MEMORABLE MONDAYS: Elvis Presley

 Everybody in the whole south block was apparently dancing to Elvis Presley. You may not realize that Elvis Aaron Presley has been perceived as the king of rock and roll. He was a pioneer of rockabilly with a robust acting career to match his vocals. He even got a biopic dedicated to his controversial life. There are still people who impersonate him, or some who will conspire that Elvis is in fact still alive somewhere. 

Elvis was born on January 8th, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. He had a twin sister Jesse Garon, but sadly was stillborn. He obtained his initial musical inspiration from their attendance of an Assembly of God church. They often relied on neighbors and government assistance for food. In 1938, they lost their home after Vernon was found guilty of altering a check and was jailed for 8 months. 

His first public performance was in 1945, he sang at a singing contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. He also received his first guitar for his birthday that year. He got lessons from two uncles and a pastor at the Church his family attended. He was a bit shy at the time. The next year, he began to play and sing at school. He was often made fun of for being a "trashy" kid who played hillbilly music. He became part of Mississippi Slim's radio show. Slim taught Presley some chord techniques and when he was 12, had him perform on the show. 

In 1948, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He got bullied at this school as well for being "no good at singing" and a mama's boy. In 1950, he began a collective with Dorsey and Johnny Burnette. During his junior year, he began to standout for his fashion sense. He grew out his sideburns and styled his hair more. He used the Memphis blues scene as his fashion inspiration. In 1953, he competed in Humes' Annual Minstrel Show. He became more popular at school after that. 

Presley could not read music, and learned to play by ear. He would frequent record stores that provided jukeboxes and listening booths. He learned all of Hank Snow's songs, and loved other country singers like Jimmie Rodgers, Bob Wills, and Ernest Tubb. Jake Hess was an influence on his ballad style singing. Future recordings were also influenced by Arthur Crudup and Rufus Thomas. B.B. King mentioned knowing Elvis before he was popular, when they both frequented Beale Street. 

In 1953, Elvis checked into the Memphis Recording Service, the company run by Sam Philips before he began Sun Records. He aimed to pay for studio time for a two-sided acetate. He claimed that he intended it as a birthday gift to his mother. In 1954, he cut a second acetate through Sun. Nothing came of it. He also failed an audition for a local vocal quartet, the Songfellows, and another for the band of Eddie Bond. Phillips, however, was hoping to grow the audience of the sound of the black musicians Sun focused on. He obtained a demo of a ballad, Without You, by Jimmy Sweeney. He offered it to Presley, but he was unable to do it justice. However, he asked him to sing a few other numbers. This had more affect on Phillips, who invited Winfield Moore and Bill Black to work with Presley for a recording session. It was unfruitful until Elvis began singing "That's All Right" by Arthur Crudup. Phillips recorded it, and this was used on Dewey Phillips "Red, Hot, and Blue" show. He then interviewed Presley on air, having him clarify his race to many listeners that he was not black by asking what high school he attended. The trio also recorded a bluegrass number, Bill Monroe's Blue Moon of Kentucky. A single was pressed of these songs. 

In 1954, the trio created by Sam Phillips played live for the first time at the Bon Air club. They appeared a month later at the Overton Park Shell, with Slim Whitman as the headliner. Elvis pioneered his signature dance move, the rubber legs. Moore and Black left their old bands to play with Elvis regularly, and Bob Neal became their manager. They were frequent players at the Eagle's Nest club. He returned to Sun to record more. He did end up performing on Lousiana Hayride, the rival of the Grand Ole Opry that rejected him previously. This show was broadcast to 198 radio stations in 28 states. His first set was filled with nerves and drew a muted reaction, but the next one did better. Soon after, Hayride engaged Presley for a year's worth of Saturday night performances. He soon upgraded from his $8 guita to an $175 Martin guitar. He eventually made a television appearance on Lousiana Hayride. He failed an audition for Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts on the CBS network. His consistent performances, appearances, and releases made him a regional star. 

In 1955, Neal signed a formal management contract with Elvis and brought him to the attention of Colonel Tom Parker. Having successfully managed Eddy Arnold, Parker was working with Hank Snow. Parker booked Presley on Snow's next tour. Elvis struggled to find radio play for his Sun recordings as he was too hillbilly for the R&B stations, but too "black" for the country stations. His blend became known as "rockabilly". 

Three major labels began bidding on Elvis. Parker and Phillips struck a deal with RCA Victor to acquire Presley's Sun contract for an unprecedented $40,000. At the time, Elvis was still legally considered a minor at 20, so his father signed the contract. Parker arranged for the owners of Hill & Range publishing to create two entities. Elvis Presley Music and Gladys Music, to handle all the new material recorded by Presley. Songwriters obliged to forgo one-third of their customary royalties in exchange for having Presley perform their compositions. By the end of the year, RCA had reissued many of his Sun recordings. 

In 1956, Elvis began making his first recordings for RCA Victor in Nashville. He added two to his regular band, Fontana and Hayride pianist Floyd Cramer. He also got guitarist Chet Atkins and three backup singers. He released his debut self-titled album in 1956, and became the first rock and roll album to top the Billboard chart, and held it for 10 weeks. The album included five unreleased Sun recordings and seven newly recorded tracks. The cover made the guitar an important figure for rock music. He signed an acting contract around this time as well, wanting to be in movies. He released a second album this year as well, Elvis. It spent 5 weeks at number one.

At the time, Elvis was viewed as a new evil. The Catholic church wrote a letter condemning him and considering him a danger to society. He was viewed as having a burlesque dancing style. Some saw popular music as reaching its "lowest depths" with Elvis being considered unfit for family viewing. He even obtained the nickname "Elvis the Pelvis" for his suggestive dancing. This did not stop him from reaching high status. During his Ed Sullivan Performance on October 28th, 1956, crowds in Nashville and St. Louis burned him in effigy. His first film was Love Me Tender. In his first year at RCA Victor, Presley accounted for over 50% of the label's singles success. 

He caused another stir with his final Ed Sullivan Show appearance in 1957, where he was shot only down to the waist to make a point. He was classified 1-A and would likely be drafted to the military. In Russia, his music was being pressed on discarded X-ray plates and selling for high prices. He purchased his 18-room mansion, Graceland, in 1957 also. He recorded soundtrack Loving You, which also shot to number one. He then was part of Jailhouse Rock. Drama followed Presley's live shows, including riots and eggs being pelted. Frank Sinatra decried rock and roll as brutal, ugly, and degenerate. Elvis went on to release a Christmas album next, becoming the best-selling ever in the United States. Presley received his draft notice but obtained a deferment to finish the recording for King Creole. 

In 1958, he officially was drafted at Fort Chaffee in Arkansas. His arrival was a major event and he said he was looking forward to his service. He did not want to be treated any differently than anyone else. He completed training at Fort Hood, Texas. In August, he received an emergency leave to visit his mother, who had contracted hepatitis. She died two days later, and Elvis was never the same. They had been extremely close. Presley continued to rise rank in the military. He was introduced to amphetamines in the service and was "evangelical" about their benefits. He developed an interest in karate and he was known for being extremely charitable. In 1960, he was promoted to a sergeant. While in Bad Nauheim, he at 24 met 14 year old Priscilla Beaulieu. After a 7 year courtship, they would marry. With a steady flow of unreleased material, his label kept songs flowing out while he did his service. 

He returned to the US in March 1960 and was honorably discharged 3 days later. He entered the studio quickly to begin recording new tracks. "Elvis is Back!" was his first to be released in stereo. It reached number 2 on the album charts. G.I. Blues returned him to the film world and became a number one album as well. He released his first album of gospel material, His Hand in Mine, in 1960 as well. Something for Everybody, his next release, would shape the Nashville sound for country in the 60s. He did a benefit concert for Pearl Harbor's memorial in Hawaii. It would be his last public performance for seven years.

Elvis entered a heavy film schedule, focused on musical comedies. Presley had wanted to pursue higher roles, but the roles he took in more dramatic films were less commercially successful. He then reverted back to the formula. Among the 27 films he partook in during the 60s, they were a few exceptions but most followed the rule. Most were critically panned, but were all profitable. Hal Wallis declared the Presley picture the "only sure thing in Hollywood". Fifteen of the 27 films were accompanied by soundtrack albums, and 5 more had EPs. The rapid schedule affected his music. Many felt the quality of the songs grew progressively worse. From 1964 to 1968, Elvis only had one top ten hit, Crying in the Chapel, a gospel number recorded in 1960. In 1967, he released an album of non-soundtrack material, returning to the gospel side of his music. How Great Thou Art won him a grammy award for best sacred performance. Some said he was the last rock and roll artist to make gospel as vital of a component of his musical personality as his secular songs. In 1967, Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu in a brief ceremony at the Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. By the time RCA recognized the issue with the material, it was too late. Most viewed Elvis as a joke by serious music lovers, and he was a has-been to anyone but his most loyal fans. 

His only child, Lisa Marie, was born February 1st, 1968. Elvis at this time was deeply unhappy with his career. His first live performance since 1961, the '68 Comeback Special, featured lavishly staged studio production and the band in front of a small audience. It was very reminiscent of his earlier days, and drew a lot of people back in as they felt he had found his way back home. Presley felt he had taken control back of his career, being able to choose songs he believed in and not just churn out poorly written soundtrack music. His next album, From Elvis in Memphis, performed much better. It was his first secular, non-soundtrack album in eight years. He caught up with trends and sang with conviction. In the Ghetto and Suspicious Minds became hits. He was worried as he re-entered regular live performances that he would not be well-received but he was a hit. At a press conference, Elvis was referred to as "the King" by a journalist, but gestured toward Fats Domino, calling him the real king of rock and roll. Elvis the day after worked a 5-year contract with an annual salary of 1 million dollars. Elvis was part of a non-concert film Change of Habit, and the same month a live double album released. Suspicious Minds reached the top of the charts, his last pop number one hit. It was noted Elvis was very anti-drug and rarely drank. Several of Presley's family members had been alcoholics, and he intended to avoid their fate.

The next step was a documentary film with a corresponding soundtrack. Many noted the film hid the fact Elvis moved away from his blues and country roots, shifting toward the pop sound that appeased Vegas, but was a regression for his career. Elvis met President Richard Nixon, and he hoped he could reach the drug culture and hippies which they abhorred. Elvis saw the Beatles as a negative and exemplifying anti-Americanism. McCartney commented later that he felt a bit betrayed, but the great joke was they took illegal drugs and look what happened to him. This referenced the tragedy that would later befall Elvis. 

He released another gospel album, He Touched Me, earning him another grammy. He performed 4 sold out shows at Madison Square Garden. A live album of these became one his best selling albums. Burning Love released and became his last top ten hit on the pop chart. Presley and his wife had maritial issues, and in 1971, an affair he had came back to bite him. Joyce Bova became pregnant and had an abortion. He often has raised the possibility of Joyce moving into Graceland. The Presley's separated in 1972, after Priscilla disclosed a relationship she had with Mike Stone, a karate instructor Elvis had recommended to her. She said when she had told Elvis, he forcefully made love to her, saying this is how a real man makes love to a woman. She later stated she regretted her choice of words and it was an overstatement. A few months later, Linda Thompson moved in with Elvis. The Presley's divorce was filed in August. The loss of his marriage was another blow he never fully recovered from. It affected his mental health to the point he felt some of his attackers which he'd dealt with a majority of his career were sent by Priscilla's new lover, and considered getting a hit on Mike Stone. 

The divorce finalized October 9th, 1973. His health was in a serious decline at that point. He had overdosed twice on barbiturates. He was also hospitalized from the affects of a pethidine addiction. His physician said Presley felt that by getting the drugs from the doctor, he was not the common everyday junkie that got them off the street. He undertook more intensive touring despite his health battles. His band members recall him slurring, falling out of limousines, and barely getting through introductions. Some of them were driven to tears. RCA began feeling anxious as his interest in the studio waned. His relationship with Linda Thompson ended, and he began dating Ginger Alden. He proposed to her two months later. By 1977, Elvis had become overweight, his mind dulled by the pharmacopia he daily ingested, and was barely able to pull through his live performances. Despite the ailing health, Elvis fulfilled the majority of his touring commitments. Elvis at the time was gripped by paranoia and obsessions, noted by his cousin. 

August 16th, 1977, Elvis was found unresponsive in his Graceland mansion bathroom. Attempts to revive him failed. He was pronounced dead at 42 years old. One of Presley's relatives accepted money to photograph the body in the casket. The photo appeared on National Enquirer's biggest selling issue ever. His funeral was held at Graceland. Outside the gates, a car plowed a group of fans, killing two and critically injuring a third. Around 80,000 people lined the processional route. Following attempts to steal Presley's body, the remains of both him and his mother were exhumed and reburied in Graceland's Meditation Garden. His cause of death caused some dilemmas as well. He had an enlarged heart and a drug habit that led to him having 14 different narcotics in his system. It led to much discussion about over-prescribing of medications.

Despite his tragic end and difficult life, Elvis brought rock and roll to the masses and gave credits where due. Sadly, drugs do take so many talented and good people. His life can be remembered through his better days, his music, and a reminder to stay safe out there.