Eventually, in an almost “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em” fashion, Elvis appealed to nearly everyone, drawing fans from all walks of life and from generations that initially were threatened by what his music and his style embodied. Why? Because he bonded with people at an extrasensory level through his personality as much as (if not more than) through his songs. His music had cultural relevance in sound and message; his lyrics, style, and delivery reflected his core market at the time; and he influenced how teens danced and dressed.

Consequently, he was adopted by the culture, becoming an icon dubbed the King of Rock and Roll, and he ruled the music industry for decades. Today, over 25 years after his death, he is actually more successful than he was in the latter part of his career.

Many rock and roll bands followed, striving for the impact and connection Elvis had with his fans. Some were successful; others weren’t. But all were aided by the King of Rock and Roll, who paved the way for the mainstream rockers of the 1960s-from Bob Dylan to the Beatles-and opened the door for the next wave-from the Rolling Stones to Led Zeppelin.

Elvis’s passion never swayed far from his roots. He loved gospel music; it was his favorite to listen to and to sing. Though he gave a generation of fans a soundtrack of music to live by-”Love Me Tender” for romantic moments, “In the Ghetto” for reflective times, and “Jailhouse Rock,” “Blue Suede Shoes,” and “Hound Dog” for dancing-he would be most honored and recognized for his gospel works. During the span of his relatively short career, the King of Rock and Roll was nominated for 16 Grammy awards, but ironically never won one for rock and roll.

Elvis crossed many established lines. Just as Microsoft would dominate the computer industry decades later by combining the best practices and innovations of other industry pioneers, Elvis rolled R&B, gospel, and country into a new form of music that would go on to rock the world for the rest of the century. He also pushed the envelope of what society considered sexually appropriate. And finally, Elvis himself broke the race barrier by being white and singing black.

Soul singer James Brown said it well: “Elvis taught white people how to get down.” Not everyone was ready for Elvis and his provocative style; he encountered resistance from many traditional, suburban, middleincome, family oriented people. Appearing on Ed Sullivan’s Toast of the Town took Elvis from the fringe of society to the mainstream. Sullivan’s show dominated television ratings at that time, reflecting and influencing American culture with each act it presented. Initially rebuffed as unsuitable for a family show, Elvis was later booked by Sullivan for three appearances, despite protests from segregationist leaders and parents concerned that his type of music would corrupt American youth. His hip, leg, and arm movements, many of which he adapted from what he had seen in black churches and in the performances of the Statesmen Quartet, the Blackwood Brothers, and other gospel groups, were so controversial that Sullivan decreed that Elvis was not to be shown below the waist. Elvis was also told not to perform gospel songs on the air, a directive he defied with his rendition of “Peace in the Valley,” reportedly because it was his mother’s favorite.

Young people embraced rock and roll, but older Americans hesitated to accept the music; they saw it as a threat to the white bread culture of the early 1950s. There was an all too familiar dissention among the generations about things that affect culture-appearance, sex, language, music, and other contributors to the overall makeup of values and morals. But these 1950s teenagers, like most teens, rebelled and broke the rules. The music, the message, and eventually the lifestyle of rock and roll began to transcend racial, ethnic, and cultural lines, moving from the minority culture toward a mass market. The primary conduit for this transition would be none other than Elvis Presley.

American Culture B .E . and A.E .

Elvis was born in 1936 in Tupelo, Mississippi, where he grew up in a modest, predominantly black neighborhood. He was raised in a religious home and loved attending church from the time he was a young boy. Though he belonged to a Pentecostal church in Tupelo, he reportedly sneaked out frequently to the African American church around the corner, where he absorbed the sounds of gospel choirs and singers.

Gospel music became his first love as he sang with his black friends and their families, learning the rhythms and sounds of their music.

Elvis went on to cut his first record in 1952, motivated primarily by his desire to make a recording for his mother. But the executives at Sun Records knew they were hearing-and watching-something special. The way he sang his particular style of rock and roll was unique; the way he moved was edgy; his looks were movie star quality; and his connection with people who watched was intense.