ELVIS PRESLEY
When Elvis died on 16th August, 1977, radio and television programmes all over the world were interrupted to give the news of his death. President Carter was asked to declare a day of national mourning. Carter said: ‘ Elvis Presley changed the face of American popular culture …. He was unique and irreplaceable. ‘ Eighty thousand people attended his funeral. The street were jammed, and Elvis Presley film were shown on television, and his record were played on the radio all day. In the year after his death, 100 million Presley LPs were sold.
Elvis Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo, Mississippi. His twin brother was died at birth. His parent were very poor and Elvis never had music lessons, but he was surrounded by music from an early age. His parents were very religious, and Elvis regularly sang at church services. In 1948,when he was thirteen, his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee. He left school and got a job as a truck driver.
In the summer of 1953 Elvis paid $4 and record two songs for his mother’s birthday  at Sam Phillips heard Record and asked him to record That’s All Right in July 1954. 20,000 copies were sold, mainly in and around Memphis. He made five more records for Sun and in July 1955 he met Colonel Tom Parker, who became his manager in November. Parker sold Elvis’ contract to RCA Records. Sun record got $35,000 and Elvis got $5,000.With the money he bought a pink Cardillac for his mother. On 10th January, 1956, Elvis recorded Heartbreak Hotel,  and million copies were sold. In the next fourteen months he made another fourteen records, and they were all big hits. In 1936 he also made his film in Hollywood.
In march, 1958, Elvis had to join the army. He wanted to be an ordinary soldier. When his hair was cut thousands of women cried. He spent the next two years in Germany, where he met Priscilla Beaulieu, who became his wife eight years later on 1st May, 1967.In 1960 he left the army and went to Hollywood where he made several film during the next few years.
By 1968 many people had become tired of Elvis Presley. He hadn’t  performed live since 1960. But he recorded a new LP From Elvis in Memphis  and appeared in a special television programme. He became popular again, and went to Las Vegas, where he was paid $750,000 for four weeks. In 1972 his wife left him, and they were divorced in October, 1973. He died from a heart attack. He had been working too hard, and eating and drinking too much for several years. He left all his money to his only daughter, Lisa Marie Presley. She became one of the richest people in the world when she was only nine years old.