Elvis Presley: The King of rock n' roll

More important from a music lover's perspective, however, are his remarkable artistic achievements. Elvis was the first to assertively fuse country and blues music into the style known as 'rockabilly'. His explosive stage presence set standards for the music's visual image; his vocals were incredibly powerful and versatile.

Presley's first single was That's all right Mama (1954), a version of an Arthur Crudup blues tune. He began singing for the label RCA in 1955. His single, Heartbreak Hotel rose to number one and aided by some national television appearances, helped make Elvis an instant superstar. I want you was another chart-topping follow-up.

Elvis' aspirations were too big to be limited to records and live appearances. Late 1956 saw the release of his first Hollywood movie, Love Me Tender. This was followed by other screen ventures. However, in smoky, sentimental ballads such as Loving you, Elvis' vocal swoops became more exaggerated and stereotypical.

While there were some quality efforts on Presley's early '60s albums, his discography was soon dominated by forgettable soundtracks. By 1967 and 1968, there were slight stirrings of an artistic reawakening by Elvis through singles like Guitar Man, Big Boss Man, and US male.

The 1968 album Elvis in Memphis was the first LP in nearly a decade in which Presley seemed cognizant of current trends. 1969 hits like Suspicious minds and In the ghetto, returned him to the top of the charts. Elvis returned to live performing in 1969, breaking in with weeks of shows in Las Vegas. Elvis' final years have been the subject of a cottage industry of celebrity bios, tell-alls, and gossip screeds from those who "knew him well". He became isolated from the outside world except for professional purposes, rarely venturing outside of his Graceland mansion in Memphis.

On August 16, 1977, Presley was found dead in Graceland. The cause of death remains a subject of widespread speculation. An immediate cult sprang up around his legacy, kept alive by the hundreds of thousands of visitors who make the pilgrimage to Graceland annually. Elvis memorabilia is another industry in its own right. Dozens, if not hundreds make a comfortable living by impersonating 'the King' in live shows. And then there are all those Elvis sightings, reported in tabloids on a seemingly weekly basis.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent