It’s undeniable that the young Elvis Presley had everybody swooning over him, so we’ve collected throwback pictures of him to reminisce about those days.
Plus, this would be a good way to celebrate and honor his musical legacy after you’ve indulged in “Elvis,” the full-length biographical drama of his life, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks.
Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi, to parents Vernon and Gladys Presley. He had a twin brother named Jesse, who unfortunately died at birth. At age 13, Elvis moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he got introduced to the melting pot of Black Southern music. It was also where he would start his music that would last beyond his lifetime.
In 1954, the Sun Records owner, Sam Phillips, took an interest in him. Wanting to bring the African-American sound to a larger audience, he got Presley on rhythm acoustic guitar, teaming him up with lead guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black.
According to AllMusic, the singer’s five Sun singles – “That’s All Right Mama,” “Blue Moon of Kentucky,” “Good Rockin’ Tonight,” “Baby Let’s Play House,” and “Mystery Train” – “pioneered the blend of R&B and C&W that would characterize rockabilly music.” Until now, these songs still hold the reputation of the best early rock classics.
With his talent, Presley attracted bigger labels as well as Colonel Tom Parker. He didn’t need to sign up with anyone else after Phillips sold his contract to RCA for $35,000.
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Some contest that Presley’s musical energy in his later records with RCA Victor didn’t capture the same primal energy he did in his first years as a musician. However, the fact remained that he achieved nothing but success in those years, and this wasn’t just with his music.
In 1956, he starred in his very first Hollywood movie, “Love Me Tender.” He then went on to reign on the silver screen with a total of 31 feature films.
A year later, he purchased what was dubbed his own “Heartbreak Hotel.” According to the estate’s website, the singer purchased Graceland for $102,500. Here’s a photo of him in front of his mansion.
Throughout his career, he went on to record 57 albums and sell over 600 million of them worldwide. On top of that, he amassed 114 Top 40 hits and won three Grammy Awards. He also deservingly earned himself the title of “King of Rock n’ Roll.”
His influence didn’t stop with music or film. The singer’s decision to get the polio vaccine on live TV became the catalyst for getting younger adults to see how important the shot was.
Sadly, the King of Rock’ n’ Roll didn’t live long enough to enjoy his success. He tragically died on August 16, 1977, at the age of 42.
He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. He received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to the music industry. And decades after his death, his name and music continue to live on.