last train to memphis the rise of elvis presley

And this human side of the singer is what makes this such a good biography. But what I also noticed in the book is that as he gains notoriety, he is still a “kid” in many ways. And as we see in the book, by the time he reaches nineteen, Elvis has already caught the eye of people in the music business with an eye for talent. Neither did Elvis.”įor the Presleys, Memphis was the next destination and this city proved to be more than they could have ever bargained for. “There were times we had nothing to eat but corn bread and water,” recalled Vernon not long before he died, “but we always had compassion for people. Recalling the words of Vernon, the author explains that: Families were left with tough decisions heavily based on the best opportunity for financial success and security. Further, the family’s financial situation touches on the difficulties faced by Americans in the wake of the Great Depression. In Tupelo, there are trials and tribulations including the story of Elvis’ twin brother Jesse who died in infancy. Presley and his parents reside there briefly in the book before making the move to Memphis for better pastures. The story begins in Tupelo, Mississippi, a place I was unfamiliar with prior to reading this book. Here, the author focuses on Elvis’ early life and what he writes speaks volumes about the American dream, the South and how much society has changed since Elvis caught his big break. This book is the first part of a two-volume biography of the late singer and ends well before his final days in 1977. Author Peter Guralnick is an admitted Elvis fan and in this phenomenal look at Elvis’ rise to fame, he captures the essence of the Presley family story equally as significant as the triumphs that came later through the only son of Vernon (1916-1979) and Gladys Presley (1912-1958). Coverage of his death is extensive but the story of his origins in Tupelo, Mississippi and Memphis, Tennessee are stories to be known if we are to understand how Presley rose from obscurity to become the music legend. His death at the age of forty-two is tragic and was featured in an episode of the Reelz television show ‘ Autopsy‘ (S3.E2).

Presley changed history and gave credence to the genre known as Rock n’ Roll. Forty-five years have passed since his death, but his fans remain lol keeping the singer’s memory alive, and rightfully so. In the afternoon of August 16, 1977, legendary recording artist Elvis Aaron Presley (1935-1977) was found unconscious at his Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee and later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

Last train to memphis the rise of elvis presley