Elvis Presley, a well-known musician, passes away in Memphis, Tennessee. He was 42. Thousands of admirers in sadness descended on Graceland, the “King of Rock and Rollestate’s in Memphis, after his passing. According to doctors, his heart attack, which likely resulted from his dependence on prescription barbiturates, caused his death.
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On January 8, 1935, Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Jesse, his identical twin, passed away during delivery. Elvis was quite poor growing up in Tupelo and Memphis, where he eventually found employment as a truck driver. He entered a Memphis recording studio when he was 19 and spent $4 to record a few songs as a gift for his mother. The studio’s owner, Sam Philips, was drawn to Presley’s gruff, soulful voice and invited him back to rehearse with some nearby musicians. Philips decided to release Elvis Presley’s interpretation of the rhythm-and-blues song “That’s All Right” as a single on his Sun Records label after seeing him perform it. Presley gave the song an approachable country-and-western feel. Presley’s career was established after the song topped the local charts.
The following year, Elvis gained a significant fan base in the South, and Sun Records sold his contract to the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) for a record-breaking $40,000 in 1955. He became a household name in early 1956 because to his debut single for RCA, “Heartbreak Hotel.” In September 1956, Elvis performed on The Ed Sullivan Show, a national variety television program, and teens erupted into giggles over his dynamic stage presence, excellent looks, and straightforward yet catchy tunes. He followed this up with the double-sided hit album “Hound Dog”/”Don’t Be Cruel.” The sexually provocative pelvic gyrations, which horrified many parents, led to Elvis’ third performance on The Ed Sullivan Show being videotaped solely from the waist up.
Elvis presided over the music charts from 1956 to 1958, ushering in the era of rock & roll and providing opportunities for both white and black rock musicians. He appeared in four popular films during this time, including Love Me Tender (1956), Jailhouse Rock (1957), Loving You (1957), and King Creole (1957), all of which featured his soundtracks (1958).
Presley was enlisted in the US military in 1958. Army and performed an 18-month tour of duty as a Jeep driver in West Germany. Teenage girls were inconsolable, but Colonel Tom Parker, Elvis’ manager, fed the nation’s youth with records that Presley had recorded before his death. The five singles that were released during this time all went on to sell a million copies.
Elvis changed his musical direction after being released from the military in 1960 as a sergeant, choosing romantic, dramatic songs like “Are You Lonesome Tonight?
He gave up performing in order to focus on his musical films, and in the 1960s, he created 27, including G.I. Blue Hawaii (1961), Blues (1960), and Girls! Girls! Girls! Frankie and Johnny (1962), Viva Las Vegas (1964), and (1966). He wed Priscilla Beaulieu in 1967, and the two welcomed Lisa Marie into the world in 1968.
Elvis was no longer regarded as important by American youth by the end of the 1960s because rock & roll had undergone significant changes. Many of his followers returned after a 1968 television special, but the hits were tougher to come by. “Burning Love,” his final Top 10 hit, was released in 1972. Nevertheless, he kept up his substantial wealth by making money-making concert and television appearances.
Elvis’ physical and mental health were deteriorating by the middle of the 1970s. After divorcing his wife in 1973, he became dangerously addicted to pharmaceutical narcotics. He also developed a junk food addiction and put on a lot of weight. He appeared on stage infrequently and almost lived alone during the final two years of his life. He was discovered unresponsive at his Graceland house on the afternoon of August 16, 1977, and was taken to the hospital where he was later declared dead. He was laid to rest on the grounds of Graceland, which still draws admirers and is now a very popular tourist destination.
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