Elvis Presley

Singer · Actor · Musician

1935–1977 · Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, United States · 4 min read

Verified: 13 November 2026
Sources: 4
Independently reviewed

Photo: Ollie Atkins, White House / Wikimedia Commons , Public domain

American singer and actor known as the King of Rock and Roll, whose 1954 Sun Records sessions and 1956 hits brought rock 'n' roll to a worldwide audience.

Early Life

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on 8 January 1935 in a two-room house in East Tupelo, Mississippi, to Vernon and Gladys Presley. His twin brother, Jesse Garon, was stillborn. The family was poor, and Elvis grew up listening to gospel music in church, country music on the radio and rhythm and blues in Memphis. In November 1948 the family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where Elvis attended Humes High School and graduated in 1953. He worked as a truck driver while singing in local talent shows.

Education

Presley attended Humes High School in Memphis and graduated in 1953. He had no formal musical training; he learned guitar as a teenager and developed his style by listening to gospel, country and rhythm and blues. His musical education was the radio, the church and the clubs of Beale Street in Memphis.

Career

In the summer of 1953 Presley paid to record two songs at Sun Studio in Memphis as a gift for his mother. Sun Records founder Sam Phillips called him back in July 1954, and the session with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black produced 'That's All Right', released as his first single. In 1955 his manager Colonel Tom Parker arranged a contract with RCA Records, and in 1956 'Heartbreak Hotel' became his first number-one hit, followed by 'Hound Dog', 'Don't Be Cruel' and 'Love Me Tender'. His appearances on television, including The Ed Sullivan Show, brought rock 'n' roll to a national audience and made him a controversial figure for his stage movements. He made his first film, Love Me Tender, in 1956. From 1958 to 1960 he served in the United States Army in Germany, where he met Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he married in 1967; their daughter Lisa Marie was born in 1968. In the 1960s he made 31 films, most of them light musicals. His television special of December 1968, known as the '68 Comeback Special, returned him to live performance, and he began a long run of concerts in Las Vegas in 1969. In January 1973 his concert Aloha from Hawaii was broadcast by satellite to audiences around the world. He continued to tour until 1977, his health declining. He died at his home, Graceland, in Memphis on 16 August 1977, at the age of 42.

Achievements

Presley's central achievement was to bring rock 'n' roll, a blend of country, gospel and rhythm and blues, to a worldwide audience. His first recordings at Sun Records in 1954 and his RCA hits of 1956 changed popular music, and his television appearances made him the first rock 'n' roll star. He won three Grammy Awards, all for gospel recordings, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in its first year, 1986. His 1973 Aloha from Hawaii concert was one of the first entertainment programmes broadcast live by satellite around the world. His televised concerts, including the '68 Comeback Special and Aloha from Hawaii, set new standards for the music special on television. Graceland, his Memphis home, was opened to the public in 1982 and is one of the most visited houses in the United States.

Recorded 'That's All Right' at Sun Records in 1954, his first single
Scored his first number-one hit with 'Heartbreak Hotel' in 1956
Brought rock 'n' roll to a national television audience on The Ed Sullivan Show in 1956
Served in the United States Army in Germany from 1958 to 1960
Returned to live performance with the '68 Comeback Special in December 1968
Performed Aloha from Hawaii in 1973, broadcast by satellite around the world
Won three Grammy Awards, all for gospel recordings
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986
Made 31 films between 1956 and 1969
Graceland opened to the public in 1982 and became one of the most visited houses in the United States

Legacy

Presley is remembered as the King of Rock and Roll, the singer who made rock 'n' roll the dominant popular music of the second half of the twentieth century. His voice, his stage presence and his fusion of Black and white musical styles shaped generations of performers, from the Beatles to Bruce Springsteen. His later years are also remembered for his declining health and dependence on prescription drugs, and the official cause of his death was recorded as cardiac arrhythmia. Graceland remains a place of pilgrimage for his fans, and his recordings continue to sell decades after his death.

Contributions

Presley's contribution was to take the music of the American South, gospel, country and rhythm and blues, and make it the popular music of the world. His Sun Records sessions of 1954, his RCA hits of 1956 and his television appearances created the rock 'n' roll star, and his voice and stage presence set the pattern for the popular singers who followed him.

Notable Works

That's All Right (1954)
Heartbreak Hotel (1956)
Hound Dog (1956)
Love Me Tender (1956)
Jailhouse Rock (1957)
Suspicious Minds (1969)
Aloha from Hawaii (1973)
How Great Thou Art (1967)

Milestones

1935 — Born on 8 January in Tupelo, Mississippi Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1948 — Moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1953 — Graduated from Humes High School in Memphis Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1954 — Recorded 'That's All Right' at Sun Records, his first single Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1956 — 'Heartbreak Hotel' became his first number-one hit; first appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1958 — Inducted into the United States Army; served in Germany until 1960 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1967 — Married Priscilla Beaulieu Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1968 — His daughter Lisa Marie was born; the '68 Comeback Special aired Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1973 — Performed Aloha from Hawaii, broadcast by satellite around the world Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1977 — Died at Graceland in Memphis, aged 42 Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1982 — Graceland opened to the public Source: Graceland
1986 — Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Timeline

8 January 1935
Born in East Tupelo, Mississippi
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
6 November 1948
Moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1953
Graduated from Humes High School in Memphis
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
5 July 1954
Recorded 'That's All Right' at Sun Records in Memphis
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
27 January 1956
'Heartbreak Hotel' released, his first number-one hit
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
9 September 1956
First appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
24 March 1958
Inducted into the United States Army
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1 May 1967
Married Priscilla Beaulieu in Las Vegas
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
1 February 1968
His daughter Lisa Marie was born
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
3 December 1968
The '68 Comeback Special aired on television
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
14 January 1973
Performed Aloha from Hawaii, broadcast by satellite around the world
Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)
16 August 1977
Died at Graceland in Memphis, aged 42
Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica
1986
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Year only — exact date unknown Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Elvis Presley?

Elvis Presley (8 January 1935 - 16 August 1977) was an American singer and actor known as the King of Rock and Roll. His first recordings at Sun Records in 1954 and his hits of 1956 brought rock 'n' roll to a worldwide audience.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

When was Elvis Presley born and when did he die?

Elvis Presley was born on 8 January 1935 in Tupelo, Mississippi, and died on 16 August 1977 at his home, Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of 42.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica

What was Elvis Presley's first hit?

Presley's first single was 'That's All Right', recorded at Sun Records in Memphis in July 1954 with guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black. His first number-one hit was 'Heartbreak Hotel' in 1956.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica ; Graceland

How many Grammy Awards did Elvis Presley win?

Presley won three Grammy Awards, all for gospel recordings: for the album How Great Thou Art in 1967, for He Touched Me in 1972, and for a live version of How Great Thou Art in 1974.

Source: Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)

What is Graceland?

Graceland is Presley's home in Memphis, Tennessee, where he lived from 1957 until his death in 1977 and where he is buried. It was opened to the public in 1982 and is one of the most visited houses in the United States.

Source: Graceland

What caused Elvis Presley's death?

The death certificate lists cardiac arrhythmia as the official cause of death. Presley's dependence on prescription drugs is widely documented, and the part played by drugs in his death has been debated.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica ; Wikipedia (Elvis Presley)

Sources & References

Elvis Presley — Encyclopaedia Britannica — Encyclopaedia Britannica (accessed 13 November 2026)
Elvis Presley — Wikipedia (cross-check) — Wikipedia (accessed 13 November 2026)
Graceland — Official Elvis Presley site — Graceland (accessed 13 November 2026)
File:Elvis Presley 1970.jpg — Wikimedia Commons (portrait file page) — Wikimedia Commons (accessed 13 November 2026)