50,000,000 Elvis fans can't be wrong. That's right 50 million elvis fan during the 50's. There are all types too; there are many people who dislike Elvis, worship Elvis, or just plain admire him. I thought that he was a pretty talented singer, a great actor, and one helluva stud. Elvis never really thought that he had that much talent, he just thought that he was in the right place at the right time. Or as many people said, "a white man with black voice!" And why not Elvis did grow up around many African Americans, and like other artists of the time, many of them influenced his style music. Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi in 1935. He was born to Vernon and Gladys Presley, and had a twin brother, Jesse Garon, who died at birth. Growing up poor was always hard for the Presley family, and as a result the family moved around a lot, where ever there was work. Elvis was a natural blonde, but dyed his hair dark brown because he thought he looked better with dark hair. As a teenager Elvis worked as a truck driver for small electric company, but he always liked to sing. He wasn't a accomplished guitarist then, but he managed. Then one day we went into Sun Records recording studio. On that fateful summer day, Elvis entered the Sun Studio and paid $4 to record a record for his mother's birthday. While the manger for the studio, Sam Phillips, set up the dubbing equipment, Elvis sat in the small waiting room, fidgeting. Sam Phillips secretary, Marion Keisker took pity on the nervous young man and ambled over for a little small talk. "What kind of singer are you?" she asked. "I sing all kinds." " Who do you sound like?" said Marion . "I don't sound like nobody" That turned out to be pretty close to the truth. With the two songs that Elvis recorded that day, Sam Phillips was able to identify a certain longing and feeling in Elvis' music. After hooking Elvis up with a guitar player named Scotty Moore and a bass player named Bill Black, Elvis's recording career took off. Elvis wasn't just a star in the recording studio, he was a star on the golden screen as well. With only one screen test at Paramount Studios, the studio offered Elvis a contract in the movies. Elvis was often compared to Erol Flynn, with critics saying they shared the "same sexual power and charisma." But it was James Dean and Marlon Brando whom influenced Elvis the most. By all accounts, Elvis could recite every line spoken by Dean in Rebel without a cause. With a string of hit movies, Elvis became the icon of the young rebel and one of the world's most successful entertainers.