Elvis and His Music

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the life and music of Elvis Presley. It describes his background, his upbringing and his introduction into a career of music. The paper then describes Elvis' successes as a musician, both in the United States and internationally. It also looks into his personal downfall into drugs and alcohol and discusses the effect that celebrity had on him.

From the Paper:

"Although a gifted and musician and a good and generous human being, by the end of his life, Elvis had fallen into a state of decadence, drunkenness, drug abuse, and physical deterioration (Simon 1995). He had become bitterly disappointed with his life, and almost a desolate person, for celebrity had basically chewed up his creativity (Simon 1995). Guralnick writes that there were "fewer and fewer opportunities to withdraw from the spotlight, and with the ability to withdraw from the spotlight," he simply became consumed by it (Simon 1995). Ironically, his manager Colonel Tom Parker understood that one of the key elements of success is limited exposure of the artist to the public, otherwise, the public will consume the artist. However, Guralnick notes, "I think that it didn't work for Elvis because his creative outlet were not maintained at the same time...but some one like Bob Dylan, for instance, sought to recreate himself over and over again," thus he withdrew from the spotlight to do different things, to do new things, and this is perhaps the only way to survive in a celebrity-consuming age (Simon 1995)."

Sample of Sources Used:

• All About Elvis. (2006). Retrieved November 06 2006 from: http://www.elvis.com/elvisology/bio/elvis_overview.asp
• Doss, Erika. (2002 June 22). Believing in Elvis: popular piety in a material culture. Business Perspectives. Retrieved November 06 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• O'Meara, Kelly Patricia . (2002 August 05). The crown still fits: nearly a quarter after the untimely death of the King of Rock 'n' Roll, Elvis Presley still haunts Americans - including the new generation--seeking roots in a genuine American culture. Insight on the News. Retrieved November 06 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.
• Simon, Scott. (1995 January 07). New Elvis Biography Chronicles the King's Early Years. Weekend Edition: National Public Radio. Retrieved November 06 2006 from HighBeam Research Library.

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