Elvis Presley was the Greatest American because, “Presley himself was as complex and as conflicted as the decade he has come to represent. Though shy and beguilingly sweet offstage, his early onstage persona was swaggering, even leering, with performances marked by frenzied bumping and grinding and seemingly gravity- defying bolts, leaps and slides. To the sexually repressed young people of the day, he was initially viewed as the devil incarnate. At the time, no one could have predicted that rock n’ roll would “last”, or that Presley’s stardom would not only endure, but also grow to mythic proportions following his death in 1977.” (“Elvis Presley.” Biography Resource Center: St. James Encyclopedia of Popular Culture. 5 vols. Gale, 2000. Web. 26 Feb. 2010.) Elvis was not like most superstars now days. Most huge icons are snotty and rude, but not Presley. Presley, sources say that he was shy and sweet offstage but most definitely got more comfortable onstage. “Even his gyrating hips became legendary as he continued his rock n’ roll conquest to the extent of 136 gold records and 10 platinum records. Ultimately he had the most records to make the rating charts and was the top recording artist for two straight decades, the 1950’s and the 1960’s.” and that, “He was universally proclaimed as the King of Rock n’ Roll and led the new music from its beginnings in the 1950’s to its heyday in the 1960’s and on its permanence in the music for the 1970’s and the 1980’s. His impact on the American popular culture was second to none, as he seemed to affect manner of dress, hairstyles, and even behavior. John Lennon would later cite him as one of the most important influences on the Beatles.” (“Elvis Aron Presley.” Biography Resource Center. Gale, 1998. Web. 26 Feb. 2010.) Elvis is an amazing influence on the style of Rock n’ Roll and the style of most of our music today. If it weren’t for him, we probably wouldn’t have the amazing music that we do have right now.
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