House of Rock and Roll

Elvis Presley and the Stanley Brothers

Let me tell you about my brother

A brother like no other

His father married my mother

But he’s more than a brother

Wherever I go

The people keep asking me

What’s it like to be the brother

Of a Celebrity……

By Billy Stanley

Billy, Rick and David grew very close to Elvis.

Elvis wasn’t only their big brother, he became a role model the boys admired and loved.

When Rick was in first grade of school, he remembers his first time autograph. Rick was feeling pretty sure of himself this day, as he approached some of the seventh grade girls asking them if they wanted his autograph. Sure enough being Elvis’ little brother they weren’t about to say no, so Rick took out his crayon and started signing, just like his big brother.

Being apart of Elvis’ world for the Stanley brothers was fun, exhilarating and at times frightening when they found themselves suddenly thrust into Elvis Presley’s golden aura. In the years to follow, it became more evident to the boys the powerful effect Elvis Presley’s presents had on the world.

To Billy, Rick and David, Elvis was just a guy that they loved. But as the boys would soon learn through experiences watching the rest of the world going crazy over their stepbrother, Elvis was more than just a guy they loved.

The Stanley boys new experience being stepbrothers to the King of Rock and Roll wasn’t always fun and games, it could get serious very quickly.

Dee Presley’s concerns about the effects of Elvis’ wealth and fame on her boys were always a high priority. As the years went by, Dee would have the boys involved in Sunday schools, summer camps, swimming pools, and a controlled group of screened friends.

Dee would offer to her boys the more conventional life in respect of the unconventional circumstances. Billy remembers, it being a fairly strict life.

Vernon would make sure the boys understood some rules with being apart of his sons world, having them aware of the situation as Elvis’ stepbrothers. The boys are about to learn their first rule.

LESSON ONE: Never, under any circumstances, reveal anything concerning Elvis to the public or the press. This was the Golden rule, the boys always respected this rule.

Billy, Rick and David all grew up very security minded and tight lipped with any conversation outside the walls of Graceland.

The boys always looked forward to Elvis’ return to Graceland. Naturally, the feeling was mutual, Elvis also looked forward to being home with his stepbrothers, but there were occasions where the age difference would effect Elvis and he simply didn’t want his stepbrothers around.

Billy, Rick and David learned how to be aware of these occasions, giving Elvis his space and respecting his privacy, even though the boys longed to be in their big brothers company.

But Elvis would spend valuable time with his brothers; he would go all out when he had his brothers on board. Offering his brothers endless hours of fun excitement and adventure.

When they all got together, Elvis ran the boys ragged involving them in a range of activities.

There were times they would all be off to Memphis at midnight in his fleet of cars, and times involving country side all night horse rides. Other occasions involved all night movies, when Elvis rented the movie theater from Paul Shafer.

There was a range of exciting experiences for the boys, go-cart racing, and touring around on Elvis’ motor bikes at exhilarating speeds. When the boys were bigger, they would be included in Elvis’ football games.

Ricky remembers, they would always team up against Elvis, and Elvis being the speedy sure handed flanker, he would knock the boys flying at full strength. Elvis being both big brother and father figure to the boys, the boys would turn to Elvis for advice.

Elvis was always happy to offer when any of his brothers reached for it, Elvis wasn’t one to tell them what to do; he would give his opinion on the matter, leaving it completely in the hands of the one involved to work it out.

A Brief Elvis Presley Biography And How The King Lived

If you think about rock and roll then the first person that comes to mind is Elvis Presley. We know him as the “King” — his voice, looks, and moves have captivated us all in a timeless loop of the 70′s and many today are seen impersonating him by wearing an Elvis jumpsuit, toning their voices to match his, and imitating his legendary moves. But do we really know him?

The Elvis Presley biography started when this cultural icon was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in January 1935. Both as an actor and musician in the entertainment industry, the King became one of the widely celebrated men even after he died on August 1977.

Elvis’s introduction to music started with his church — the Assembly of God — in Tupelo. His first music debut was in 1945 when he joined a singing competition held during the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. He won 5th place when he sang “Old Shep” by Red Foley. His 11th birthday marked a lot of changes in his musical talents. His parents gifted him with a guitar with his family giving him lessons.

The King of Rock and Roll moved to Memphis in September 1948 along with the rest of his family and relatives. This might be where most people would say that Elvis Presley biography would all tell about his success in the entertainment industry. Despite his musical talents, Elvis was a shy boy and would often withdraw from attention even if his peers asked him to play his “hillbilly” music with his guitar. He got his first job as an usher in 1950 but was made to quite since his mother doesn’t want him to compromise his schooling.

The shy boy Elvis finally gave up on his shy side and started wearing flashy outfits of the Lansky Brothers. He was always a contestant during musical contents hosted by his school and would win prizes with his talents. His growth in the musical career was fostered by his constant listening and adoration of music from jukeboxes and radios.     

Lots of Elvis Presley biography out there would say that the King started off grandiose, when, in fact, he didn’t. As a truck driver, Elvis made do with some recordings with not much success. He flunked one recording that would have supposedly jumpstarted his career but was later given a second chance that credited to his future as a musician.

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How did Elvis Presley Influence Dancing?

Elvis Presley is well known as the King of Roll and Roll, but this man had an influence in the areas of movies and dancing as well. If you aren’t aware of his influence over dancing then you definitely need to keep on reading. It is hard to imagine that when Elvis first was on TV, appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show, shaking his hips to his music outraged many people. They felt his moves were too sexual in nature and they also believed that he was a white man trying to dance like he was black.

For a while it became quite a controversy for him to be on shows. In fact, many of the producers only wanted to show him from the waist up so that they wouldn’t offend their viewers. Even so, there was no stopping the following that Elvis developed in part due to his amazing dancing abilities. It seemed that people all over the world just couldn’t get enough of him.

His concerts in Las Vegas and other venues around the world always sold out. Many of those that came to see him made it clear that while they loved his voice they were there for many other reasons. Among them was the fact that they loved his dance style and it was wonderful to see him offering something so new and so energetic to the crowd before him.

Many teenagers loved this rock and roll man, and it also offered them a way to freely rebel against their parents. They also found his style of dancing gave them something new to work with that wasn’t a rehash of what their parents had been dancing to. The fact that they could call this their own was magical and it allowed it to really take of. There aren’t many people who were teenagers in that era that don’t remember dancing to Elvis music and loving it.

Many of the movies that Elvis played roles in included music and dancing as well. These roles set a new boundary for what could be seen on the big screen. It helped to pave the way for the public to take an interest in dancing at a new level as well. They were willing to take those moves that they saw from Elvis and try them out on their own in many instances as well.

Unfortunately, a great deal of the dancing that Elvis did wasn’t really appreciated until after his death. Many believe he was decades ahead of his time with the visions that he had. He wasn’t a rebel as so many critics back then labeled him. Instead he was an artistic genius. If you ask any great dancers or musicians out there today many of them will tell you that one of their inspirations has always been Elvis.

Today there are many people that try to successfully impersonate both the sounds and the dance moves of Elvis. You can find plenty of them in Las Vegas at shows as well as being offered for weddings. Of course it takes a great deal of skill to be able to pull this one off successfully. The critics are very tough on these impersonators so only the best of the best are hired.

There is no denying that the legacy of Elvis is alive and well today. There are so many remarkable things that he was able to accomplish in his lifetime. History will always remember him though as a man that was able to balance music with dancing, and who was creative enough not to let society or the industry limit his talents.

A Look Into The Life of Elvis Presley — And His Fashion

Aside from being the king of rock and roll, one of the few things that made Elvis Presley stand out as one of the greatest men alive is his fashion statement. Today, many events feature a lot of Elvis costumes – jumpsuits, sunglasses, even the haircut that made him famous all around the globe. If you really want to get to know the start of his fashion then you might want to read through Elvis Presley biography first.

If you read the life story of Elvis Presley, then you will see that he started out as any normal kid in the early 19th century. He has always been a shy boy — both in school and church — and doesn’t stand out in the crowd. His fashion sense started when he moved to Memphis with the rest of his family in 1950. He started growing out his sideburns and start dressing up in the flashy costumes of the Lansky Brothers.

Most Elvis Presley biography give a lot of definition to his hairstyle. The sideburn is practically the most notable feature of this cultural icon. Others would include his white jacket with flashy rhinestones that carries a lot of weight to his appeal, especially on stage.

But despite this popular outfit of the King of Rock and Roll, he first started out as would be normally seen in people during that in time — striped shirt tucked neatly into tight-fitting jeans, and, of course, leather or a plain jacket to spark of the Presley mood. Since he started out his career as a truck driver, his main outfit included rugged jeans and shirts.

Elvis’ fashion sense improved when he moved up into his career as a musician. He is often seen wearing heavily decorated skin-tight jumpsuit with a high collar, white boots, white bell bottom pants, and, of course, his patented hairstyle and sideburns.

Of course, you would never be a true Elvis fan if you don’t consider his trademark sunglasses — brown-tinted lens and a heavy frame that brings out his distinguished looks — which he is never without during concerts when you read through this Elvis Presley biography.

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Elvis 30 Years After His Death

The phrase “Elvis has left the building” was one that was inscribed in the annals of pop music history during the seventies as the one that was repeated almost after every one of Elvis’s concerts probably to tell the audience that Elvis would not be coming back on stage.

To many at the time of his death Elvis was an icon in the field of rock n’ roll music. This adulation not coming without cause as he was and still is the best selling recording artist of all time as well as being one of the if not the biggest money making nonliving artist. It is estimated that revenue from his music as well as home “Graceland” (it being the most visited home in America baring “The White House”) hovers over the 42 million dollars a year mark, this figure putting him on an equal footing with many of today’s top paid entertainers. It goes without saying that these statistics are impressive for anybody’s standard but how does one judge the significance of the legacy of an artist or person? Should it be financial success alone that determines it? I do not believe this should be the case with art but what should be is how it endures the test of time. In the case of the late Elvis Aaron Presley after still being so well remembered by his fans some of whom had not even born when he passed away it would be safe to say that his work has passed that test in which I belief all art should be measured by.

I for my part was 10 years of age when Elvis Presley passed away in “Graceland”, Located on “Elvis Presley Boulevard” in Memphis, Tennessee 30 years ago on the 16th of August in 1977. I at the time of his death did not really know all that much about Elvis other then that he was a singer who stared in light comedies which were often shown on television so it would be hard for me to say that I experienced a great sense of loss because of his bereavement. Another factor which put distance between myself and the hysteria that surrounded his demise was that I found myself in Argentina at the time living with my grandmother so I did not experience the media event as much as if I had been in the States. Naturally however when a person of Elvis’s fame expires the news is heard all over the world sparing no country no matter how far as was the case with Elvis.

At the time of this death I particularly remember reading a lot about him and even hearing some of his music, some of which I had already heard not knowing it was his at the time. A lot of his music however was unfamiliar to me because music was not something that at the age of 10 was of particular interest to me. Eventually I did become interested in music very much so but not in pop or Rock music but in classical music which is what I write about today and follow in the way of frequenting the opera as well as the philharmonic on numerous occasions.

With regards to Elvis I can not really lay claim to being a rock n’ roll fan nor an Elvis fan but what I can say in all honesty is that I have a great deal of respect for his musical talent even if it was in an area of music that is other then my preference. He to my way of seeing things is proof that a person with talent can create something of value in any kind of music even one which though simplistic specially when compared to classical still has something to offer to the emotions in us.

Tragically by the end of his short life which ended at the age of 42 he had become very much overweight going over the 300 pound barrier making him loose his fine figure and altering his facial features for the worse as it gave his face the appearance of being swollen. Prescribed medicine had also had its way with him as he had become addicted to what would eventually cause the heart attack which ended not only his great career but life. The ironic matter in all this was that while his physical appearance as well as health were in decline his voice was doing the reverse. His vocal powers were increasing in not only range but depth making his voice truly wonderful in a kind of music that is not generally known for having great voices in the same way opera is. I may not be an admirer of his in the way many are but I would have to give credit as it is due for the way he made songs like “For The Good Times”, “American Trilogy”, “You Gave Me a Mountain” “Love Me Tender” and several others far too many to mention legendary.

As for his music I can not declare it to be my favorite but on the other hand I do find something that draws me to listen to it specially when I wish to relax with a drink after work. Naturally no “New Year’s Eve” or “birthday party” of mine would be complete as their would be no dancing without him and his “Blue Suede Shoes”.

In conclusion I would like to say that Elvis was many things to many people but I can not speak for many people therefore I will limit myself to speaking about my wife, daughter and myself. To my wife he is the man who lead her to paying me the biggest complete I have ever received concerning my looks when she said that I resembled him. To my daughter who is 9 he is basis on which one of her favorite cartoon characters “Johnny Bravo” is based on. For myself I will say that he is a man who was a good singer in his category of music and confirms that if a person believes in his or her talent though other so called experts may not, they will triumph. After all he was once told by the people at the “Grand Ole Opry” that he would be doing himself a favor by sticking to driving a truck as his talent definitely lay among a different pass which surely was not singing.

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ALL ABOUT ELVIS PRESLEY

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Elvis Aaron (or Arona) Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American musician and actor. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the “King of Rock and Roll” or simply “the King”. Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Presley at the age of 13 moved with his family to Memphis, Tennessee. He began his career there in 1954 when Sun Records owner Sam Phillips, eager to bring the sound of African American music to a wider audience, saw in Presley the means to realize his ambition. Accompanied by guitarist Scotty Moore and bassist Bill Black, Presley was one of the originators of rockabilly, an uptempo, backbeat-driven fusion of country and rhythm and blues. RCA Victor acquired his contract in a deal arranged by Colonel Tom Parker, who would manage the singer for over two decades.

Presley’s first RCA single, “Heartbreak Hotel”, released in January 1956, was a number one hit. He became the leading figure of the newly popular sound of rock and roll with a series of network television appearances and chart-topping records. His energized interpretations of songs, many from African American sources, and his uninhibited performance style made him enormously popular—and controversial. In November 1956, he made his film debut in Love Me Tender. Conscripted into military service in 1958, Presley relaunched his recording career two years later with some of his most commercially successful work. He staged few concerts, however, and, guided by Parker, proceeded to devote much of the 1960s to making Hollywood movies and soundtrack albums, most of them critically derided.

In 1968, after seven years away from the stage, he returned to live performance in a celebrated comeback television special that led to an extended Las Vegas concert residency and a string of profitable tours. In 1973, Presley staged the first global live concert via satellite, Aloha from Hawaii, seen by approximately 1.5 billion viewers—the most watched broadcast by an individual entertainer in television history.[1] Prescription drug abuse severely compromised his health, and he died suddenly in 1977 at the age of 42. Presley is regarded as one of the most important figures of 20th-century popular culture. He had a versatile voice and unusually wide success encompassing many genres, including country, pop ballads, gospel, and blues. He is the best-selling solo artist in the history of popular music, with sales of approximately 1 billion units worldwide.[2][3][4] He was nominated for 14 competitive Grammys, winning three times, and received the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at age 36. He has been inducted into four music halls of fame.

Looking Back On Elvis

Although he died in 1977, Elvis Presley still lives on to his legions of fans as “The King of Rock and Roll.” Presley was America’s first real rock star and was one of the country’s most popular entertainers in the mid to latter half of the 20th Century, perhaps eclipsed only by Frank Sinatra. Presley sung the blues and laced it with both gospel and country music elements, leading to his nickname “The Hillbilly Cat.” His voice has been described as having a unique tonality and extraordinary range, giving him the ability to tackle an array of songs and melodies that none of his contemporaries could conquer. In performing his music, Presley exuded sexuality and swagger, becoming a role model for generations of young rebels.

Elvis was born on January 8, 1935, in East Tupelo, Mississippi. He was the son of Gladys and Vernon Presley, a sewing machine operator and a truck driver. Presley’s twin brother Jesse Garon was stillborn, and Elvis grew up as an only child. Presley cut his first recordings–the songs “My Happiness” and “That’s When the Your Heartaches Begin”– in 1953 at Memphis Recording Studios, a sideline record producer Sam Phillips had started at his Sun Records studios, where anyone could record a ten inch album for four dollars. After recording several more songs for Phillips, the record producer is said to have found what he was looking for”a white man with the Negro sound and the Negro feel”. After signing with RCA in 1956 and recording “Heartbreak Hotel” Elvis became a national star. On January 28, 1956, he made his television debut on the Dorsey brothers’ Stage Show, followed by six consecutive appearances. In March, Colonial Thomas Parker became Elvis’ manager. He would receive 25% of Elvis’ earnings through a contract that lasted the singer’s lifetime and beyond.

By the 1960′s Elvis had become a pop culture icon. He toured and played old songs and new hits on the road and in Las Vegas, where he was known for his sartorial splendor and highly electric performances. He started to break all sorts of entertainment records including those for concert attendance, television ratings, and records sales, becoming one of the best-selling artists in music history. Elvis continued to perform until he passed away at age 42 from a combination of obesity, depression and abuse of prescription drugs. Although Elvis has been gone for three decades, his popularity has remained in tact. Thousands make the pilgrimage to Graceland each year to pay tribute to the king of modern rock.

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Michael Jackson vs Elvis Presley

Who was the best?

Elvis Presley VS Michael Jackson, who was the best. To be frank they were both brilliant entertainers in their own right.

Elvis presley

Elvis was a singer from the 1950′s through to the 60′s and 70′s and died at the age of 42 on 16th August 1977 at his home at Graceland of Cardiac Arrest and not a Heart Attack as was reported. Elvis left one daughter Lisa Marie aged 9.
Elvis had suffered from glaucoma, water retention in the past and the effects of years of American Southern cooking and legal use of drugs prescribed by his physician, which ultimately lead to the singers death. Elvis played racquetball in the morning before he died. He returned to his home and played Unchained Melody in his living room, then he proceeded to his bedroom, so Elvis seemed to be quite fit as he was preparing for another concert tour.

Michael Jackson

Michael was a singer from the 1960′s,70′s,80′s,90′s through to 2009 when he died at the age of 50 on 25th June 2009 at his home at Holmby Hills in Los Angeles, he also died of reported cardiac arrest. Michael left 3 children Prince Michael, 10; Paris Katherine, 9; and Prince Michael II, aka “Blanket,” 5.
Michael suffered for years from a skin disorder vitiligo, a rare disease that discolors the face and body, plus he had many cosmetic surgery operations at least 20, to change his face as he was unhappy with his features especially his nose, probably as a result from physical and mental abuse in his childhood.
Jackson probably died as a result of all the stress and anguish of the years of accusations and resulting court cases over the last 10-15 years. Michael was apparently fighting fit two days before his death, as he was preparing to play a 50 date concert at the O2 Arena in London, England. His body most likely couldn’t take the strain of the rehearsals that put upon him.

Difference between Cardiac Arrest and Heart Attack

A heart attack is when the heart becomes irregular and there is ciculation problems.
A cardiac arrest is when the heart stops beating and happens without warning. Though they are both deadly, a cardiac arrest needs treatment within minutes if not seconds, where as a heart attack can come on more slowly, as long as the patient is made comfortable they can survive long enough for help to arrive, but I must STRESS this is not always the case as every situation is different.

Summary

The difference between the two singers, you can’t really judge as Elvis Presley started it all,he was the original music rebel, as John Lennon said ‘If it wasn’t for Elvis Presley, there would be no Beatles” he was known as the King of Rock’n’ Roll, a title given to him by his fans.

Michael Jackson is what started the video era, even todays music videos do NOT have a patch on any of his videos, even the ones from the 1970′s. The King of Pop is the self-proclaimed title that was given to him by Elizabeth Taylor who had become a close friend and advisor.

All in all they both were geniuses in there own genre giving fans and the World music they loved, movements and dances that are and still original, which nobody can immitate, even though they spawned thousands of immitators, tribute acts, impersonators(imps) or whatever you want to call them. There will NEVER be another Elvis Presley or Michael Jackson.

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Elvis Jesus – Fashion Re-Imagined

Elvis Jesus is a controversial brand which gives a very “Rock and roll” feel in their clothes. This brand was started in 1997 creating a storm and instantly developed dedicated fans inspite of its controversies. This brand changed the whole look of the existing fashion and redefined fashion completely. Nobody thought that clothes could make the way Elvis Jesus has created and in this way the Fashion has been re-imagined.

The name Elvis Jesus is derived from the two world’s most iconic figures Elvis Presley of the pop fame and Jesus of Nazareth. The icons itself are so different from one another that it gives an idea about the brand. The clothes are very individualistic that people from all walks of life wear the brand. The clothes have different looks, having diamond styling in men’s wear. Elvis Jesus clothing line is not for people who have a conservative approach towards fashion. It is meant for people who want to break the so called boundaries of fashion and create a new fashion trend which this brand is offering. Its breaks the tradition of Suited corporate look and its gives it a “care a damn” image. Elvis Jesus takes pride in creating new boundaries of fashion which are never predicted, expected or imagined. It has created various combinations in their clothing line like rock with religion, fashion with politics, heroes with anti heroes which are quite visible in their T-shirts. The brand is almost rebellious basically for those who have a discriminating style of fashion
The Elvis Jesus Clothing bring about different styles in different apparels like leather jackets, hoodies, Long Sleeve T-shirts, Cardigans, Shorts and trousers. Elvis Jesus brings a mix of fashionable design patterns joint with leather patchwork, silk linings, metal work, and creative embroidery.

The clothing line feature high quality fabrics with pain staking hand work on them. Their clothing line differs from season to season which makes the line appealing in all seasons. The best part about the brand is that they appeal to the people of different age groups. Whether you are teenager going to college or a 50 year old businessman, who want to create their own style of fashion, appeal to the Elvis Jesus brand. It gives us the opportunity to be ourselves. As much as you wear the brand, the brand wears you as well. This means its gives an individual look to each one wearing an Elvis Jesus product. This shows that the Elvis Jesus group of designers works hard to create a whole new variety of clothes which caters to people of all age groups, all walks of life and those who have a very different idea of fashion. Elvis Jesus is meant to create a stir among the fashion world as the line is born out of counter culture.

Hence this brand has managed to create a whole new world of fashion having a huge fan following. In this sense we can say that it’s created a fashion which was never imagined in the conservative fashion world. In other words, we can say that the Elvis Jesus has re-imagined Fashion.

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Elvis Presley Biography 101

Elvis Presley is well-known as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.  This Elvis Presley Biography 101 article will cover the basics of his incredible life. Throughout the years on the stage, he produced 12 famous albums and left remarkable history in the world of rock and roll.

From a country-side boy, he became the idol of uncountable young girls during his time. He died at the age of 42 but his story remains to be the widely known legend of the King.

The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll was born on the 8th of January, 1935 to the Presley family in Tupelo, Mississippi.  Due to poverty, Elvis Aaron Presley moved to Memphis with his parents at the age of 13.

There, he graduated from the local Humes High School and he later found his first job as an usher at a theatre.

Elvis discovered his interest and talent in music when his parents bought him his first guitar. His uncle and pastor gave him basic lessons on guitar and he developed a passion in blues.

Earlier, he attended church sessions and they taught him how to sing. One day, he went to a record shop to record a birthday present for Gladys, his mother. His talents caught the eye of Sam Philips, the owner of Sun Records and he then signed a three-year contract with the company.

Within the first week, they sold 7000 copies of Elvis’ first record, “That’s Alright Mama” and from there onwards, he began his journey as a rock star and appeared frequently on stages. In 1955, Colonel Parker bought his contract from Sun Records for 35 thousand dollars.

His achievements include three Grammy Awards and appeared in over 30 films and were estimated to have earned .5million throughout his career life. He sold 2 million copies of his twelve albums and was crowned the “multiplatinum album sales performer”.

He was a perfectionist and recorded the hit “Hound Dog” 33 times before he was satisfied. He gradually developed the desire to perform on stages.

Despite his career as a rock singer, he served the U.S military and was the Deputy Sheriff of Shelby County in Tennessee.

Elvis had a remarkable life, and anyone wanting to get a free Elvis Presley biography to download can get one at fan websites like elvis-presley-forever.com which is dedicated to telling his remarkable life story and achievements.

The King was found dead due to severe cardiovascular disease in his own mansion at the age of 42, leaving behind his wife, Priscilla Presley and daughter Lisa Marie.