Elvis Presley statue in Memphis, TN.

Since the 1950s, the impact on American and world culture of Elvis Presley - singer and music icon has been recognized. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (344x640, 117 KB)I took this picture and allow its free use File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (344x640, 117 KB)I took this picture and allow its free use File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

According to Rolling Stone Magazine, "it was Elvis who made rock 'n' roll the international language of pop." A PBS documentary described Presley as "an American music giant of the 20th century who single-handedly changed the course of music and culture in the mid-1950s."^[1] His recordings, dance moves, attitude and clothing came to be seen as embodiments of rock and roll. His music was heavily influenced by African-American blues, Christian gospel, and Southern country. This article is about the music magazine. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ...

Presley sang both hard driving rockabilly, rock and roll dance songs and ballads, laying a commercial foundation upon which other rock musicians would build their careers. African-American performers like Little Richard, Fats Domino, and Chuck Berry came to national prominence after Presley's acceptance among mass audiences of White American teenagers. Singers like Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Buddy Holly, Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison and others immediately followed in his wake. John Lennon later observed, "Before Elvis, there was nothing." Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock n’ roll music to emerge during the 1950s. ... Rock and roll (also spelled Rock n Roll, especially in its first decade), also called rock, is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles. ... Illustration by Arthur Rackham of the ballad The Twa Corbies A ballad is a story, usually a narrative or poem, in a song. ... An African American (also Afro-American, Black American, or simply black) is a member of an ethnic group in the United States whose ancestors, usually in predominant part, were indigenous to Africa. ... Little Richard (born Richard Wayne Penniman, December 5, 1932) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Antoine Dominique Fats Domino (born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana), is a classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist. ... Charles Edward Anderson Chuck Berry (born October 18, 1926 in St. ... The term White American officially refers to people of European, Middle Eastern, and North African descent residing in the United States. ... Jerry Lee Lewis (born September 29, 1935), also known by the nickname The Killer, is an American rock and roll and country music singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Don (born February 1, 1937 in Brownie, a small coal-mining town (now defunct) near Central City, Muhlenberg County, Kentucky) and Phil Everly (born January 18, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois) are country-influenced rock and roll performers who had their greatest success in the 1950s. ... Charles Hardin Holley (September 7, 1936 – February 3, 1959), better known as Buddy Holly, was an American singer, songwriter, and a pioneer of rock and roll. ... Johnny Cash (born J. R. Cash, February 26, 1932 – September 12, 2003) was an American, multi Grammy Award-winning influential American country and rock and roll singer and songwriter. ... Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988), nicknamed The Big O, was an influential American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll whose recording career spanned more than four decades. ... John Winston Ono Lennon, MBE (October 9, 1940 – December 8, 1980), (born John Winston Lennon, known as John Ono Lennon) was an iconic English 20th century rock and roll songwriter and singer, best known as the founding member of The Beatles. ...

First American idol

During the post-WWII economic boom of the 1950s, many parents were able to give their teenage children much higher weekly allowances, signaling a shift in the buying power and purchasing habits of American teens. During the 1940s bobby soxers had idolized Frank Sinatra, but the buyers of his records were mostly between the ages of eighteen and twenty-two. Presley triggered a juggernaut of demand for his records by near-teens and early teens aged ten and up. Along with Presley's "ducktail" haircut, the demand for black slacks and loose, open-necked shirts resulted in new lines of clothing for teenage boys whereas a girl might get a pink portable 45 rpm record player for her bedroom. Meanwhile American teenagers began buying newly available portable transistor radios^[2] and listened to rock 'n' roll on them (helping to propel that fledgling industry from an estimated 100,000 units sold in 1955 to 5,000,000 units by the end of 1958). Teens were asserting more independence and Presley became a national symbol of their parents' consternation. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ... Bobby soxer is a term coined in the 1940s to describe the overly zealous, usually teenage, fans of singer Frank Sinatra. ... Francis Albert Sinatra (December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was a jazz oriented popular singer and Academy Award-winning actor. ... The Ducktail was a haircut style popular during the 1950s. ... Regency TR-1. ... Rock and roll - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

Presley's impact on the American youth consumer market was noted on the front page of The Wall Street Journal on December 31, 1956 when business journalist Louis M. Kohlmeier wrote, "Elvis Presley today is a business," and reported on the singer's record and merchandise sales. Half a century later, historian Ian Brailsford (University of Auckland, New Zealand) commented, "The phenomenal success of Elvis Presley in 1956 convinced many doubters of the financial opportunities existing in the youth market."^[3] Elvis even became very popular to British audiences as well. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) is an influential international daily newspaper published in New York City, New York with a worldwide average daily circulation of more than 2. ... The University of Auckland (Māori: Te Whare Wānanga o Tāmaki Makaurau) is New Zealands largest research-based university. ...

African American music influence

In spite of the facts that Nat King Cole had the #2 song in 1950, and the #1 song in 1951, and Chuck Berry had a major hit with Maybellene in 1955, in the United States in the 1950s legal segregation and discrimination against African Americans was common. Presley would nevertheless publicly cite his debt to African American music, pointing to artists such as B. B. King, Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup, Jackie Wilson, Robert Johnson, Ivory Joe Hunter, and Fats Domino. The reporter who conducted Presley's first interview in New York City in 1956 noted that he named blues singers who "obviously meant a lot to him. I was very surprised to hear him talk about the black performers down there and about how he tried to carry on their music."^{[citation needed]} Later that year in Charlotte, North Carolina, Presley was quoted as saying: "The colored folks been singing it and playing it just like I’m doin' now, man, for more years than I know. They played it like that in their shanties and in their juke joints and nobody paid it no mind 'til I goosed it up. I got it from them. Down in Tupelo, Mississippi, I used to hear old Arthur Crudup bang his box the way I do now and I said if I ever got to a place I could feel all old Arthur felt, I’d be a music man like nobody ever saw."^[4] Little Richard said of Presley: "He was an integrator. Elvis was a blessing. They wouldn’t let black music through. He opened the door for black music."^[5] B. B. King said he began to respect Presley after he did Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup material and that after he met him, he thought the singer really was something else and was someone whose music was growing all the time right up to his death.^[6] Nathaniel Adams Coles, known professionally as Nat King Cole (March 17, 1919 – February 15, 1965) was a popular American singer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. ... Charles Edward Anderson Chuck Berry (born October 18, 1926 in St. ... Chuck Berry Charles Edward Berry (born October 18, 1926), better known as Chuck Berry, is an American guitarist, singer and composer. ... Riley B. King, better known as B. B. King (born September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi), is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, widely considered one of the best and most respected blues musicians of all time. ... Arthur Big Boy Crudup (August 24, 1905 – March 28, 1974) was a delta blues singer and guitarist. ... Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Jackie Wilson (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American soul and R&B singer, born in Detroit, Michigan. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... For the Motown producer-songwriter, see Ivy Joe Hunter. ... Antoine Dominique Fats Domino (born February 26, 1928 in New Orleans, Louisiana), is a classic R&B and rock and roll singer, songwriter and pianist. ... Nickname: Location in the state of New York Coordinates: Country United States State New York Boroughs The Bronx Brooklyn Manhattan Queens Staten Island Settled 1625 Government  - Mayor Michael Bloomberg (R) Area  - City  468. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Nickname: Location in Mecklenburg County in the state of North Carolina Coordinates: Country United States State North Carolina Counties Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Government  - Mayor Pat McCrory, (R) Area  - City  280. ... Arthur Big Boy Crudup (August 24, 1905 – March 28, 1974) was a delta blues singer and guitarist. ... Little Richard (born Richard Wayne Penniman, December 5, 1932) is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. ... Riley B. King, better known as B. B. King (born September 16, 1925 in Itta Bena, Mississippi), is an American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter, widely considered one of the best and most respected blues musicians of all time. ...

Up to the mid 1950s black artists had sold minuscule amounts of their recorded music relative to the national market potential. Black songwriters had mostly limited horizons and could only eke out a living. But after Presley purchased the music of African American Otis Blackwell and had his "Gladys Music" company hire talented black songwriter Claude Demetrius, the industry underwent a dramatic change. In the spring of 1957 Presley invited African American performer Ivory Joe Hunter to visit Graceland and the two spent the day together, singing "I Almost Lost My Mind" and other songs. Of Presley, Hunter commented, "He showed me every courtesy, and I think he's one of the greatest."^[7] Otis Blackwell (16 February 1931 - 6 May 2002) was a songwriter, singer, and pianist whose work significantly influenced rocknroll in the 1950s. ... Claude Demetrius (born August 3, 1916 - May 1, 1988) was an African American songwriter. ... For the Motown producer-songwriter, see Ivy Joe Hunter. ...

However, certain elements in American society, including many black people, have dismissed Presley as no more than a racist Southerner who stole black music.^[8] However, black R&B artist Jackie Wilson said, "A lot of people have accused Elvis of stealing the black man's music, when in fact, almost every black solo entertainer copied his stage mannerisms from Elvis." Jackie Wilson Jack Leroy Jackie Wilson (June 9, 1934 – January 21, 1984) was an American soul and R&B singer, born in Detroit, Michigan. ...

"Racists attacked rock and roll because of the mingling of black and white people it implied and achieved, and because of what they saw as black music's power to corrupt through vulgar and animalistic rhythms. ... The popularity of Elvis Presley was similarly founded on his transgressive position with respect to racial and sexual boundaries. ... White cover versions of hits by black musicians ... often outsold the originals; it seems that many Americans wanted black music without the black people in it,"^[9] and Elvis had undoubtedly "derived his style from the Negro rhythm-and-blues performers of the late 1940s."^[10]

The Elvis stole black music theme is an enduring one with arguments for and against published in books (see: "Dispelling The Myths An analysis of American Attitudes and Prejudices", Todd Rheingold, Believe In The Dream Publications, USA, 1992, LOCC:93-090296, and on Elvis websites and popular music messageboards. Several arguments are presented on the Elvis Information Network website in its Spotlight On The King section.^[11]

A southern background combined with a performing style largely associated with African Americans had led to "bitter criticism by those who feel he stole a good thing," as Tan magazine surmised.^[12] No wonder that Elvis became "a symbol of all that was oppressive to the black experience in the Western Hemisphere".^[13] What is more, Presley was widely believed to have said, "The only thing black people can do for me is shine my shoes and buy my records."^[14] It was claimed that the alleged comment was made either in Boston or on Edward R. Murrow's Person to Person.^[15] However, no recording of this episode has been produced. A black southerner in the late 1980s even captured that sentiment: "To talk to Presley about blacks was like talking to Adolf Hitler about the Jews."^[16]

In his scholarly work Race, Rock, and Elvis,^[17] Tennessee State University professor Michael T. Bertrand examined the relationship between popular culture and social change in America and these allegations against Presley. Professor Bertrand postulated that Presley's rock and roll music brought an unprecedented access to African American culture that challenged the 1950s segregated generation to reassess ingrained segregationist stereotypes. The American Historical Review wrote that the author "convincingly argues that the black-and-white character of the sound, as well as Presley's own persona, helped to relax the rigid color line and thereby fed the fires of the civil rights movement." The U.S. government report stated: "Presley has been accused of "stealing" black rhythm and blues, but such accusations indicate little knowledge of his many musical influences." "However much Elvis may have 'borrowed' from black blues performers (e.g., 'Big Boy' Crudup, 'Big Mama' Thornton), he borrowed no less from white country stars (e.g., Ernest Tubb, Bill Monroe) and white pop singers (e.g., Mario Lanza, Dean Martin)," and most of his borrowings came from the church; its gospel music was his primary musical influence and foundation." Tennessee State University (TSU) is a comprehensive, urban, coeducational land-grant university founded in 1912. ... The American Historical Review (AHR) is the official publication of the American Historical Association (AHA), a body of academics, professors, teachers, students, historians, curators and others, founded in 1884 for the promotion of historical studies, the collection and preservation of historical documents and artifacts, and the dissemination of historical research. ... Martin Luther King is perhaps most famous for his I Have a Dream speech, given in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom This article is about the civil rights movement following the Brown v. ... Ernest Dale Tubb (February 9, 1914 - September 6, 1984), nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. ... Bill Monroe Bill Monroe (September 13, 1911 - September 9, 1996) developed the style of country music known as bluegrass, which takes its name from his band, the Blue Grass Boys, named for his home state of Kentucky. ... Mario Lanza (31 January 1921 – 7 October 1959) was an American tenor and Hollywood movie star who enjoyed success in the late 1940s and 1950s. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Whether or not it was justified, the fact remains that distrust of Presley was common amongst the general African-American population after the accusations of racism were made public.^[18] According to George Plasketes, several songs came out after the singer's death which are a part of a "démystification process as they portray Elvis as a racist."^[19] In his book, Colored White: Transcending the Racial Past, David Roediger considers contemporary "wiggers" (white kids "acting Black") in light of the tensions in racial impersonation embodied by Elvis Presley.^[20] Marlon Brando, Chuck D, Eminem and others have all publicly condemned Presley for "stealing" black music. Marlon Brando, Jr. ... Carlton Douglas Chuck D Ridenhour (born August 1, 1960) is an American rapper, composer, actor, author, radio personality and producer. ... Marshall Bruce Mathers III (born October 17, 1972), better known as Eminem or Slim Shady, is a Grammy and Academy Award-winning American rapper, record producer and actor from the Detroit, Michigan area. ...

A danger to American culture?

By the spring of 1956, Presley was fast becoming a national phenomenon^[21] and teenagers came to his concerts in unprecedented numbers. There were many riots at his early concerts. Scotty Moore says, "He’d start out, 'You ain’t nothin’ but a Hound Dog,' and they’d just go to pieces. They’d always react the same way. There’d be a riot every time."^[22] When he performed at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair in 1956, 100 National Guardsmen surrounded the stage to control crowds of excited fans. The singer was considered to represent a threat to the moral well-being of young American women, because "Elvis Presley didn’t just represent a new type of music; he represented sexual liberation."^[23] In 1956, a critic for the New York Daily News wrote that popular music "has reached its lowest depths in the 'grunt and groin' antics of one Elvis Presley." The Roman Catholic Church denounced him in its weekly magazine, America , in an article headlined "Beware Elvis Presley."^[24] The United States National Guard is a component of the United States Army (the Army National Guard) and the United States Air Force (the Air National Guard). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... America is a moderate Catholic weekly published in the United States which contains news and opinion about the Roman Catholic Church and how its positions relate to American politics and cultural life. ...

In an interview with PBS television, social historian Eric Lott said, "all the citizens' councils in the South called Elvis 'nigger music' and were terribly afraid that Elvis, white as he was, being ambiguously raced just by being working-class, was going to corrupt the youth of America."^[25] Robert Kaiser says he was the first who gave the people "a music that hit them where they lived, deep in their emotions, yes, even below their belts. Other singers had been doing this for generations, but they were black."^[26] Therefore, his performance style was frequently criticized. Social guardians blasted anyone responsible for exposing impressionable teenagers to his "gyrating figure and suggestive gestures." The Louisville chief of police, for instance, called for a no-wiggle rule, so as to halt "any lewd, lascivious contortions that would excite the crowd."^[27] Even Priscilla Presley confirms that "his performances were labeled obscene. My mother stated emphatically that he was 'a bad influence for teenage girls. He arouses things in them that shouldn't be aroused.'"^[28] Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ... Eric Lott (b. ... Robert Blair Kaiser (born 1930) is an American author and journalist, best known for his writing on the Catholic Church. ...

According to rhythm and blues artist Hank Ballard, "In white society, the movement of the butt, the shaking of the leg, all that was considered obscene. Now here's this white boy that's grinding and rolling his belly and shaking that notorious leg. I hadn't even seen the black dudes doing that."^[29] Presley complained bitterly in a June 27, 1956, interview about being singled out as “obscene”.^[30] Due to his controversial style of song and stage performances, municipal politicians began denying permits for Presley appearances. This caused teens to pile into cars and travel elsewhere to see him perform. Adult programmers announced they would not play Presley's music on their radio stations due to religious convictions that his music was "devil music" and to racist beliefs that it was "nigger music." Many of Presley's records were condemned as wicked by Pentecostal preachers, warning congregations to keep heathen rock and roll music out of their homes and away from their children's ears (especially the music of "that backslidden Pentecostal pup.") However, the economic power of Presley's fans became evident when they tuned in alternative radio stations playing his records. In an era when radio stations were shifting to an all-music format, in reaction to competition from television, profit-conscious radio station owners learned quickly when sponsors bought more advertising time on new all "rock and roll" stations, some of which reached enormous markets at night with clear channel signals from AM broadcasts. Hank Ballard (November 18, 1927 - March 2, 2003) was an American R&B singer and a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ... Sin is a term used mainly in a religious context to describe an act that violates a moral rule, or the state of having committed such a violation. ... Heathen is a term used both to describe a person who does not follow an organized religion, and also a modern practitioner of Heathenry. ... Clear channel stations are AM radio stations that are designated as such so that only one or two 50,000 watt powerhouses operate at night on each designated frequency, covering a wide area via sky wave propagation. ... Mediumwave radio transmissions serves as the most common band for broadcasting. ...

In August, 1956 in Jacksonville, Florida a local Juvenile Court judge called Presley a "savage" and threatened to arrest him if he shook his body while performing at Jacksonville's Florida Theatre, justifying the restrictions by saying his music was undermining the youth of America. Throughout the performance, Presley stood still as ordered but poked fun at the judge by wiggling a finger. Similar attempts to stop his "sinful gyrations" continued for more than a year and included his often-noted January 6, 1957 appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show (during which he performed the spiritual number "Peace in the Valley"), when he was filmed only from the waist up. Motto: Where Florida Begins Location in the state of Florida Coordinates: Country United States State Florida County Duval Government  - Mayor John Peyton (R) Area  - City  885 sq mi (2,264. ... Juvenile courts or young offender courts are courts specifically created and given authority to try and pass judgments for crimes committed by persons who have not attained the age of majority. ... Look up Barbarian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Ed Sullivan The Ed Sullivan Show is an American television variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, 1971, and was hosted by former entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. ...

See also

• Elvis Presley
• Elvis impersonator
• Elvis sightings
• Elvis Presley's relationships
• Elvis Presley's political beliefs
• Elvis Presley's phenomenon
• Memphis Mafia
• Elvis Presley Enterprises
• Priscilla Presley
• Lisa Marie Presley
• Alphabetical list of all of Elvis Presley's songs
• Sun Records
• List of Elvis Presley films
• List of actors who have played Elvis Presley
• List of songs about or referencing Elvis Presley
• Cultural depictions of Elvis Presley
• Best-selling artist of all-time
• List of artists by total number of USA number one singles
• List of best-selling music artists
• 24 Hour Church of Elvis
• Elvis-A-Rama Museum
• "Tagish" Elvis Presley
• Elvis Herselvis

Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... Elvis Impersonators An Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies Elvis Presley either as a hobby, career in entertainment or occasionally for fun. ... The Weekly World News frequently claims Elvis Is Alive! Elvis sightings are a recurring phenomenon in which people claim to see American singer and rock star Elvis Presley, who died on August 16, 1977. ... The Memphis Mafia was the nickname for a group of friends, associates, employees and yes-men whose main function was to be around Elvis Presley from 1956 until he died. ... Priscilla Presley Priscilla Beaulieu Presley (born Priscilla Ann Wagner on May 24, 1945, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American model, author and actress and the only wife of rock n roll singer Elvis Presley. ... Lisa Marie Presley (born February 1, 1968 in Memphis, Tennessee) is an American singer, daughter of Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley and former wife of both pop icon Michael Jackson and actor Nicolas Cage. ... This is an alphabetical list of all of Elvis Presleys songs. ... Label of the fourth Sun Records Sun Records has been the name for four 20th century record labels. ... [edit] Other works 89724-445-1 Categories: | ... The following is a partial list of actors who have played an Elvis Presley character. ... It has been suggested that List_of_songs_ containing_overt_reference_to_real_musicians#Songs that mention Elvis Presley be merged into this article or section. ... . ... This article discusses who is the worlds best-selling artist of all-time. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The worlds best-selling music artists cannot be listed officially, as there is no organization that has recorded global music sales in the manner that the RIAA does in the United States. ... The 24 Hour Church of Elvis was a museum and gift shop in Portland, Oregon, USA, run by artist Stephanie G. Pierce. ... The Elvis-A-Rama Museum is the largest private collection of Elvis memorabilia. ... Tagish Elvis Presley, Jr. ...

Notes

July 6 is the 187th day of the year (188th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 178 days remaining. ... shelby was here 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... The United States Department of the Interior (DOI) is a Cabinet department of the United States government that manages and conserves most federally owned land. ... Not to be confused with Public Broadcasting Services in Malta. ...

External links

• Official site (Elvis Presley Enterprises)
• Elvis Presley at the Internet Movie Database
• ElvisPedia - Elvis's own wiki
• Rockhall
• Complete Elvis Bio and Discography at Music.com
• Elvis Gospel Service
• Elvis Information Network [6]