Elvis presley biography difficulties

He was deeply devoted to his parents, especially his mother, and was raised to have a strong faith in God. Presley attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an important influence for him. Presley received his first guitar as a gift from his mother on his 11 th birthday in and had his first taste of musical success a few years later when he won a talent show at Humes High School in Memphis.

After graduating inhe worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. He cut his first demo record at what later became known as Sun Studio that year, and before long, Sam Phillips, the record label owner, decided to take the young performer under his wing. Presley soon began touring and recording, trying to catch his first big break.

InPresley began to develop a following with fans being drawn to his unusual musical style, provocative gyrating hips, and good looks. Presley was on a roll, scoring his first No. Despite the uproar that his sexy dance moves caused, he also became a popular guest on a number of television variety shows. Soon, Presley was everywhere, elvis presley biography difficulties as a musician and actor.

His first film, Love Me Tenderwas a box office hit. He also won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings. A major musical force, Presley had 18 No. His career launched into superstardom thanks to a September 9,appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show. He appeared two more times on the show over the next year, with the third censored from the waist down.

Rolling Stone ranked it th on its list of the best songs of all time in But he has been recognized for his contributions to several musical genres, most notably rock, countryand gospel. Even a stint in the U. He received his draft notice in and was inducted into the Army the following March. He eventually served in Germany for about a year and a half.

Shortly before Presley left for Europe, his beloved mother, Gladys, died. He was granted a leave and returned to Memphis for the funeral. Deeply saddened by her death, Presley returned to duty. Hoedel claimed he was worried during those two years away that his fans would move on to someone new. She told us, "Elvis was drafted into the Army at the peak of his popularity.

He was very concerned during those two years away that the fans might forget him. Luckily, he was as successful as ever when he came back. Hoedel said, "When he returned with the Frank Sinatra special, he was as popular as ever. He then had a successful string of movies. When Elvis decided to stop appearing in films, he returned to his music, which Hoedel described as his "first love.

Elvis Presley loved being Elvis Presley. She admitted the Jailhouse Rock hitmaker "had moments of insecurity like any human being," but insisted he was a "strong individual with a great deal of drive. Elvis' impact on music is still being felt today and it's safe to say he reached a level of fame that had never been seen before. Hoedel suggested this superstardom caused Elvis to worry.

She told us, "When in Memphis though, he was often driving around the city in one of his many cars or on one his many motorcycles. This goes hand in hand with the misguided notions that Elvis was depressed. Elvis later recalled placing fifth in the contest and earning a whipping from his mother for trying out one of the scarier rides. Not long afterward, Elvis received his first guitar.

He was helped along in that endeavor by relatives and a young pastor and overcame his shyness enough to perform at a weekly amateur showcase and display his burgeoning talents to star local DJ Mississippi Slim.

Elvis presley biography difficulties

Elvis carried his guitar to school every day by seventh grade at Milam Junior High. Other students recalled him playing during lunchtime and recess but rarely for any organized activity, since his taste for "hillbilly" country tunes was scorned by both teachers and classmates. A few of the more aggressive detractors swiped his beloved guitar and cut the strings early in eighth grade.

But by then, Elvis had engendered enough goodwill among classmates that they raised a collection to buy him new strings. As a gesture of thanks, Elvis gave them a mini-concert just before his family packed up and moved to Memphis, Tennessee, in November After enrolling at Memphis' 1,student Humes High School, Elvis was so overwhelmed by the unfamiliar sights and sounds that he turned and ran home shortly after his father dropped him off.

The newcomer returned the following day and did his best to blend into the crowd. But there was no sign of the guitar that accompanied him to Milam every day for more than a year. In Aprilhe took a job as a truck driver. However, later on in the year, the Sun boss Sam Phillips invited Elvis to come in for a recording session. Initially, the recording session was unpromising, but towards the end of the allotted time, Elvis started to play a song he had composed himself.

Phillips believed that Elvis had a unique voice and talent which could capture the interest of Americans. His performances were a fusion of country, gospel, pop and rhythm and blues. As the leading figure of pop music, Presley was often the target of these criticisms. However, he defended his music saying:. However, if Presley was considered a controversial and a rebellious figure, it just made him more popular with young listeners.

Elvis proved a star attraction on tv talk shows, and the competition between presenters helped to make Elvis a national celebrity. John Lennonof the Beatles, described the effect that Elvis had on his musical development. Before Elvis there was nothing.