When was elvis most popular

Presley attended the Assembly of God Church with his parents, where gospel music became an important influence for him. Presley received his first guitar as a gift from his mother on his 11th birthday in and had his first taste of musical success a few years later when he won a talent show at Humes High School in Memphis. After graduating in , he worked a number of jobs while pursuing his musical dream. He cut his first demo record at what later became known as Sun Studio that year, and before long, Sam Phillips, the record label owner, decided to take the young performer under his wing.

Presley soon began touring and recording, trying to catch his first big break. In , Presley began to develop a following with fans being drawn to his unusual musical style, provocative gyrating hips and good looks.

Presley was on a roll, scoring his first No. Despite the uproar that his sexy dance moves caused, he also became a popular guest on a number of television variety shows. Soon, Presley was everywhere, working as a musician and actor. His first film, Love Me Tender , was a box office hit. Even a stint in the U. He received his draft notice in and was inducted into the Army the following March. He eventually served in Germany for about a year and a half.

Shortly before Presley left for Europe, his beloved mother, Gladys, died. He was granted a leave and returned to Memphis for the funeral. Deeply saddened by her death, Presley returned to duty. While in Germany, his spirits were lifted slightly when he met a young teenager named Priscilla Beaulieu. The pair fell in love and married on May 1, , in Las Vegas, Nevada. After leaving the Army in , Presley 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 such films as Blue Hawaii , Girls! Though his films were often hit or miss with both critics and audiences, they brought in a profit and the soundtracks usually sold well.

By the late s, however, the enigmatic performer appeared to be losing his box office appeal. Proving he was still the "King of Rock 'n' Roll," he recorded his first TV special in , often referred to as the "'68 Comeback. Around this time, Presley's personal life also seemed to be on an upswing. He and Priscilla wed in and had a daughter, Lisa Marie , the following year. Unfortunately, this joyous time would not last.

By the early s, Presley's marriage was falling apart. The couple divorced in , and Priscilla received custody of Lisa Marie. Presley was also wrestling with other personal problems, including a growing addiction to prescription drugs; the once-thin rock star was battling a weight problem, and his destructive lifestyle caught up with him that fall when he was hospitalized for drug-related health problems.

Despite his personal obstacles, Presley remained a popular draw in Las Vegas and on tour. He performed at his last concert in June , in Indianapolis, Indiana. After the concert, he returned home to his Memphis mansion, Graceland, to prepare for another tour.

On the morning of August 16, , Presley died of heart failure, at the age of It was later ruled that his death was related to his prescription drug use. Presley was buried on the Graceland property, near the gravesites of his mother, Gladys, father Vernon and grandmother Minnie Mae Hood Presley. Throughout his amazing career, Presley helped popularize rock 'n' roll music in America. He also won three Grammy Awards for his gospel recordings.

A major musical force, Presley had 18 No. He was one of the first performers inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame But Presley has been recognized for his contributions to several musical genres, most notably rock, country and gospel.

Elvis Presley was born on January 8, He also permanently changed popular music with his unique combination of genres such as blues, country, and gospel. His music, style, and attitude paved the way for the cultural revolution of the s and all that followed. The music of Elvis has been popular since the s. It is estimated that he has sold more than 1 billion albums worldwide. He also sent songs to the Billboard Hot singles chart, even though the chart began about four years after he started releasing music.

These are the artists with the most No. However, some of his most beloved recordings came out as late as the s — a testament to his staying power as an artist. Click here to see the most popular Elvis Presley songs. As the Hot did not begin until August , some Elvis Presley songs did not have the opportunity to chart upon their release — these songs were not penalized in the ranking.