Elvis Presley - (Greenwood Biographies) by Kathleen Tracy (Hardcover)

About the Book

Profiles the life and career of Elvis Presley.

Book Synopsis

Almost 30 years after his death, Elvis Presley remains one of the most influential performers and recognized pop culture icons the world over. His then-unprecedented musical style-a fusion of blues, country, pop, bluegrass, and gospel-ushered in the age of rock n' roll and paved the way for generations of musicians and singers to follow. This biography will offer a seldom seen glimpse into the life of Elvis, tracing his family life, musical career, films, and legacy. The volume closes with a timeline and bibliography.

Not only did Elvis usher in a new genre of music, he also came to represent the growing dissatisfaction young people had with the mores and conventions of the restrictive 1950s. At a time when the top pop stars were Pat Boone and Andy Williams, Elvis' blatant sensuality on stage and his smoldering presence off it made him the anti-establishment poster boy. This biography offers a seldom seen glimpse into the life and career of Elvis, tracing his family life, musical career, films, and legacy. Today, the King lives on in popular culture-on Top 20 lists, in film and television, on the radio, in cyberspace, and yes, even in the countless performances by Elvis impersonators throughout the world.

Review Quotes

"Journalist Tracy takes a remarkably even-handed approach in this narrative of what happened to the kid from Tupelo, Mississippi who seemed to drop in from another planet in 1956. She details the deals with Colonel Tom Parker, which Presley entered into largely out of fear over what Parker would do with salacious recordings, the familial relationships, the concerts, the tours, the awards, the movies, the hits, the flops, the gluttony and the wretched stumbling to the pharmacy and back. Although intended for the general readership, Tracy is honest about what killed Presley and why, showing how his fears of exposure of youthful indiscretions and basic insecurity as a performer and a person combined with the liberality of the time." --Reference & Research Book News

About the Author

Kathleen Tracy is a Los Angeles-based journalist. She is the author of over 20 titles, including The Boy Who Would Be King: An Intimate Portrait of Elvis Presley by His Cousin (1990). Her work has also been featured in A&E Biography Magazine and Variety.