History Of Music Term Paper

Mus 118 Term Paper. Works Cited.

When asked who was the greatest pioneer in American music, it’s undeniably Elvis Presley. Elvis Presley isn’t regarded as just the “King of Rock and Roll”, but also the “King”, period. His contribution to American music left a permanent mark on American culture. Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, on January 8, 1935. His family moved to Tennessee when he was 13 years old. At an early age, he was introduced to music through his mother, who gifted him a guitar on his 11th birthday. Growing up in Tennessee, Elvis and his mother - who was especially dedicated to religion- formed a strong bond, and would often attend all-night gospel sings. This allowed him to acquire experience before the beginning of his great career, and it would soon reflect on his music, which was heavily influenced by gospel music. During his adolescence period in Tennessee, Elvis was also surrounded by country and pop music. Due to the historic Beale Street in Memphis, he also absorbed black R&B.