Elvis Presley is one of the most significant members in the history of rock and roll. At first he grew up as a poor white country boy. Peter Guralnick describes Elvis' pop-out as "so sudden, his music so fresh, his personality so evocative that he couldn't be labeled." Rock n' Roll was a known genre in the music industry until Elvis took the music and revolutionized it by changing the rules of the game. Tupelo, Mississippi, had been his home and here he began singing with his parents at the local First Assembly of God Church. Later in his life he decided to visit the Memphis Recording Studio to record a song, a year later the owner Sam Phillips called Elvis to try and discover his talent, and after a few hours they realized the hidden gem they had stumbled upon. Elvis had a very unique style and he demonstrated it with his style, values and interesting dance moves that challenged social norms and soon created a whole new generation. During Elvis' career, places like the South were racially segregated, although his music had such a strong effect that it broke through these racial barriers. African American music was exposed to young white Americans, who never had the chance to experience it. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayElvis never sided with society's norms, especially in his clothing choices, considering how much he loved wearing oversized clothing and the like. She also wore her hair with an excessive amount of grease, it was a sight for sore eyes, although not many people saw her that way. Many of his classmates, teachers, and even colleagues looked at him with disgust. "Elvis was told that if he didn't cut his hair he would be fired... and it didn't help when Dixie's uncle, who had always told him to cut his hair." Unfortunately this was just the beginning for the poor guy, even though he supported himself, he built a wall to block all the negative comments. So, as the decades passed, more and more people began to recognize him, most adults considered him strange and annoying, but his choice in clothing gave teenagers the chance to finally embrace themselves and wear what they wanted, even if it infringed social norms. Not only did it give them their own music to listen to in the meantime, but the generation that grew up with Elvis was allowed to experience things that the previous generation hadn't experienced, namely freedom of expression. Adults from start to finish didn't like Elvis and the way he presented himself, some believed he was "the equivalent of a male stripper, except he doesn't take his clothes off" (La Crosse interview) but in reality it was exactly the opposite, granted it looked a bit funky I didn't see any problem with the way it performed. In an interview he stated: “I don't do dirty body movements” (La Crosse interview). This was totally true, teenagers were finally dressing in a way they never thought possible. People thought Elvis was a negative influence, but he was a very positive one. It created a social revolution where sexuality could be expressed in any way a person saw fit. Elvis gave children the opportunity to have an identity different from that of their parents. The United States was very segregated at the time, especially in the South. Groups like the KKK were formed to ensure separation between blacks and whites. Many events that happened during the 50's, 60's etc. they gave them a voice, but most white Southerners didn't like this and sought it.
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