Elvis Presley's Influence on American Culture Essay

It was once said by Elvis that, “he never expected to be someone important.” That same man sold over a billion records and won three Grammy Awards. Elvis Presley was an outstanding musician beginning in his early life, throughout his career, and up until his death.

Singer, actor, or GI are three words people often think of in connection with Elvis Presley. Many people know that Elvis Presley was the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll, but he was much more. Elvis Presley changed the world by bringing new types of music to entertain everybody, making movies, and serving his country. He will be remembered as the King of Rock ‘N’ Roll.

Elvis Presley was one of the most influential rock and roll singers in the American history. Presley’s work revolutionized the music and brought about significant changes in the entertainment industry. He grew up in an environment where racial segregation between the whites and African Americans was highly pronounced. In fact, Presley schooled in Memphis where he graduated from a whites-only high school. However, he upheld the Black’s music and made it possible for their music to be accessed by the White American youths. Presley’s tracks broke past the racial barrier as many teenagers loved his amazing voice. Through his music, he confronted racism and challenged both social and moral values. Elvis Presley changed the manner in which the Black minority were treated in the U.S. through his music, and this initiated the fights against racial discrimination leading to the civil rights movement.

Elvis Presley was a legend in rock and roll in life. He still is the king of rock and roll even in death. He was born on January 8 1935 in Mississippi in 1948 his family moved to Memphis Tennessee, where he graduated high school from Humes High School. He was attracted to music at a young age and began his music career in 1954 with Sun Records label in Memphis. In late 1955 his recording contract was bought by RCA Victor. By 1956 he was an international sensation. He starred in 33 films and did hundreds of shows and specials. This success would eventually lead him to an early death.

Elvis Aaron Presley, otherwise known as “The King” was born on January 8th, 1935. He came from simple beginnings; being born into a lower-class family in Tupelo, Mississippi. In 1948, at the age of 13 Elvis Presley and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. Soon he launched his incredibly successful music career with Sun Records at the age of 19 in 1954. His music was influenced by both African American and White artists causing his unique blend of country, pop, rhythm and blues, and gospel music. Presley was heavily influenced by artists such as Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, and Buddy Holly. Though Presley was widely known for his “provocative” dances moves and his popularization of Rock n’ Roll Presley impacted American culture in a much larger aspect. His influence on Americans and American culture aided desegregation and civil rights during his period of influence and helped create “youth culture”.

He was a poor man who became rich, a white boy who dressed and sang like he was black, and a mamma’s boy who was also a rebel. Elvis scared white children’s parents. They saw this child who could be their kid acting like a juvenile delinquent and they feared his music would ignite rebellion in their children. The teenage population was huge and the people were well enough off that the kids had money to spend and a desire to spend it. When Elvis started singing, suddenly they knew what they wanted to spend their money on. They wanted everything that Elvis had and they wanted to do everything that he did. He inspired a whole generation to be different. He showed them they could dance and they could be feminine and manly at the same time. Elvis showed the kids that they could have fun and they could have fun together regardless of race. Elvis inspired a graduation and he consequently became known as the King. He was the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll and the King of the baby boomers generation. Not only did Elvis encourage blacks and whites to get along together and have fun, inspire the fashion and musical tastes of a generation, and demonstrate that not all men must be manly, but he also started America on the path of children and their parents listening to different music. The teens of the 1950s loved rock music and that started the trend of each generation having their own music that they felt spoke to them. The 60s folk music, the 70s

As a kid Elvis Presley attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an important influence in his life. On his eleventh birthday he received his first guitar from his mom in 1946, he had his first taste of musical success a few years later when he won a talent show at Humes High School in Memphis. He graduated from High school in 1953, he worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. “That’s

So he went to Sun records studio to record them. While Elvis was recording his songs sam phillips noticed him and took him under his wing and welcomed him to Sun records. In 1955 Elvis and sun records came out with the song heartbreak hotel and next thing you know he's signing pictures and even movie contracts. In the middle of elvis’s career he was drafted into the military. Elvis was in germany for a year and a half when his mother passed away. He returned home for her funeral. Saddened by her death Elvis went back to germany to return to his duties. While in germany elvis met a girl named Priscilla and they got married.They later had a daughter named Lisa marie. Then later got divorced.

Elvis Presley was, is, and will forever be known as the King of Rock and Roll. No matter what the public thought of him, he did what he loved because he believed in his music and lifestyle. Elvis once stated, “Rock and roll music, if you like it, if you feel it, you can't help but move to it. That's what happens to me. I can't help it.” This quote sparked a feeling of ambition and drove the dreams of almost every single rock and roll star who came after him. Elvis’ true passion for his music, inspired an inexplicable amount of people to pursue their dreams and be passionate about what they love. Elvis Presley by Tony Gentry explains how Elvis Presley became one of the most iconic figures in music history.

At the age of ten he sang for the first time in public at a regional contest where he won the second place. He earned his first dollars as a film setter and truck driver in an electricity company. In 1953 he entered the recording studio of Sun Records, a modest local label, and recorded his first record to give it to his mother. His influences were the country gospel music that he listened to in the church and the musical marathons he attended regularly, as well as the black rythm & blues music he absorbed in historic Beale Street. Elvis practiced with bassist Bill Black and guitarist Scotty Moore. In 1954 they decided to record two songs "That's All Right Mama" and "Blue Moon of Kentucky". Neither of them reached enough repercussion

Elvis Presley was best known for his integration of R&B and country music. The public was scared that not only Presley would integrate music but also the white and black community. Which was something he did actually achieve according to Little Richard “He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn’t let black music through. He opened the door for black music” (Elvis After 198). Parents were afraid of his music, considering it was said that he had a voice of a black man. He caused controversy, a white man singing black music on the radio.This controversy grew as Presley grew in

Additionally, people made a change in the music they listened to. Elvis Presley the pioneer of rock and roll changed entertainment forever. Elvis’s fleshy face, erotic physique and sexually suggestive gyrations attracted the baby boomer of the decade. Because of these features and his unique dance moves, he faces controversy in the face of the media and some common American people. Parents did not want their children to adapt to the “King’s” ways. The new attitude followed on youths disobeying order. The same situation would follow on to the next decade and eventually on to the future.

Elvis changed a lot between culture and people through his musical influence. When Phillips had said that he had finally found “a white man with a negro” this was a would eventually bring a large change in society. Elvis had spun up the social norm in 1950, with his album “The Hillbilly Cat” by intertwining the music of black people with poor white people to create his unique rock and roll (Hauser, 2013). Elvis had not been very socially accepted by older age groups, for they say it as a disgrace on American culture (Hauser, 2013). Elvis had been able to preserve the sound of black music and was able to attract white culture to the music so well (Hauser,

unprecedented. His style has been impersonated, and his music is still revered by young people

When historians look at history and at reasons why society changed many focus on conflicts like wars, civil rights, and poverty. However, there is so much more that over time changed America. One of the most influential subjects that helped this change was Elvis Presley. Through his music, which was influenced by black artists, he allowed white Americans to view a new group of performers. He tested social boundaries that helped him change American culture. His appearance and singing would end up changing the teenage world by introducing new trends in fashion and music. Presley was the reason why we have Rock-N-Roll. As a business and a singer, he brought America together into a new type of society; therefore he is a