Disc jockey

Throughout the 1950s, payola was an ongoing problem. Teenagers around the world copied his "Ducktail" hair style.
. Airplay and sales of Presley recordings across Europe were followed by those of other American rockers who began touring there. These include audio mixing, cueing, slip-cueing, phrasing, cutting, beat juggling, scratching, beatmatching, needle drops, phase shifting, and more. By 1958 Cliff Richard was rising to prominence in the UK and in France Johnny Hallyday became a rock and roll idol singing in French, soon to be followed by others like Claude François. There are several techniques that can be applied by the disc jockey as a means to manipulate the prerecorded music. Singers in dozens of countries made Presley-influenced records in many languages and his own records were sold around the globe, even behind the former Iron Curtain.

Other types of equipment can also be added, including samplers, drum machines, effects processors, slipmats, and Computerized Performance Systems. After pioneer band leader Bill Haley spawned interest in rock and roll in western Europe, Presley triggered a wide shift in tastes with effects lasting many decades. The addition of a mixer (used to mix the sound of the two playback devices), a microphone (used to amplify the human voice), and headphones (used to listen to one recording while the other is playing, without outputting the sound to the audience) is strongly recommended, but not required. By 1957 Elvis Presley was the most famous entertainer in the world. portable audio system, radio wave broadcaster). After an attempted theft of the body, his and his mother's remains were moved to Graceland. a sound system for amplification of the recordings (eg. Presley was originally buried at Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis next to his mother.

record players, compact disc players, mp3 players) 3. The illness may have increased his dependency on prescription medication. at least two devices for playback of sound recordings, for the purpose of alternating back and forth to create continuous playback (eg. These health problems included glaucoma, insomnia, and cancer. vinyl records, compact discs, mp3s) 2. Sumner have pointed out that Elvis also suffered from severe health problems unrelated to drug abuse. sound recordings in preferred medium (eg. For instance, the late Vester Presley, Kathy Westmoreland, Charlie Hodge, and the late J.D.

The most basic equipment that is necessary for a standard disc jockey to perform consists of the following: 1. At the same time, they have not denied that he did take prescription medications for bona fide or suspected health problems. The physical act of selecting and playing sound recordings is called deejaying, or DJing, and ranges in sophistication from simply playing a series of recordings (referred to as programming, or composing a playlist), to the manipulating of recordings, using techniques such as audio mixing, cueing, phrasing, cutting, scratching, and beatmatching, often to the point of creating original musical compositions. On the other hand, some of his closest family members, friends, band members, and background singers have long disputed stories concerning Elvis' alleged drug abuse and "self-destructive" lifestyle. Today there are a number of factors, including the selected music, the intended audience, the performance setting, the preferred medium, and the development of sound manipulation, that have led to different types of deejays. David Stanley, Elvis's stepbrother, who was at Graceland the day Elvis died, is said to have removed the needles and drug packets near Presley's body before the paramedics arrived; he did not want to see the singer's name tarred with the brush of suicide,. These records, also called discs by those in the industry were jockeyed by the radio announcers, hence the name disc jockey and soon to be known as DJs or deejays. In his book, Elvis: The Last 24 Hours, Albert Goldman even went as far as to suggest that Presley killed himself by overdosing on a stash of drugs that he stockpiled.

The term was first used to describe radio announcers who would introduce and play popular gramophone records. indicating the detection of fourteen drugs in Elvis' system, ten in significant quantity.". . There was little disagreement in fact between the two principal laboratory reports and analyses filed two months later, with each stating a strong belief that the primary cause of death was polypharmacy, and the BioScience Laboratories report .. A disc jockey (also called DJ, or deejay) is an individual who selects and plays prerecorded music for an intended audience. .. ISBN 0822331985. It was certainly possible that he had been taken while "straining at stool," and no one ruled out the possibility of anaphylactic shock brought on by the codeine pills he had gotten from his dentist, to which he was known to have had a mild allergy of long standing.

Duke University Press. According to Peter Guralnick's book, Careless Love: The Unmaking of Elvis Presley (1999), "drug use was heavily implicated in this unanticipated death of a middle-aged man with no known history of heart disease .. Love Saves the Day: A History of American Dance Music Culture, 1970-1979 . It is a lasting belief, though never confirmed, that he died on the toilet. Lawrence, Tim (2004). There is belief that his gastrointestinal problems combined with a weak heart caused his death, but the autopsy records will not be in the public domain until 2027. edition).
. Willis Madrey, who was responsible for examining Elvis' liver two years before his death, said "I had understood he was having some gastrointestinal problems his doctors were trying to evaluate" He was possibly referring to Elvis' obesity and enlarged colon, which worsened over time and may have led to diverticulitis.

ISBN 0-747-26230-6 (U.K. Dr. London: Headline. His mother, Gladys Presley, died of a heart attack brought on by acute hepatitis at age 46. ISBN 0-8021-3688-5 (North American edition). Elvis' father Vernon also died of heart failure in 1979. New York: Grove Press. Heart disease was very prevalent in his family, especially on his father's side.

Last Night a DJ Saved My Life: The History of the Disc Jockey. At a press conference following his death, one of the medical examiners declared that he had died of a heart attack. Brewster, Bill & Broughton, Frank (2000). In her 1987 book "Elvis and Kathy", friend and backup vocalist Kathy Westmoreland wrote "Everyone knew he was sick, that each public appearance brought him to the point of exhaustion.". ISBN 0-704-38098-6. He was only 42 years old. London: Quartet Books. He was transported to Baptist Memorial Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead at 3:30pm.

DJ Culture. On August 16, 1977, at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, Presley was found on the floor of his bedroom's ensuite bathroom by fiancee Ginger Alden who had been asleep in his bed. Poschardt, Ulf (1998). The singer's abuse of prescription drugs increased during the last years of his life, particularly after the breakup of his marriage in 1972. Hosted by Professor Jam and originally developed as a social gathering in 2001, it was the first dedicated computer disc jockey industry event. Priscilla Presley pointed out in her book that even if Elvis would have admitted he needed help, in those days there was no Betty Ford Clinic where someone like him could get treatment. 2005 - Computerized Performance System Disc Jockey Summit is launched. Nichopoulos, was exonerated in Presley's death, in July 1995 he had his license suspended after the Tennessee Board of Medical Examiners found that he had improperly dispensed potentially addictive drugs to a number of his patients.

CPS mixing culture begins to emerge and organize. George C. 2001 - late 2001 - Atlanta, Georgia, The fist Computerized Performance System Disc Jockey gathering was scheduled and organized during the small DJ3 convention. Although his personal physician, Dr. First appearing in certain East London clubs, and spreading to other music scenes, including New York City, this new DJ scene allows the average music fan to bring two iPods to an "iPod Night", plug in to the mixer, and program a playlist without the skill and equipment demanded by a more traditional DJ setup. President Richard Nixon, Presley asked the President to appoint him "Federal Agent at Large" for the Bureau of Narcotics and Dangerous Drugs. The convenience and popularity of the iPod spawns a new type of DJ, the self-penned "MP3J". At a meeting with U.S.

2001 - Apple Computer's iPod is introduced and quickly becomes the highest selling brand of portable digital mp3 audio player. Though Elvis abused prescription drugs, Priscilla wrote that he never considered it wrong because it was a medical doctor prescribing them and he in fact publicly denounced the use of hard drugs. DJs can now apply for a license giving them the right to burn their own compilation CDs of "useable tracks," instead of having to cart their whole CD collections around to their gigs. Cliff Gleaves, one of Elvis' friends and a reliable eyewitness, said about the singer's abuse of drugs, in this case speed:. Administered by the Canadian Recording Industry Association. In his Elvis biography, Peter Guralnick discussed the singer's rampant prescription drug abuse. 1999 - late 1999 - AVLA (Audio Video Licensing Agency) of Canada announces MP3 DJing license. During the time when he was searching for peace in his life and consulting an Indian guru as The Beatles and others were doing at the time, Presley read numerous books including Aldous Huxley's "Doors of Perception" and Timothy Leary's "Psychedelic Experience".

1999 - Shawn Fanning releases Napster, the first of the massively popular peer-to-peer file sharing systems. While they both thought it had been an "extraordinary experience" they were afraid of it and experimented that one time only. Final Scratch was later bought by Stanton Magnetics, and its software development is now handled by Native Instruments. Although she said Elvis abhorred street drugs, she tells in her book how they tried LSD. Pinky, and Mixvibes). Priscilla wrote the two of them tried marijuana but didn't like it because it made them ravenously hungry, with extra weight the unwanted result. This was the first product of it's kind, and later spawned a slew of competing products (including Serato Scratch Live, Ms. She stated that over time, she saw "problems in Elvis's life, all magnified by taking prescribed drugs.".

This program "mapped" digital music files onto timecoded vinyl records that were then played on a traditional DJ setup. He started taking Dexedrine to wake up. 1998 - Final Scratch is announced by Amsterdam based N2IT. Priscilla recounted how he would wake up at his normal time around 4:00 in the afternoon but would be groggy and irritable for a few hours from the heavy dose of pills. 1998 - The first MP3 digital audio player is released, the Eiger Labs MPMan F10. But, according to author Albert Goldman in his 1990 book Elvis: The Last 24 Hours, the pills were first given to him by Memphis disc jockey Dewey Phillips. late 1990s - Various DJ and Video_jockey VJ_software VJ software programs are developed, allowing personal computer users to deejay or veejay using his or her personal music or video files. It is thought by some that he started his drug habits by taking drugs given to soldiers to keep them awake since they were on late shifts.

This new subgenre of alternative rock bears some influence from hip-hop, because rhythmic innovation and syncopation are primary, often featuring DJs as bandmembers. In her 1985 book, Elvis and Me, his wife Priscilla wrote that Elvis suffered from severe insomnia and by 1962 when she moved to Graceland he was taking placidyls to get to sleep and began to do so in ever increasing doses. late 1990s - Nu metal bands such as KoЯn, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park reach the height of popularity. During the early afternoon of August 16, 1977, Ginger Alden, Elvis's fiancee, woke up in Presley's bed and found his lifeless body in the bathroom suite. 1995 - The first full-time, Internet-only radio station, Radio HK, begins broadcasting the music of independent bands. However, Elvis died before he could fulfill that lifelong dream with Ginger. This makes it a popular service for both amateur and professional disc jockeys operating from a personal computer. Vernon also stated that Elvis told him that Graceland had come "alive" again after meeting Ginger Alden, and that he could see Elvis as that little boy from Tupelo again.

Because the radio signal is relayed over the Internet, it is possible to access internet radio stations from anywhere in the world. Vernon Presley, Elvis's father stated in an interview that his son Elvis told him that he had "finally" found the love that he had been searching for all his life and that he wanted more children, a son, and wanted Ginger to be the mother of his future children. 1993 - The first Internet "radio station", Internet Talk Radio, was developed by Carl Malamud. Elvis proposed to Ginger Alden by giving her an 11 1/2 carat diamond engagement ring made from his favorite TCB ring on January 26, 1977 (they had plans for a Christmas wedding in 1977). MPEG-1 Layer-3 popularly known as MP3 (a Lossy format) will revolutionize the digital music domain. Ginger Alden, unlike his previous girlfriend, Linda Thompson and former ex- wife Priscilla, did not move in with Elvis when he asked her and he told Ginger that he respected her for not doing so and had great respect for her and her family. 1992 - MPEG which stands for the "Moving Pictures Experts Groups, releases The MPEG-1 standard, designed to produce reasonable sound at low bit rates. Cybill Shepherd spoke about her relationship with Presley while he was performing in Las Vegas, saying "years later, I would read and find out that he had like two other women there at the same time." As one of the two women Shepherd was referring to, Linda Thompson told Larry King she knew Presley had been cheating on her but stayed with him anyway until he ended it in late 1976 when the forty-one-year-old Presley began a relationship with 21 year-old Ginger Alden.

Trance was central to the success of commercial dance music and superstar DJs such as Paul Oakenfold. Presley dated a host of others besides Linda, notably with his backup singer Kathy Westmoreland and actress Cybill Shepherd who, along with Linda Thompson, was part of a candid 2002 television interview marking the 25th anniversary of Presley's death on CNN's Larry King Live. mid-1990s - Trance music emerges as a result of producers who wanted to transform repetitive, instrumental rave music into commercially accessible pop songs with vocals. Before long, she moved into Graceland and lived with him for nearly four and a half years, so she claims, but others close to the family said she did not. early 1990s - The compact disc surpasses the gramophone record in popularity, but gramophone records continue to be made (although in very limited quantities) into the 21st century, particularly for club DJs and for local acts recording on small regional labels. Following his separation from Priscilla in late February, 1972 the thirty-seven-year-old Elvis Presley immediately became involved with a twenty-one year old beauty queen, Linda Thompson. The innovative marketing surrounding the rave scene created the first superstar DJs. Hereafter, on the 1st February of 1968, Priscilla gave birth to Elvis' daughter Lisa Marie Presley, in Memphis, Tennessee.

The rave scene forever changed dance music, the image of DJs, and the nature of promoting. Shortly after this, Elvis left his expecting wife in a state of shock by asking for a trial separation. The notion of "trainspotting," for example, derives from Northern Soul's emphasis on researching and collecting rare & obscure records; while preventing other DJs from stealing titles via "white labels". When questioned by his wife, Elvis denied any affair but then out of the blue, Nancy Sinatra, who barely knew Priscilla, called her and offered to organize her baby shower. Many elements of the rave scene, such as baggy pants and breakdancing, appear to be inherited from the Northern Soul scene of the UK approximately 15 years earlier. Shortly after he and Priscilla were married and she got pregnant, Elvis became involved with Nancy Sinatra. early 1990s - The rave scene grows out of the acid-house scene. Priscilla Beaulieu wrote that his philandering made her "crazed with worry," particularly his highly-publicized relationship with Ann-Margret, which he tried to hide from her.

Originally called "acid parties" for a select few, the events grew in size and popularity, eventually spreading throughout England, Europe, the United States, and the rest of the world. It was difficult for her too, but that's just how I feel." In her book, Child Bride, Suzanne Finstad also confirms that Elvis hated sex. 1988 - The acid house scene emerges in the UK. "Then I stopped. This song is the first exposure of hip hop music, as well as the concept of the disc jockey as band member and artist, to many mainstream audiences. "Just to a point," he said. 1986 - "Walk This Way", a rap-rock collaboration by Run DMC and Aerosmith, becomes the first hip hop song to reach the Top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Within minutes he’d be asleep." Priscilla Presley relates that Elvis told her that he didn't make love to Anita Wood the whole four years he went with her.

1985 - The Winter Music Conference starts in Fort Lauderdale Florida and becomes the premier electronic music conference for dance music disc jockeys. He was far more interested in heavy petting and panting and groaning" and "he would never put himself inside one of these girls. Techno distanced itself from disco's roots by becoming almost purely electronic with synthesized beats. In his book Elvis: Unknown Stories Behind the Legend author Jim Curtin wrote (p.119) about the many women in Presley's life, saying "his list of one-night stands would fill volumes." However, according to a recent article by Byron Raphael and Alanna Nash, "the so-called dangerous rock-and-roll idol was anything but a despotic ruler in the bedroom" and "really wasn’t all that keen on doing the wild thing. Being geographically located between Chicago and New York, Detroit techno combined elements of Chicago house and New York garage along with European imports. While demanding purity and loyalty from them, Presley's ex-wife and several girfriends confirmed he had numerous affairs with other women he had no plans of staying with. mid-1980s - Techno music emerges from the Detroit club scene. The book also claims that her marriage was part of a master plan for fame hatched by Priscilla and her mother and that she never loved Elvis.

The style was a result of the club DJs who would unsuccessfully try to duplicate the Chicago house sound, for example, leaving out the accentuated high-hats. The author says that Priscilla had lied, that she and Elvis slept together on their second date and that she wasn't a virgin on her wedding night. mid-1980s - New York Garage emerges at DJ Larry Levan's Paradise Garage nightclub in New York. A totally different account of Priscilla's relationship with Elvis can be found in Suzanne Finstad's book, Child Bride: The Untold Story of Priscilla Beaulieu Presley. 1983 - Jesse Saunders releases the first house music track, "On & On". This insistence on being a virgin hallmarked each relationship Presley had with any woman he thought of as a potential wife or someone he was willing to live with. The common element of most house music is a 4/4 beat generated by a drum machine or other electronic means (such as a sampler), together with a solid (usually also electronically generated) bassline. If he wanted to go out, he'd rent out the venue so no fans would bother him.

House music is essentially disco music with electronic beats. She described him as a very passionate man who was not overtly sexual towards her and condemned pre-marital sex as a sin, which may be interpreted as part of his generation's double standard which cheered men for sexual prowess with women but insisted a girl should remain a virgin until married and if she did not, she would be labeled a "slut". The name was derived from the Warehouse club in Chicago, where the resident DJ, Frankie Knuckles, mixed old disco classics and Eurosynth pop. In her 1985 book Elvis and Me, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley recounted how Elvis suffered from insomnia and would stay up all night and sleep most of the day. 1983 - House music emerges. Ms Helm came to Graceland for a short time but her quick exit allowed for the entrance of Priscilla Beaulieu who moved to Memphis in 1962. This event is often seen as the "Big Bang" of the digital audio revolution. Elvis immediately began a short-lived affair with Anne Helm, his co-star from the film Follow That Dream.

1982 - The compact disc reached the public market in Asia and early the following year in other markets. She told him that following media reports of a girlfriend in Germany, Elvis "had me believing that she (Priscilla Beaulieu) was just a friend and her daddy was in the Army with him, and there was nothing to it whatsoever." Presley used his charm to persuade Anita to move back into Graceland but she remained only a few months before leaving permanently. The song melded electronic hip hop beats with the melody from Kraftwerk's "Trans-Europe Express". Wood lived at Graceland for a time but moved out after confronting him over Priscilla Beaulieu, the "girl in Germany." Although rarely giving public statements, in 2005 Anita Wood was interviewed by renowned television talk show host Larry King. 1982 - "Planet Rock" by DJ Afrika Bambaataa is the first hip hop song to feature synthesizers. Anita Wood, another wholesome Christian girl whom Gladys Presley hoped he would eventually marry, was with Elvis as he rose to superstardom, served in the US military and returned home in 1960. 1982 - The demise of disco in the mainstream by the summer of 1982 forces many nightclubs to either close or to change entertainment styles, such as by providing MTV style video dancing or live bands. Locke was portrayed by actress Jennifer Rae Westley in the 2005 CBS TV miniseries Elvis.

The term "video jockey", or VJ, was used to describe the fresh faced youth who introduced the music videos. They included Dixie Locke, a high school sweetheart who he met at his Assemblies of God Pentecostal church and was part of his life before and during his Sun Records time. 1981 - Cable television network MTV is launched, originally devoted to music videos, especially popular rock music. There were several significant relationships in Presley's life other than his one marriage to Priscilla Beaulieu. This is considered to be the year that disco "died", although the music remained popular for several more years, particularly in underground clubs and in Europe, where the subgenres Euro Disco and Italo Disco were created. Author Elaine Dundy wrote that actress Shelley Winters (usually considered a reliable source for Hollywood goings-on and who portrayed Gladys Presley in the 1979 made-for-TV movie Elvis) claimed the relationship between Presley and Natalie Wood developed into something more serious than what was generally reported in the media. 1979 - An anti-disco protest in Chicago's Comiskey Park marks the major backlash against disco amongst rock music fans, who preferred guitars and live drums over electronically generated sounds and beats. Therefore, it is not surprising that, between 1954 and 1956, the impoverished son of welfare recipients went from being shunned and even mocked by some of the popular girls from his junior and high school days, to be the subject of the adoraton, and adulation of first and foremost, some of the most beautiful girls in Memphis, then of young Hollywood starlets such as Natalie Wood and Connie Stevens.

It was also the first real breakthrough for sampling, as the bassline of Chic's "Good Times" laid the foundation for the song. What can be actually ascertained, from looking at the numerous pictures of Elvis Presley starting at the age of 14, is that the teenage Elvis Presley was not the extraordinarily handsome young man he became by age 20. 1979 - The Sugar Hill Gang release "Rapper's Delight", the first hip hop record to become a hit. According to interviews with teachers and former fellow students at Milam Junior High school in Tupelo, Mississippi, noted Presley biographer Elaine Dundy in her book Elvis and Gladys wrote (p.124) that beginning in his early teens, Elvis embarked upon the "indefatigable pursuit of girls", but was totally rebuffed and that this was something that contributed to his lifelong need for a beautiful woman to validate his feelings of inadequacy. In the same year, the motion picture Saturday Night Fever popularizes discotheques and becomes one of the top-10 grossing films in history (at the time). Since his death many claims to relationships have been made by women who were no more than acquaintances or had short term affairs which were exaggerated for personal gain. 1977 - New York's Studio 54 nightclub grosses $7 million in its first year of business (which is roughly $21 million in today's dollars after adjusting for inflation). He has been the subject of over 718 books (and counting), including two by his only wife, Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (whom he married on May 1, 1967) and several others by former girlfriends including June Juanico.

1977 - Hip hop DJ Grand Wizard Theodore invents the scratching technique by accident. Even the FBI had a file on him of more than 600 pages. 1976 - American DJ and producer Walter Gibbons remixes and releases "Ten Percent" by Double Exposure, the world's first 12" single (aka "maxi-single"). No entertainer has ever had his life and intimate relationships examined in as much detail as has Elvis Presley. 1975 - Record pools begin, enabling disc jockeys access to newer music from the industry in an efficient method. Well-Known Gospel Songs:. 1975 - Disco music takes off in the mainstream pop charts in the United States and Europe, causing discotheques to experience a rebirth. More than forty-five years later (and twenty-four years after his death) the Gospel Music Association finally inducted him into their Gospel Music Hall of Fame (2001).

The four main elements of hip hop culture are MCing (rapping), DJing, graffiti, and breakdancing. In his later years Presley's live stage performances almost always included a rendition of "How Great Thou Art," the 19th century gospel song made famous by George Beverly Shea. mid 1970s - Hip hop music and culture begins to emerge, originating among urban African Americans and Latinos in New York City. He recorded several gospel albums, earning three Grammy Awards for his gospel music. Years later, Kraftwerk would become a significant influence on hip hop artists such as Afrika Bambaataa and house music pioneer Frankie Knuckles. From 1971 to his death in 1977 Presley employed the Stamps Quartet, a gospel group, for his backup vocals. 1974 - German electronic music band Kraftwerk releases the 22-minute single "Autobahn", which is the precursor to the 12" single. As heard in the 2005 televised special, Presley told a reporter that he "knew every gospel song there is." Despite his church's attitude, gospel music was a prominent part of Presley's repertoire throughout his life.

1974 - Technics releases the first SL-1200 turntable, which evolves into the SL-1200 MK2 in 1979, currently the industry standard for deejaying. During his '68 Comeback Special Elvis said his music came from gospel. Turntablism, the art of using turntables not only to play music, but to manipulate sound and create original music, is considered to begin at this time. His Hand In Mine (1960) was the title of Elvis' first gospel album. He would mix back and forth between two identical records to extend the rhythmic instrumental segment, or break. Similar attempts to stop his "sinful gyrations" continued for more than a year and included his often noted January 6, 1957 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show (during which he performed the spiritual number "Peace in the Valley") when he was seen only from the waist up. 1974 - Jamaican-born DJ Kool Herc - who is widely regarded as the "godfather of hip hop culture" - develops a technique called breakbeat while performing block parties in his Bronx neighborhood. Throughout the performance Presley stood still as ordered but poked fun at the judge by wiggling a finger.

It should also be noted that electronics company Technics released a series of direct-drive DJ turntables during this period. In August, 1956 in Jacksonville, Florida a local Juvenile Court judge called Presley a "savage" and threatened to arrest him if he shook his body while performing at Jacksonville's Florida Theatre, justifying the restrictions by saying his music was undermining the youth of America. The total number of clubs and DJs dropped substantially, and most of the dance clubs were underground gay discos. In its weekly periodical, the Roman Catholic Church added to the criticism in an article titled "Beware Elvis Presley.". early 1970s - The Vietnam War, oil crisis, and economic recession has a negative impact on dance clubs and disc jockeys. People who decades later would be considered part of the religious right spoke out vigorously against Presley including Cardinal Spellman. Neighborhood block parties that are modeled after Jamaican sound systems gain popularity in Europe and in the boroughs of New York City. Presley records were condemned as wicked and Pentecostal preachers thumped their pulpits with Bibles, warning congregations to keep heathen rock and roll music out of their homes and away from their children's ears (especially the music of "that backslidden Pentecostal pup, Elvis Presley").

late 1960s - Most American discos either closed or were transformed into clubs featuring live bands. While Elvis Presley was a teen cataclysm with millions of American girls screaming at the sight of him, his own church viewed Presley's gyrations on stage as an affront, labelling it the Devil's work and a mocking of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Grasso also perfected slip-cueing, the technique of holding a record still while the turntable is revolving underneath, releasing it at the desired moment to create a sudden transition from the previous record. At this time, Presley was very much influenced by the Memphis blues. Beatmatching is the technique of creating seamless transitions between back-to-back records with matching beats, or tempos. Here too, thirteen-year-old Elvis lived in the city's poorer section of town and attended a Pentecostal church. 1969 - American club DJ Francis Grasso popularizes beatmatching at New York's Sanctuary nightclub. In 1948 the Presley family left Tupelo, moving 110 miles northwest to Memphis, Tennessee.

However, by 1968, the number of dance clubs started to decline. There were also more serene songs sung with great emotion like The Old Rugged Cross and Softly and Tenderly (Jesus is calling). mid-1960s - Nightclubs and discotheques continue to grow in Europe and the United States. Church services lasting three hours and held several times a week were filled with music as Pentecostals gyrated their hips, shook their legs, clapped and waved their arms while belting out pounding, rhythmic songs such as Down By the Riverside, When The Saints Go Marching In and Standing On The Promises. These parties quickly became profitable for the promoters, who would sell admission, food and alcohol, leading to fierce competition between DJs for the biggest sound systems and newest records. For instrumentation, these church services used a guitar, a tambourine or two and if they could afford one, a well-worn piano and perhaps a used piano accordion. Promotors, who called themselves DJs, would throw large parties in the streets that centered around the disc jockey, called the "selector". As it almost always did in those settings, "when the Spirit strikes" the body would jerk as though hit by a bolt of lightning and frequently the worshipper would fall to the floor, rolling around and praying aloud (this is why outsiders referred to church members as "Holy Rollers" and their services as a "religious frenzy").

late 1950s - Jamaican sound systems, a new form of public entertainment, are developed in the ghettos of Kingston, Jamaica. A Pentecostal preacher would typically lead the congregation in prayer and both singing and prayer were accompanied by the waving of hands, the swaying of bodies and dancing about in the Holy Spirit. 1955 - Bob Casey, a well-known sock hop DJ, introduces the first two-turntable system for the purpose of alternating back and forth between records, creating continuous playback. Pentecostal church services started, centered and ended with music and everyone was encouraged to "make a joyous noise unto the Lord." According to Presley biographer Peter Guralnick, Gladys Presley said that by the age of two her son was already trying to sing along in the church. In some cases, a live drummer was hired to play beats between songs to maintain the dance floor. Her uncle Gains Mansell was also a Pentecostal preacher in East Tupelo whose interracial church services began with revival meetings held in a tent. They would usually play 45-rpm records featuring hit singles on one turntable, while talking between songs. Although Vernon Presley's family was Pentecostal and his sister Nash Presley became a minister, his wife Gladys was Elvis's devoutly religious parent.

1950s - American radio DJs would appear live at "sock hops" and "platter parties" and assume the role of a human jukebox. For nearly a quarter century the Pentecostal movement was interracial and during the 1930s and 1940s many of these poor churches did not adopt the growing policy of racial segregation. late 1940s to early 1950s - The introduction of television erodes the popularity of radio's early format, causing it to take on the general form it has today, with a strong focus on music, news and sports. The church is said to have brought the Presleys, along with the rest of its desperately poor congregation, a message of hope wrapped around "Hell, fire, and brimstone" sermons. Discos began appearing across Europe and the United States. The African American form of music that became known as Rhythm & Blues (which also evolved from gospel songs) was also a part of Presley's childhood world and he probably heard it on a regular basis in the black section of Tupelo known as "Shakerag" (which was between Tupelo and East Tupelo, and was demolished in the 1960s as part of an urban renewal project). 1947 - The "Whiskey-A-Go-Go" nightclub opens in Paris, France, considered to be the world's first discothèque, or disco (deriving its name from the French word, meaning a nightclub where the featured entertainment is recorded music rather than an on-stage band). For Elvis Presley it provided an environment from which he would instinctively adopt the music, sound and accompanying body movements in his later rock and roll singing performances.

in 1947 he paid a local metal worker to weld two domestic record decks together and became the first DJ to use twin turntables for continuous play. They belonged to a local Assembly of God Pentecostal church which played an important role in their lives. 1943 - Jimmy Savile launches the world's first DJ dance party by playing jazz records in the upstairs function room of the Loyal Order of Ancient Shepherd's in Otley, England. Their Depression-era home (where Elvis was born in 1935) was a two-room shack on one of several dirt tracks forming a small community off Old Saltillo Road. This is the first occurrence of sampling. In Tupelo, Mississippi, Vernon and Gladys Presley were what was disparagingly referred to as poor white trash from the "wrong side of the tracks" at the east end of town. 1940s - Musique concrète composers utilize portions of sound recordings to create new compositions. Ironically, for all the controversy surrounding his early career, Elvis Presley's roots in religious music ran deep.

The show, which he called Make Believe Ballroom, was an instant hit. For details on films in which he starred, see the List of Elvis Presley films. While his audience was awaiting developments in the Lindbergh kidnapping, Block played records and created the illusion that he was broadcasting from a ballroom, with the nation’s top dance bands performing live. In addition to his own films, Presley has been the subject of more than seventy films that have his name in the title. 1934 - American commentator Walter Winchell coins the term "disc jockey" (the combination of "disc", referring to the disc records, and "jockey", which is an operator of a machine) as a description of radio announcer Martin Block, the first announcer to become a star in his own right. Among fans, Blue Hawaii (1961) and Viva Las Vegas (1964) are also highly praised. 1929 - Thomas Edison ceases phonograph cylinder manufacture, ending the disc and cylinder rivalry. The movies Jailhouse Rock (1957), King Creole (1958), and Flaming Star (1960) are widely regarded as his best among film critics.

1927 - Christopher Stone becomes the first radio announcer and programmer in the United Kingdom, on the BBC radio station. Elvis was praised by all his directors, including the highly respected Michael Curtiz, as unfailingly polite and extremely hardworking. 1920s - "Juke-joints" become popular as a place for dancing and drinking to jukebox music. These were usually musicals based around Presley performances, and marked the beginning of his transition from rebellious rock and roller to all-round family entertainer. The on-air announcers and programmers would later be known as disc jockeys. Beginning with Love Me Tender (opened on November 15, 1956), Presley starred in 31 motion pictures, having signed to multiple long-term contracts on the advice of his manager. In the early radio age, content typically includes comedy, drama, news, music, and sports reporting. The film is currently considered "misplaced" and some Presley researchers maintain it never existed, although there is ample evidence to suggest it did.

1910s - Regular radio broadcasting begins, using "live" as well as prerecorded sound. The film, (which reportedly included performance footage of Elvis as well as Bill Haley and His Comets and other acts), was shown in its entirety only once (in Cleveland) and was never released commercially. 1906 - Reginald Fessenden transmits the first audio radio broadcast in history when he plays Christmas music from Brant Rock, Massachusetts. In late 1955, Presley made his earliest known film appearance in a documentary entitled The Pied Piper of Cleveland, a look at the career of disc jockey Bill Randle. The disc system gradually becomes more popular due to its cheaper price and better marketing. Elvis Presley made his last live concert appearance in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Market Square Arena on June 26, 1977. mid-1890s to early 1920s - Cylinder and disc recordings, and the machines to play them on, are widely mass marketed and sold. During the mid-1970s Presley became increasingly isolated, battling an addiction to prescription drugs and its resulting toll on his appearance, health and performances.

1892 - Emile Berliner begins commercial production of his gramophone records, the first disc record to be offered to the public. He was the first artist to have four shows in a row sold to capacity at New York's Madison Square Garden. The earliest versions played only a single record, but multiple record devices, called jukeboxes, were soon developed. Between 1969 and 1977 he gave over 1,000 sold-out performances in Las Vegas and on tour. 1889 - Coin-slot phonograph machines, the general public's first encounter with recorded sound, begin to be mass produced. It also topped the UK pop charts at the same time. 1887 - German-American Emile Berliner invents the gramophone, a lateral disc device to record and playback sound. Way Down was racing up the American Country Music charts shortly before Presley's death in 1977, and hit #1 on that very chart the week he died (Presley recorded a number of country hits in his final years).

1877 - Thomas Alva Edison invents the phonograph cylinder, the first device to playback recorded sound, in the United States. The soundtrack album was another #1 disc. 1857 - Leon Scott invents the phonoautograph, the first device to record arbitrary sound, in France. The "Aloha from Hawaii" concert in January 1973 was the first of its kind to be broadcast worldwide via satellite and his biggest audience ever. In 1955, Bob Casey (born 1941), a well-known sock hop DJ, introduced the first two-turntable system for the purpose of alternating back and forth between records, creating continuous playback. For example, "The Wonder Of You" reached #1 in the UK in 1970. DJ Jazzy Jeff (born 1965), of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (also backed Will Smith on his solo efforts). He still reached #1 on charts around the world.

Mix Master Mike (born 1970), skilled DJ of hip hop group Beastie Boys, three-time winner of the International DMC Turntablism Award. This was the last time any song by Presley hit #1 on the US pop charts while he was still alive, although "Burning Love" got as high as #2 in September 1972. DJ Qbert (born 1969), founding member of the turntablism group the Invisibl Skratch Piklz and three-time winner of the International DMC Award. 1 on the Billboard music charts on November 1, 1969. Terminator X (born 1966), DJ of the highly infuential hip hop group Public Enemy. After seven years off the top of the charts, Presley's song "Suspicious Minds" hit No. & Rakim, popularized the James Brown-sampled funky hip hop of the late 1980s. His 1969 return to live performances, first in Las Vegas and then across the country, was noted for the constant stream of sold-out shows, with many setting attendance records in the venues where he performed throughout the country.

(born 1965), one half of duo Eric B. Aired on the NBC network on December 3, 1968, the show saw him return to his rock and roll roots. Eric B. With this drop-off, and in the face of the social upheaval of the 1960s and the British Invasion spearheaded by The Beatles, Presley's star faded slightly before a triumphant televised performance later dubbed the '68 Comeback Special. Jam Master Jay (1965-2002), founder and DJ of Run-DMC, one of the most innovative hip hop groups of all time. In 1960 the album Elvis is Back was recorded to mixed reviews by critics and fans. Created first hip hop track to feature synthesizers; "The godfather of Hip Hop". Presley himself became deeply dissatisfied with the direction his career would take over the ensuing seven years, notably the film contract with a demanding schedule that eliminated creative recording and giving public concerts.

Keoki (born 1969), famous techno musician, portrayed in the 2003 film Party Monster. His military service received massive media coverage with much speculation whether or not two years out of the limelight at the height of his popularity would do irreparable damage to his career. 1 DJ in the World' for the third consecutive year in 2004. Elvis received no special treatment and was widely praised for not doing what many wealthy and influential people did to avoid service or to serve part time in easy domestic positions such as the Special Services where he could have sung and continued to maintain a public profile. Tiesto (born 1969), one of world's leading trance music DJs, voted DJ Magazine's 'No. Ginger Alden's (Elvis's future fiancee) father Walter Alden was a sergeant in the Army and in charge of public relations during that time. Paul Oakenfold (born 1963), British record producer, remixer, and one of the best-known DJs worldwide, referred to as a Superstar DJ. On March 24, 1958, he was inducted into the Army at the Memphis Draft Board.

Frankie Knuckles (born 1955), the godfather of house music. On December 20, 1957, Presley received his draft notice for the then compulsory 2-year service with the United States Army. Larry Levan (1954-1992), leader of New York Garage music. Parker's definitive biography was written by award-winning journalist Alanna Nash published in 2003. Francis Grasso (1948-2001), popularized several new disc jockey techniques, including beatmatching and slip-cueing. In the 2005 television special about her former husband, Priscilla Presley said she didn't know who else there was at the time in 1955 who could have seized the moment and done the job of marketing Elvis. David Mancuso (born 1944), founder of New York City's first underground party called the Loft. Nonetheless, along with Lamar Fike, and Presley's first cousin Billy Smith, Lacker acknowledged that Parker was a master promoter as recounted in their 1995 book Elvis Aron Presley: Revelations from the Memphis Mafia.

Jim Ladd (born 1948), the last remaining freeform rock DJ in United States commercial radio. Marty Lacker, a lifelong friend and a member of the Memphis Mafia, says he thought of Parker as a "hustler and scam artist" who abused Elvis's reliance on him. John Peel (1939-2004), one of the original DJs of UK's Radio 1 in 1967, known for the extraordinary range of his taste in music, and for championing unknown musical artists. Over the years, much has been written about Colonel Parker, most of it critical. Wolfman Jack (1938-1995), drew upon his love of horror movies and rock and roll to create his raspy-voiced, howling persona, one of radio’s most distinctive voices. (See "Movies" section below.) With money seemingly being at the forefront of all decisions made by the Colonel, his success led to his management contract with Elvis being renegotiated to an even 50/50 split between the two. Also the voice of Shaggy in the Scooby-Doo cartoon series. Under the terms of his contract, Presley earned a fee for performing plus a percentage of the profits on the films, most of which were huge moneymakers.

Casey Kasem (born 1932), disc jockey and music historian, host of the long-running radio series American Top 40. After being approached by the Hollywood Studios, Parker eventually negotiated a multi-picture seven-year contract that shifted Presley's focus from music to films. Dick Clark (born 1929), host of American Bandstand, television's longest-running music/variety program, as well as a number of nationally syndicated radio shows. A master promoter who wasted no time in marketing Presley's image, Parker licensed everything from guitars to cookware. In 1947 he was the first ever DJ to use twin turntables for continuous play after he paid a local metal worker to weld two domestic record decks together. Understanding the commercial value for any composer having their song recorded by Presley, Parker was able to demand they share their royalties with the singer. Jimmy Savile (born 1926), British DJ and television personality, best known for his BBC television show Jim'll Fix It where he made the wishes of members of the public (mainly children) come true. Shortly thereafter, Colonel Parker took full control and, recognizing the limitations of Sun Studios, negotiated a deal with RCA Records on November 21, 1955, then immediately established two New York City recording companies for Presley's music.

Murray "The K" Kaufman (1922-1982), influential rock and roll disc jockey, for a time was billed as the "Fifth Beatle". On August 15, 1955 Elvis Presley was signed by "Hank Snow Attractions", a management company jointly owned by singer Hank Snow and Colonel Tom Parker. Alan Freed (1922-1965), became internationally known for promoting African-American Rhythm and Blues music in the United States and Europe under the name of Rock and Roll. This helped sales of his records as his releases began to reach the top of the country charts. Martin Block (1901-1967), the first radio disc jockey to become a star, inspired the term "disc jockey". Following this, Presley was signed to a one-year contract for a weekly performance during which time he was introduced to Colonel Tom Parker. Christopher Stone (1882–1965), became the first disc jockey in the United Kingdom in 1927. On October 16, 1954, he made his first appearance on Louisiana Hayride, a radio broadcast of live country music in Shreveport, Louisiana and was a hit with the large audience.

South. He continued to tour the U.S. However, since that time many singers (Garth Brooks among them) have commented that one of the greatest thrills of playing the Opry is that they played on the same stage as Presley. Nonetheless, one of the show's executives was far from impressed and hinted that Presley should give up his music.

Country music star Hank Snow arranged to have Presley perform at Nashville's Grand Ole Opry and his performance was received well by the audience. Phillips liked the resulting record and released it as a 78RPM single backed with Elvis' hopped-up version of Bill Monroe's bluegrass song "Blue Moon Of Kentucky." Memphis radio station WHBQ began airing it two days later, the record became a local hit and Elvis began a regular touring schedule which expanded his fame beyond Tennessee. During a rehearsal break on July 5, 1954, Elvis began singing a blues song written by Arthur Crudup called "That's All Right". Although that session was not productive, Sam Phillips put Elvis together with local musicians Scotty Moore and Bill Black to see what might develop.

Sun Records founder Sam Phillips and assistant Marion Keisker heard the discs and called him in June 1954 to fill in for a missing ballad singer. According to the official Presley website, Elvis reportedly gave it to his mother as a much-belated birthday present. In the summer of 1953, Presley paid $4 to record the first of two double-sided demo acetates at Sun Studios, "My Happiness" and "That's When Your Heartaches Begin" which were popular ballads at the time. After high school he worked at Precision Tool Company, then drove a truck for the Crown Electric Company.

He played gigs in the malls and courtyards of the Courts with other musicians who lived there. Elvis took up the guitar and practiced in the basement laundry room at Lauderdale Courts. In her book, Elvis and Gladys author Elaine Dundy wrote that those close to Elvis as a boy say he was a fan of comic book superhero Captain Marvel, Jr., and would later model his trademark hairstyle and some of his stage clothes/stage costumes on the comic book character. In 1949 the family moved to Lauderdale Courts public housing development which was near musical and cultural influences like Beale Street, Ellis Auditorium and the Popular Tunes record store along with the Sun Studio about a mile away.

Elvis Presley was raised both in East Tupelo and later in Memphis, Tennessee, where his family moved when he was 13. He was of mostly Scottish and English descent; the family also has Native American, German and Jewish (from a great-grandmother of Gladys) roots. Pressler first settled in New York, but later moved to the South. His ancestor Johann Valentin Pressler emigrated to North America in 1710.

The surname Presley was Anglicized from the German Pressler during the Civil War. Aron/Garon. Elvis was given the middle name of Aron, with only one A, so he would always be a part of his brother Jesse Garon. His twin brother, Jesse Garon, was stillborn.

Elvis Aron Presley was born in a two-room house in East Tupelo, Mississippi to Vernon Elvis Presley and Gladys Love Smith. Half a century later, historian Ian Brailsford (University of Auckland, New Zealand) commented, "The phenomenal success of Elvis Presley in 1956 convinced many doubters of the financial opportunities existing in the youth market." [4]. Kohlmeier wrote, "Elvis Presley today is a business," and reported on the singer's record and merchandise sales (this may have been the first time a journalist described an entertainer as a business). Presley's impact on the American youth consumer market was noted on the front page of The Wall Street Journal on December 31, 1956 when future Pulitzer Prize-winning business journalist Louis M.

Teens were asserting more independence and Elvis Presley became a national symbol of their parents' consternation. Meanwhile American teenagers began buying newly available portable transistor radios [3] and listened to rock 'n' roll on them (helping to propel that fledgling industry from an estimated 100,000 units sold in 1955 to 5,000,000 units by the end of 1958). A girl might get a pink portable 45 rpm record player for her bedroom. In 1956 America, birthday and Christmas gifts were often music or even Elvis related.

Along with Elvis' ducktail haircut, the demand for black slacks and loose, open-necked shirts resulted in new lines of clothing for teenaged boys. Many boys adopted his look to attract them. Presley's overwhelming appeal was to girls. Presley triggered a juggernaut of demand for his records by near-teens and early teens aged ten and up.

During the 1940s bobby soxers had idolized Frank Sinatra but the buyers of his records were mostly between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. During the 1950s post-WWII economic boom in the United States, many parents were able to give their teenaged children much higher weekly allowances, signalling a shift in the buying power and purchasing habits of teens. In an industry already shifting to all-music formats in reaction to television, profit-conscious radio station owners learned hard lessons when sponsors bought advertising time on new rock and roll stations reaching enormous markets at night with clear channel signals from AM broadcasts. When adult programmers announced they would not play Presley's music on their radio stations (some because God told them it was sexually suggestive Devil music, others saying it was Southern "nigger" music) the economic power of that generation became evident when they tuned in any radio station playing Elvis records.

It seemed as if the more adults tried to stop it, the more teenagers across North America insisted on having what they wanted. When municipal politicians began denying permits for Presley appearances teens piled into cars and traveled elsewhere to see him perform. When he performed at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair in 1956 a hundred National Guardsmen surrounded the stage to control crowds of excited fans. Teenagers came to Presley's concerts in unprecedented numbers.

Singers like Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison and others immediately followed in his wake, leading John Lennon to later observe, "Before Elvis, there was nothing.". African-American performers like Little Richard and Chuck Berry came to national prominence after Presley's acceptance among mass audiences of white teenagers, even though his music was strongly influenced by some of those same African-American musicians. Presley sang both hard driving rockabilly and rock and roll dance songs and ballads, laying a commercial foundation upon which other rock and roll musicians would build. His recordings, dance moves, attitude and clothing came to be seen as embodiments of rock and roll.

According to Rolling Stone magazine "it was Elvis who made rock 'n' roll the international language of pop." A PBS documentary once described Presley as "an American music giant of the 20th century who singlehandedly changed the course of music and culture in the mid-1950s." [2]. . He has had more than 120 singles in the US top 40, across various musical genres, with over 20 reaching number one. Some of those records have since been matched and/or broken by other artists, but some of his records will probably remain unbroken and/or unmatched forever.

Rolling Stone magazine claimed "Elvis Presley is rock 'n' roll" and called his body of work "acres of perfect material." During an active recording career that spanned more than two decades, Presley set and broke many records for both concert attendance and sales. [[1]]. This claim is allegedly backed up by thousands of so-called Elvis sightings that have occurred in the years since his death, and by the fact that his middle name Aron was mispelled Aaron, with two As, on his tombstone. Many fans persist in claiming he is still alive, that he went into hiding for various reasons.

In fact, there is a widespread belief that Elvis—who was known by his first name—did not die in 1977. Elvis remains a popular and enigmatic star, and his legend has only grown stronger since his death. Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), also known as "The King of Rock 'n' Roll", was an American singer, song producer and actor. However, the Graceland estate allowed the producers this degree of freedom.

The film also broke several rules related to Elvis in films which included using his photo, shortening his songs for time and dressing up like him. The film's closing sequence also features a montage of photographs, one of which portrays the film's main characters posed before the gates of Graceland. The 2002 Disney animated feature Lilo and Stitch contains more Elvis songs than any film in which Elvis himself ever starred. Most estimates agree Elvis was around 6'0" even.

While he certainly appeared quite tall on stage, he often wore built up shoes. It is unclear from photographs of him being measured for the Army in 1958 whether he was wearing his boots at the time. Estimates of Elvis's height range from 5'11" to 6'2". To this, Aaron Brown responded: "Probably like all those Elvis impersonators".

On his 70th birthday, Larry King wondered how Elvis would look today. Elvis was a member of Tau Kappa Epsilon. Elvis was a practitioner of karate[6]. Elvis's favorite female singer was Anne Murray and he recorded a version of "Snowbird".

In the 1997 tour of Bye Bye Birdie, actor Rikki Lee Travolta was so convincing as the Elvis-based Conrad Birdie that he was named an honorary member of the National Association of Amateur Elvis Impersonators. military draft on a famous singer similar to Presley. The 1960 Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie is a supposed satire about the effects of the compulsory U.S. Elvis's parents made cameos in his film Loving You.

The film won 10 Academy Awards including Best Picture. Parker forced to maker Presley turn it down as non-commercial despite Elvis' arguments it would legitimize his acting career. He was offered the lead role of Tony in the film adaptation of the Broadway musical West Side Story but Col. Although songs were later slipped into the movie, Elvis considered it his best work.

He was proud of his role in King Creole because the part was originally offered to his idol James Dean. (see also reference above, under Elvis in the 21st Century). In 2005, and for the fifth year straight, Elvis was named the richest deceased celebrity (according to www.Forbes.com). Musician Elvis Costello borrowed Presley's first name, a few months before his death in 1977, in order to help his then fledgling career.

Elvis Mitchell, the former movie critic for the New York Times, was named after Presley by his parents, who were African-Americans. Elvis Dumervil, the University of Louisville All American college football player, currently en route to breaking the all time NCAA sacking record and a candidate to win the 2005 edition of the "Lombardi Award", was also named after Presley by his mother, an African American. Elvis Crespo, the King of salsa and merengue, was also named after Presley by his mother, a native of Puerto Rico who was a big Elvis fan. Elvis Stojko, a Canadian who was the three-time World Figure Skating Champion, was named after Presley by his mother, who was a big fan.

Also, in September of 1974, during one of his two sellout shows at the University of Notre Dame, he stopped singing, as well as motioned for the the band to quit playing, in order to tell those holding a huge banner which read ¨You are the King¨, that he was not going to resume singing until it was taken out from view, adding that "there was only one King, and that was the Lord, Jesus Christ". I'm just a singer". Christ is the King. She lifted the crown to Elvis and shouted, "You're the King!" "No, honey," he said, "I'm not the King.

According to Steve Brown's book, Scandalous Freedom: The Radical Nature of the Gospel, Elvis gave a concert and, at its conclusion, a woman came forward with a crown resting on a plush pillow. Billboard's Joel Whitburn declared Presley the "#1 act of the Rock era", beating out The Beatles, based upon his dominance of Billboard's list of top 100 singles artists since 1955. These were for the 1967 "How Great Thou Art" LP, for the 1972 LP, "He Touched Me" and, in 1974, for the song "How Great Thou Art" (live). Has won three Grammy awards, all for his Gospel recordings.

Has sold over one billion records worldwide—the first to do so—and is one of the best selling recording artists in history. Elvis Presley made famous a version of the peanut butter sandwich with banana (either mashed or whole) that was grilled or fried, and may have contained bacon and porridge. His hair was a natural sandy brown but he dyed it jet black after filming "Love Me Tender.". Elvis Presley made only one television commercial, an ad for Southern Maid Doughnuts that ran in 1954.

The estate of Elvis Presley earns over 40 million dollars every year which is a record for a deceased entertainer. Cryolophosaurus is nicknamed 'Elvisaurus' because of its head crest being alike to Elvis's hairstyle. According to another, more widespread urban legend, Elvis did not die in 1977, and may be alive today (see Elvis sightings). Aaron is the official spelling used by his estate.

His given middle name at birth was Aron ([5]), however Aaron was placed on his gravestone by his father because Elvis preferred that biblical spelling and had legally changed it. After his death several Memphis Mafia members wrote books on their time working for Presley. In 1960, following his return from military service, the various employees hired by Elvis Presley to handle security and his concert tours were affectionately dubbed the "Memphis Mafia" by the news media. For a list of all of his songs see: Alphabetical list of all of Elvis Presley's songs.

For a list of Elvis' singles see: Elvis Presley hit singles. For a detailed discography see: Elvis Presley discography. The poll was topped by Frank Sinatra, with Nat King Cole and Ella Fitzgerald also in the top ten. In a list of the greatest English language singers of the 20th century, as compiled by BBC Radio, Elvis Presley was ranked #2.

He is also has the most Christmas, Gospel, and Inspirational certified albums in history. His "Elvis Christmas album" (1970 version), is the most certified Christmas album in history, currently earning a 9X Platinum certification (in excess of nine million copies sold). He also tops the singles category, with 53, 27, and 8 of his singles having earned Gold, Platinum, and Multi-platinum status, respectively. According to the Record Industry Association of America (RIAA), Elvis Presley is the recording artist with the most Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum certified albums (97, 55 and 26, respectively).

Also, on the official United Kingdom Top 40 chart, "It's Now Or Never" reached number one in the week of Sunday January 30, 2005, 27 years after Presley's death. Since 1962, the closest anyone has come to matching this was Madonna in the late 1980s and early 1990s, with 19 consecutive top 5 hits. release dates), each of which sold in excess of one million copies. From 1956 to 1962, Elvis set the record with 24 consecutive top 5 hit singles (singles listed with B-side songs and original U.S.A.

From March 1956 to November 1959, every week there was at least one Elvis song on the singles chart. The Beatles had 34 Top 10 hits during their career. This achievement is currently shared by Madonna who reached the same total in late November of 2005. from 1956 to 1972, he had record breaking 36 Top 10 Billboard hits.

His closest competitor is Mariah Carey with 77 weeks. has spent a total of 79 weeks at the number 1 position. This record was recently tied by Mariah Carey, an American pop and R&B singer. The total (17) is surpassed only by The Beatles, who had 20 number 1 hits.

had 17 number 1 Billboard hits, including four singles in 1956 that occupied the top of the charts for a cumulative total of 25 weeks. recorded 104 singles that hit the Top 40 of the Billboard pop chart. Swing Down Sweet Chariot. Amazing Grace.

Why Me, Lord?. Help Me. He Is My Everything. Peace In The Valley.

He Touched Me. How Great Thou Art.