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Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron 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. He
remains a pop icon and is regarded as one the most significant and
influential entertainers of the last fifty years. Presley is one of
the most talked about and written about performers of the 20th
Century. (Presley's birth certificate uses the spelling "Aaron", and
his estate has designated this as the official spelling of his
middle name. He used the name because of his twin brother, Aaron,
who died at birth, so Elvis would always have a part of his brother
with him.)
Presley started as a singer of rockabilly, singing many songs from
rhythm and blues, gospel and country. He was first billed as "The
Hillbilly Cat". His combination of country music with bluesy vocals
and a strong back beat marked a clear path toward rock & roll. He
was the most commercially successful singer of rock and roll, but he
also had success with ballads, country, gospel, blues, pop, folk and
even semi-operatic and jazz standards. His voice, which developed
into many voices as his career progressed, had always a unique
tonality and an extraordinarily unusual center of gravity, leading
to his ability to tackle a range of songs and melodies which would
be nearly impossible for most other popular singers to achieve. In a
musical career of over two decades, Presley set many records, such
as concert attendance, television ratings, and records sales, and
became one of the best-selling artists in music history.
In the late 1960s, Presley re-emerged as a live performer of old and
new hit songs, both on tour and in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he was
known for his on-stage highly energetic performances both vocally
and physically, his sartorial jump-suits and capes adding to the
drama. He attracted massive attendance figures. His concert
performances were staggering in quantity, considering they numbered
1,145 in 8 years, 1969-1977. He continued to perform to sold-out
auditoriums around the U.S. until his sudden death in 1977.[1][2][3]
Although his passing was at first a great shock to his fans, it soon
became clear that he had been far from healthy in the years leading
up to his death (having struggled with obesity, depression, and
severe prescription drug abuse). Nevertheless, there is still much
confusion and general controversy surrounding his death.
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