Elvis

• Engels
• Basisschool
• Groep 7,8

Elvis Presley

The King of Rock & Roll

Do you recognize this song?

Who is Elvis? 

This was his house 

This picture was taken in 1948, how old is 

Elvis in the picture? 

Elvis Aaron Presley was born on January 8, 1935, in Tupelo (a small town), Mississippi (a state), America.

Elvis came from a very poor family. He also had a twin brother who sadly died at birth. This was very hard for his mother, Gladys. Elvis and his mother were very close. He loved her very much and she always believed in him.

Elvis was a restless boy, always looking for challenges. One of his biggest passions was music. He wanted to make his mother happy, so he decided to give her a special birthday present — a song.

In 1954, when Elvis recorded "That's All Right", his mother was very proud but also a little worried. She did not want to lose him to fame. Elvis always said he was doing it all for her. Their strong bond stayed special, even when Elvis became famous.

The birth of Rock & Roll

Elvis loved gospel music, especially from Black people in Mississippi. But he was a white boy. He mixed Black music with white music — country and blues — and made the songs faster. This was very new at the time.

This mix of styles became something special: Rock & Roll was born.

Elvis was a very active young man. He often moved his hips to the rhythm of the music. Many religious people did not like this, but Elvis could not help it — it was just how he felt the music.

Young people loved it. They thought it was cool and exciting. That is why Elvis became very popular. His music journey grew fast. He went from a small studio to a big record company.

He even made a music video for his famous song "Jailhouse Rock". This scene from the movie is considered one of the first music videos in pop culture history.

Elvis and his manager

A lot of this success happened because of his manager. His name was Tom Parker. He was from the Netherlands, but he stayed in America illegally. He could not leave the country, because he might not be allowed to come back.

Tom Parker saw that Elvis could make a lot of money. He managed everything for Elvis and made sure he became very famous. Even when Elvis had to go to Germany for his military service, Tom Parker kept his career going.

When Elvis returned to America, he was still very popular. He even started acting in movies. His career continued to grow and he became even more famous all over the world.

After the army

When Elvis came back from the army, he was still very popular. He started acting in many movies and continued to sing. 

                                        During his time in the army, he had met Priscilla Beaulieu.                                          They fell in love and later got married in 1967. Together                                                they had a daughter, Lisa Marie.

Elvis's career stayed strong. In 1968, he became famous again with his Comeback Special on TV. Fans were very happy to see him perform like in the old days.

Elvis in the 1970s

Music changed fast, and so did Elvis. The style of music was different, but his voice stayed special and easy to recognize.

As he became even more famous, life got harder. He could no longer walk down the street like a normal person. The pressure was very high.

Elvis’s lifestyle became extreme. He needed medicine to stay awake and to sleep. He also loved strange food, like peanut butter and banana sandwiches.

His clothes became colourful and shiny, especially during 

his Las Vegas shows. In the 1970s, Elvis sang many big songs there.

 Songs like Suspicious Minds, Burning Love and An American Trilogy 

were very popular. His voice stayed strong and fans loved his exciting shows.

The end of Elvis’s life

The group of friends around Elvis became smaller. He was no longer just a normal man. His world became smaller too, and later in life, he did not really know what normal was anymore.

In his heart, he was still the kind, polite boy from Tupelo. But in America, money is very important. If you have a lot of money, you can buy almost anything — except happiness.

This crazy lifestyle was too much. It finally cost Elvis his life. He died in 1977, when he was only 42 years old.

Still, his music stayed popular. Young people loved his style, and many new musicians copied his sound. New kinds of music started to grow, and music keeps changing even today.

Elvis is still alive

Even though Elvis died in 1977, his legend is still alive today. Many people still love his music and style. Already during his life, he was called "The King of Rock & Roll" because he made this new music so popular. After his death, this name became even more famous and is now part of his story forever.

Elvis’s home, Graceland, is now a famous place. Fans from all over the world visit it every year. They want to see where Elvis lived and feel close to him.

Elvis is buried at Graceland, together with his mother Gladys, his twin brother Jesse, his daughter Lisa Marie, and his grandson Benjamin. It is a peaceful place where fans can remember him and his family.

Elvis’s music, style, and story continue to inspire people. In many ways, he is still alive in hearts and songs all around the world.

Final task

You have learned a lot about Elvis Presley.

Now, it’s time to show what you know!

→ Complete the worksheet with questions about Elvis.