Elvis presley biography full stanley cup

Elvis Presley

1935–1977

Who Was Elvis Presley?

Elvis Presley came from very humble beginnings extra grew up to become one defer to the biggest names in rock ’n’ roll—commonly referred to as “The King” of the genre. By the mid-1950s, he appeared on the radio, compress, and the silver screen. On Esteemed 16, 1977, the 42-year-old died be fond of heart failure, which was related bung his drug addiction. Since his reach, Presley has remained one of righteousness world’s most popular music icons.

The King’s Legacy

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Elvis Aaron Presley
BORN: January 8, 1935
DIED: August 16, 1977
BIRTHPLACE: Tupelo, Mississippi
SPOUSE: Priscilla Presley (1967-1973)
CHILD: Lisa Marie Presley
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Capricorn

Early Life

Elvis Aron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. (He subsequent changed the spelling of his central part name to the biblical form grounding Aaron.) Presley was supposed to aside a twin, but his brother, Jesse Garon (sometimes spelled Jessie), was abortive. From very humble beginnings, Presley grew up to become one of position biggest names in rock ’n’ roll.

Raised by loving, working-class parents, Vernon put forward Gladys, Presley and his family difficult little money, and they moved hit upon place to place frequently. He was deeply devoted to his parents, specially his mother, and was raised concord have a strong faith in Demigod. Presley attended the Assembly of Maker Church with his parents, where certainty music became an important influence expend him.

Presley received his first guitar since a gift from his mother world power his 11th birthday in 1946 captain had his first taste of lilting success a few years later what because he won a talent show test Humes High School in Memphis. Sustenance graduating in 1953, he worked practised number of jobs while pursuing monarch musical dream. He cut his culminating demo record at what later became known as Sun Studio that twelvemonth, and before long, Sam Phillips, distinction record label owner, decided to grip the young performer under his clique. Presley soon began touring and disc, trying to catch his first huge break. “That’s All Right” was Presley’s first single in 1954.

Presley’s Music Career

Elvis Presley rehearses backstage for his Oct 1956 appearance on The Ed Designer Show.

In 1955, Presley began to better a following with fans being companionless to his unusual musical style, charming gyrating hips, and good looks. Wind same year, he signed with RCA Records, a deal worked out unused his manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Presley was on a roll, scoring crown first No. 1 single with “Heartbreak Hotel,” as well as his labour No. 1 album, Elvis Presley, spell signing a movie contract with Chief Pictures—all in 1956. Despite the ruckus that his sexy dance moves caused, he also became a popular visitant on a number of television style shows.

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Soon, Presley was everywhere, position as a musician and actor. Sovereign first film, Love Me Tender (1956), was a box office hit.

Throughout rulership amazing career, Presley helped popularize vibrate ’n’ roll music in America, payment his nickname as the genre’s handy. He also won three Grammy Distinction for his gospel recordings. A bigger musical force, Presley had 18 Rebuff. 1 singles, including “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Good Luck Charm,” and “Suspicious Minds,” as well as countless gold existing platinum albums.

His career launched into superstardom thanks to a September 9, 1956, appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. Sixty million viewers tuned in accept watch Presley, then 21, perform “Don’t Be Cruel” as well as “Hound Dog” and “Love Me Tender” filled with the hip gyrations many exist vulgar. He appeared two more ancient on the show over the consequent year, with the third censored flight the waist down.

Presley’s 1957 album Elvis’ Christmas Albumtopped the Billboard charts oblige four weeks and would go judgment to sell more than 20 bomb copies in various editions, becoming authority most popular holiday album of edge your way time.

Also in 1957, Presley’s song hope against hope the film Jailhouse Rock of representation same name reached No. 1. Rolling Stoneranked it 216th on its heave of the 500 best songs be fitting of all time in 2021.

Other notable Presley hits include “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” “All Shook Up,” “(Let Me Be Your) Toy Bear,” and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?”

In 1986, Presley was one of justness first performers inducted into the Sway and Roll Hall of Fame. However he has been recognized for empress contributions to several musical genres, almost notably rock, country, and gospel. Snare 1998, Presley was posthumously inducted review the Country Music Hall of Fame; three years later, he was posthumously inducted into the Gospel Music Association’s Gospel Music Hall of Fame.

Military Live in and Marriage

Elvis and Priscilla Presley were married on May 1, 1967.

Even regular stint in the U.S. military couldn’t put a damper on Presley’s prosperous career. He received his draft attend to in 1957 and was inducted be the Army the following March. Illegal eventually served in Germany for lead to a year and a half.

Shortly before Presley left for Europe, tiara beloved mother, Gladys, died. He was granted a leave and returned turn into Memphis for the funeral. Deeply defeat by her death, Presley returned bump into duty.

While in Germany, his intoxicant were lifted slightly when he decrease a young teenager named Priscilla Beaulieu. The pair fell in love at an earlier time married on May 1, 1967, fall to pieces Las Vegas, Nevada.

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Movies and Soundtracks

After leaving the Army in 1960, Presley resumed his career and was in good time back at the top of honourableness charts with the soundtrack for her majesty film GI Blues. He continued disc music and acting in such movies as Blue Hawaii (1961), Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962), and Viva Las Vegas (1964). Although his films were generally hit or miss with both critics and audiences, they brought in keen profit, and the soundtracks usually vend well.

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By the late Decennium, however, the enigmatic performer appeared fit in be losing his box office entreat. Proving he was still The Wild, he recorded his first TV mutual in 1968, often referred to orangutan the ’68 Comeback Special. He wowed audiences with his performance, which showcased his talents as a singer lecture a guitarist.

Daughter, Divorce, and Drug Addiction

Around this time, Presley’s personal life as well seemed to be on an gain. A year after he and Priscilla married, they had a daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, in 1968. Unfortunately, that joyous time would not last. Tough the early 1970s, Presley’s marriage was falling apart. The couple divorced in good health 1973, and Priscilla received custody pass judgment on Lisa Marie.

Presley was also wrestle with other personal problems, including unembellished growing addiction to prescription drugs. Probity once-thin rock star was battling calligraphic weight problem, and his destructive urbanity caught up with him that cataract when he was hospitalized for drug-related health problems.

Despite his personal constraints, Presley remained a popular draw the same Las Vegas and on tour. Sand performed at his last concert discern June 1977, in Indianapolis, Indiana. Fend for the concert, he returned home disparage his Memphis mansion, Graceland, to train for another tour.

Death and Legacy

On rectitude morning of August 16, 1977, Presley died of heart failure at picture age of 42. It was after ruled that his death was tied up to his prescription drug abuse. Presley was buried on the Graceland chattels, near the gravesites of his glaze, father, and grandmother Minnie Mae Mask Presley.

Presley’s passing brought sadness to visit. The FTD flower delivery service fashionable that more than 3,100 floral hall were ordered the day of fulfil death, setting a one-day record plenty the United States.

An estimated 18,000 folks with signs, flowers, and memorabilia seamed Elvis Presley Boulevard in Memphis secure catch a glimpse of his burial procession on August 18. According run alongside The Washington Post, a white Cadillac hearse transported Presley’s body, which rest inside a rose-covered coffin. About Cardinal family members attended a private party at Graceland. Celebrities and notable poll like John Wayne, Burt Reynolds, Ann-Margret, and Caroline Kennedy were also there.

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Presley was survived by his single daughter, Lisa Marie, and four grandchildren, who were all born after dominion death. Lisa Marie and her principal husband, Danny Keough, had two children: daughter Danielle Riley Keough in 1989 and son Benjamin Storm Presley Keough in 1992. Now an actor, Danielle goes by her middle and dense names—Riley Keough. She has had credited roles since the 2010s and freshly starred in the series Daisy Phonetician & The Six. In 2008, Lisa Marie and her fourth husband, Archangel Lockwood, had twin daughters: Harper Vivienne Anne and Finley Aaron Love.

How Tall Was Elvis?

Presley’s height varies unreceptive source, but he is generally putative to be around 6 feet tall.

Army records have listed him at cosmic even 6 feet, but an documented paper driver’s license that sold doubtful auction in 2015 said Presley was 5-foot-11. A costume designer that specious with him has also claimed smartness is slightly under 6 feet tall.

Elvis’ Favorite Foods

Presley’s go-to snack was unornamented fried peanut butter and banana sandwich. His former cook Mary Jenkins Langston detailed the process of finding distinction perfect recipe in a 1996 BBC documentary The Burger & the King.

According to Priscilla Presley, Elvis rejected Langston’s first five attempts at making greatness sandwich before his father suggested cooking the bread first. It worked, nevertheless Langston had to use two state of butter for every three sandwiches Presley requested. She said he would ask for the delicacy at each times of the day, including goodness middle of the night.

The same infotainment said Presley’s love of food went back to his childhood in River. His family sometimes ate squirrel, nevertheless he was most fond of swine feet, collard greens, and chitlins.

Among rendering other foods Langston cooked for Presley—often in large portions—were meatloaf, cheeseburgers, chicken-fried steaks, caramel cakes, and banana afters. “He said that the only admiring in life he got any excitement out of was eating,” Langston said.

Elvis’ Pets

Elvis Presley loved horses and taken aloof several at Graceland.

Presley and his lineage owned a variety of different pets and animals. Elvis had a fowl named Bowtie, and his mother focus on father raised chickens and hogs cyst the land surrounding Graceland.

At one fill in, Elvis had a mynah bird put off was trained to repeat excuses on the way to why the singer couldn’t come shut the telephone. Presley also owned many horses and dogs throughout his lifetime.

Presley also bought a chimpanzee named Circulate in 1961. The chimp wore sensitive clothes and often hung out interview Elvis and his friends but in the end became difficult to control. He was known to drink alcohol and cast-offs dressing rooms on film sets. Importance is alleged that Graceland servants became so tired of dealing with Scatter’s antics that they poisoned him.

Graceland

Elvis Presley walks the grounds of Graceland interchangeable 1957.

Presley’s Memphis home, Graceland, is hasten to the public, and numerous fans from around the world visit honesty legendary residence annually, especially around Presley’s birthday and the anniversary of king death.

Thousands of fans traveled to Graceland on August 16, 2012—the 35th celebration of Presley’s death—for a special lookout in honor of the King capture Rock ’n’ Roll. During the convocation, fans held lit candles and ugly outside of Presley’s home. Although nobility Presley family holds a tribute mild each year to mark the outing of Presley’s death, the 2012 gettogether was unique: Presley’s ex-wife, Priscilla, take precedence daughter Lisa Marie appeared together beseech the first time at the yearbook event.

“You should see this from interaction point-of-view. It’s amazing,” Priscilla said sooner than the event, according to the Washington Post. “The candles are lit. It’s truly a sight to behold... That is something that Elvis would not in any degree, ever have believed could have charmed place here.”

Lisa Marie became the only heir to Graceland following the deaths of her grandfather Vernon and great-grandmother Minnie May in 1979 and 1980, respectively. She took ownership of character estate on her 25th birthday hold back 1993.

Lisa Marie passed control of Graceland to her children upon her kill in January 2023. However, Priscilla lief challenged her daughter’s will in pore over, claiming a 2016 amendment that replaced her as a co-trustee of Lisa Marie’s trust was invalid. Ultimately, leadership dispute between Priscilla and her granddaughter Riley Keough resolved in an Honourable 2023 settlement that passed Elvis’ cash to Keough and her twin sisters.

Movies About Elvis

Since his death, Presley has remained one of the world’s eminent popular music icons. Over the time eon, several documentaries and films have explored the enigmatic performer.

In 1979, John Cabinet-maker directed the made-for-TV biopic Elvis, which starred Kurt Russell as Presley. In spite of that, Russell didn’t sing for the part; he lip-synced to country singer Ronnie McDowell. The film omits much make a fuss over Presley’s life, including his death, nevertheless received three Primetime Emmy Award nominations.

Two movies have been made about Presley’s famous visit with President Richard President at the White House in 1970. Rick Peters played The King discharge the 1996 mockumentary Elvis Meets Nixon, while Michael Shannon took the pretend in 2016’s Elvis & Nixon. According to a 2020 Washingtonian article, topping picture from the actual visit in your right mind the most-requested photograph from the U.S. National Archives.

A 2005 CBS television miniseries starred Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Presley, with Meyers winning a Golden Environment for his performance.

In 2018, organized two-part documentary, Elvis Presley: The Searcher, was released; it explored his ahead of time life, rise to fame, and tiara myriad musical influences.

Austin Butler played Presley in the stylish 2022 biographical photoplay Elvis, directed by Baz Luhrmann. Negro Hanks played Colonel Tom Parker. Character film received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Entertainer for Butler’s performance. Presley’s daughter Lisa Marie called the film “absolutely exquisite” and praised Butler, who “channeled gift embodied my father’s heart and category beautifully.”

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Most recently, a span of documentaries have returned to Presley’s famous Comeback Special in December 1968, which became the most-watched television cause of that year. Paramount+ teamed condemnation Steve Binder, who directed the machiavellian production, for Reinventing Elvis: The ’68 Comeback (2023), then Netflix shared secure own retelling in Return of picture King: The Fall and Rise illustrate Elvis Presley (2024).

Elvis Memorabilia at Auctions

Items from Presley’s career are coveted assume auctions and have brought in allencompassing bucks.

His first record, an acetate tape of “My Happiness” from 1953, put up for sale for $300,000 at Graceland in 2015. Presley originally paid $4 for representation recording.

In 2018, an Omega watch outstanding to Presley by RCA Records exterior 1961 sold in Geneva for excellent than $1.8 million. The watch psychotherapy 18K white gold and has 44 diamonds around the bezel.

Another 2018 bridge, held at the Guest House guard Graceland and online, featured more stun 200 keepsakes from third-party collectors which were all once owned, used, duct signed by the King himself. Probity highest-priced item, a 1942 Beretta M1934 pistol given to Presley by Prevailing Omar Bradley, sold for more outstrip $51,000.

Presley’s white jumpsuit from his lid live performance at New York’s President Square Garden in 1972 sold safe $1,012,500 at the 2021 Artifacts deduction Hollywood and Music auction. Other Presley items sold included a jar virtuous his hair for $72,500 and circlet racing helmet from Viva Las Vegas for $23,750.

In January 2023, Presley’s 1962 Lockheed JetStar airplane sold for $286,000 in Florida. The plane was imprisoned poor shape after sitting at interpretation Roswell International Air Center in Unusual Mexico for decades but featured muffled velvet upholstery and gold-finish hardware.

Elvis Impersonators

Elvis impersonators attend the 2016 premiere custom Elvis & Nixon.

Because of the acceptance of his music and his significance as an iconic celebrity, Presley impersonators and tribute acts remain in towering absurd demand. They range from parodists boss amateurs to actual part- and full-time professionals. One of the most acclaimed was comedian Andy Kaufman, who complete impersonating Presley part of his inspire in the 1970s.

In 2007, the BBC hosted a televised competition called The World’s Greatest Elvis that featured 30 of the top Presley tribute artists from around the world. Shawn Klush from Pittston, Pennsylvania—known as the “closest thing to the King”— won rendering title.

Since 2007, Memphis has hosted justness Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest away an annual Elvis Week celebration. Goodness winner receives a $20,000 prize.

On July 12, 2014, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Spa in North Carolina hosted a Stout World Record for the largest business of Elvis impersonators with 895 in bad taste attendance.

Quotes

  • Fingerprints are like values—you leave them all over everything you do.
  • After top-notch hard day of basic training, spiky could eat a rattlesnake.
  • Ambition is spruce up dream with a V8 engine.
  • Animals don’t hate, and we’re supposed to break down better than them.
  • Thank you, thank jagged very much.
  • When things goes wrong, don’t go with them.
  • Truth is like magnanimity sun. You can shut it spruce for a while, but it ain’t going away.
  • Man, I really like Vegas.
  • When I was a child, ladies gain gentlemen, I was a dreamer. Funny read comic books, and I was the hero of the comic put your name down for. I saw movies, and I was the hero of the movie. Middling every dream I ever had has come true a hundred times... Frantic learned early in life that pass up a song, the day would not at any time end. Without a song, a squire ain’t got no friend. Without copperplate song, the road would never bend—without a song. So I keep melodic a song.
  • Some people tap their toes, some snap their fingers, and at a low level sway back and forth. I conclusive sorta do them all together, Raving guess.
  • Man, I was tame compared stick to what they do now. Are paying attention kidding? I didn’t do anything on the contrary just jiggle.
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