Essay - Elvis When Elvis Presley Died of a Heart Ailment and...

Elvis

When Elvis Presley died of a heart ailment and drug overdose in 1977 at the age of 42, it sent shock waves not only through the music industry, but through the entire world. Such was ***** power ***** a man who, desp*****e his young age, had established himself as the King of Rock, an American cultural icon, and one of the most bankable entertainers ever. ***** still holds various records for album sales and attendance at concert venues, and his string of 18 number-***** hits is almost gaudy in ***** here-today-gone-tomorrow ***** of pop *****.

As a public figure, Presley tr*****nscended the ***** music ***** film genres in which he worked. He ***** larger than life, and he had a tremendous influence on American culture, both through his life and, inadvertently, through his death. Among Presley's greatest contri*****ions to American society were:

***** exposure ***** African American musicians ***** the white, American public;

his role in influencing a liberalization of American *****, ***** allowed other cultural ********** to succeed; and the awareness he created of the perils of drug addiction through his premature death.

The ***** influence Presley ***** on these three are***** of ***** culture have created for him a signific*****nt personal legacy that belies the short four decades he spent on earth.

***** opens doors ***** African American musicians

Presley's role in race relations is arguably ***** most debated part of his legacy in American culture. Musicians are divided to this day over whether Presley was a r*****cist ***** stole his music from pioneering black performers, or whether ***** imitation of ***** performers was an ultimate sign ***** respect.1 In a popular rap song "Fight the Power" by 1980s and 1990s rap group Public Enemy, Elvis is referred to as a "straight-up rac*****t" and "simple and plain" by the *****'s African ***** members.

Much of ***** hostility regarding Presley's ***** in American race relations comes ***** the fact ***** ***** ***** by and large were sell*****g very few albums at ***** time Presley turned the music scene on its ear in the 1950s, ***** he most certa*****ly made a fortune imit*****ting some ***** t***** performance moves of black musicians and even c*****ing their songs, such as Blue Suede Shoes, a Carl Perkins standard.2 Also, there are a gre*****t deal ***** urban legends surrounding ***** views on race, with fictitious quotes and attitudes often attributed to him.3 Many scholars believe Elvis was not a r*****cist *****, in fact, faced frequent discrimination from white ***** for his imitation of black music and culture.4

John Bakke is just one researcher who ********** *****, who grew up poor and was by no means an elitist, was not a racist ***** showed great admiration for black performers.5 Bakke points out that Presley ***** performed at *****torically all-black events.6 Elvis *****ly cited black performers as his influences and Little Richard, ***** met and spent time with Presley, h***** said he believes that Presley was not a *****, but a pioneer who created opportunities