ANNCR:
Now, PEOPLE IN AMERICA, a program in Special English on the Voiceof America. Today Rich Kleinfeldt and Steve Ember tell about singerElvis Presley who died twenty-five years ago this week.
((MUSIC: “HOUND DOG”))
VOICE ONE:
That song, “Hound Dog,” was one of Elvis Presley’s most popularrecords. It sold five-million copies in Nineteen-Fifty-Six. Musicindustry experts say more than one-thousand-million of Elvis’srecordings have sold throughout the world. He was a success in manydifferent kinds of music — popular, country, religious, and rhythmand blues.
Elvis Presley won many awards from nations all over the world,yet he did not record in any language other than English. He neverperformed outside the United States, except for three shows inCanada. Yet, his recordings and films have been, and are still,enjoyed by people all over the world.
VOICE TWO:
Elvis Aaron Presley was born in the southern town of Tupelo,Mississippi, on January eighth, Nineteen-Thirty-Five. His family wasextremely poor.
During his childhood, he sang inchurch with his parents. He also listened to music that influencedhis later singing, including country, rhythm and blues, andreligious music. Elvis and his family moved to Memphis, Tennesseewhen he was thirteen.
After high school, he had several jobs, including driving atruck. In Nineteen-Fifty-Three, he made his first recording, of thissong, “My Happiness”:
((MUSIC: MY HAPPINESS))
VOICE ONE:
Elvis Presley recorded the song at the Memphis Recording Service.The story is that he paid four dollars to make a recording for hismother.
A woman who worked at the public recording studio had another jobwith a local independent record company called Sun Records. She madea second recording of Elvis’s songs because she thought the owner ofSun Records should hear him sing.
VOICE TWO:
The owner of Sun Records, Sam Phillips, had been looking for awhite performer who could sing black rhythm and blues. He suggestedElvis work with a guitar player and a bass player. Several monthslater Mister Phillips agreed to have the group make a record. It wasreleased on July nineteenth, Nineteen-Fifty-Four. One of the songswas “That’s All Right”:
((MUSIC: “THAT’S ALL RIGHT”))
The record sold well in Memphis, and was a played a lot on localradio stations. To let others hear Elvis, Sam Phillips organized aseries of performances at country fairs in the area. One of thepeople who heard Elvis perform at these shows was Colonel TomParker. Elvis signed an agreement that Colonel Parker would organizehis appearances.
One of Elvis’ first new recordings became a huge hit, and led tohis many appearances on television. It was “Heartbreak Hotel”:
((MUSIC: “HEARTBREAK HOTEL”))
VOICE ONE:
By the middle of the Nineteen-Fifties, Elvis Presley was knownaround the world as the young man who moved his hips in a sexual wayas he sang rock and roll music. Many adults said he and his musicwere bad influences on young people. Young women loved him. Hugecrowds attended his performances.
He made his first movie in Nineteen-Fifty-Six. It was “Love MeTender.” The title song was a big hit.
((MUSIC: “LOVE ME TENDER”))
VOICE TWO:
Elvis Presley was one of the highest paid actors in Hollywood fora number of years in the Nineteen-Fifties. He acted in thirty-onemovies. In Nineteen-Fifty-Eight, just as he finished making themovie “King Creole,” Elvis received notice that he had to serve inthe United States Army. He was stationed in Germany where he livedin a large house and dated a lot of beautiful women. One young girlhe met in Germany was Priscilla Beaulieu, the daughter of an Armyofficer. She was fourteen years old.
Later, after Elvis had finished his army service, she came tolive with him in Memphis. They married in Nineteen-Sixty-Seven, whenshe was twenty-one years old. He was thirty-two. They became parentsnine months later of a baby girl, Lisa Marie.
VOICE ONE:
Colonel Parker made sure that songs Elvis had recorded earlierwere released during the years he was in the army. So Elvis was justas popular after his military service as he was before it.
Elvis Presley won the three of the music industry’s highestaward, the Grammy. He received the first one inNineteen-Sixty-Seven. It was for “How Great Thou Art,” an album ofreligious music.
((MUSIC: “HOW GREAT THOU ART”))
VOICE TWO:
Elvis returned to performing live shows in Nineteen-Sixty-Nine,in Las Vegas, Nevada. He then traveled around the country performingbefore huge crowds. He began to take drugs to help him sleep. Hegained a lot of weight so he took drugs to help control his weight.And he took extremely strong drugs to reduce pain
Elvis also suffered from theemotional sickness, depression. It became worse after his marriageended. Elvis never permitted Priscilla to stay with him in Las Vegasor travel with him around the country. He also did not wantPriscilla to see other people when he was away from home. And hespent time with other women. Priscilla finally left him inNineteen-Seventy-Two for another man.
VOICE ONE:
Elvis Presley released many recordings of his performances duringthe Nineteen-Seventies. He also enjoyed great success on television.His Nineteen-Seventy-Three television show from Hawaii was seen inforty countries by more than one-thousand-million people. His lastrecord album was called “Moody Blue.” He recorded it inNineteen-Seventy-Six. One of its hit songs was called “Way Down”:
((MUSIC: “WAY DOWN”))
VOICE TWO:
Elvis Presley died on August sixteenth, Nineteen-Seventy-Seven.First reports said he had a heart attack, but later tests showedmany drugs in his body. Experts agree that these drugs probablycaused his death. Hundreds of thousands of people still visit hishome, Graceland, in Memphis every year. Fans continue to buy hismusic, making him the most popular recording artist ever. ElvisPresley remains the undisputed King of Rock and Roll.
((MUSIC: “GOOD ROCKIN’ TONIGHT”))
ANNCR:
This Special English program was written by Nancy Steinbach. RichKleinfeldt and Steve Ember were the narrators. The producer was PaulThompson. I’m Mary Tillotson. Listen again next week for anotherPEOPLE IN AMERICA program on the Voice of America.