Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1935 and moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee, as a teenager. Steeped in the gospel of his church and the blues and country he heard around him, he recorded his first sides at Sun Records in 1954. His electrifying blend of styles, delivered with a voice and stage manner unlike anything before, made him a regional sensation almost overnight.

After signing with RCA in 1955, Presley became a national phenomenon, with television appearances that drew enormous audiences and a string of hits that defined the rock and roll era. He served in the U.S. Army from 1958 to 1960, then spent much of the decade making Hollywood films. His 1968 television special marked a celebrated return to live performance, followed by years of landmark concerts in Las Vegas.

Presley died at his Graceland home in Memphis in 1977 at age 42, after years of declining health. Graceland has since become one of the most visited private homes in America, and his recordings remain in constant circulation. He is still among the best-selling solo artists in history, and his image and sound endure as shorthand for the birth of rock and roll itself.