Elvis Presley

1. Elvis Presley
1. Elvis Presley is called the King of Rock and Roll
by millions of people around the world.
2. Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935.
His family was poor and very religious. As a young boy, he
sang in the local church choir and learned to play the guitar.
3. The Presley family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in 1948. After
graduating from high school, Elvis worked as a truck driver. In 1953,
he made a record for his mother at a local recording studio. His record
impressed the studio owner, who also owned a small record company.
In 1954, Elvis made his first single record, and it was a big hit with local
people. He did a singing tour of the South and then started recording
for RCA Records.
4. Presley’s musical style was influenced by African American music.
The way he dressed and his movements on stage were unique at
the time. All of this made him a new and exciting performer.
5. In 1956, Presley appeared on a national American television show
called Talk of the Town. His hip movements on stage scandalized many
people, which made him even more popular with teenagers. For the
next 16 years, he made many million-selling records. He also starred
in over 30 movies. His music and movies were listened to and seen
by his fans around the world.
6. In 1967, Presley married Priscilla Wagner. The following year, the
couple had a daughter, Lisa Marie. In 1969, Elvis gave up making
movies and became a nightclub performer. Large crowds attended
his performances.
7. Elvis and Priscilla divorced in 1973. Following the divorce, Elvis became
more and more reclusive. He gained a great deal of weight and
abused prescription drugs. He was found dead in Graceland, his
Memphis mansion, on August 16, 1977. He was 42 years old.
8. Today, Elvis Presley’s music is still popular, and
thousands of people visit Graceland each year.