On January 8, Gladys Presley gave birth to twin boys, Elvis and Jessie, in Tupelo, Mississippi. Sadly, only Elvis survived and, when he was 13, he and his family moved to Memphis, Tennessee, where he went on to graduate from High School in 1953.
After finishing school, Elvis worked as a truck driver. In late 1955, he signed a contract with RCA Victor and a year later he had his first hit record, Heartbreak Hotel. In the same year, he also made his first film, Love Me Tender, which secured him a place in rock and roll history. In 1958, while Elvis was earning $400,000 a month, he had to go into the army. His salary went down to $78 a month.
He returned from his posting in Germany two years later with 16 year-old Priscilla Beaulieu, whom he eventually married in 1967. At the end of the sixties, Elvis started to put on weight and spend more and more time in his huge house, Graceland. His behaviour became difficult and, in 1973, he and Priscilla divorced.
On August 16, 1977, at the young age of 42, Elvis suffered a fatal heart attack. There are many who claim the King is still alive. There is one thing, however, we can be sure of – his music will certainly never die.
Glossary
to give birth – porodit
sadly – smutně, bohužel
to graduate from – ukončit, absolvovat
to secure – zapezpečit
posting in – pracovní umístění v, převelení do
eventually – nakonec
to put on weight – ztloustnout
behaviour – chování
to suffer – prodělat, utrpět
to claim – tvrdit
however – nicméně