Elvis Presley was a superstar and continues to be one posthumously. The artist had a vision of himself as a musician and pursued that path throughout his life. To outsiders, Elvis was "repeatedly dismissed as vulgar, incompetent, and a bad influence," (The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll, Simon & Schuster, 2001). However, the personality of Elvis is far more complicated than what fan magazines and superficial reports can say.

Elvis was a twin, but his twin died at birth. His childhood was typical, in that it was far from perfect. Elvis's father Vernon was in prison on counts of forgery for three years. Elvis's mother Gladys struggled to support her son in an environment that did not support the creative or economic growth of females. Elvis and his mother lived with extended family members for years. Music remained a continual presence throughout Elvis's life. He moved to Memphis,...
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