Source: David Halberstam. The Fifties (1997)
After graduating from high school in 1953, Elvis drove a truck for Crown Electric, which was much more preferable to Elvis than working in a factory. Sam Phillips of Sun Records liked to record local talent, such as Riley B. King (who became the Beale Street Blues Boy; B.B. King). King told Ike Turner of Clarksdale, Mississippi of Phillips, and Turner became a de facto talent scout for Phillips in the region. In addition to Elvis, Phillips discovered Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, and Jerry Lee Lewis, all American originals.
While the music world was changing, the large recording companies had become more conservative, sharply disapproving of Rhythm & Blues. Until the 1950s, recorded music was only for sanctioned/approved artists, so those that liked Country or Rhythm & Blues had to listen to the radio. But the the improved recording technology democratized the music industry in large part because recording songs became very inexpensive.
In 1954, Bill Haley and the Comets did a version of "Shake Rattle and Roll" which sold over 1 million records by February 1955. Also in 1955, Chuck Berry became the first African-American to top the "white chart" at #5 with "Maybellene", and Little Richard soared up those same charts with "Tutti Fruitti". After Elvis was interviewed by Dewey Phillips on the air in Memphis, Elvis' musical career skyrocketed, first regionally, then nationally. Elvis became the star of a touring group that was managed by Colonel Tom Parker.
While the music world was changing, the large recording companies had become more conservative, sharply disapproving of Rhythm & Blues. Until the 1950s, recorded music was only for sanctioned/approved artists, so those that liked Country or Rhythm & Blues had to listen to the radio. But the the improved recording technology democratized the music industry in large part because recording songs became very inexpensive.
In 1954, Bill Haley and the Comets did a version of "Shake Rattle and Roll" which sold over 1 million records by February 1955. Also in 1955, Chuck Berry became the first African-American to top the "white chart" at #5 with "Maybellene", and Little Richard soared up those same charts with "Tutti Fruitti". After Elvis was interviewed by Dewey Phillips on the air in Memphis, Elvis' musical career skyrocketed, first regionally, then nationally. Elvis became the star of a touring group that was managed by Colonel Tom Parker.
Sam Phillips held out for as much as possible in selling Elvis' contract to a major recording studio, and Parker had connections with the Radio Corporation of America (RCA). Phillips called his best friend, Kemmons Wilson, who was in the midst of creating his Holiday Inn franchise (Phillips had got in on the ground floor with Wilson as an investor, and Phillips would become very rich down the road). Wilson told Phillips to sell the rights for Elvis, and RCA purchased the rights for Elvis for $35,000 . . . Elvis was now the property of RCA.
Presley's timing was perfect, with the crossover of Bill Haley, et al, in full swing. There was nothing parents could do about their kids listening/buying the new kind of music. Teens had more money to spend than any other previous generation of teens in US History, and the technology to play records was abundant and affordable. Elvis started to reach the stratosphere in 1955, when U.S. teens were starting to spend an incredible amount of money on the music of their choice. These teens didn't remember the Great Depression, and saving money didn't even remotely register on their horizon. A byproduct of the rising affluence was that the average middle class teen had $10+ a week ($90+ in 2015 dollars) to spend, a remarkable amount at that time.
Teens no longer depended on the family appliances, and could listen to music away from home in their cars or with transistor radios (beginning in 1957). Disc jockeys became the most trusted adults for these teens. For the first time, teens had become their own separate, defined part of U.S. culture, and Elvis was the first major beneficiary, entering millions of American homes on the sly via the radio.
Presley's timing was perfect, with the crossover of Bill Haley, et al, in full swing. There was nothing parents could do about their kids listening/buying the new kind of music. Teens had more money to spend than any other previous generation of teens in US History, and the technology to play records was abundant and affordable. Elvis started to reach the stratosphere in 1955, when U.S. teens were starting to spend an incredible amount of money on the music of their choice. These teens didn't remember the Great Depression, and saving money didn't even remotely register on their horizon. A byproduct of the rising affluence was that the average middle class teen had $10+ a week ($90+ in 2015 dollars) to spend, a remarkable amount at that time.
Teens no longer depended on the family appliances, and could listen to music away from home in their cars or with transistor radios (beginning in 1957). Disc jockeys became the most trusted adults for these teens. For the first time, teens had become their own separate, defined part of U.S. culture, and Elvis was the first major beneficiary, entering millions of American homes on the sly via the radio.
By 1955, Ed Sullivan had become the unofficial "Minister of Culture" in America. The Ed Sullivan Show was the great variety show at 8 pm every Sunday, blending a safe array of variety acts . . . nothing would happen on the show that was remotely threatening. In 1956, Sullivan was at the height of his popularity and power, his show at the exact center of US mass culture, and he wanted no part of Elvis, in large part due to his gyrations while performing. Those gyrations started when Elvis needed something to do instead of standing still when he wasn't singing, and the crowds loved it.
By 1956, Elvis had become a national celebrity and a national issue, with his success defying imagination; "Hound Dog" sold 2 million copies, while "Don't Be Cruel" sold 3 million. Elvis was selling $75,000 worth of records each day. Elvis had appeared on Milton Berle's show twice, really cutting loose the second time, causing an uproar over the vulgarity of his act. Sullivan announced that Elvis would never be on his show . . . the Guardian of Public Morality had spoken.
Within three weeks of making that public statement, Sullivan had to change his mind after Elvis appeared on the Steve Allen Show on 1 July 1956. Allen had Elvis sing "Hound Dog" in a
tuxedo to a basset hound, and Elvis' fans hated it; the fans felt betrayed, and Elvis felt humiliated, wanting-and-needing another chance on television. Nevertheless, Allen had bested Sullivan in the ratings, and Sullivan immediately surrendered to the obvious.
By 1956, Elvis had become a national celebrity and a national issue, with his success defying imagination; "Hound Dog" sold 2 million copies, while "Don't Be Cruel" sold 3 million. Elvis was selling $75,000 worth of records each day. Elvis had appeared on Milton Berle's show twice, really cutting loose the second time, causing an uproar over the vulgarity of his act. Sullivan announced that Elvis would never be on his show . . . the Guardian of Public Morality had spoken.
Within three weeks of making that public statement, Sullivan had to change his mind after Elvis appeared on the Steve Allen Show on 1 July 1956. Allen had Elvis sing "Hound Dog" in a
tuxedo to a basset hound, and Elvis' fans hated it; the fans felt betrayed, and Elvis felt humiliated, wanting-and-needing another chance on television. Nevertheless, Allen had bested Sullivan in the ratings, and Sullivan immediately surrendered to the obvious.
Parker was contacted by Sullivan's representatives, and Elvis was signed to appear on the Ed Sullivan Show three times for a total of $50,000. Being the Guardian of Public Morality was good if it enhanced Sullivan's career, but it quickly went out the window if ratings slipped. The battle was over, and Sullivan had caved . . . the new music entered the U.S. mainstream. After the first of three shows, Sullivan was very pleased with the ratings (Charles Laughton hosted since Sullivan was recuperating from an auto accident). Sullivan also went out of his way to say that he hadn't lowered morals by having Elvis on his show.
After Elvis' third appearance, Sullivan sidled up to Elvis and called him a real, decent, fine boy, which was a televised surrender to the new order of things. Market economics had won, and unlike Jazz, the soon-to-be-called Rock 'n' Roll involved the masses in a visceral manner. New forces driven by technology had won, and teens didn't have to listen to their parents nearly as much anymore. Marlon Brando and Elvis were only the first of the new rebels in the world of entertainment. The common thread of those two, and their successors (e.g. James Dean), was that they projected the image of being misunderstood, especially by their parent's generation.
After Elvis' third appearance, Sullivan sidled up to Elvis and called him a real, decent, fine boy, which was a televised surrender to the new order of things. Market economics had won, and unlike Jazz, the soon-to-be-called Rock 'n' Roll involved the masses in a visceral manner. New forces driven by technology had won, and teens didn't have to listen to their parents nearly as much anymore. Marlon Brando and Elvis were only the first of the new rebels in the world of entertainment. The common thread of those two, and their successors (e.g. James Dean), was that they projected the image of being misunderstood, especially by their parent's generation.