Lets “Rock ‘n’ Roll” guys….hey…hey, where are you going? On the dance floor? No… I didn’t want to mean that I just wanted to remind you of the The King of “Rock ‘n’ Roll”. Yeah, you got me right! The great “Rock ‘n’ Roll” singer Elvis Presley or Elvis Aaron Presley. A post can’t tell the life of anyone. So I just want to share a short brief of his life, achievements and some special moments.
Elvis was born on 8th January, 1935 in East Tupelo, Mississippi, USA. His father, Vernon was a driver and mother, Gladys Love Smith worked as a sewing machinist. He joined 1st grade at Lawhorn School in Tupelo in September, 1942. (There is an image on the right. That’s Elvis with his mother (Gladys) and father (Vernon). Image source – elvis.com.au)
He won a singing contest when he was just 10 years old. He gave his 1st performance in front of huge crowd at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. He was dressed like cow boy and sang the song of Red Foley’s “Old Shep”. The most remarkable moment of that concert was that he was too small to reach the microphone, so he had to stand on the chair to sing comfortably. He got the 2nd position and won $5 and a free ticket to all the fair rides.
His parents gifted a guitar on his eleventh birthday. He learned the basic guitar lessons from his uncle Vester, brother of his father. (Elvis with his Guitar. Image source – elvis.com).
In 1949 Elvis moved with his family to Lauderdale Courts, a public housing development. There Elvis practiced guitar in the laundry room with his friends. Once he perhaps had gone to cafes or bars with his friends. There few other boys insisted and made him to sing, but one of them, started saying that Elvis song and guitar playing style is not gonna win any kind of prizes in the near future.
At the age of 15, he started working as an usher at Loew’s State Theater occasionally. Actually he wanted to share some part of his income for his family. But his mother asked him to quit and concentrate on his study more. Few months later he drove a truck as well, so that he can earn and share some dollar for his family. That time almost each and every truck driver used to keep long hair with a “ducktail” and Elvis did that too.
Presley was shy in nature thats why he scared to spend a night away from home even after completing his gradutation.
Elvis Presley’s First Recording and Performance:
He recorded his first song “My Happiness” with “That’s When Your Heartaches Begin” at Sun Records’ Memphis Recording Service in 18th July, 1953. Possibly this song was dedicated to his mother.
Once Sun Records boss Sam Phillips was in search for a singer who could sing a blend of black blues and boogie-woogie music. Then he found a demo recording of Elvis one of the song “Without Love (There Is Nothing)”. She invited Presley to the studio. But Presley was little nervous and could not sing perfectly.
There are more about him………….plszzzz wait for sometime.
Liked reading about the one and only Elvis ! If u can give us some lesser known facts about the king of rock and roll, it would be so nice !
Christie