Can You Tell Me About Elvis' Rise To Fame?

Elvis Presley' introduction to the world of music and singing can be charted from the time he received a guitar as a birthday gift from his mother on his 10th birthday; his first recording assignment was with Sun Records in 1953 at the age of 18.

Presley' career received a boost when he appointed Colonel Tom Parker as his manager who played an instrumental part in projecting Elvis as a national level star. Parker negotiated a contract with RCA Victor Records for $35,000 in 1955, a considerable sum at the time, and also marketed Elvis on television as well as creating an Elvis brand name.

Presley appeared on television on the Dorsey Shows on CBS as well as The Ed Sullivan Show which resulted in Elvis being introduced to a wider audience. Parker was also instrumental in shifting Elvis' focus from music performances to films and acting and his early movies like Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock and King Creole confirmed Presley's superstar status.