About “The King”
Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor. Regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, he is often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll” or simply “The King.”
Born in Tupelo, MS, Elvis and his family moved to Memphis, TN, when he was 13.
His career began in 1954 when he started to work with Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Elvis was an early popularizer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country, rhythm, and blues.
RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who was to manage the singer for over two decades. Elvis’ first RCA single, “Heartbreak Hotel,” was released in January 1956 and became a hit in the US, paving the way for his rise as the leading figure of rock and roll with many network television appearances and chart-topping records.
Elvis was known for his energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style. All of that, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines that coincided with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, made him enormously popular—and controversial.
In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Two years later, he was drafted into military service. He resumed his recording career two years later, producing some of his most commercially successful work before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and their accompanying soundtrack albums, most of which were critically derided.
1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed televised comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Elvis was featured in the first globally broadcast concert via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii.
Elvis is one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, blues, and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded entertainment, with estimated album sales of around 600 million units worldwide. He was nominated for 14 Grammy Awards, won 3, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple halls of fame.
Born in Tupelo, MS, Elvis and his family moved to Memphis, TN, when he was 13.
His career began in 1954 when he started to work with Sam Phillips, the owner of Sun Records. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Elvis was an early popularizer of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country, rhythm, and blues.
RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who was to manage the singer for over two decades. Elvis’ first RCA single, “Heartbreak Hotel,” was released in January 1956 and became a hit in the US, paving the way for his rise as the leading figure of rock and roll with many network television appearances and chart-topping records.
Elvis was known for his energized interpretations of songs and sexually provocative performance style. All of that, combined with a singularly potent mix of influences across color lines that coincided with the dawn of the Civil Rights Movement, made him enormously popular—and controversial.
In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Two years later, he was drafted into military service. He resumed his recording career two years later, producing some of his most commercially successful work before devoting much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and their accompanying soundtrack albums, most of which were critically derided.
1968, following a seven-year break from live performances, he returned to the stage in the acclaimed televised comeback special Elvis, which led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of highly profitable tours. In 1973, Elvis was featured in the first globally broadcast concert via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii.
Elvis is one of the most celebrated musicians of the 20th century. Commercially successful in many genres, including pop, blues, and gospel, he is the best-selling solo artist in the history of recorded entertainment, with estimated album sales of around 600 million units worldwide. He was nominated for 14 Grammy Awards, won 3, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36, and has been inducted into multiple halls of fame.
Number One Albums
1956
Elvis Presley
Type: Studio/Compilation Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
Elvis
Type: Studio Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 3
1957
Loving You
Type: Soundtrack/Studio Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
Elvis’ Christmas Album
Type: Studio Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 2
1960
Elvis is Back!
Type: Studio
Chart Positions:
- US - 2
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
G.I. Blues
Type: Soundtrack Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
1961
Something for Everybody
Type: Studio
Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 2
Blue Hawaii
Type: Soundtrack Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
1962
Pot Luck
Type: Studio
Chart Positions:
- US - 4
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
1964
Roustabout
Type: Soundtrack Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 12
1969
From Elvis in Memphis
Type: Studio
Chart Positions:
- US - 13
- US Country - 2
- UK - 1
1973
Aloha from Hawaii via Satellite
Type: Live Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - 1
- UK - 11
1974
Elvis: A Legendary Performer Volume 1
Type: Compilation Chart Positions:
- US - 43
- US Country - 1
- UK - 20
1975
Promised Land
Type: Studio Chart Positions:
- US - 47
- US Country - 1
- UK - 21
1976
From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee
Type: Studio Chart Positions:
- US - 41
- US Country - 1
- UK - 29
1977
Elvis’ 40 Greatest
Type: Compilation
Chart Positions:
- US - n.a.
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
Moody Blue
Type: Studio/Live Chart Positions:
- US - 3
- US Country - 1
- UK - 3
Elvis in Concert
Type: Live
Chart Positions:
- US - 5
- US Country - 1
- UK - 13
2002
ELV1S: 30 No. 1 Hits
Type: Compilation Chart Positions:
- US - 1
- US Country - 1
- UK - 1
2007
Elvis is the King
Type: Compilation Chart Positions:
- US - n.a.
- US Country - n.a.
- UK - 1
