4. Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley, perhaps the most famous musical icon of all time, a true rags-to-riches story of a man who shot to international stardom from humble beginnings. Elvis got his big break in 1953 after record producer Sam Phillips listened to a two-song demo tape that Elvis had recorded in Sun Studios. His first single, “That’s All Right” was a hit. In 1955, Colonel Tom Parker became Elvis’s manager and soon afterwards Elvis began touring. Elvis’s unique sound and good looks soon amassed a large female following.
In 1958, at the peak of his fame, Elvis was called to serve in the U.S. Army and went overseas to Germany. When he returned Elvis still enjoyed huge popularity but by the mid-1960s his career was beginning to go downhill. His records weren’t reaching the heights they once had and he was being criticized for starring in a string of mediocre generic films. Bands like the Beatles were taking the musical world by storm and Elvis’s career was slowly fading out.
In 1968, Elvis made a triumphant return to the top by starring in the hugely successful CBS “Comeback Special.” The following year Elvis topped the charts with “Suspicious Minds” and embarked on a successful Las Vegas tour. His concert special, “Aloha from Hawaii” was seen by over 1.5 billion people worldwide. However, the pressures of stardom and his rock and roll lifestyle was taking a toll on his health. He had become addicted to prescription drugs and he was gaining a lot of weight. Elvis was due to fly to Portland, Maine on August 17 to kick off the next leg of his nationwide tour but sadly, the day before, August 16, 1977, he suffered a massive heart attack and died at his Graceland estate. He was just 42 years old. Approximately 20,000 of his fans flocked to his home in Graceland to pay their respects after he died.