Elvis Aron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. He was raised in a working class family and they had little money so they moved from place to place frequently. His family was religious and Elvis was raised to have a strong faith in God. He attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an important influence for him. Elvis received his first guitar as a gift from his mother on his 11th birthday in 1946 and a few years later he won a talent show at Humes High School in Memphis. After graduating in 1953, he worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. Elvis recorded his first demo at Sun Studio and Sam Phillips, the record label owner, took interest in Elvis decided to take him under his …show more content…
He soon began touring and recording, trying to catch his first big break. "That's All Right" was his first single in 1954. In 1955, Elvis began to develop a following with fans. He signed with RCA Records that same year. In 1956, Elvis scored his first No. 1 single with "Heartbreak Hotel," as well as his first No. 1 album, Elvis Presley, and signing a movie contract with Paramount Pictures. Elvis was everywhere; He was on the radio, the television, and the silver screen, working as a musician and actor. His first film, Love Me Tender (1956), was a box office hit. Even though Elvis had a thriving career, it did not put a stop to the U.S. Army sending him a draft notice. Elvis served in the army in Europe until 1960. When he returned he resumed his career and was soon back at the top of the charts with the soundtrack for his film GI Blues. He continued recording music and acting in films like Blue Hawaii (1961), Girls! Girls!