Elvis Aaron Presley, popularly known as the king of rock and roll, was a revolutionary artist who significantly influenced the music culture. He is one of the most influential artists as far as music history is involved. Elvis was a diverse artist who made several contributions to the different genres of music, from gospel, contemporary, and country to rock and roll. Elvis Presley has won several awards and has been inducted into the music Hall of Fame. He has been an aspiration to many famous artists, such as the Beatles, and was mentioned by John Lennon as the greatest of all time in music. This essay analyzes Elvis Presley’s musical journey and his contribution to culture through his music.
Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. His family relocated to Memphis, Tennessee, while he was a teenager. Elvis was born as a twin to Jesse Presley, who, unfortunately, was stillborn. Elvis was born to Vernon Elvis and Gladys Love. This family was strictly religious and regularly attended a Catholic church in their hometown. Elvis had his first guitar when he was eleven years, and during this time, he sang more gospel music, marking the beginning of his music career (Mayberry 97). After graduating high school, Elvis became more surrounded by the African-American culture in Memphis, which had a massive impact on his genre and style of music. Elvis recorded his first music with Sun Records in 1953, and his first song was ‘That’s All right Mama,’ but it was not a major hit.
Despite being crowned the king of rock and roll, Elvis did not create the genre, but he significantly gave it a commercial presence making it more influential. His contribution to rock music was inspired and propagated by his fresh and young looks, attitude, and extraordinary sound. In 1954, Elvis recorded his first single, and in 1955, he recorded another hit, “Mystery Train” that became a significant hit topping the country music charts (Schaap 52). While still at Sun Records Studio between 1953 and 1955, he recorded twenty-four songs for the studio. Elvis’s notable songs recorded during this period include “Baby Lets Play House”, “Good Rockin’ Tonight”, “Blue Moon of Kentucky”, and “I’m left, you are right, and she’s gone.”
The song that increased his popularity in the music industry was the single “Heartbreak Hotel.” The song was released in 1956 and became his first number-one song with an album named Elvis Presley. This song was different because it added a new taste of country flavor to rock and roll. Still, in 1956, Elvis signed a movie production deal with Paramount Pictures, which saw him feature in several films that became slightly impactful to his career because some were a hit while others were not (Schaap 66). Some notable films include “Love me Tender”, “Blue Hawaii”, and “G1 blues.” However, he became less popular in the late 1960s because of joining the army but made a massive comeback by recording an exceptional record on television titled the “68 Comeback.” Elvis loved to play the acoustic guitar, and it was rare to find him on stage without it (Mayberry 101). Aside from playing the guitar, Elvis was also a great pianist but did not play it as a professional instrument.
African American blues, the Christian gospel, and Southern Country significantly influenced Elvis Presley’s style of music. In the Southern regions of the United States during the 1950s, racial segregation was rampant, which was also reflected in the music industry (Mayberry 98). This was when Elvis’s type of music became more influential, and his music was diverse, with a special touch of black artistry, rhythm and blues, and rock and roll. Elvis created music for everyone, especially young adults, allowing them to listen to African American and White American music. He united the music cultures breaking the solid musical and racial barriers established with other artists.
Elvis had an excellent and extraordinary stage persona that entailed his signature move of pelvic thrusts and intense leg shaking. Elvis loved to perform on stage while wearing suits that were massively connected to the African American style. This resulted in him getting criticism and backlash regarding him being a racist. The cultural impact that Elvis Presley had can still be felt in this modern generation because his music has remained popular and highly respected as a foundation for present-day rock and roll artists (Mayberry 99). Elvis Presley attributes his successful music career to several artists that influenced his genre. One of the most notable artists that greatly impacted Elvis was Sister Rosetta Tharpe, commonly referred to as the Godmother of rock and roll (Curtin). She influenced Elvis in significant ways, primarily through the guitar and style of music since they were in a similar genre. Little Richard, also known as the architect of rock and roll, also significantly influenced Elvis because they had identical motives in music, singing for change. The extraordinary performances Little Richard offered on stage incredibly motivated Presley. Little Richard and Elvis are both famous for their signature and vigorous style of stage performances. B.B. king, king of blues, significantly influenced Elvis because his songs related to him from a more personal perspective, and they were practically neighbors raised in proximity neighborhoods.
Jimmie Rodgers, another household sensation and the father of country music, had a significant impact on Presley because he also grew up at a time when there was a vast cultural clash of racism. Elvis emulated his echo in his vocal delivery while performing. Dean Martin, the King of Cool, is said to have had a significant impact on Elvis Presley, specifically through his swagger that became a unique signature of Elvis. At the onset of his music career, most of Elvis’s music was a reflection of Martins’s music, and he had a lot of respect for him. Elvis continuously mentioned his admiration for Martin’s music during many performances.
Elvis Presley is a name that will be studied for several future generations as far as the history of music is concerned. Despite having a complicated and controversial legacy, it is evident that Elvis was a notable artist. His rise and achievements in music became the beginning of a new era and a revolution that younger artists will forever emulate because he united people through his music (Fowler 15). At the beginning of his music career, Elvis faced several challenges, such as some radio stations refusing to play his music because they found it too culturally sensitive (Schaap 62). Despite facing such a backlash, Elvis continued to thrive more, especially among young adults in the US.
Technology contributed significantly to Elvis’s music but did not change his style of music; instead promoted it more. With technology, it was easy to record music, and there was the production of developed musical instruments, such as the electric guitar, which were essential for Elvis during his stage performances (Twa 545). Technology also allowed Elvis to reach out to his wide-fan base through his music being played on radio and live television. This led to the enlightenment of various individuals reducing the racial segregation gap in the music industry between African Americans and Whites. Technology was significant to Elvis because he could sell many copies of his albums and gain recognition across American borders. Technology paved the way for his successful music career.
This project focuses on Elvis Presley because of his significant impact on American music culture. Elvis is the epitome and proof that nothing is impossible, especially if one puts their mind and effort into their dreams and aspirations. Several African American artists credit Elvis for promoting their music, making them successful in the industry. Despite coming from a different racial ethnicity, Elvis embraced the black culture sound and made extraordinary music that appealed to everyone despite racial or age differences. His ability to make white people pay attention and listen to African American music content makes him an inspiration at a time when racial segregation was prevalent (Fowler 15). Elvis Presley is a household name that one must analyze in the history of music.
Elvis Presley is a worldwide sensation and has significantly impacted the contemporary pop culture of music and societal virtues through his artistry. He revolutionized the American musical scene by adding a new taste to music, making him the most influential artist in music history. He has won several awards, which include three Grammy awards and NMEs awards for favorite male singer, and has been mentioned in the rock and roll hall of fame. Elvis died on August 16, 1977, with autopsy results showing that he died of a heart attack. His significant contributions to music have been featured in several films, such as the 2022 memoir film called ‘Elvis’ depicting his musical journey. Elvis Presley will forever be a legend.
Works Cited
Curtin, Meaghan. “Censorship of Rock and Roll.” Emerging Writers, vol. 3, no. 11, 2021.
Fowler, Beth. Rock and Roll, Desegregation Movements, and Racism in the Post-civil Rights Era: An” integrated Effort”. Rowman & Littlefield, 2022.
Mayberry, Clifford Eugene. “Sam Phillips, Elvis, and Rock N’ Roll: A Cultural Revolution.” Explorations Humanities and Fine Arts, 2020, pp. 95–104.
Schaap, Julian C.F. Elvis Has Finally Left the Building?: Boundary Work, Whiteness and the Reception of Rock Music in Comparative Perspective. 2009. Erasmus University Rotterdam, PhD dissertation.
Twa, Michael. “Rock and Roll and Scientific Innovation.” Journal of the American Academy of Optopetry, vol. 99, no. 7, 2022, pp. 545-546