Legendary singer and actor Elvis Aaron Presley was born in the small town of Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8, 1935. The parents of the future king of rock 'n' roll were middle-income farmers who had to work hard, and they devoted little time to raising and educating little Elvis.

1. The evangelical church was the first place in which the boy got acquainted with music - religious chants. As the famous singer himself later stated, it was those chants performed by expressive African Americans that prompted him to study music and the desire to become a famous singer. Even in the children's church choir, little Elvis stood out with his clear, beautiful voice.
2. The guitar and piano were the first instruments that Presley mastered while still in high school. Many teachers of the future American celebrity prophesied a great future for the boy, the talent was noticeable from early childhood. At the age of eight, Presley received his first award for the beautifully performed song "Old Ship" at the Mississippi State Fair.
3. The turning point in Elvis's childhood was the move of his family to Tennessee, Memphis, where the teenager got into a completely new musical environment. In the early fifties, such musical directions as country, blues, rock'n'roll began to actively develop in the United States. He began to attend dance evenings and concerts of popular performers at the age of 14, then he decided that he wanted to become a pop singer.

Youth

After graduating from high school, in order to earn money for living, young Elvis had to work as a driver, at the same time he studied in evening courses, mastering the specialty of an electrician. It was not work and not a technical specialty that did not take away from him the desire to become a popular pop singer. The young man is engaged in singing a lot, hones his skills in playing the guitar. He visited his first songs to the person closest to him in those years of his mother.

The first success can be considered a chance acquaintance of Elvis with the owner of a music studio, Sam Phillips, who immediately appreciated the young man's sensual voice and huge talent. The first few songs of the young Presley were recorded in Sam's music studio, but they did not receive much popularity then. Phillips soon brought Elvis together with two local musicians from Memphis, together they recorded the first compositions that brought popularity to the young Presley.

Variety and cinematic career

After the success of the first compositions, Elvis went on a tour of the southern states, the number of the singer's army of fans gradually increased. The famous swinging of the hips, performed during the performances on that tour, became the hallmark of the pop singer. The beginning of commercial success can be considered the acquaintance of Elvis with Thomas Parker, his future manager, nicknamed "Colonel". A talented manager helped Elvis sign a very lucrative contract with the largest recording studio in the state, RCA Victor.

The first truly popular song, "The Heartbreak Hotel," was recorded in 1955. After this song, the name of Elvis Presley becomes known throughout the country, he is invited to various television shows, he tours a lot and records new singles. Major Hollywood companies are also turning their attention to the young performer, he is offered roles in films. For two years from 1956 to 1958, he played in the following films:

1. Love me Tender;
2. Prison rock.
3. Fascinating.
4. King Creole.

In the late fifties, Elvis was taken into the army to serve in West Germany, it was there that he met a young girl, his future wife Priscilla.

Personal life

In 1967, at the height of his fame, Elvis Presley married Priscilla Bouillet, who gave the king of rock 'n' roll an only child, a daughter, Lisa Maria. The family broke up after 5 years in 1972, Presley's wife could not withstand his regular drinking, severe depression, addiction to tranquilizers and hard drugs.

Elvis lived with his second common-law wife, Linda Thompson, for two years, but she also left the popular singer, unable to withstand his stormy adventures. The model Ginger Alden became Presley's last love; it was she who spent the last months of her life with a fading idol.

Discography

Elvis Presley's rich creative career includes many albums that were reprinted many times even after the death of the king of rock 'n' roll.

• 1956 - Elvis;
• 1958 - King of the Creole;
• 1960 - His hand is in the mine;
• 1961 - Something for everyone;
• 1962 - Sweat luck;
• 1967 - How well you are doing;
• 1969 from Elvis in Memphis
• 1975 - Promised Land;
• 1976 - From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee;
• 1977 - Moody Blue.

The last years of the life and death of the king

The most terrible period in Elvis's life came in the seventies, paranoid depression, chronic alcoholism, and dependence on psychotropic drugs progressed strongly. Presley's entourage claimed that the idol of millions was already drunk very early in the morning, after which he arranged shooting in the house, claiming that someone was hunting him and wanted to kill him.

The famous king of rock and roll died at his home in Memphis on August 15, 1977, his lifeless body was found in the bathroom by his girlfriend Ginger. After Presley's death was officially announced, thousands of fans from all over the country began to visit his home.

After death

The environment of the famous idol earned a lot of money on the name of Presley, his staff, assistants and ex-wives published memoirs and gave interviews, telling the juicy details of Elvis's life. Music studios holding copyright have republished the musician's compositions many times.

After the death of Elvis, a theory emerged that Presley was alive and he decided to disappear at the height of his fame. Even such serious publications as The New York Times published material about Elvis Presley's secret residence in South America. Many tried to make money on the dead idol.

What do you think of Elvis Presley? Looking forward to your answers!

American singer and actor

Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, the son of Vernon and Gladys Presley. Elvis' twin, Jess Garon, died in childbirth. The Presley family was rather poor, and their situation was aggravated when the father of the future singer went to prison on charges of forging checks in 1938, and was released only two years later.

Since childhood, Elvis grew up surrounded by music and religion: attending church and participating in the church choir were indispensable. Presley's mother especially followed her son's manners, instilling in him exceptional politeness and respect for elders for life. On his eleventh birthday, Elvis received a guitar as a gift in exchange for a bicycle that the family could not afford. Probably, this choice was influenced by the first musical success of Elvis - a few months before that he received a prize at the fair for the performance of the folk song "Old Shep".

In September 1948, the Presley family was forced to move to Memphis, where there were more opportunities for Presley's father to find work. It was in Memphis that Elvis Presley began to become more consciously interested in modern music, he listened to country music, traditional stage music, as well as programs with African-American music (blues, boogie-woogie, rhythm and blues) on the radio.

He also frequented the Beale Street neighborhoods of Memphis, where he watched black bluesmen play. BB King knew Presley when he was a teenager. Elvis often wandered around the Negro shops, during which Elvis developed his own style of clothing that clearly distinguished him.

After graduating from school in the summer of 1953, 18-year-old Elvis Presley got a job as a truck driver. It was then that he decided to go into a recording studio owned by Sam Phillips, and for eight dollars to record a couple of songs with guitar. The one-copy, double-sided LP with the songs “My Happiness” and “That’s When My Heartache Begins” was technically a belated gift from Presley's mother, but the real reason for the recording was Presley's desire to hear his voice on the recorded version.

By that time, he definitely wanted to become a musician, but did not know in what genre - to perform gospel, church hymns or play country? He had also performed several months earlier at the club and at several amateur concerts. Phillips' studio secretary recorded the details of Presley, who seemed to her to be a curious performer. When asked which performer his singing was closest to, Presley replied that “there is no such thing,” and asked her to call him as soon as Phillips' company, which had its own Sun Records label, needed a singer. After that, he repeatedly visited the studio office, hoping to get a job, and recorded another disc for himself in early 1954.

In June 1954, Sam Phillips decided to record several songs for Sun Records and for this he invited the guitarist Scotty Moore and double bass player Bill Black. In search of a vocalist, on a reminder of his secretary, he decided to try Elvis Presley. Rehearsals went on in the studio for several weeks, and at first nothing was expressive.

On July 5, after the recording of the ballad "I Love You Because", the musicians began playing "That’s All Right" (Mama). It was a blues song by Arthur Crudup, but Presley, Moore and Black gave it an unexpected rhythm. After hearing the game in the studio, Phillips asked the musicians what they were playing. They admitted that they themselves did not know. Phillips asked them to do the same and recorded the song. Similarly, the song "Blue Moon Of Kentucky", Bill Monroe's bluegrass hit, was recorded. Thus was born the sound that Sam Phillips and Elvis Presley himself were looking for.

The single “That’s All Right” with the song “Blue Moon Of Kentucky” on the back was released on July 19, 1954 and sold twenty thousand copies, thanks to the almost continuous playing of the song on Memphis radio stations.

According to the formula of the first disc (recording of one side based on blues, recording of the other - based on country), the singles "Good Rockin 'Tonight" (September 1954), "Milkcow Blues Boogie" (January 1955), "Baby , Let's Play House "(April 1955)," I Forgot To Remember To Forget "(August 1955). All these songs have become not only an undeniable artistic achievement for the singer himself, but also a classic of rock and roll, which owes its development to a large extent to the works of Elvis Presley for Sun Records.

It is worth noting that his early records were not called then rock and roll, but were considered a new kind of country, that's why the nickname of Elvis Presley in those years was "Hillbilly Cat", based on the definition of "Hillbilly" - one of the outdated names of country.

Presley's early music caused conflicting opinions of listeners, since the radio listeners of that time did not understand whether a white performer or a Negro was singing (racial segregation was then the norm of life in the American South), the genre was incomprehensible (popular music, since the beginning of the century, was also clearly categorized). And it is the blending of all these elements of American culture that is credited to Elvis Presley.

In the summer of 1954, the first performances of Presley, Moore and Black began (on the posters they were collectively called the "Blue Moon Boys"). Despite the failure of the popular country music radio gig "Grand Ole Opry" in Nashville in September 1954, the Blue Moon Boys' performances were met with increasing success. They toured a lot in the South, especially in Texas, sometimes with Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins, rising stars of Sun Records. Since October 1954, the musicians have become regular participants in the Louisiana Hayride Saturday radio concerts held in Louisiana. It was then that the characteristic choreography of Presley's movements on stage, which consisted of violent swaying of the hips in combination with emotional movements of the hands and body, was born, which caused an unprecedented excitement of the audience.

These performances, as well as new singles, contributed to the growth of the singer's fame in the South of the United States, and by the end of 1955 on a national scale. The single "I Forgot To Remember To Forget" took 1st place in the hit parade of the country category of Billboard magazine. This caught the attention of Colonel Tom Parker, who was the patron saint of country music star Hank Snow at the time. Parker looked closely at Presley for a year, and signed a contract with the singer in August 1955 to manage his affairs, although formally the former Presley impresario, Bob Neal, remained his manager for another year. Parker understood the limitations of Sun Records and was looking for major labels. An interest was shown in RCA Records, and on November 20, 1955, the company was signed to a contract with Presley. RCA also cleverly bought out Presley's entire catalog of recordings from Sun Records for $ 40,000, of which $ 5,000 were intended for Presley himself.

1956 was a turning point in the life of Elvis Presley, bringing him worldwide fame. Presley's first single on RCA was the sensual blues song "Heartbreak Hotel". The song had nothing to do with previous recordings on Sun Records, and this alerted RCA, but their fears were in vain: the single took 1st place and sold over a million copies. This was followed by the single "I Want You, I Need You, I Love You", as well as the first long-playing album "Elvis Presley", which for the first time in the history of recording also crossed the million mark. At the same time, Elvis' first TV appearances followed, which shocked America and the worship of thousands of American teenagers. Elvis' music, clothing, movement, demeanor, and youth were all unlike ordinary country performers, much less pop singers like Sinatra. At the same time, a wave of outrage arose from the older generation, who saw in Presley vulgarity and mediocrity. Particularly negative reaction was caused by Milton Berle's TV show, on which in June 1956 Elvis performed the song "Hound Dog" for the first time, which created the image of a "rebel" for Elvis Presley, although the singer himself never felt so. An example of the attitude towards the singer is TV presenter Ed Sullivan, who initially stated that Presley had no place in his show, but then not only invited the singer to several programs, but also stated on the air that Elvis Presley was "really a decent young man."

In the summer of 1956, the single “Hound Dog / Don’t Be Cruel” was released, and in the fall the second album “Elvis” was released - both of them took 1st places, and by that time Elvis himself had achieved international popularity thanks to the release of records abroad. Presley has achieved particular success in the UK and Germany. In October, the American magazine "Variety" named Presley "the king of rock and roll", and Colonel Tom Parker became Elvis Presley's sole impresario.

Parker was a sophisticated and very serious person in show business. For his main and soon the only client, Elvis Presley, he “squeezed” the maximum income from all negotiations, more than once setting records for the agreed amount of transactions. A contract was signed between Presley and the colonel, according to which 50% of the income went to Parker's office, and the colonel did not interfere in Presley's music and his personal life, however, he himself was completely unlimited in his economic activities. It is believed that Presley lost millions due to Parker's uncontrolled financial schemes, in addition, a lot of income was not taken into account by the tax office, with which after the death of the singer his heirs began to have problems. We can say that Tom Parker created and then tirelessly supported the Presley brand: he licensed the production of fountain pens, guitars, watches, calendars, clothes and other items with a portrait or simply the name of Elvis Presley.

Many years later it became known that Tom Parker was in fact an illegal immigrant from Holland who came to the United States in the late 1920s, and his real name was Andreas Cornelius van Kuijk. He was ordained a "colonel" in 1948, but these facts were not disclosed during Elvis's lifetime.

Elvis Presley's success in popular music opened his way to Hollywood, which was immediately taken advantage of by Tom Parker, who signed contracts with the studios 20th Century Fox and Paramount. The first film with the participation of Presley was "Love me dearly", which premiered on November 15, 1956. Presley played a minor role in it and performed four short songs, but it was for him that millions of viewers went to the theaters that week. Elvis' longtime dream of becoming an actor has come true. In 1957, two more films were released - "To Love You" and "Prison Rock", which brought Elvis a quick commercial success.

Presley gravitated towards the dramatic roles of his idols James Dean and Marlon Brando, but his success as a musician forced the film studios to give him lighter roles in which his character had to sing, trying to meet the expectations of fans. The fourth film with Presley's participation, "King Creole", filmed in 1958, was considered Presley's most artistic film work. The musical material of Presley's first films was of high quality, not inferior to his usual studio work. At the same time, from 1957 to 1959, Elvis' singles continued to be released one after another, which took 1st places: "Too Much", "All Shook Up", "Don't", "A Big Hunk O'Love" and others compositions.

The news of Presley's departure to the army caused protests in the country among young people: letters were sent to the army and the president demanding to cancel the service for the singer. Meanwhile, it was a mutually beneficial enterprise. Presley improved his reputation among wider sections of the population, although he himself worried that his career would come to an end. The army hoped to raise the prestige of the service and attract new soldiers.

In the fall of 1958, Presley was sent to the 3rd Panzer Division, stationed in West Germany, in Friedberg near Frankfurt. But before that, a tragedy struck in the singer's personal life: on August 14, his mother died in Memphis.

In the army, Presley performed his usual duties. Nevertheless, he spent his free time on a grand scale inaccessible to other soldiers: he visited cabaret in Paris, traveled to Italy, bought cars, and in June 1958, he signed up in the studio. Presley lived in a separate apartment with his friends.

A little later, the constant entourage of friends and relatives received the nickname "Memphis Mafia" in the press. Some members of the "mafia" knew Elvis from school, some appeared while serving in the army. The backbone of the "Memphis Mafia" was gradually formed, to which new members were periodically added.

They surrounded Presley throughout his later life day and night, performing various functions of bodyguards, lackeys, concert promoters, musicians, and, finally, just friends, without whom Presley could not do without. It was they who introduced him at one of the parties in Germany, 14-year-old Priscilla Boullier, who soon took an important place in Elvis's life.

On March 2, 1960, Elvis Presley returned to America and on March 5 was demobilized with the rank of sergeant, after which recording in the studio began immediately. The result was the album "Elvis Is Back!", Released a month later, which took 2nd place and is considered one of the best works of Presley. Elvis brought Neapolitan songs “O sole mio”, “Sorrento”, “La Paloma” from Europe and covered them in English. During 1960, new singles “Stuck On You”, “It’s Now Or Never” (“O sole mio”) and “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” Were released, which took 1st place in the charts. It was not rock and roll, and it became obvious to everyone that not only the music had changed, but also the image of Presley, who shocked his fans with the appearance of Frank Sinatra on the TV show. From now on, his work was addressed not so much to rock and roll lovers as to ordinary listeners of popular music. In addition, according to Tom Parker's plan, the focus of Presley's career was to shift to the more lucrative field of cinema, which is what happened. Presley stopped giving concerts, but thanks to the cinema, millions of people around the world could see him several times a year.

The first post-army film with Elvis' participation was "Soldier Blues", which narrated about the service of an American conscript tanker in Germany. The film, despite the cold reviews, turned out to be one of the most commercially successful film works of the 1960s. No less popular was the soundtrack for the film with 12 songs. The success of the film convinced Parker and Presley himself of the correct choice. Following were the films "Blazing Star" and "Wild In The Country", which were an attempt by film studios to give Presley a conventional feature film format, there were almost no songs in them, and these films were expected to be a commercial fiasco. Then it was decided to return to the musical-comedy genre, and in 1961 the film Blue Hawaii was shot, which became one of the leaders at the box office in the 1960s in the United States and consolidated the formula for Presley's subsequent films. The success of "Blue Hawaii" predetermined the future path of the singer: he almost stopped recording albums with ordinary, non-Hollywood music.

Due to the forced submission to certain scenes in films, the film songs of the 1960s by Elvis Presley were for the most part very stylistically limited. The plots of the films were built taking into account the ability of Presley to perform up to 10-12 songs, while the singer was given exotic roles. He played sports car racers, Indians, Arab hostage, fashion photographer, tanker, boxer, cowboy and other unusual characters. Professional film actors and supporting actresses, as a rule, were significantly inferior to Presley in fame - films were specially written for the singer; nevertheless, a number of films with Presley starred Hollywood stars: Charles Bronson, Anne-Margaret, Nancy Sinatra, Ursula Andress, Angela Lansbury, Mary Tyler-Moore and even Kurt Russell, who starred as a child in a fleeting episode. In the films of the hero, Presley was always surrounded by girls, while small scenes with children were often introduced - Presley's films were marketed for viewing by the whole family.

In March 1963, Priscilla Bouillet was brought to the Graceland estate of Presley, with whom Presley continued to communicate all the time after leaving Germany. By agreement between her parents and Presley, 17-year-old Priscilla was allowed to stay in Graceland, on the condition that she attend a private Catholic school every day. At the same time, Presley himself spent all his time in Hollywood, acting in films and throwing parties with the "Memphis mafia". At the end of 1966, under pressure from his parents and Colonel, Presley was finally forced to make an offer to Priscilla. The wedding took place on May 1, 1967. At first, Presley clearly enjoyed family life, but soon after the birth in February 1968 of his daughter Lisa-Marie began to move away from Priscilla and returned to his usual way of life.

By the mid-1960s, Beatlemania had also become a phenomenon in American life. On their first visit to America in early 1964, the Beatles were greeted live on the Ed Sullivan Show with a telegram from Presley. From that moment, attempts began to arrange a meeting between the “Liverpool four” and the idol of their youth. The meeting took place on August 27, 1965, at Presley's California home. The event was held in the strictest confidence: no photos or press releases were taken. The musicians exchanged gifts, and an hour later they were absorbed in playing the guitars The Beatles were surprised to find that Presley was fond of playing the bass at the time. McCartney later recalled that he first saw the TV remote control at Presley's house.

The meeting with Presley made a deep impression on the Beatles. Presley himself, despite his sincere interest and hospitality, had mixed feelings: after all, it was the Beatles who became the unwitting reason why American pop music ceased to be popular. Later, Presley transferred his rejection of hippie culture and their music to the Beatles, seeing in them the source of everything anti-American, which did not prevent him from performing their songs at his concerts.

By 1967, Elvis Presley began to feel burdened by his monotonous cinema, in which he continued to act (three films a year were released); and although breaking out of the studio contracts was not easy, it was not only about them. By that time, rock music had changed, dozens of British invasion bands were writing, playing and singing their own songs, which now set the tone for the entire industry. Presley belonged to a traditional pop school of performers who sang songs specially written for them or covered modern hits - Presley himself did not write a single song. The singer needed to find a new sound, which he eventually found in country. New singles "Guitar Man" in 1967 and "U. S. Male ”in 1968, allowed Presley to break with the obsolete manner. But the real revolution in his career came in the summer of 1968.

In early 1968, Tom Parker came up with the idea of \u200b\u200bmaking Presley's television appearance. The project was presented as a Christmas party with a singer performing a couple of traditional songs. However, Parker's script never came to fruition. NBC producer Steve Binder saw in Presley a desire to do something more radical and interesting than playing old-fashioned hits. As a result, a colorful show was developed, which consisted of several fragments: a jam session, performances on stage and theatrical performances.

A jam session with old friends, including Scotty Moore, took Presley back to the roots of his music: blues and rock and roll. Filming took place on June 27-30, 1968. Dressed in black leather, perfect for the image of the "king of rock and roll", the singer performed his old hits "Heartbreak Hotel", "Blue Suede Shoes", "All Shook Up", new compositions "Guitar Man", "Big Boss Man ”,“ Memories ”and many other songs. The apotheosis of the show was the last song "If I Can Dream", imbued with a pathos of social appeal, uncharacteristic for Presley. The single with the song, released in the same year, sold over a million copies. The show was shown on December 3, 1968 on NBC, received a lot of praise from critics and returned the interest of the general public to Elvis Presley. The musician continued to appear in films, which, from the end of 1966, brought in less and less profit, but he almost stopped singing in them. The last, 31st in a row, feature film in Presley's film career was the film "Change of character", filmed in 1969, in which he played the role of a doctor who worked in an urban slum. In 1969, Presley finally returned from Hollywood back to his Graceland estate in Memphis.

The NBC TV show gave Presley his confidence in finding a new music format. Throughout the winter of 1969, he recorded at American Studios in Memphis with producer Chips Moman, who specialized in soul music. The work resulted in the two albums From Elvis In Memphis and Back In Memphis, released in the same year. In the singer's work, these records are considered one of the best, and although they did not make a musical revolution this time, critics often equate them with the freshness of the sound to the records on Sun Records. The high quality of the material was confirmed by the success of new singles, which took the top lines of the charts in 1969 ("In The Ghetto", "Suspicious Minds" and "Don't Cry Daddy"); before that, the singer's singles took 1st place for the last time in 1962.

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After the show on NBC, it was decided that Presley would resume performing in public, and the singer announced a world tour. Las Vegas, which since the 1940s has been the focus of not only the gambling business, but also the music business, was chosen as the concert ground. Singers usually signed contracts for a full month of performances in hotels. Presley was influenced by the example of Briton Tom Jones, who performed in Las Vegas hotels in the late 1960s and successfully combined rock and roll and traditional pop ballads, the sound of which was enriched by the presence of a pop orchestra. Presley chose the same format for himself.

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On July 31, 1969, the singer gave his first concert for the general public in 8 years at the Internationale Hotel in Las Vegas. Under a seasonal contract, Presley was required to perform at this hotel every August and February, two concerts a day for the next 5 years. The performances received flattering reviews in the press, followed by recordings from the concerts (albums "Elvis In Person At The International Hotel" and "On Stage").

Soon Presley found his stage image. In the new season of February 1970, the singer appeared in dazzling white jumpsuits created by his personal designer. For each season or concert, Presley prepared a variety of costumes of various colors and styles, often decorated with rhinestones and embroidered with gold. It was this image of Elvis Presley that was subsequently the most recognizable and imitated.

Since the fourth season in February 1971, all of Presley's concerts have opened with an overture by Richard Strauss to his musical poem Thus Spoke Zarathustra. His performances ended invariably with a song from the movie "Blue Hawaii" - "Can`t Help Falling in Love", having finished the last lines of which, the singer, accompanied by deafening drum rolls and rumbling trumpets, left the stage and immediately left. An entertainer half a minute later announced: "Elvis just left the building." This formula was elevated to Presley's ritual, which he performed every time throughout his concert activity from 1969 to 1977.

Throughout the summer of 1970, the first documentary about Presley, "That’s The Way It Is", was filmed in theaters in November of that year. Viewers were able to see how Presley recorded new songs, rehearsed and performed on stage in Las Vegas. Part of the film's multi-day studio recordings that summer provided material for new albums — That’s The Way It Is in 1970, Elvis Country and Love Letters From Elvis in 1971. They were mostly pop ballads and country hits. After new recordings from March to June 1971, released on albums from 1971 to 1973 ("Wonderful World Of Christmas", "He Touched Me", "Elvis Now", "Elvis"), Presley's regular studio activities practically ceased , reduced to episodic and short recordings with a minimum of takes. In turn, it was not uncommon to include recordings from concerts, which became the main focus of Presley's career, into albums. "Burning Love" in 1972 became Presley's last single to reach the top spot on the US charts (2nd place) during the singer's lifetime. At the same time, Presley enjoyed steady success in the UK, where his singles often ranked higher than in the United States.

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In November 1972, a new documentary, filmed in the spring of that year during a tour of America, was released - "Elvis on the Tour", which brought in half a million dollars in its first week of release and was nominated for a Golden Globe. At the same time, Presley again announced his plans for a world tour, which had been announced more than once before, but which never took place.

Meanwhile, an unprecedented show in Hawaii "Aloha From Hawaii" was prepared. A satellite broadcast of the concert from Honolulu on January 14, 1973, attracted more than one hundred million television viewers around the world. Due to technical features, the performance was shown in the United States itself only in April, and in May, a double album with a recording of the concert took 1st place in the American hit parade, and this was the last first place during the singer's life.

Tickets for the preparatory and broadcast concerts in Hawaii were not priced - each spectator could pay as much as he wanted, and all the money Presley received was then donated to the Honolulu Cancer Foundation. During Presley's lifetime, his charity was virtually ignored. Meanwhile, every year he sent checks for a thousand dollars to 50 Memphis charities, hosted charity concerts, paid for his friends, relatives, and sometimes completely strangers. In addition to charity, Presley loved to make gifts: all his friends were gifted with cars more than once (there is a case when in one day the singer bought 14 limousines at once, one of which became a gift to a random visitor to a car dealership). Presley also bought houses, paid weddings, and paid for his friends' bills. At one of the concerts, he took off his ring worth almost seven thousand dollars and gave it from the stage to an unknown person from the public. More than once in the middle of the night, together with his friends, he suddenly appeared in car dealerships, jewelry stores; he also often rented an entire movie theater or amusement park at night for himself and the "Memphis mafia."

A few weeks after the Hawaiian concert, Presley played his eighth season in Las Vegas, during which the singer had to miss several performances for the first time, as the accumulated health problems began to make themselves felt. For many years, Elvis Presley was addicted to officially prescribed drugs that became drugs for him. It all started in the army, when the musician and his entourage took medication so that they could spend their free nights. Then medications were required to sleep. The addiction continued to develop after returning from the army to Hollywood with its parties and nightlife. Presley also began using weight loss drugs to keep fit for movies and later on tour. The busy schedule of seasonal performances in Las Vegas (two concerts a day, at noon and midnight, for 4 weeks) also did not favor natural relaxation: medications were required to calm down after the excitement of the performance.

By the early 1970s, Presley was heavily dependent on prescription drugs. Added to this was left eye glaucoma, discovered in March 1970, which forced the singer to wear dark glasses, and stomach problems. Due to illness, concerts have become increasingly missed (especially during contract seasons in Las Vegas); in October 1973, Presley went to the hospital for the first time, where he underwent a long-term cleansing of the body, and from 1975 to 1977, the singer was hospitalized several more times. It is curious that the singer himself did not at all consider all these drugs to be drugs, since they were issued according to the prescriptions of his attending doctors. As a result, instead of trying to solve the problem of addiction, Presley preferred to study the medical characteristics of his drugs more closely to avoid side effects and possible overdose.

This drug load affected Presley's daily life. He developed suspicion, the rooms of his mansion were equipped with a communication system "Intercom", which allowed him to contact bodyguards around the clock, and security cameras were installed around the estate. In addition, the singer's regime has completely changed. All of his rooms in Graceland and in hotels were in twilight, with the help of air conditioners in his bedroom, set the extremely cold temperature that the singer could tolerate, and the windows of his hotel rooms were also sealed with foil to prevent sunlight and heat. Presley went to bed in the morning and woke up in the afternoon. Therefore, shopping, movie trips and other activities took place at night. The same routine was followed by his inner circle, the "Memphis mafia". In 2006, the Graceland hosted an exhibition on Presley's nightlife, Elvis After Dark.

After the birth of his daughter, Presley began to move away from Priscilla, returning to his usual way of life. In November 1970, the singer first mentioned to reporters about the difficulties in the family, and a year later Priscilla announced her departure from Elvis to her karate instructor. The divorce was officially formalized in July 1972, and finally consolidated in October 1973. Lisa-Marie stayed with her mother, but often came to Graceland. Retaining the name of her ex-husband, Priscilla went into the world of fashion, and later became an actress. Her roles are best known to viewers in the Dallas TV series and the Naked Gun films. Despite losing interest in Priscilla, Presley was overwhelmed by the very fact of the divorce, and felt betrayed. His depression was reflected in the breakup ballads he recorded at the same time "Always On My Mind", "Separate Ways", "Take Good Care Of Her" and other compositions.

Since July 1972, a new constant friend Linda Thompson appeared in Presley's life, in September of the same year she moved to Graceland and remained there until 1976, despite constant betrayal on the part of Presley. From the end of 1976 until the death of the singer, his new permanent girlfriend was Ginger Alden.

Despite all these problems, Elvis Presley performed tirelessly on stage: from 1969 to 1977, he gave about 1,100 concerts in the United States. His seasonal shows in Las Vegas also continued, although the musician himself got bored after the first two or three years, which was reflected in his performances: Presley often quickly sang his repertoire, consisting of old hits and a few new songs, while he was more willing to lead ever-increasing monologues of a variety of nature (from stories about the history of buying diamonds to discussions about the Bible). The quality of the concerts depended entirely on the mood of the singer. In 1976, the seasonal contract in Las Vegas was interrupted, and later Presley performed in Las Vegas only in December 1976. Despite the fact that Presley's records were less and less frequently hit the charts, the concerts were sold out. Therefore, despite the increasingly cold reviews in the press, any of his tours were successful, which led Presley to financial and psychological dependence on tours, which followed one after another, often depriving the singer of the necessary rest.

By the mid-1970s, Presley's apathy for studio recordings had become apparent to RCA Records. After studio "marathons" from 1969 to 1971, the singer sharply reduced the frequency of recording new songs. The duration of the sessions also decreased: Presley sang to the accompaniment of a small group, then backing vocals and an orchestra were superimposed without him, the number of takes was minimal, the recordings were interrupted for any reason. The situation was similar to the 1960s, when Presley focused all his attention on the film career and did not record almost anything except film songs, now the same emphasis was shifted to touring, and RCA were forced to look for new ways to market the singer. Numerous, previously uncharacteristic editions of collections, concerts, collection records of Elvis began. New studio records prudently lay on the shelves and came out when it became obvious that the singer would record new material, or vice versa, when new records were already sorely lacking. Since 1973, 1975 the albums "Raised On Rock" (1973), "Good Times" (1974), "Promised Land" (1975), "Today" (1975) have been released - mostly consisting of pop ballads and songs in country style.

In February 1976 RCA brought their mobile studio to Graceland so that Presley could record in the comfort of his home (one of the albums, Raised On Rock, was already partially recorded in a similar way at home in California). The result was 12 songs, which immediately went to new singles and an album entitled "From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee (Recorded Live)" (in 1976, the part of the highway where "Graceland" was located was renamed Elvis Presley Boulevard). However, this success failed to be made regular: the next recording attempt at Graceland in October of the same year was interrupted after four songs were recorded.

In February 1977, Elvis was persuaded to record a new album at RCA studios. The singer flew to Nashville, but never showed up at the session, citing a sore throat. The gathered musicians were forced to disperse. As a result, producer Presley Felton Jarvis decided to use all the remaining material from the 1976 home sessions (6 songs) and supplement it with recordings from the last concerts. So in June 1977, Elvis Presley's last album, Moody Blue, was released.

Throughout the winter and spring of 1977, Elvis Presley toured America extensively. But in April, his performances were unexpectedly interrupted due to a forced hospitalization. After leaving the Memphis hospital, Presley again went on one mini-tour after another. It was at this time that Tom Parker was negotiating with CBS about the filming of a new TV show, made up of live recordings. The directors who filmed the first samples were puzzled by Presley's performances: they were tasked with capturing the sedentary figure of Presley, his mostly indifferent singing and the general morbid appearance of the singer, who had gained significant weight by that time. Filming, however, was scheduled for June 19, 1977 in Omaha. The performance was sluggish and was not suitable for a large-scale TV show. However, it was compensated by a second concert in Rapid City on June 21, in which Presley was in good spirits and full of energy. Perhaps these performances would not have seen the light of day if it had not been for Presley's death that soon followed. Since the broadcast of Elvis in Concert in October 1977, Presley's company has repeatedly reiterated its reluctance to release the footage on video, citing possible media damage to the "King of Rock and Roll" image.

After finishing his Indianapolis gig on June 26, Presley returned to Graceland, where he had been in his usual inactivity, resting before the new tour, scheduled for August 17. The last months of his life were darkened by the July 1977 book What Happened, Elvis ?, written by Presley's bodyguards, who were fired a year before being published by Red and Sonny West with David Gebler. Red and Sonny Vesta were some of Presley's oldest and closest friends who knew him from high school, and their dismissal was initiated by Presley's father, who felt that too many people were living off his son. The book covered the daily life of the "king of rock and roll", which caused shock to millions of fans around the world. The book described Presley's aggressive antics in hotels, his drug addiction, morbid suspicion, and much more that had previously been hidden from the public. Elvis sank into depression, feeling betrayed.

On August 16, 1977, Presley, as usual, arrived at his estate deep after midnight, returning from the dentist. He spent the rest of the night talking about the upcoming tour in two days, about the book of his bodyguards, about plans for an engagement with his new girlfriend Ginger Alden. In the morning, Presley took a dose of sedatives, but a few hours later, unable to sleep, he took another dose, in this case it turned out to be critical. After that, he spent some time reading books in a boudoir-style bathroom. At about 2 pm on August 16, Alden woke up, and not finding Elvis in bed, went to the bathroom, where she found his lifeless body on the floor. An ambulance was urgently called, which took Presley to the intensive care unit, although it was obvious that all efforts were in vain. At four o'clock in the afternoon, an official death statement was made, in which it was said about heart failure, but an autopsy later showed that the cause of the cardiac arrest was an excessive dose of various medications. According to other sources - drugs, however, due to the semi-secret nature of the investigation, there are also many other versions of death along with the popular legend that the singer is still alive. After the announcement of his death, crowds of thousands of fans immediately began to gather at the fence of the Graceland.

Presley was buried on August 18, 1977, but immediately after his death, theories arose that the singer was actually alive. A month later, his grave was desecrated. People wanted to check if Presley was actually dead. In the late 1980s, publications appeared about Presley's “life” after death: the singer allegedly deliberately staged his death in order to retire from the world of show business that had bored him and indulge in spiritual improvement. The fictitious death theory in 1977 was fueled by the classified nature of the medical investigation into the cause of death, the absence of a photograph of the singer's body, the change of the middle name on the grave (Presley, allegedly, thus, would not consider himself buried), and the psychological reluctance of millions of fans to accept such unexpected circumstances premature death of Elvis. Added to this was the periodic testimony of people who allegedly saw Presley in various places on the planet. This theory has become firmly embedded in the pop cultural mythology of Presley, often with a touch of irony. In 1991, a Los Angeles newspaper published a scandalous report about a meeting with the "live" Presley. In 2006, a story appeared in the American media about the "secret life" of Presley, who allegedly died not in 1977, but in the mid-1990s.

Meanwhile, his ashes were transferred to Graceland after an attempt to break open his coffin, and after the death of Elvis Presley remains one of the most famous personalities of world pop culture. Filmed many films and television films, both biographical and only indirectly related to Presley's life itself. His Graceland estate is the second most visited place in the United States after the White House (600 thousand people a year).

Elvis Presley's music continues to be published. Large-scale marketing campaigns are carried out periodically, bringing Presley to the top lines of the charts. In 1999, BMG founded the new label Follow That Dream, which specializes exclusively in the production of Presley's music products.

In addition, Elvis Presley is ranked third among the greatest performers of all time and the greatest vocalists according to Rolling Stone magazine.

In 2009, a documentary film “Elvis Presley. From the beginning to the end".

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Biography, life story of Elvis Presley

Real name: Elvis Aaron Presley.
Date of birth: January 8, 1935.
Place of birth: USA, Tupello, (Mississippi).
Died: 16 August 1977 at 2.30 pm Elvis Presley, Graceland.

early years

Elvis Aron Presley was born in a family of immigrants from Ireland Vernon and Gladys Presley on January 8, 1935. His twin brother died at birth, so his parents took great care of their surviving son and raised him in respect for God. Elvis came to singing naturally - he began to sing in the local children's church choir, and later began performing at competitions and camp gatherings.

At the age of 10, Elvis won second prize for his performance of the song "Old Shep". The Young Talent Contest was held at the Alabama (Mississippi) Dairy Show. Happy that their son had such a respectable hobby, his parents gave him an acoustic guitar the next birthday. He himself learned the basic chords by listening to blues and old sacred chants. In 1949, shortly before Elvis went to high school, the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee.

After graduating from high school, Elvis found a job as a truck driver at the Crown Electric Company, earning $ 1.25 an hour, and took courses in the evenings to get his degree in electrician.

But somehow it gradually turned out that Elvis's career turned the other way.

"Memphis Recording Studio"

The conversation about Elvis's career should probably start with his first amateur recording. But first, it's worth saying a few words about the music company Sun, owned by Sam Phillips, the man who "discovered" the legendary singer. Beginning in 1951, Phillips recorded the best singers of Memphis (including B.B. King himself and the blues legend Howlin` Wolf) and then sold master copies to larger companies. But in 1953, Phillips began to release his own records, decorating the "spots" of the discs with the brand name - the rays of the rising sun. Sun also had a subsidiary called the Memphis Recording Studio. Despite the loud name, "studio" was a converted garage and was intended solely for amateur recordings.

CONTINUED BELOW

It was there in July 1953 that 18-year-old Elvis came with the intention of humming the record. Most of the music sources, including some pretty solid ones, claim that the song was prepared as a birthday present for the mother. However, Gladys Presley was born on April 25, 1912, so either Elvis decided to sign up in advance (9 months before the event, which is unlikely), or was 3 months late (which is even more implausible!). Subsequently, Phillips stated that Elvis had simply made up a "birthday" story.

Phillips' assistant Marion Kesker was on duty that day. As she recalled, there were more than enough people who wanted to sign that Saturday, and Elvis dutifully stood in line with his battered guitar. Marion started a conversation with the young man, asking in what style he sings, to which she received an answer: "In all styles"... To the question "Which singer do you look like?"Elvis stated: "To no one".

First entries

For the recording, Elvis chose INK SPOTS 'hit hit "My Happiness" and - on the back of the record - the "tear" semi-recitative ballad "That`s When Your Heartache Begins". Something in the young man's manner of singing made Kesker, albeit belatedly, turn on the tape recorder (they had never recorded amateurs before) and "catch" a piece of the remaining first song and completely record the second song. Elvis paid $ 4, took his record and left. Finally, Marion wrote on a piece of paper: "Elvis Pressley (with two s. - IM). Good ballad singer. Keep in mind.", as well as the address and phone number of Elvis' friend - he did not have his own. When Phillips returned, Marion played the tape to him, and he said that there is something in the guy, but he still needs to "work and work".That was the end of it.

Another long 8 months passed, during which Elvis again, in January 1954, visited the studio, talked with Phillips and sang another amateur record before the matter got off the ground.

Lucky case

Phillips got a demo tape from an unknown singer from Nashville. The song was titled "Without You" and it was a melodic ballad performed to the accompaniment of one guitar. Phillips tried to figure out the artist's last name, but to no avail. "If I can't find him, I'll have to find someone else, - he said, - because I intend to release this song on a record. "-" How about that guy with the sideburns? " Marion Kesker asked. "Oh, I don't know how to contact him, I even forgot his last name."Phillips replied. And then the woman took out the same piece of paper with the address and called the indicated phone. Soon the hero of our story arrived at the studio. Sam Phillips, who at the time was looking for a "white man with a style of singing and a black feeling" and felt that he had found such a miracle in the young Elvis Aron Presley.

Unsuccessful career start

Alas, the recording failed. Despite Elvis' many attempts, Phillips was not satisfied. We took a break. The future singer, demonstrating his abilities, began to play fragments of different songs - gospel, country, melodies from Dean Martin's repertoire. Hearing that Elvis would like to find an accompanying line-up, Phillips promised to help and soon contacted guitarist Scotty Moore, a 21-year-old musician who had retired from the army and had arrived in Memphis two years before the events described. Many believe that the style of the King of Rock and Roll was largely influenced by this guitarist.

Scotty called Elvis and they met at Moore's apartment. After the initial awkwardness passed, Elvis began to play and hum songs to his new friend from the repertoire of then popular singers - Eddie Arnold, Hank Snow, Billy Ekstin. Bill Black, the bassist who lived next door to Moore, walked in, listened, and left again. When Elvis left two hours later, Bill Black returned to Moore. "Well, how do you like him?" he asked. "Nothing special", - answered the bass player.

The reaction was about the same and Scotty Moore himself. He called Phillips and said the following: "Well, this guy has a good voice, but his songs sounded no better than the original."... Nevertheless, Sam Phillips decided to arrange an audition for Elvis.

Scotty, Bill and Elvis spent several months in the studio, gathering there almost every day after the main work. Elvis also tried performing at local clubs with Scotty's band, but Phillips felt that Presley, accompanied by a large ensemble, did not sound right. As Marion Kesker recalled, her boss constantly repeated: "It should be simpler, simpler"... And then finally the day came when Phillps declared: "Okay, it's time for the session." It was the summer of 1954 ...

Professional performer

On July 5, Elvis stepped into Sun Studios for the first time as a professional performer (although he has not yet quit his job at Crown Electric). In four days 4 songs were recorded - "I Love You Because", "That`s All Right", Blue Moon Оf Кentucky "and" Blue Moon ", as well as several compositions that were never released on records during the singer's lifetime (Another song, "Just Because", was recorded either at this session or at the second, in September of the same year).

In August 1954, Phillips released Presley's debut single "That`s All Right" / "Blue Moon Of Kentucky". The first composition belonged to the pen of the Negro artist Arthur Crudur and was recorded by him back in the 40s. (Later Elvis turned to the work of this singer several times.) The composition from the back was composed and recorded by the famous country artist Will Monroe. It is interesting that on the patch of the single under the title of the song there was: "Elvis Presley, Scotty and Bill", however, the names of Moore and Black were typed in a slightly smaller font. (And so on all five of his records, released by the company Sun). In passing, it should be noted that in his 20-year career, Elvis has not composed a single song; about half of the compositions in his repertoire are cover versions, and the other half were written by professional composers especially for him.

First success

Elvis' debut, released at both 45 rpm and 78, gained purely local popularity. After Dewey Phillips, a local radio disc jockey, played "That`s All Right" at the request of Sam Phillips, his studio received calls from listeners who liked the song.

According to Elvis's parents, on the eve of the "premiere" he was so confused and embarrassed by his first success that that evening, when his song was to be broadcast on the radio, he, having tuned the receiver for them to the desired wavelength ... just fled to the cinema.

Dewey Phillips began broadcasting the song over and over. As a result, within a few days, applications for no less than 5 thousand copies of the disc accumulated on Marion Kesker's desktop. The record stayed on the Memphis country-and-western record charts until December, climbing briefly to # 1, and also briefly flashed on the charts in Nashville and New Orleans. Alas, Memphis is not all of America yet - the disc has not made it to the charts. Its total circulation did not even reach 20 thousand.

Session # 2

In September 1954, a second session took place, where "I Don`t Care If The Sun Doesn`t Shine" and "Good Rockin` Tonight" were recorded. Its participants were all the same Moore and Black. During the recording of the first song, it turned out that Elvis did not know one verse. Marion Kesker helped out. She composed what was missing, but before recording the composition, she had to get the consent of her composer, a certain Mack David (Mack David), for this "self-righteousness" (in America, apparently, the phrase "copyright" was never an empty phrase!). He agreed, on condition that only his last name would be mentioned on the "patch" and that he would not have to share the fee with Marion. On that and decided.

The single, released in October 1954, did not rise above # 3 on the Memphis hit parade, and did not appear on the bestseller lists in other cities at all. "Each session was difficult, - recalled Marion. - He never had anything ready, and the session stretched and stretched and stretched. He always wanted to accurately reproduce some song he heard in the jukebox, and Sam tried to convince that it is impossible, that you need to do something new, different from others, and let other artists copy it. "

BLUE MOON BOYS

While working in the studio, Elvis, Scotty and Bill, calling their trio BLUE MOON BOYS, began performing in the vicinity of Memphis, playing in gyms and assembly halls of local schools, gradually getting further and further from home. In a second-hand Lincoln, the back seat of which was often used as a bed for the musicians, the trio drove twenty-five thousand miles! At first, Scottie Moore took over the duties of the group manager, which was secured by the contract signed on July 12, 1954. But he always felt that he was interested in music more than administrative duties, so over time they found another for this position.

Session # 3

In December 1954, the musicians gathered in the studio for the third time and recorded songs for the next Elvis single - "Milkcow Blues Boogie" and "You`re A Heartbreaker". When recording the first song, an interesting technique was applied, which, using sports terminology, can be called a false start. The composition (by the way, originally recorded back in 1930) starts out like a regular blues. After a few bars, Elvis stops chanting and says: "Wait guys. It doesn't bother me. Let's get it right!" Then the sluggish blues turns into energetic rock and roll.

Nevertheless, the disc, which went on sale in January 1955, went almost unnoticed. In the same month, the trio recorded another number, "I`ll Never Let You Go", but it was not released by Sun.

Meet Oscar Davis and Tom Parker

In the winter of 1955, Oscar Davis, assistant to the famous impresario Tom Parker, came to Memphis to organize a tour of the popular country singer Eddy Arnold. Davis went to the radio station where Bob Neal was working and asked if he had Elvis records. The management forbade Neal to play Elvis songs on the air, as they did not fit into the "format" of the station. (Ironically, Presley's manager after Moore became ... Bob Neal.) Nevertheless, Neil lost several tapes to Davis and added that the singer would just be performing at the airport hotel.

They went to the airport. Davis was shocked: there were only three musicians, the hall could accommodate only about 60 people, but the audience, the main part of which were girls, screamed with delight! "Bob, this guy is great,- said Davis. - I want to meet him. Imagine me "... Bob Neal replied: "He hates me to the core, because I can't play his records." Then Davis himself invited Elvis to his table. He was joined by Scottie Moore, who was still acting as a manager. We agreed to meet in a few days when Eddie Arnold comes to Memphis.

The next meeting was attended by Tom Parker, the future legendary impresario of the king of rock and roll. "This guy won't be successful on the Sun" he remarked.

It took Parker some time to inquire about the young singer. It turned out that in the up-and-coming category, Billboard magazine ranked Elvis in 8th place, that his records sold well in Memphis, and that the public reaction at his concerts indicated that he could become a star in the future.

Fourth single

In the meantime, the musicians have recorded their next, fourth single with the songs "Baby Let`s Play House" and "I`m Left, You`re Right, She`s Gone". In the first, Elvis first used his later famous "hiccuping" vocals. The album was released in May 1955. Both compositions received good reviews in the magazines "Billboard" and "Cashbox", and "I`m Left .." reached 8th place in Memphis.

Growth in popularity

Elvis's popularity grew. In June - July, he took part in group concerts with country music stars such as Marty Robbins and Sonny James, having traveled all over the south of the country - Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas. During a performance in Jacksonville, hot teenagers pounced on their idol, tore his jacket and shirt, tore off his shoes.

Billboard re-reviewed Presley's single, noting that the record began to sell well not only in Memphis, but also in Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Nashville, Richmond, St. Louis and Carolina. What was even more important, the song "Baby Let`s Play House" first hit the national hit parade: it took 15th place (according to other sources 10th) in the country chart and 11th place in the list of the most frequent country songs played on the radio.

The emergence of drummer D.J. Fontana

The Sun session in the summer of 1955 was the last and notable Elvis first used on a drummer recording. It was D.J. Fontana, a musician who later worked with the singer for many years. Surprisingly, the absence of drums, an instrument so necessary in rock music, is not felt at all in Elvis's first recordings!

The latest single on Sun contained a song written by Sam Phillips himself along with Negro singer Little Junior Parker called "Mystery Train" and the song "I Forgot To Remember To Forget". The song "Tryin 'To Get To You", also recorded at this time, was not released on Sun.

Elvis' last single on Sun went on sale in August 1955. The record reached the top of the American country charts and stayed in the charts for 40 weeks!

Transition to "RCA Victor"

Elvis has become a national phenomenon. One after another, the largest companies seduced Phillips with impressive sums, wanting to "acquire" the rising star. "Mercury" offered 10 thousand, "Columbia" - 15, "Atlantic" - all 25. "RCA Victor" surpassed everyone, offering 35 thousand for a new contract with the singer, plus the right to use all of his published and unreleased recordings. Tom Parker repeatedly visited Elvis's parents, convincing them that their son's future was only with a large company like "RCA Victor". The firm also promised advertising of Elvis' music in all three areas of popular music - country, rhythm and blues and pop. Sam Phillips conceded: he himself understood that his company was too small to "promote" the singer on a national scale. The deal took place in November 1955.

On January 10, 1956, two days after his 21st birthday, Elvis Presley stepped into the RCA recording studio in Nashville for the first time.

Replenishment in the composition

The musicians who accompanied Elvis at the Sun - lead guitarist Scotty Moore and double bassist Bill Black - continued to work with him at RCA. Although new ones appeared: pianist Floyd Cramer, guitarist Chet Atkins, backing vocals Gordon Stoker, Ben and Brock Speer and drummer Dee. Jay. Fontana, who participated in the singer's last session at the Sun.

How did Elvis' sessions go? Singer's producer Steve Sholes recalled: "When we started recording (him), he put the guitar too high to his face, and we tried to record vocals at the same time (with the accompaniment), because there was no overdubbing at that time. (His) guitar played so loud that we almost did not heard voices. We started to move the microphone this way and that and in the end gave him a pick. He played the guitar so vigorously that every two or three tries to break the string. And even after he started using the pick, he continued to break the strings. I remember that during one try he dropped the pick, but continued to beat the strings with his fingers. God, when we finished the song, his fingers were bleeding, and I asked: "Why didn't you stop?" - "Oh," he replied, - that's it. it was going so well that I didn't want to interrupt the recording. "

“In the beginning, we did a lot of trials, and when it seemed to me that we were reaching the best option, I said:“ I think this turned out quite well, Elvis. ”And he replied:“ I think I can do even better. ”He never criticized anyone. If someone made a mistake in a song, he never made a comment, but just said, "Let's try again, I think I faked it here."

An example of such a picky attitude towards their work is the recording of the song "I Beg Of You". On January 13, 1957, after 27 (!) Tests, Elvis was still not satisfied. More than a month later, on February 23, he returned to this composition again and was satisfied with the recording only after the 34th try!

First single "RCA Victor"

The first RCA single Victor (not counting the reissued records "inherited" from the Sun) went on sale in January 1956. It was the legendary "Heartbreak Hotel", which immediately climbed to # 1 on the US charts (# 2 in England ) and sold in a million copies. By April 1956 (after two more sessions - January 30 - 31 and February 3) RCA had enough material to release the artist's long-playing disc.

Record "Elvis Presley"

Without further ado, the disc was simply called "Elvis Presley". The album contained 12 tracks. Curiously, the 4 songs included on the disc - "Blue Moon", "Just Because", "I`ll Never Let You Go" and "I Love You Because" - were recorded on Sun, but were rejected by Phillips because of what something about the shortcomings of this or that musician. Indeed, the capitalists do not waste anything!

The disc rose to number 1 on the charts, where it remained for ten weeks. In total, the record stayed 49 weeks on the list of American bestsellers. In 1956, for 36 weeks, he held the first places in the charts. His energetic singing, combined with shameless movements on stage, has grown in popularity, sold millions of records, and his success has helped rock and roll become a lucrative music genre. The road was opened for a whole generation of studio performers.

Working with "THE JORDANAIRES"

In the summer of 1956, Elvis began a long and fruitful work with the vocal quartet THE JORDANAIRES. Remove from the background their "pa-poo-ra-room" or "doo-wop" and many songs of the king of rock and roll will lose some of their charm. It is a mistake, however, to believe that this group worked entirely "for Elvis." It was created back in 1948 and had sessions with many country artists, and also recorded on its own (received, among other things, a Grammy Award in 1965 for the best album on religious themes). The composition of the quartet changed, but at that time it included the following musicians: Gordon Stoker - first tenor, Hoyt Hawkins - baritone, Neal Matthews - second tenor, Hugh Jarrett - bass. Stoker recalled: "After the session, Elvis said that if any of these songs become a hit, he wants us to record with him all the time. We didn't think that these songs would become popular. We didn't think about them at all. Honestly, we didn't even remember his last name. For us it was just another session. "

The first recordings with JORDANAIRES were made on July 2, 1957. On that day, the hugely popular "Hound Dog" was recorded, its reverse side "Don`t Be Cruel" and the song "Any Way You Want Me", which hit the back side of the "ballad of all time and Peoples "" Love Me Tender ". Elvis's collaboration with this vocal quartet continued until January 1967.

The studio work often brought the singer together with famous musicians, such as the aforementioned guitarist Chet Atkins, who won the Best Instrumentalist category of Cashbox magazine for 14 years in a row (most of today's music fans know him from his work with Mark Knopfler on the album Neck And Neck. 1990), country music star Glen Campbell, lead guitarist James Burton, singer and songwriter Jerry Reed.

Army and cinema

In 1957, being on the crest of his newfound success, Elvis got from Uncle Sam a new job as a jeep and truck driver in the Third Armed Division, stationed in Germany. There he meets 14-year-old Priscilla Bewley and soon wins her favor. She would later become his wife. Soon after returning to the States, Elvis stopped performing with concerts and completely immersed himself in cinema (his debut took place in 1956 in the film "Love me Tender") and studio recordings.

60s - 70s

His popularity is still high, although gradually the "Beatles", who themselves are fans of Presley, are gradually beginning to oust him from the musical Olympus. Dozens of compositions recorded by Elvis Presley in the late 50s and 60s have become classics of pop and rock music.

Later in the 60s, rock and roll changes radically, and Elvis continues to sing ballads in the style of Hollywood and often releases albums with songs recorded back in the 50s. In 1967, he married Priscilla, and a year after the birth of his daughter Lisa Marie began touring and performing with a special Christmas program on ABC, where he reunited with his first band. This brief renaissance of his career culminated in 1972 with the release of Burning Love, his final Top 10 album.

Depression

The following year was followed by a break with Priscilla, and Elvis went into voluntary imprisonment for a long time at his vast estate in Graceland, originally built for his mother. He was nocturnal, maniacally afraid of people, and spent most of his time in narcotic intoxication. Elvis began to lose sensation, got fat, fell into melancholy and periodically returned to karate, which he met while serving in the military.

In the mid-70s. the deteriorating health condition forced the famous singer to leave the recording studio for a long time. After a 3-day session in May 1975, he fell silent for almost 9 months. In early February 1976, when Elvis never showed up in the studio, RCA, seriously concerned that it would not be able to keep up with the three-album-a-year schedule, decided that if the mountain was not going to Mohammed ...

The company delivered recording equipment to Elvis Graceland's mansion. The musicians arrived with him. During the week, the singer recorded 12 songs. The session was difficult, Elvis's mood often changed. As Elvis biographer Jerry Hopkins wrote, the artist sang "lazily and uncertainly."

Another similar recording took place in the singer's house on October 29 - 31, 1976. Then only 4 songs were recorded.

However, Elvis continued to perform. In 1977 - the year of his death - he gave 54 concerts! The last one took place on June 26 - less than two months before the death of the King of Rock and Roll.

The final...

On August 16, 1977, at 2:30 pm, Elvis Presley (or someone highly similar to him) was found in a toilet in Graceland, and an hour later his death was recorded at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis. At the time of his death, he was wearing blue pajamas, and a copy of "Scientific Research for the Face of Jesus" was clutched in his hands. Numerous traces of pharmacological intervention were found on the body.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors are attracted each year by the luxurious Graceland estate (now home to a thriving tourist complex).

Elvis gave us everything we could imagine, from "Blue Suede Shoes" and "Hound Dog" to "Heartbreak Hotel" and "Love Me Tender".

A definite plus is a career in Hollywood. Each of the 31 films where Elvis starred was successful, if not critically, then financially. But perhaps most importantly, if you want to become King, you have to lead the life of a King. No celebrity, either before or after, has done as much as Presley to draw attention to her person. During a stormy tour, "Mafia of Memphis", Elvis distinguished himself to the fullest: smashed televisions in hotels; swallowed pills; met with the most wonderful women in the country; ate mountains of fried food; flew in a private jet "Convair 880", named after his daughter Lisa Marie, between his huge mansion in Memphis (Graceland) and touring points. Isn't it surprising that tabloids are still hunting for details of the singer's life.

Elvis Presley discography:

1956 Elvis Presley
1956 Elvis Presley
1956 Elvis
1957 Loving You
1957 Jailhouse Rock
1957 Christmas Album
1958 King Creole
1959 For LP Fans Only
1959 A Date with Elvis
1960 Elvis Is Back!
1960 G.I. Blues
1960 His Hand in Mine
1961 Something for Everybody
1961 Blue Hawaii
1962 Pot Luck with Elvis
1963 It Happened at the World`s Fair
1963 Fun in Acapulco
1963 Girls! Girls! Girls!
1964 Kissin` Cousins
1964 Roustabout
1965 Girl Happy
1965 Elvis for Everyone
1965 Harum Scarum
1966 Frankie & Johnny
1966 Paradise, Hawaiian Style
1966 Spinout
1966 Anyway You Want Me
1967 How Great Thou Art
1967 Double Trouble
1967 Clambake
1967 Special Christmas Programming
1968 Speedway
1969 From Elvis in Memphis
1969 From Memphis to Vegas / From Vegas to Memphis
1970 Elvis in Person (At the International Hotel, ...
1970 On Stage: February1970
1970 Almost in Love
1970 Elvis Back in Memphis
1970 Elvis: That`s the Way It Is
1971 Elvis Country (I`m10,000 Years Old)
1971 You`ll Never Walk Alone
1971 Love Letters from Elvis
1971 Elvis Sings "The Wonderful World of ...
1972 Elvis Now
1972 He touched me
1972 Elvis as Recorded at Madison Square Garden
1973 Aloha from Hawaii Via Satellite
1973 Elvis
1973 Raised on Rock / For Ol` Times Sake
1974 Good Times
1974 Elvis Recorded Live on Stage in Memphis
1974 Having Fun with Elvis on Stage
1974 U.S. Male
1975 Promised Land
1975 Today
1976 From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, ...
1977 Welcome to My World
1977 Moody Blue
1977 Elvis in Concert
1978 Elvis Sings for Children and Grownups Too!
1978 Mahalo from Elvis
1992 Madison Square Garden
1995 Elvis! Elvis! Elvis!
1998 Live in 55
1999 Private Elvis
1999 Elvis
1999 That`s the Way It Is
1999 It`s Christmas Time
2000 Elvis Presley: Live1955 the Hayride Shows
Santa claus is back in town
Sings for Children
Elvis Presley: Live!

1956 Rock`n`Roll, No. 2
1958 Elvis` Golden Records
1959 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can`t Be Wrong: Elvis` ...
1964 Elvis` Gold Records, Vol. 3
1967 Special Palm Sunday Programming
1968 Elvis` Gold Records, Vol. 4
1968 Elvis` Gold Records, Vol. 4
1968 Singer Presents Elvis
1968 Elvis TV Special
1969 Elvis Sings Flaming Star
1970 Elvis` Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits, Vol.1, ...
1970 Elvis` Gold Records
1971 C`mon Everybody
1971 The Other Sides: Worldwide Gold Award Hits, ...
1971 I Got Lucky
1971 Today Tomorrow & Forever
1971 Collector`s Gold
1972 Elvis Sings Hits from His Movies, Vol.1
1972 Elvis Sings Hits from His Movies, Vol. 2
1972 Burning Love and Hits from His Movies, Vol. 2
1972 Let`s Be Friends
1972 World Wide 25 Gold Award Hits, Vol.1
1972 World Wide 25 Gold Award Hits, Vol. 2
1972 World Wide 25 Gold Award Hits, Vol. 3
1972 World Wide 25 Gold Award Hits, Vol. 4
1972 Elvis: The Rockin` Days
1972 Rock Rock Rock
1973 Separate Ways
1974 Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol.1
1974 Elvis Forever
1974 Hits of the 70`s
1974 Worldwide Gold Award Hits, Pts. 1 & 2
1975 Rock`n Roll
1975 Pure Gold
1975 Double Dynamite
1975 Lid Rocks
1975 Gold Thirty
1975 40 Greatest Hits
1975 A Portrait in Music
1975 Pictures of Elvis
1975 The Sun Collection
1976 Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol. 2
1976 The Sun Sessions
1977 In Demand
1977 The Elvis Presley Story
1977 Elvis: His Songs of Inspiration
1977 Elvis Speaks to You
1978 He Walks Beside Me: Favorite Songs
1978 Elvis: A Canadian Tribute
1978 Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol. 3
1978 The Elvis Presley Collection
1978 40 Greatest Hits
1978 Worldwide Gold Hits Award, Pts. 3 & 4
1978 Country Classics
1978 From Elvis with Love
1978 Legendary Concert Performances
1978 Elvis Commemorative Album
1978 Memories of Elvis
1978 The Greatest Show on Earth
1978 The `56 Sessions
1979 Our Memories of Elvis
1979 The `56 Sessions, Vol. 2
1979 Our Memories of Elvis, Vol. 2
1979 First Years
1979 Please Don`t Stop Loving Me
1979 The King Speaks
1979 Love Songs
1979 Jailhouse Rock / Tickle Me
1979 Easy Come, Easy Go / Kid Galahad
1979 Pure Elvis
1979 Elvis Tapes
1979 Golden Boy
1980 Elvis Sings Leiber & Stoller
1980 Elvis Aron Presley
1980 Elvis: A Legendary Performer, Vol. 4
1980 Double Dynamite, Vol.1-2
1980 Double Dynamite, Vol. 2
1980 Inspirations
1980 Elvis Aron Presley In-Store Sampler
1980 Elvis Aron Presley Radio Station Sampler
1980 Country Memories
1980 The Legendary Recordings of Elvis Presley
1980 Greatest Moments in Music
1980 The Legendary Magic of Elvis Presley
1981 Guitar Man
1981 This Is Elvis
1981 Elvis: Greatest Hits, Vol.1
1981 Return to Sender
1981 Wonderful World
1981 Heartbreak Hotel
1981 20 Greatest Hits, Vol.1
1981 20 Greatest Hits, Vol. 2
1981 Elvis Answers Back
1981 Ultimate Performance
1981 It`s Now or Never
1981 Lightning Strikes Twice
1982 The Elvis Medley
1982 Hillbilly Cat
1982 EP Collection, Vol.1: G.I. Blues ...
1982 G.I. Blues Alternative Takes, Vol. 2
1982 The EP Collection, Vol. 2
1982 Love in Las Vegas
1982 Are You Lonesome Tonight?
1982 Personally Elvis
1982 Romantic Elvis / Rockin` Elvis
1982 Images
1982 Can`t Help Falling in Love
1982 Rock & Roll Rebel
1982 It Won`t Seem Like Christmas without You
1982 Suspicious Minds
1982 The Sound of Your Cry
1982 Elvis! His Greatest Hits
1982 Elvis Sings Inspirational Favorites
1982 Elvis in Hollywood
1982 Elvis Christmas Classics
1982 Memories of Christmas
1983 Fliphits 4 Great Hits
1983 Jailhouse Rock / Love in Las Vegas
1983 I Was the One
1983 By Request of Japan Fans
1983 The First Year (Elvis, Scotty and Bill)
1983 Elvis: The Beginning Years, 1954 to `56
1984 Elvis: The First Live Recordings
1984 Elvis: A Golden Celebration
1984 Collection, Vol.1
1984 Collection, Vol. 2
1984 Collection, Vol. 3
1984 Collection, Vol. 4
1984 Rare Elvis
1984 Magic Moments
1984 Rare Elvis, Vol. 2
1984 Rare Elvis, Vol. 3
1984 At His Best
1984 I Can Help
1984 The First10 Years
1984 The Legend
1984 32 Film Hits
1984 Blue Rhythms
1984 32 Film Hits, Vol. 2
1984 The Legend Lives On
1984 Elvis` Gold Records, Vol. five
1984 Rocker
1985 A Valentine Gift for You
1985 Always on My Mind
1985 Sweet Songs
1985 Reconsider Baby
1985 Merry Christmas
1985 Fifty Years / Fifty Hits
1985 Elvis Sings Country Favorites
1985 One Night with You
1985 His Songs of Faith and Inspiration
1985 An Audio Self Portrait
1985 Elvis on Stage
1986 Return of the Rocker
1986 All Time Greatest Hits
1987 Heartbreak Hotel
1987 The Memphis Record
1987 The Essential Elvis, Vol.1
1987 Just Elvis
1987 Just Elvis, Vol. 2
1987 Top Ten Hits
1987 The Number One Hits
1987 Top Ten Hits
1987 The Complete Sun Sessions
1988 The Alternate Aloha
1988 Remembering Elvis
1988 Elvis Talks
1988 The Essential Elvis, Vol. 2: Stereo `57
1988 Elvis in Nashville
1988 The Essential Elvis: The First Movies
1988 Elvis Aron Presley Forever
1989 Jailhouse Rock
1989 Love Me Tender
1989 Known Only to Him: Elvis Gospel1957-1971
1990 The Million Dollar Quartet
1990 The Definitive Country Album
1990 The Definitive Film Album
1990 The Definitive Gospel Album
1990 The Definitive Rock & Roll Album
1990 The Definite Love Album
1990 The Essential Elvis, Vol. 3: Hits Like Never ...
1990 Heartbreak Hotel & Other Hits
1990 Great Performances
1991 Elvis Presley`s First Session
1991 Elvis: The King
1991 The Lost Album
1991 Elvis and Jim: Christmas Favorites
1992 The King of Rock `n` Roll: The Complete 50`s ...
1992 Blue Christmas
1992 Elvis` Christmas Album
1992 Elvis Country
1993 Love in Las Vegas / Roustabout
1993 Kid Galahad / Girls! Girls! Girls!
1993 It Happened at the World`s Fair / Fun in ...
1993 From Nashville to Memphis: The Essential ...
1993 Harum Scarum / Girl Happy
1993 Frankie & Johnny / Paradise, Hawaiian Style
1993 Spinout / Double Trouble
1993 Viva Las Vegas / Roustabout
1994 Kissin` Cousins \u200b\u200b/ Clambake / Stay Away Joe
1994 Amazing Grace: His Greatest Sacred Songs
1994 If Every Day Was Like Christmas
1995 His Life & His Music
1995 Gold: The Very Best of the King
1995 Heart and Soul
1995 Live a Little, Love a Little / Charro! / The ...
1995 Command Performances: The Essential 60`s ...
1995 Elvis Presley & Friends
1995 Walk a Mile in My Shoes: The Essential 70`s ...
1995 Golden Years
1995 Easy Come, Easy Go / Speedway
1995 Flaming Star / Wild in the Country / Follow That ...
1995 The Essential Collection
1996 The Legend Begins
1996 Live
1996 Elvis 56
1996 The Essential Elvis, Vol. 4: A100 Years ...
1996 A Portrait in Words & Music
1996 Louisiana Hayride
1996 Great Country Songs
1996 In the Beginning
1997 Great Elvis Presley Live
1997 An Afternoon in the Garden
1997 Classic Elvis
1997 Jailhouse Rock / Love Me Tender
1997 Raw Elvis (Live at the Eagles Hall in ...
1997 Platinum (A Life in Music)
1997 Hayride
1997 Forever in Love
1997 Elvis Elvis Elvis: The King & His Movies
1997 24 Karat Hits
1997 Elvis Tapes, Vol. 2
1997 Greatest Jukebox Hits
1997 The Louisiana Hayride Anthologies of Legends
1997 Worldwide 50 Gold Award Hits, Vol.1
1997 Always Elvis
1997 30 Suositunita
1997 Always on My Mind: The Ultimate Love Song ...
1997 The Elvis Presley Collection: Rock `N` Roll ...
1998 Love Songs
1998 A Golden Celebration
1998 A Touch of Platinum
1998 Blue Suede Shoes: The Ultimate Rock `n` Roll ...
1998 A Touch of Platinum, Vol. 2
1998 The Essential Elvis, Vol. 5: Rhythm and ...
1998 The Truth About Me
1998 Tiger Man
1998 Memories: The `68 Comeback Special
1998 The Elvis Presley Collection: From the Heart ...
1999 All the Best, Vol.1-2
1999 Remembering Elvis: Louisiana Hayrides & ...
1999 Sunrise
1999 Concert1999 World Tour
1999 Home Recordings
1999 Elvis Shaped CD Box
1999 Suspicious Minds
1999 Tomorrow Is a Long Time
1999 Artist of the Century
1999 Elvis
1999 Burning Love
1999 The Collection
1999 Can`t Help Falling in Love: The Hollywood ...
1999 Ballads
1999 Movies
1999 Rockin`
1999 Rock & Roll
1999 Country Side of Elvis
1999 Love Songs
1999 Gospel Favorites
2000 The Essential Elvis, Vol. 6: Such A Night
2000 Elvis 2000
2000 Canadian Tribute
2000 Take My Hand: Gospel Favorites
2000 Best of Artist of the Century
Great performances
Speedway / Clambake
The Best of Elvis
Graceland Live in Memphis
Panel deluxe
Great Hits
Rockin` On, Vol.1
Rockin 'On, Vol. 2
Greatest Hits
Burbank sessions
Audiofon
Para Los Fans Espagnoles
South africa
Elvis Presley1954-1961
Elvis the King1954-1965
He Touched Me, Vol.1

The sensation spread throughout the world media: Elvis Presley alive! On the social network Facebook on the Elvis Presley Is Alive page, a photo of an 82-year-old gray-haired fat man appeared, in which.

A man attended Presley's birthday event at his Graceland estate.

The legend that Elvis Presley did not die, but faked his own death, is not at all unique: similar stories exist about a number of deceased stars. Nevertheless, Elvis stands apart: fans do not believe that their idol could have passed away at the age of 42.

Meanwhile, people who knew the musician closely said many times that the life of a star was hanging by a thread for several years before the tragic denouement.

Star under drugs

By the early 1970s, Presley's health began to malfunction due to the heaviest loads. For example, during the seasons in Las Vegas, the musician performed daily for four weeks, giving two concerts: at 10 pm and midnight. Elvis combined performances with filming in films, he did not stop appearing at Hollywood parties.

Presley became addicted to drugs: at first, these were drugs that allowed him to go without sleep for many hours. Their systematic use led to the fact that he lost the ability to sleep normally and was forced to take sleeping pills, and the doses were increasing all the time. Elvis was rapidly gaining weight, and in order to keep in shape, he had to take medications to help him lose weight.

In 1970, the "King of Rock 'n' Roll" was diagnosed with glaucoma in the left eye, which forced him to wear dark glasses, which fans considered a new "feature". In addition, serious stomach problems began.

Since 1973, Presley's concerts are increasingly canceled due to the singer's hospitalization. He has to undergo lengthy procedures to cleanse the body. Doctors state Elvis's dependence on potent drugs, although he himself did not consider himself a drug addict.

Man of the night

Against the background of health problems, the musician developed a manic suspicion. His Graceland estate was equipped with the most modern security system, guarded by a whole staff of bodyguards. All of his rooms in Graceland and in hotels were in twilight, with the help of air conditioners in his bedroom, set the extremely cold temperature that the singer could tolerate.

Sleep and wakefulness was completely disrupted. Presley fell asleep in the morning, woke up in the afternoon, and the period of activity fell on the night.

To record new songs, Elvis had to be persuaded. RCA Records, which had a contract with Presley, even brought a mobile studio to the singer's estate.

The "King of Rock 'n' Roll" continued to perform, but critics noted that indifference was increasingly evident in his concerts. He was tired of music, popularity and social life.

Last shooting and betrayal of friends

In early 1977, Presley toured extensively in America, but in April he was once again hospitalized. After being discharged, he returned to concerts.

In June, Presley's concerts were recorded by CBS, which planned to make a TV show from the footage. The musician barely resembled himself in his best years: his sickly appearance and overweight figure even shocked some.

Presley himself understood that it did not matter: he was against showing the footage. However, CBS aired its show after the singer's death, and this television program has become one of the best-known surviving Elvis footage.

After a concert in Indianapolis on June 26, Presley had a pause in performances, during which he returned to his estate. The next concert was to take place on 17 August.

In July, Presley suffered a severe psychological blow: the book "What happened, Elvis?" Red and Sonny Westami with David Gebler, the musician's bodyguards.

They had been fired the year before. The book revealed all the details of Elvis's life, including drug addiction.

Presley knew Red and Sonny from school and considered this book a betrayal. The musician fell into a severe depression.

Overdose

On August 16, Elvis returned home from a late night dentist appointment. According to the testimony of those who were with him, he talked a lot about the upcoming concerts and all the time returned to the book of bodyguards.

The musician went to sleep, as usual, in the morning, having drunk the traditional dose of medicine. However, by all accounts, his gloomy thoughts kept him awake, and he decided to take another dose. Before going to bed, Presley had the habit of spending some time in the bathroom reading books.

Found him on the bathroom floor at about 14:00 Ginger Alden, the last passion of the singer. Elvis showed no signs of life. An ambulance called immediately took the singer to the hospital, although, according to the doctors, it was just a formality: it was not possible to bring him back to life.

At 4:00 pm, the official announcement of the death of Elvis Presley from heart failure was spread. The investigation into the circumstances of the death was classified, which would later become one of the reasons for the emergence of the legend of the "living Elvis".

The pathologists who performed the autopsy made it clear: Presley died of a drug overdose. The "King of Rock and Roll" was far from the first and, alas, not the last star to die in this way.

"I hope they get Elvis back for us!"

A semi-secret lifestyle and sudden death for the uninitiated became fertile ground for rumors that death could just be a fake.

They wrote that Elvis went to Tibet for the sake of spiritual improvement, that he is undergoing long-term drug addiction treatment, that he simply left for the American outback, tired of everything and everyone.

It got to the point that soon Presley's grave was desecrated, and not by his enemies, but by fans who wanted to personally make sure that he died. After that, the singer's ashes were reburied at the Graceland estate, where the grave is under protection.

The bright image of young Elvis, who blew up the world, did not fit in with death. The fans could not come to terms with his departure, so stories that he was seen in different cities have appeared regularly for over 40 years. From time to time, journalists even publish "sensational" interviews, allegedly taken from Presley, who "lives" in the God-forgotten American outback. Quasi-religious organizations in the United States are seriously awaiting the "second coming of Elvis".

Even in the film "Independence Day" one of the heroines, looking at the alien ship, exclaims: "I hope they will return Elvis to us!"

The ancient formula "The king is dead, long live the king!" doesn't work here. The second "king of rock and roll" has not been and will not be. Elvis is forever alive for those in love with him. Because, probably, 40 years later, at the musician's next birthday, someone will see a gray-haired old man in the crowd and will assure that it is 122-year-old Presley who came to see the celebrations in his honor.

© www.globallookpress.com

© www.globallookpress.com

© www.globallookpress.com

Elvis Presley is a singer and film actor, "the king of rock and roll", a symbol of the American dream that has become a reality.

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. Vernon and Gladys Presley are Elvis's parents. It is known that Elvis had a twin brother named Jess Garon, who passed away immediately after birth.

Elvis's father had no profession, took on any job that he could find. Logically, financial disruptions did not allow the family too much pleasure. This situation worsened when Vernon was jailed for 2 years for fraud.

Elvis was brought up surrounded by religion and music. The boy regularly attended church and even sang in the church choir. And at home, the radio sounded constantly, from where the child absorbed songs in the country style, as well as compositions of traditional pop music. Once a young musician performed at the fair with the folk song Old Shep and received a prize. Deciding to encourage her son's interest in music, Gladys gave the child the first guitar.

In 1948, the family moved to Tennessee, where it was easier for the head of the family to find work. The family settled in the city of Memphis. It was here that Elvis became familiar with African American styles of music - blues, boogie-woogie and rhythm and blues. This musical "school" influenced the performer's vocal style. Like many teenagers, Elvis spent a lot of time in the company of friends with whom he sang famous country hits to the guitar. Most of his childhood friends will stay with him for a long time.

In August 1953, Elvis graduated from high school, and soon found himself in the Memphis Recording Service recording studio to sing a couple of songs for the record as a gift to his mother. The choice fell on My Happiness and That’s When Your Heartaches Begin. After a while, the American recorded another single there, after which the owner of the studio, Sam Phillips, promised to invite the singer for professional recording.

At this time, Presley works as a truck driver and participates in all vocal competitions and auditions for musical groups, and also regularly receives refusals. The head of the Songfellows quartet even directly told the future king of rock and roll that he had no vocal abilities.

Music and cinema

In the summer of 1954, Sam Phillips contacted the singer and offered to take part in the recording of the song Without You. The result did not suit anyone - neither Elvis, nor the musicians, nor the owner of the company, who realized that this performer needed a different repertoire. During a break, to calm his nerves, Elvis began to play the song That’s All Right, Mama, but in a non-standard rhythm, expressive and unusual. So, quite by accident, Elvis Presley's first hit was born. It was followed by the song Blue Moon of Kentucky, recorded in the same manner. The collection with these songs took the 4th place in the charts.

By the middle of 1955, the singer already had 10 singles, each of which was enthusiastically received by young people, and videos and clips for compositions became popular in North America and Europe. The new style of music created by Elvis Presley got the effect of an exploding bomb. With the help of producer Tom Parker, Elvis signs a contract with recording giant RCA Records. True, for Presley himself, the contract was terrible, since the musician received 5% of song sales.

Nevertheless, Elvis Presley's famous songs are released at this studio - Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes, Tutti Frutti, Hound Dog, Don't Be Cruel, I Want You, I Need You, I Love You, Jailhouse Rock and Can "t Help Falling In Love and Love Me Tender "Elvisomania" begins in America, the hits of the artist take the leading positions in the music charts in America, and every concert attracts crowds of fans.

Presley is one of the few rock artists to have served in the military at the height of their popularity. His service took place in the third armored division, which was stationed in Germany. Nevertheless, during the service, discs with songs recorded in advance were released. And Hard Headed Woman even topped the American charts.

After demobilization, Elvis and his producer are focusing on cinematography, and the records are now only the soundtrack for films. But the films "Soldier's Blues", "King Creole", "Burning Star", "Savage" and others were not grossing, albums with music from these films were not particularly popular. But singles with non-Hollywood songs conquered the charts over and over again. The rock star's photo appeared on the cover of the best publications in the world.

The full-length discs His Hand in Mine, Something for Everybody, Pot Luck were also successful, since here the singer continued to successfully experiment with musical genres, mixing blues, gospel, country and rockabilly.

The success of the next film entitled "Blue Hawaii" played a cruel joke with Elvis Presley. Producer Tom Parker now only demanded identical roles and songs in the Hawaiian style. Since 1964, interest in Presley's music has fallen, and soon the American's songs leave the charts. Starting with Speedway, the shooting budget turns out to be higher than the profit.

Presley's last films were Charro! and Habit Change, which came out in 1969 and attempted to redefine Elvis as a co-star, an exclusively romantic comedy character. Two good dramas appeared, but the damage was already irreparable.

The same failure awaited music recordings, which led to Elvis Presley's refusal to record records. Only in 1976, the singer was persuaded to make a new record. The album was released, and immediately the songs returned to the first lines of the world charts. But Presley did not record his voice anymore, each time referring to the disease. The last album of the official discography of the "king of rock and roll" was the album Moody Blue, composed of previously recorded but unreleased songs.

About 40 years have passed since then, but Elvis Presley's record (146 songs in the top 100 of the Billboard charts) has not been broken.

Personal life

While serving in Germany, Elvis meets Priscilla Bouillet, who at that time was 14 years old. In 1963, the girl moved to America, and the couple began to meet regularly. After another 3 years, Elvis Presley proposes to the woman. The wedding took place in May 1967. This marriage brought Elvis the only daughter, Lisa-Marie, who would later become his first wife.

But due to her husband's publicity, frequent depression and regular absences, Priscilla decided to leave. The divorce officially took place in 1972, although the couple did not live together for more than a year.

Since the summer of 1972, Elvis Presley has been in a civil marriage with Linda Thompson, who had previously won the Tennessee beauty pageant. The couple broke up at the end of 1976. The last months of her life, Presley's companion was actress and model Ginger Alden.

It is known that Colonel Tom Parker was the singer's best friend. He traveled with Elvis to concerts, as well as on a tour of the country. Researchers of the musician's life and work argue that it was Parker who influenced Elvis's behavior, who allegedly inspired the musician with a passion for money, made the celebrity selfish and domineering. At the same time, the colonel was the only person with whom Presley communicated in the last years of his life without fear of being deceived. Tom never betrayed Elvis, remained faithful even in difficult times.

Death

The beginning of the 70s is the most terrible period in Presley's biography. Sonny West, the singer's bodyguard and biographer, in an interview with American journalists said that Elvis could drink three bottles of whiskey in the morning, shoot at empty rooms of his house and shout from the balcony that they want to kill him. According to West, Elvis loved gossip and also enjoyed intriguing against staff.

The cause of death of the "king of rock and roll" haunted American society for a long time. On the morning of August 15, 1977, Elvis Presley visited the dentist, where he took some pain medications and sedatives. He arrived home at his villa "Graceland" after 12 o'clock in the morning and spoke on the phone with the producer for a long time, discussing the details of the concert, which was to take place in a few days. Then he spoke with his girlfriend Ginger Alden about a possible engagement.

The singer could not sleep, he took sleeping pills and began to read the book. Then, closer to the morning, he took another dose of pills and went to bed in the bathroom, where such an opportunity was provided. At about two o'clock in the afternoon, Ginger discovered the body of a celebrity, and at 16 o'clock, an ambulance officially registered the death of Elvis Presley.

It is known that Elvis Presley's entourage earned millions of dollars on the artist's name. After the death of the musician, the staff actively gave interviews to the press, published their memoirs, and bought copyrights for some of the singer's compositions. Even dead Elvis brought in a mind-boggling income.

According to a survey conducted in the United States, most Americans call Presley a symbol of the 20th century, a true embodiment of the Cinderella tale.

Discography

• 1956 - Elvis Presley
• 1956 - Elvis
• 1958 - King Creole
• 1960 - His Hand In Mine
• 1961 - Something For Everybody
• 1962 - Pot Luck
• 1967 - How Great Thou Art
• 1969 - From Elvis In Memphis
• 1975 - Promised Land
• 1976 - From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee
• 1977 - Moody Blue
• Filmography
• 1956 - Love me dearly
• 1957 - Prison Rock
• 1958 - King Creole
• 1960 - Soldier Blues
• 1961 - Savage
• 1961 - Blue Hawaii -
• 1968 - Speedway -
• 1969 - Charro! -
• 1969 - Change of habit