truck driver for Crown Electric Company alongside his father. That same year, on 18 July, he paid three dollars to record a double-sided demo at Sun Studios featuring *My Happiness* and *That's When Your Heartaches Begin* as a birthday gift for his mother.

On 4 January 1954, Elvis recorded another demo at Sun Studios, which caught the attention of producer Sam Phillips, owner of Sun Records. Phillips was searching for a white singer who could authentically perform black blues music. On 5 June 1954, Elvis recorded *That's All Right*, originally written by Arthur Crudup. The song aired on Memphis radio station WHBQ and became a local hit, marking the birth of rock and roll history.

Despite criticism and racial backlash, Elvis continued his rise. His second single *Good Rockin’ Tonight* expanded his fame beyond Memphis. On 15 August 1955, manager Tom Parker took control of his career and transferred him to RCA Victor Records. Elvis’s first RCA single, *Heartbreak Hotel*, sold over one million copies.

Elvis made his national television debut on 28 January 1956 on CBS’s *Stage Show*, launching him into unprecedented stardom. That same year, he began his film career with Love Me Tender, followed by Jailhouse Rock and King Creole.

On 24 March 1958, Elvis was drafted into the United States Army. During his service, his mother fell gravely ill and died on 14 August 1958, plunging Elvis into deep grief. He completed his service in Germany, where he met Priscilla Ann Beaulieu, who would later become his wife.

After returning to the United States in 1960, Elvis shifted focus to films, starring in productions such as G.I. Blues, Girls! Girls! Girls!, and Kid Galahad. In 1967, he married Priscilla Presley, and in 1968 their daughter Lisa Marie Presley was born.

The late 1960s marked Elvis’s triumphant musical comeback, beginning with the NBC television special widely known as the *Comeback Special*. He returned to live performances in 1969 with a historic concert at the Las Vegas International Hotel and continued recording acclaimed albums such as That's the Way It Is.

In the 1970s, Elvis toured extensively, received multiple Grammy Awards—including for gospel albums How Great Thou Art and He Touched Me—and starred in documentary films such as Elvis on Tour, which won a Golden Globe Award.

Despite declining health, Elvis remained active until his final years. From 1969 to 1977, he performed a total of 1,126 concerts. On 16 August 1977, he was found unconscious in the bathroom of his home, Graceland, by Ginger Alden. He was pronounced dead at Baptist Memorial Hospital at the age of 42. His death caused worldwide mourning, and he was later reinterred at Graceland alongside his mother.

Decades after his death, Elvis Presley remains a global cultural icon. As John Lennon famously said, “Before Elvis, there was nothing.” His life, music, and legacy continue to inspire artists and audiences around the world.

“When I was a child, I dreamed real dreams. I read comic books and imagined myself as the hero. I watched movies and identified myself with the hero. All my dreams came true, many times. I learned one thing as a child: a day without a song is a day not lived.”

Source: Biyografiler.com