Life Story of Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley's Posthumous Music Legacy: A New Appreciation
Elvis Presley's music career continues to captivate audiences, even decades after his passing. Posthumous releases by RCA and later BMG have played a significant role in re-evaluating his music, offering fans and critics a fresh perspective on his diverse repertoire.
The release of The Complete 60s Masters showcases Elvis' continued connection to country, gospel, and rhythm-and-blues music, defying the accusation of abandoning his roots by rock music critics. This album, along with The Complete 70s Masters, highlights Elvis' continued energy and dedication to his music after his comeback to stage performances.
Elvis Presley Platinum: A Life in Music provides a comprehensive, chronological treatment of Elvis' music career, including previously unreleased tracks. One notable addition is a newly discovered 1954 demo of Elvis singing "I'll Never Stand in Your Way." This unreleased material encourages listeners to reevaluate Elvis' music and gain a new appreciation for his impact.
RCA's pressing plants operated 24 hours a day to fill the new orders for Elvis' records. One factory in Hamburg, West Germany, produced only Elvis records to meet the demands. By September, RCA had not caught up with all the orders for Elvis' records, and after his death, record stores quickly sold out. By October, sales in the U.S. were so high that several of Elvis' albums were on the charts again.
Elvis' fans, often country music followers, remained loyal to him from his country singing days to his rock 'n' roll stardom. His down-to-earth attitude and Southern roots endeared him to his fans, making them feel that he was one of them. Elvis always aimed to give his fans what they wanted, adapting his performances and music to their expectations.
In recent years, BMG (which acquired RCA’s catalog) and affiliated labels have remixed, remastered, and repackaged many Presley albums—including posthumous compilations—to high technical standards, often on CD and vinyl. These efforts have been part of a broader trend of vault projects for classic artists, enhancing sound quality and curatorial context for Presley’s work.
The posthumous releases by RCA and BMG have helped shift some critical opinion regarding Elvis's full contribution to popular music. These releases contribute to his reputation not only as a commercial icon but also as a versatile and historically pivotal musical figure. In August 1992, the BMG committee updated the status of Elvis' albums and singles, awarding him 110 additional gold, platinum, and multiplatinum records. Elvis sold 250 million records worldwide before his death in 1977, and the BMG committee estimated that he had sold over a billion records worldwide.
Elvis Presley's fans have remained devoted to him, filling a void after his death with conventions, rituals, fan clubs, and other activities. His posthumous albums released by RCA and later BMG have helped fans and critics re-explore Elvis's diverse repertoire beyond his peak chart hits and soundtracks, allowing a more nuanced appreciation of his influence across genres like rock and roll, country, gospel, and rhythm and blues.
Movies-and-TV documentaries about Elvis Presley's life and career have helped celebrate his entertainment legacy, offering a glimpse into the lives of celebrities who have been shaped by pop-culture icons like him.
Elvis Presley's music offers a testament to the versatility of the entertainment industry, encompassing country, gospel, and rhythm-and-blues, in addition to his iconic rock 'n' roll hits.
