The controversial fame made Presley one of the most talked about names in America. Elvis Presley went from a poor boy to one of the greatest Americans.
In the mid-20th century, he emerged as one of the most influential names in popular culture. Few expected that the young truck driver of the Crown Electric company could make young girls across America go crazy, scream his name and worship him as a saint.
The teenage years were associated with poverty and enlightenment for music
The boy was born into a poor family in Mississippi, often relying on the help of neighbors and government food subsidies. Presley showed an interest in music from an early age, and his mother once said that when he was only 2 years old, the little Elvis “leaned out of his mother’s lap” and ran towards the choir, wanting to see them and sing with them.
Elvis Presley – From a poor boy to the King of Rock and Roll – Photo 1.
Elvis got his first guitar at the age of 11, and this completely changed his life at that time. He knew how to play guitar, piano and bass, he taught himself everything with his own hands without going to any formal school. The boy, with his natural talent, increasingly found a strong connection between himself and music. In 6th grade, when he transferred to a new school, Presley was often teased and shunned by his classmates when he brought a guitar and sang at school. However, the boy gradually “bloomed” in both appearance and talent. After performing “Till I Waltz Again With You”, Presley became extremely popular at school.
Although he was determined to choose a music career from a young age, the path to pursue his passion was not easy, especially with his family background. After graduating from high school, Presley started working at Crown Electric as a truck driver, although he had already released two records, he was still criticized as “not suitable for singing”. Not giving up, Presley continued to make more recording sessions, and the performance of “That’s All Right” brought a turning point to his career.
One of the greatest role models in American popular culture
In the mid-1950s, his name suddenly became one of the hottest stars of that time. Presley’s unique performance style, unique body movements never seen before, all drove young girls crazy. Presley, standing in the spotlight at that time, also received a lot of criticism. Young girls went crazy for him, while teenagers were angry, boycotted, and even had extremist groups always stalking and hunting Presley. Experts praised and criticized Presley’s music, and his controversial popularity made Presley one of the most talked about names in America. From a poor boy to one of the greatest Americans, he was the real-life embodiment of the phrase “American Dream”.
Elvis Presley – From a poor boy to the King of Rock and Roll – Photo 2.
Despite the controversy or opinions that Presley only relied on vulgar movements to attract attention, his music quickly climbed the charts and became popular. The recording “I Forgot to Remember to Forget” in 1965 – the year Presley first appeared on national television – reached number one on the Billboard country music chart. Twelve weeks after its release, Elvis’s debut album, released that same year, became the first rock n’ roll album to ever reach number one on the Billboard charts, and even held this position for 10 weeks. His subsequent singles and albums, notably Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, Are You Lonesome Tonight?, Stuck on You or Can’t Help Falling in Love, were all huge successes, selling millions of copies and occupying the charts for a long time.
Elvis Presley – From a poor boy to the King of Rock and Roll – Photo 3.
His music is associated with the phrase “innovative”. He is one of the most important figures in the rockabilly music – a rock n’ roll style combining country music, rhythm and blues – of the 50s, with wildness, emotion and sensitivity to sound. The hugely successful record That’s All Right brought his name to light is one of the typical examples. His debut album featured seven songs spanning a wide range of genres, from pop, country and R&B, which redefined the genre at the time. His vocals also improved, confirming that Elvis’ success came from his natural musical ability, not just his sexy dance moves.
Moments in his life
1954 marked the first time he and his band performed in front of a crowd – the first time people saw the explosive effect he created on his audience. With his wide-leg pants highlighting his leg movements, Presley created a shockwave for the audience present at the
there, when the young women started screaming. With the guitar, he created crazy, wild sounds, pulling the crowd into a frenzy.
The effect of his seductive, daring performance style that drove the young girls crazy also received a lot of criticism, as well as orders from officials to “restrain yourself”. In response, he boldly affirmed: “I will show you what Elvis is really like”, or just wiggled his fingers throughout a performance as a protest and irony for the unreasonable orders imposed on him.
Elvis Presley – From a poor boy to the King of Rock and Roll – Photo 4.
All of those impressive and meaningful moments in his life will be brought to the screen when the first movie about him – ELVIS – is released in theaters this summer. The life of a musical legend in the context of contemporary American turmoil will be shown through the lens of genius director Baz Luhrmann, who created masterpieces such as Moulin Rouge! or The Great Gatsby. The film received a 12-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival last May and a high score on the review site Rotten Tomatoes.
With stunning visuals from Catherine Martin – Production and costume design, who won 4 Oscars and is also the partner of director Baz Luhrmann, and a heavily invested music score performed by the male lead Austin Butler, ELVIS will be the perfect cinematic experience for movie lovers, as well as fans at the theater.
