Elvis Aaron Presley was an American singer and actor who was born on January 8, 1935 and died on August 16, 1977. He is one of the twentieth century’s most significant cultural icons and was fondly called the King of Rock and Roll by Robert Johnson, a writer for the Press-Scimitar. But did you know that Presley dyed his hair with black polish?
Elvis Presley was a natural blonde up until his late teens, and even then, when his hair darkened, it wasn’t the shade we all know and love. It was dyed a shade of brown known as’Mink Brown, but when he tried it, he used black shoe polish instead.
How Did Presley’s Appealing Appearance Attract Ladies When He Was a Teenager?
Elvis Presley had an undeniable allure with the ladies from his adolescent years forward. While this is a little overstated, the emphasis on his charming character, ice-blue eyes, and jet black hair all helped him establish immediate friends with most women. Part of his full package charm, unbeknownst to these women — and millions of others later in his life — was truly untrue. He kept a secret that only a few people knew about, and it was visible in every photo he took. (Source: Music Nation)
Elvis Presley’s Career and Notable Achievements
Elvis Presley began his singing career in 1954 with Memphis’ legendary Sun Records label. In late 1955, RCA Victor purchased his recording contract. By 1956 he became an international sensation.
Presley starred in 33 successful films, made television history with his appearances and specials, and received widespread praise for his many, frequently record-breaking live concert performances on tour and in Las Vegas.
He has sold over one billion records worldwide than any other artist and has even received gold, platinum, and multi-platinum honors for his sales in the United States. He garnered 14 Grammy nominations from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award at 36, and was designated one of the Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Nation by the United States Jaycees in 1970. (Source: Outsider)
Elvis Presley’s Musical Influences
Gospel music was Presley’s first musical influence. His mother recalled that when he was two, he would slide down off my lap, run into the aisle, scramble up to the platform, look at the choir, and try to sing with them at the Assembly of God church in Tupelo where the family attended.
Presley’s musical interests were diverse as a teenager, and he was well-versed in both white and African-American musical idioms. Despite having no formal training, he had a remarkable memory and considerable musical knowledge by the time he made his first professional recordings when he was 19 in 1954. When Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller met him two years later, As Stoller put it, his encyclopedic knowledge of the blues, as well as his knowledge of country and gospel music, astounded them. (Source: Graceland)
How Unique Was Elvis Presley’s Vocal Style and Range?
Presley’s three-octave vocal range was incredible, sounding like a tenor, baritone, and bass all at once. In a 1987 article in the Village Voice, they described his voice with shockingly rich bass and amazing high notes, and it classified him as a lyric baritone. (Source: Graceland