Elvis Presley died 40 years ago, but his talent and image are always inspiring.
In August 1977, singer-songwriter Elvis Presley was found dead at his home in the United States at the age of 42. More than a decade later, in 1992, the U.S. Postal Service adopted Elvis Presley as its postage stamp. It's the glamorous, athletic, and idealistic 20-year-old image of the King of Rock 'n' Roll. The stamp remains one of the most popular stamps of all time. Every year on January 8, fans around the world celebrate their birthday and remember America's great Rock 'n' Roll.
A featured image of Elvis Presley's glamorous dance in the 1950s.
An ideal Elvis
What made Elvis Presley so timeless attractive was his talent for performing. John Covach, director of the University of Rochester Institute of Popular Music, told The Huffington Post: "His outstanding performance and classic recordings made Elvis Presley play an important role in the early days of Rock 'n' Roll. Listening to and watching his recordings from the 1950s, when he was only 20 years old, the audience noticed a singer with a top-notch voice with a rich tonal range and a master of stage movements."
More than half a century ago, Elvis Presley entered the music industry innocently next to music manager Tom Parker. On stage, the young man with a slightly slender body, a face that can seduce any girl shows a rebellious artist personality through a unique natural style.
In addition to the performance technique that attracts viewers, Elvis Presley also skillfully chooses the right song for his voice and choreography. Before his debut single Heartbreak Hotel was released in 1956, Elvis Presley argued bitterly with RCA Records to get the single allowed to be released. At the time, RCA thought the product wouldn't succeed because it was unfamiliar, but Elvis knew better than they did. Heartbreak Hotel ended up being one of the few best-selling singles of the year, reaching over one million copies, and later became one of the classic singles not only by the musician but also the American music industry.
Elvis Presley of the second half of the 1950s was called the "ideal Elvis". Rock 'n' Roll music of this period contributed significantly to his rise to become the most famous and influential artist of the 20th century. The image of the sporty 20-year-old is also the image printed on North American stamps and is now most remembered.
The King of Rock 'n' Roll on Film
After conquering the peak of music, Elvis Presley encroached on cinema. Over the next decade, in parallel with singing, Elvis Presly starred in nearly 30 films such as Love Me Tender 1956, G.I Blues 1960, Wilde in the Country, Live a Little, Love a Little, The Trouble with Girls, Blue Hawaii ... However, whether playing a playboy dude, a chaste boy or an American cowboy in romantic films or musicals, Elvis' performance was never critically acclaimed.
Even Elvis Presley always felt trapped in somewhat superficially written roles, leaving himself with no room to reveal the level of artistry he believed he could achieve. However, for a large number of fans, these movies are a great opportunity to enjoy the image of the charming singer.
After terminating his film contract, Elvis Presley eagerly returned to the somewhat adventurous dynamic image from the beginning of his career. In 1968, on the American musical television show Comeback Special, Elvis Presley regained the performance he had built. Dressed in a black leather suit over a tanned athletic body, Elvis touched the emotions they saw in the beginning. When Elvis returned to music, the Beatles were on the rise, just releasing The White album and the Rolling Stones started with Beggars Banquet.
From the summer of 1969, Elvis Presley began participating in long-running music shows in Las Vegas (USA), and many people refer to this period as the "classic Elvis" era. During this time, he wore jumpsuits with sparkling jewelry and danced karate-like dances in dramatic songs. This image immediately became influential throughout the 1970s, leading countless singers to choose this model to imitate singing for money. However, for many fans, this was a period that marked Elvis' downfall, from an idol with a rebellious look and personality to a more marketable and purely entertaining. "But love and hate, the image at the end of his career is as iconic as the image of the early days," said music expert John Covach.
In the last years of his life, Elvis Presley fell into crisis. The addiction to opium led to a series of health problems, his physique became fat, but the singer still actively performed, as if singing was his life.
Elvis Presley was one of the 20th century cultural icons.
After his death, Elvis Presley became a legend. He is a symbol present on costumes, television or everyday objects. In the 21st century, fans remember Elvis in many ways, from voting on music streaming for a great song or album to finding places where Elvis performed, to even partying like a prince's lifestyle ("The King" is Elvis Presley's nickname).
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